Our History
In the late 1990’s, leaders of Bethany Baptist Church (BBC) in Peoria, IL, began to pray about evangelizing and expanding its ministry through a new church plant somewhere in the area. Not long after, Bethel Baptist Church, a Bartonville church with declining attendance, asked BBC to consider taking ownership of their property and starting a new church.
In 1997, Art Georges gave his life to Christ and felt a call to full-time ministry. The leadership of BBC recognized Art’s calling to ministry and sent him to be trained at The Master’s Seminary in Los Angeles, CA. In 2002, Art completed a Master of Divinity and returned to BBC to begin work on planting a new church in Bartonville.
On Easter of 2003, Living Hope Community Church (LHCC) was launched with 30 families commissioned from BBC. Space was found at Hollis Grade School for Sunday morning worship services. Additional land was purchased in late 2004 adjacent to the Living Hope property and our current facility was built.
Our mission as a community of Christ-followers is to: Love God, His Word, Each Other, and Proclaim Jesus Christ.
In 1997, Art Georges gave his life to Christ and felt a call to full-time ministry. The leadership of BBC recognized Art’s calling to ministry and sent him to be trained at The Master’s Seminary in Los Angeles, CA. In 2002, Art completed a Master of Divinity and returned to BBC to begin work on planting a new church in Bartonville.
On Easter of 2003, Living Hope Community Church (LHCC) was launched with 30 families commissioned from BBC. Space was found at Hollis Grade School for Sunday morning worship services. Additional land was purchased in late 2004 adjacent to the Living Hope property and our current facility was built.
Our mission as a community of Christ-followers is to: Love God, His Word, Each Other, and Proclaim Jesus Christ.
