The Church With a Heart
The "Old Church Downtown" became known as the "Church With a Heart" under the ministry of Dr. Jack Hyles. When he arrived at this
old-fashioned Baptist church, a number of ministries were already in place, but the Lord was prompting him to reach those no one
else was reaching. That vision continues today under the leadership of our present pastor, Dr. Jack Schaap. The heart of this "Church
With a Heart" is proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ across the street and around the world. This goal is being reached through
the ministries and people of First Baptist Church.
A Heart for God's Word
At the First Baptist Church, preaching takes precedence. On an average Sunday, 21 preaching services are held simultaneously, with
a total of 55 on any given Sunday. Our pastor has a heart for God and a vision for reaching the world for Christ.
In addition to preaching services, beautiful wedding ceremonies and the Lord's Supper services are performed by Pastor
Schaap with
the assistance of the staff and deacons. Christ and His Word are also uplifted through ordination services and beautiful funerals
performed for the Homegoings of our loved ones. Special services are also held on Thanksgiving Day.
By magnifying God's Word, Pastor Schaap's preaching has stirred thousands of members to be a part of the "Church With a Heart" and
to be "People of the Book." Whether it is a preaching service on Sunday morning or Sunday evening or a Bible study on Wednesday night,
the pulpit at the First Baptist Church is always "hot." People are saved and baptized each week, and lives are changed through the
preaching of God's Word.
A Servant's Heart
Jesus said, "But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant" (Matthew 23:11). It is no wonder
that the First Baptist Church has become known as the "Church With a Heart" because of the servant's heart of both pastor
and people. From volunteers who clean our facilities weekly to the band of men in the Aaron and Hur Ministry who hold our pastor
up in prayer as he preaches God's eternal message, First Baptist Church perpetuates the heart of a servant. A valet parking team
serves our senior citizens, and a host of parking lot and door greeters are given to the hospitality of our church. The Seams Like
Heaven club sews everything from baptismal gowns to the Pastors' School outfits.
A first-rate medical team is always on hand during church services to handle any emergency that may arise on our properties. Our
PA men, media team, and graphics art department faithfully operate the equipment dedicated to promoting Christ through preaching,
radio, billboards, printing, direct mail, Web, and even television. The First Baptist Church Watchmen meet dozens of times throughout
the week in organized prayer meetings to plead for the heart of God upon our church. Our qualified team of security guards handles
traffic flow, safety issues, and a variety of needs that arise, working hand in hand with our local law enforcement.
Big Days Show the Heart of Our Church
To anyone who is not a member of First Baptist Church, the words "Big Day" do not mean much; but to those who have been
a part of this church for any time at all, those words mean a whole lot--a whole lot of work! Each spring and fall our church has
what it called the Spring and Fall Programs--several weeks in which the bringing of visitors, the boosting of attendance, and the
salvation of souls is emphasized. Usually during each of the programs, one or two weeks are designated as "Big Days," and
all the stops are pulled out to reach a noble goal--souls saved and lives changed. To create excitement and motivation, a theme is
chosen for each program; and special awards are offered for those who work the hardest. Some of our themes have included "I'll
Tell the World That I'm a Christian," "I Pledge Allegiance," "You've Got a Friend in FBC," Triumph and Tragedy," and "Increase
My Vision." Our entire church family and new parents anticipate our annual Baby Dedication Sunday held each year on Mother's
Day.
A Heart for the Right Music
We have a vibrant music program. Music sets the spirit of the service and prepares hearts for preaching. Because the right kind of
music is vital, our church has opportunities for all ages to participate in choirs and special groups. Under Bro.
Schaap's leadership,
we now have a full church orchestra, a large adult choir, three grand pianos, and an organ to add to the spirit of our church services.
Through our music program, generations have learned to love the precious old hymns and spiritual songs and to lift up their voices
to God.
A Sunday School With a Heart
The "Church With a Heart" seeks to follow Christ's admonition to bring people of all ages to saving
knowledge of Jesus
Christ. We offer state-of-the-art nursery facilities for children birth through three years of age, graded children and teen classes,
and dozens of adult classes. Hundreds of dedicated nursery workers and Sunday school teachers nurture, discipline, and influence people
of all ages daily as the book of Acts teaches. At First Baptist Church, for newborns through senior citizens, there are hundreds of
classes to help people in each season of life to grow in their relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.
