Our Heritage
Evangel Baptist Church 1959-2017
Evangel means "good news."
It is the good news of Jesus Christ that provided the vision of Evangel Baptist Church from its founding in 1959 to the end of its ministry as an active church in July 2017. The church was located in Wheaton, Illinois, in the western suburbs of Chicago. It is now home to Vineyard Church of DuPage.
See more about "God's Good News"
The Archive page provides access to many of the sermon outlines and podcasts from 2013 to 2017, as well as weekly Touch Points devotionals, and listings of Daily Bible Readings. We have retained other information from the Evangel Baptist Church website:
- The About Us section not only includes new information on the Foundation, but the church's Affirmation of Faith, Church Covenant, both of which still represent core beliefs, and a history of Succession Planning that describes the process that led to the transition from active church to foundation.
- Seeking God is designed for people who are looking for spiritual answers, with a description of First Steps, the meaning of Good News, and a topical Help guide.
- Living in Christ provides resources for your walk with Christ, including the Archives of past materials from the Evangel website and a guide to a range of topics addressing circumstances you may be facing.
Extending the Legacy
Evangel Baptist Foundation, est. August 2017
The Evangel Baptist Foundation exists to carry on the legacy of Evangel Baptist Church through the support of missions. The foundation will administer the sale to Vineyard Church over a period of seven years and continue to operate for a total of ten years using proceeds from the sale and additional donations.
From its earliest days, Evangel had a strong interest in missions. For a small church, it produced a remarkable number of people who went on to serve around the world in various ways. Among the 14 missionaries (individuals and couples) supported in 2017, 11 have a direct connection to Evangel, some as members, others who attended Evangel while students at Wheaton College, and at least one second-generation Evangel missionary. The three remaining missionaries all serve under Converge Worldwide (formerly Baptist General Conference), the denomication with which Evangel was affiliated from it founding. Through the Foundation, all of these missionaries will continue to receive support as long as they remain active.
If you wish to donate to the Foundation, you can send a check (or use an online Bill Pay) made out to the Evangel Baptist Foundation, PO Box 792, Wheaton IL 60187. Donations are tax deductible. Note that all donations to the Foundation will be disbursed at the direction of the Board of Directors, initially based on the 2017 budget of Evangel Baptist Church. If you wish to give to individual missionaries or organizations, you can do so through their own websites (links are provided in the Missions section).
Much of the website has been reorganized since the beginning of August, and the process will continue through the Fall. Please watch for updates.
August 23, 2017