By Pastor Chris Hicks and Pastor Gary Jones
Greater Kingdom advancement is what is happening here in the Midwest. On Easter Sunday April 1, The U Church merged with Belvidere Heights Baptist Church. The U Church, an African-American congregation led by Pastor Gary Jones and Belvidere Heights, led by Pastor Chris Hicks, have joined together to form one church that will soon re-launch under a new name.
Pastor Chris has been leading BHBC to be a multi-ethnic congregation, “a little bit of heaven on earth.” Upon running into Pastor Gary at a convention meeting last year, Pastor Chris asked about the U Church. Pastor Gary said, “we are looking to merge with another congregation.” From that point, the two pastors began to meet each week in prayer and conversation. Then the church leadership became involved in praying and conversation. The churches met together, worshipped together, ate together, and had Q&A times. God brought together two pastors with the same heart and two churches with the same vision, and we are poised for “greater Kingdom advancement!”
This spring and summer the leadership is envisioning the future, writing a new constitutio
n, changing the structure of the church, changing the name of the church, and becoming laser-focused on fulfilling the Great Commission. The facilities are being updated inside and out. A fall launch is planned.
Pastor Chris is a gifted administrator and Pastor Jones loves missions and outreach. Already the church has hosted the staff and teachers of the local elementary school for a catered dinner and teamed up with the Before and After School Linc Program to feed children.
“We are excited about God’s answer to prayer, for more laborers for the harvest, for a nucleus of people that see what God can do and will do with people in line with His vision and plan for the Church,” says Pastor Chris.
Interested in learning more? Contact Pastor Chris Hicks at [email protected].