A Heart for the Infirmed
Our church has a heart for the infirmed, and we show this heart on a daily basis. Associate Pastor Johnny Colsten has been showing
our heart for these people for more than three decades. Nearly seven days a week, Bro. Colsten visits those who are in the local area
hospitals and those who are ill at home. Another one of our adept assistant pastors, Dr. Roy Moffitt, visits those who are in hospitals
outside of Lake County, Indiana, and those who need that special pastoral care during late evening or early morning hours. Miss Maxine
Jeffries, one of our church staff members, visits the shut-ins of our membership. She, along with the ladies of our Women's Missionary
Society, visits these people every month and brings them a little sunlight of love and compassion and a glimpse of current events
at the church while they are bedridden or otherwise incapable of attending church on a regular basis. Yes, even those who are ill,
hurting, or lonely are part of our church's heart focus.
A Heart for Those With Special Needs
This "Church With a Heart" does more than love with words; it loves with deed. Real love is to do for others when they
lack the power to compensate the giver. Our Pathfinder Department, under the leadership of Tom and Genevieve Atchinson, is for developmentally
disabled adults; and our Sunbeam Department, under the direction of Lana Siemer, provides a Sunday school class for developmentally
disabled children.
The "Church With a Heart" has a place for all people, and what some might consider limitations, God has turned around
for His glory and purpose. We have broken down the barriers of darkness and silence by establishing ministries for the blind and
deaf. Our Deaf and Blind Ministries provide classes for all ages. Public services are interpreted for the deaf, and our qualified
deaf staff provides the experience, assistance, and cultural awareness for our deaf and hard-of-hearing.
A Heart for Our Region
"But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me..." (Acts
1:8). Since its inception, the First Baptist Church of Hammond has been known as a church that strives to fulfill that Great Commission.
After 120 years, that soul-winning zeal has not been lessened but rather grown by leaps and bounds. In a recent week of soul-winning
emphasis, the members of First Baptist Church were responsible for seeing 24,587 souls saved. Men, women, teenagers, and children
are continually being trained to lead people down the Romans Road to salvation. The Fishermen's Club, a Phoster
Club, Candle of the Lord (Sunshine Ladies), Teen Soul Winning, and 15 other 90-minute soul-winning groups meet on a weekly basis.
Our Asian Ministry, Servicemen's Ministry, Responsibility USA, Truck Drivers' Chapel Ministry, and Sunday Afternoon Programs for
Chicago teenagers provide extensive outreach and influence throughout the Calumet and Chicagoland regions.
A Heart for the International Communities
Here at First Baptist Church of Hammond, we have a heart for all people of all nationalities. We are honored to have members from
countries all around the globe--including 70 nationalities!
Our Spanish Department has its own Sunday School, bus ministry, and outreach programs. The Spanish Department also holds services
each Sunday morning and evening, as well as each Wednesday evening. The warm family atmosphere so inherent to the Spanish people can
certainly be felt and enjoyed here at First Baptist Church. If the Spanish Department were considered a separate church, it would
be the second largest independent Baptist Church in the state of Indiana! Para todas las personas que pueden hablar Espanol, bienvienidos
a la Departmento Hispano!
Our Inner-City Chapel Ministry takes good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to many who have been overlooked
by other churches throughout our area. Their gracious hearts and
spirits bring a real sense of joy to us here at First Baptist Church of Hammond. Many of these people struggle with difficult economic
situations, but God promises grace to deal with the obstacles everyone encounters! Many of the children reached through the Inner-City
Chapel Ministry are able to attend one of our schools, City Baptist Schools, located here in Hammond. Through this ministry we currently
hold services in several different locations throughout the area.
Our Asian Ministry has a chapel which holds services in Chicago, in addition to the Sunday school and junior church classes held
here at our church location in Hammond. They also have a strong outreach to Asian students attending colleges and universities throughout
the Chicagoland area.
A Heart for the Addicted
There are millions that suffer from addictions every day. They hit the bottom; they lose their value and respect in the world; their
life is stolen away. Their problem is not the addiction; it is the lack of Jesus Christ in their life. Reformers Unanimous, using
the tools of the Word of God and prayer, helps them break the chains of addiction by helping them find new life in Jesus Christ. "RU" meets
on Friday nights and also has a Spanish chapter. First Baptist Church also has an RU Home (formerly the Hammond City Rescue Mission),
helping men to overcome obstacles to reach their potential for Christ.
A Heart for the Neglected
For years, First Baptist Church members have been visiting the Chicagoland area nursing homes and holding services at the homes
weekly. In 2002, the Nursing Home Ministry began bringing area residents, including handicapped residents, by bus to church, where
they enjoy the morning service and an afternoon program along with a meal. Every Friday the Candle of the Lord Club, a ladies' group
nicknamed "The
Sunshine Ladies" by visiting the area nursing homes, brightens the lives of the residents by singing and telling the wonderful
story of Jesus. Every week hundreds of nursing home residents are reached with the Gospel, with scores being saved and many being
baptized.
