Our History
This church was organized chiefly through
the efforts of Brother John Willis. An evangelist and missionary,
sent out by the Antioch Missionary Baptist Church of Justice, Illinois,
now extinct, he came to the 'City of Lights', Aurora,Illinois with his family,
in Spring of 1997.
Since there was, as now, no other church of this calibre in the
area, and having a open and full committment to God,.. Brother Willis used
door-to-door soulwinning, at a local public housing project, to
gather the first seed families that would eventually become this
church. Even though a community center is on the site it has never
been available for our use; so the first meetings in September,1997,
were held in the Willis home. By October of the same year the need
for more space was answered. Our move to an empty apartment on the
complex to hold meetings, is proof of the
"Miracle Power of God".
Shortly thereafter the question
of quarters was settled with meetings being held in members homes just
like the 1st century churches.
Although at first we were stationed exclusively in one community,
we took the commands of Our Lord literally. Using the Book of Acts, chapter
one,... we see all of Aurora in general as our "Jerusalem". We were
formerly named "Westwood Baptist Church" but, took our present name
in keeping with the extended outreach that we now embrace. It is
our intention to continually follow our Baptist forefathers in
faith, doctrine and practice.
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