Preparing Future Generations To Evangelize The World!
Departure
We are called to go beyond the four walls of the church.
Discipline
We are called to teach and disciple others so they can move from membership to discipleship.
Doctrine
We are called to be equipped and to stay true to the doctrine of the church.
Demonstration
All throughout the Gospels, Jesus taught his disciples by demonstration. He taught them by actions, that encouraged them to follow His demonstration.
Development
Jesus’ demonstration to the disciples was followed by development.
Dependence
In Acts 1:8, we are promised the presence of the Holy Spirit; therefore, we have power to witness because we are under girded by the Spirit of God.
Humility Towards Our Christ
A Church that is obedient to the Word of Christ! The vision is to become a church that spiritually matures in the Word of God.
Hospitality Within Our Congregation
A Church with the Warmth of Christ in Worship! The vision is to become a church that’s warmth and sincerity attracts the non-churched and assimilates them into the life of the ministry.
Hard Work Within Our Neighborhood
A Church carrying out the Work of Christ!
The vision of Mount Hermon Missionary Baptist Church is empower the membership to provide ministry within the immediate community and Chicago land area 24 hours a day and 7 days a week.
Mount Hermon Missionary Baptist Church was organized in September 1923 by five deacons, 10 women and Rev. W. M. Hamilton, who served as interim pastor until the first pastor, Rev. M. Sanford was called. The writer has no information on the several pastors that served the Mount Hermon congregation between Rev. M. Sanford and Rev. L.H. Gore. I can only postulate that those years were a time of instability within the organizational structure and record keeping of the congregation. Rev. L.H. Gore moved Mount Hermon from 46th and Champlain to 5301 South Dearborn in 1946. In 1960, Rev. L.H. Gore retired as the 15th pastor.
In April 1961, the prayers of the parishioners at Mount Hermon were answered when the Lord sent Rev. Joseph Andrew Allen, a spirit-filled preacher, to serve as the congregation’s 16th pastor. Within one month, the church began to seek a larger facility to accommodate the membership as the congregation rapidly grew from 75 to over 200 members.
On the 3rd Sunday in June 1961, a motorcade led the Mount Hermon Missionary Baptist Church family to its current location in the Auburn Gresham Community of Chicago at 7848 South Normal Avenue. Children from the community gravitated to the church because of its communal presence and youth ministries. Membership grew and Mount Hermon congregation established itself as a respected ministry within the community. Rev. Allen, a renowned gospel preacher served 41 years building the people and community where Mount Hermon resides.
On March 31, 2002, after 41 years of service, Rev. Joseph Allen passed the pastoral mantle at 90 years old to Rev. Oscar T. Moses. Upon being elected as the 17th pastor of Mount Hermon, Rev. Moses took notice of the hopelessness in the community from a different perspective and understood the need for the church to be the agent of change that inspired hope to a community in crisis. The church motto was changed from, “The Church by the Lagoon” to “Changing the Community through Christ.”
Today Mount Hermon continues to serve the community through aggressive outreach strategies with the goal of transforming community hopelessness to hope and beyond.
MHMBC STATEMENT OF FAITH
ABOUT GOD God is the Creator and Ruler of the universe. He has eternally existed in three persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. These three are co-equal and are one God.
ABOUT MAN Man is made in the spiritual image of God, to be like Him in character. He is the supreme object of God’s creation.
ABOUT ETERNITY Man was created to exist forever. He will either exist eternally separated from God by sin, or in union with God through forgiveness and salvation.
ABOUT JESUS CHRIST Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is co-equal with the Father. Jesus lived a sinless human life and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all men by dying on a cross. He arose from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He ascended to Heaven’s glory and will return again to earth to reign as King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.
ABOUT SALVATION Salvation is a gift from God to man. Man can never make up for his sin by self-improvement or good works. Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God’s offer of forgiveness can man be saved from sin’s penalty.
ABOUT ETERNAL SECURITY Because God gives man eternal life through Jesus Christ, the believer is secure in the salvation for eternity. Salvation is maintained by the grace and power of God, not by the self-effort of the Christian.
ABOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT The Holy Spirit is equal with the Father and the Son as God. He is present in the world to make men aware of their need for Jesus Christ. He also lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation.
ABOUT THE BIBLE The Bible is God’s word to all men. It was written by human authors, under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is the supreme source of truth for Christian beliefs and living.
MHMBC 9 CORE VALUES
– We believe in a commitment to preaching and teaching biblical truth.
– We believe that the Word of God is essential to living a Victorious Christian Life.
– We believe that the Church of Jesus Christ should provide training classes to strengthen the biblical knowledge of its membership.
– We believe that worship should be an inclusive experience that Satisfies the Savior, Strengthens the Saint and Saves the Sinner.
– We believe in the traditions of the early church and that the Christian life is done best when we are together learning, growing, sharing and worshipping (Acts 2:42-47).
– We believe that our ministry, message and membership should be progressive to make ministry relevant to serve this present age.
– We believe that the Work of Ministry should bring a positive effect to our members, the immediate community and the broader Chicago land area.
– We believe that our involvement within the community will result in the lost coming to Christ.
– We believe that we have a responsibility to invest (our core values) into the lives of our children and generations to come.