The Lighthouse Ministry ministers to the thousands of homeless men and women of Chicago. Every Sunday workers go to Chicago before
sunrise to start inviting the homeless to church from missions, streets, and hospitals. Our church provides breakfast and lunch and
transportation to and from church for an average of 60 to 70 people each week, with 8 to 12 people are saved and baptized weekly.
For years, our church has also visited the jails of the Chicagoland area, reaching thousands for Christ. Currently we have preaching
services or RU programs in several different facilities every week, averaging 500 in attendance and 200 salvations per week.
A Heart for Children
Luke 18:16 says, "But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me,
and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God." That's the best reason of all for the First Baptist
Church to have an exciting children's program so that young lives are reached while they can still be molded. First Baptist Church
believes that Christian growth should occur in all facets of life--not just in the church pew and the classrooms, but in special
activities as well. Children will learn character and discipline on the ball fields. Children will get a firm spiritual foundation
in clubs such as Far Above Rubies, Blue Denim and Lace, and Baptist Boys Battalion. These are ministries where kids catch the
fundamentals because they are taught the fundamentals. The children also enjoy junior camp and the Power Club Kids' Conference
and attend junior activities, and boys entering first through twelfth grades can participate in our summer youth baseball leagues.
A Heart for Teenagers
First Baptist Church has a youth program that challenges, motivates, and inspires. Today's teenagers are the future of our world,
and their hearts must be captured if they are to live lives set apart for God. First Baptist Church has a well-rounded youth program
with Sunday School classes, exciting activities, a youth choir, various singing groups, and a teenage outreach program. There are
also specific clubs for preacher boys, junior high girls, and high school young ladies. The CORE program is for those looking to take
their walk with God to the next level. On one day in 2006, over 300 First Baptist Church teenagers led nearly 7,000 people to the
Lord.
A Heart for Adults
The idea behind our adult program is to create an atmosphere of "family." In a church our size, the challenge is to provide
a small-church feel in a large-church structure. We know people want to be actively involved. That the adult program focuses on spiritual
mentoring goes without saying, but human beings are more than spiritual--we are social beings as well.
There are many different activities — for adults from 18 years of age to senior saints, from single-adults to longtime married
couples, from married with children to single parents — in which people can get involved. From the annual Mother/Daughter Banquet
to our 12-team Men's Softball League to men's golf outings and a variety of adult banquets, there are many social events in which
to participate.
The Women's Missionary Society is a ladies' group that has a general meeting on the first Tuesday of each month. They are dedicated
to serving our missionaries, shut-ins, and bereaved and to fulfilling any other needs that arise. In addition to general meetings,
small group circles meet at various times throughout the month to help with care packages or any other special projects.
We have ice cream and watermelon socials, our very own "Taste on State" with dozens of food booths, "dinner on the
grounds," Friday night sings, and singles takeovers at local food establishments. We get involved in local civic activities.
Our senior saints travel to out-of-the-way destinations for getaways that have included cruises and road trips to Washington, D.C.;
Philadelphia; and New York. Each adult class sponsors frequent outings at their homes or in parks in the Northwest Indiana area.
A Heart for Counseling and Training
At First Baptist Church, we believe in investing in each believer and cultivating his gifts and talents for the glory of God and
for His service in the local church as taught in Ephesians Chapter 4. First Baptist Church offers training for all ages on Sunday
evenings to equip the saints of God through the Teaching and Training time. In addition to our T 'n' T program, a wide variety of
training and counseling programs are available to help meet the needs of people and increase each Christian's potential.
Our financial counseling office and our Stewardship Department help people to bring under the control of one of the main causes of
friction in life. One-on-one appointments can be set up with one of the church's financial counselors or through our Stewardship Department
for any type of financial need.
Scores of capable adult Sunday school teachers, along with Pastor Schaap and his pastoral staff, are committed to counseling any
marriage that is struggling and searching for answers.
Crisis counseling is also available to help people deal with hurts and tragedies and the snares and baggage of life. Sound medical
advice is also available through some of these counselors and through our health counseling office, helping people get control of
their health in order to get more out of life and have strength to serve.
A Heart for Providing Christian Resources
Hyles Publications has provided Christian resources to church and homes for over 40 years. Named after its founder, Dr. Jack Hyles,
and based out of the First Baptist Church, thousands of books, pamphlets, CDs, and DVDs have been published and produced. These resources
may be purchased online at www.hylespublications.com or by visiting The FBC Bookstore. It is located northwest of the Main Auditorium,
just across State Street. The FBC Bookstore also provides refreshments in a cafe environment.
