Sequim’s Faith Baptist Church is on its way to successfully planting a church near its roots. 

In June, church members and attendees of Faith Baptist Fellowship, 518 W. Eighth St., Port Angeles, voted to bring in missionary pastor the Rev. Tim Kluver of Florida. He and his wife, P.J., and their four children started on June 24 to lead a growing congregation of about 40 people. 

The Kluvers are from Bradenton, Fla., and move to the area from Eureka, Mont., where they served for 10 months helping another young church grow. 

He’ll do much of the same for Faith Baptist Fellowship, the congregation that Faith Baptist in Sequim started. Ironically, Sequim’s church was started by members of Calvary Baptist Church in Port Angeles, which dissolved after membership chose to leave to attend other churches.  

Kluver, a former developer and fourth-generation Floridian, said he felt led to this work in 2002.

His family began attending a church in Florida similar to the ones he’s leading now. Then the opportunity arose to live and minister in Montana. Over those 10 months, they helped the church buy land, make building designs and start fundraising. 

Kluver said his family learned of the possible opening in Port Angeles in January, and they visited the area in May to present their mission goals. 

“It’s not so much about planting churches as much as speaking the good news of Jesus Christ,” Kluver said. 

While they serve in Port Angeles, the couple continues to seek support from other churches for their mission within the Continental Baptist Mission out of Rockford, Mich.

The agency helps church plants such as the new one in Port Angeles later with permitting and building costs once they are established. 

Kluver also works part-time along with pastoring. He’s held jobs in the automotive field, substitute teaching, and grass-cutting in Montana.  

P.J. Kluver said her husband’s work in the ministry is to work himself out of a job. 

“He helps get them self-supporting and to a place to call in a full-time pastor,” she said. 

Kluver said the idea of a parent church (like Sequim) starting more churches is taught in the New Testament. 

Both Faith Baptists are General Association of Regular Baptists churches, not a denomination but self-governing. 

Kluver said services are conservative and don’t focus on the entertainment aspect of church.

“We don’t have a focus on religion,” he said. “We’re here to focus on the relationship with Christ because that’s real.”