Christian Womanhood Publications was founded by the late Marlene Evans. Christian Womanhood was America's first newspaper
designated to meet the needs of women and girls, with the goal of inspiring and instructing them to be used of God in the home and
in the local, fundamental, Bible-believing church.
Christian Womanhood is a magazine designed to strengthen the Christian walk of ladies all over the world so that they
might have a profound and positive influence on their husbands, families, and local churches.
A Heart for Training the Next Generation
Hammond Baptist Schools
The Hammond Baptist Schools were established to meet the spiritual and academic needs of suburban families and their children.
The schools offer a K-4 through twelfth-grade curriculum that finds each teacher stressing the importance of a Christian education.
Hammond Baptist Schools also includes a curriculum for those with special needs. Throughout its history, the schools have excelled
and grown in every aspect. Although the academic record speaks for itself, it is the teachers that take us to the next level. From
the principal to the maintenance staff, there is a loving and caring spirit on campus that penetrates to the hearts of the individual
student. It is that same spirit that centers around everything done at the schools. From that first day in August when a four-year-old
is dropped off for the first time to that day when he accepts his high school diploma, he will find that Hammond Baptist Schools
truly is a place for a superb education.
City Baptist Schools
Only the Lord Himself knew the miraculous outcome of Bro. Hyles' famous statement, "I'll take the bus kids!" City Baptist
was designed to give inner-city kids a chance and a hope. Since its inception, this school system has gone from tapping its potential
to giving the youth of Chicago a place where they can walk with God. Scores of City Baptist kids have gone to serve the Lord full
time as teachers, preachers, and missionaries, thanks to the graciousness of our Saviour and the loving stubbornness of our pastors.
City Baptist Schools has a beautiful 13-acre, 12,000-square-foot facility only minutes from the church.
Hyles-Anderson College
"God blesses busy people." That principle may be why God seemed to bless Hyles-Anderson
College during its 35 years of
existence, as students and staff alike busily serve God through classes and ministries. Dr. Jack Hyles was led by God to start the
college in 1972 as a means of saving America. Through the years, Hyles-Anderson College has not lost its focus of training prachers
who will go out and build Bible-believing, fundamental, separated, soul-winning churches. The college is committed to preparing the
future pastors, assistant pastors, evangelists, song leaders, youth pastors, bus directors, missionaries, and teachers for this country
and mission fields around the world. This training has a three-fold emphasis of spiritual, academic, and hands-on. The students gain
the greatest experience from their weekly participation in the services and ministries of the First Baptist Church of Hammond.
A Heart to Comfort in Loss
Purchased by the church in 1975, Memory Lane Memorial Park, located in Schererville, Indiana, is there for our church people at
a most difficult time of life. Its garden setting provides a peaceful and tranquil atmosphere for remembering the lives of church
members who have passed away. The cemetery has a mausoleum with a beautiful funeral chapel for special services and a gazebo for
graveside services. Every Memorial Day, the entire church family gathers at Memory Lane for a special Memorial Day Service to remember
our loved ones and the saints gone before. A special section at the cemetery called Pastoral Gardens is designated for our church
members. In 2006 a special section reserved for the men and women who served in our country's armed forces was added to the park,
and the construction of a brand new mausoleum is currently underway.
A Heart for Reaching Our Nation
For many years, First Baptist Church has had the privilege of hosting three major conferences that are highly regarded both nationally
and internationally. Each year we host Pastors' School in March, Youth Conference in July, and the Christian
Womanhood Spectacular in October.
The influence of Pastors' School is far reaching as we teach, train,
and encourage pastors and laymen from all 50 states and many foreign countries. Many teenagers make decisions for Christ each year
during Youth
Conference, which has seen a high attendance of
over 10,000 in 2006. The Christian Womanhood Spectacular hosts thousands
of ladies from all over the world and is specifically tailored to meet the needs of ladies of all ages and from all walks of life.
A Heart for Reaching the World
First Baptist Church has increased its vision by cultivating a bigger heart to reach the world for Christ. We feel that the Great
Commission is our personal and collective responsibility. At the present, our church's missions efforts are summarized by the following:
financially supporting 216 individual missionaries; operating and supporting Fundamental Baptist Missions
International (our own missions
agency); placing and supporting missions teams on the groun in Ghana and Thailand; sharing the load by giving to our missionaries'
building projects with our Wednesday night "Others Offerings"; developing a missions degree at Hyles-Anderson College, which
trains young men and women for a life of missionary service; and developing our own increased vision through Faith Promise Giving.
Besides our already existing Ghana and Thailand Teams, FBMI is currently working on sending missions teams to India and Belize and
has a church-planting team here in the United States. The future is bright! The harvest is ripe! Lord, increase our faith!
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