Our Pastor

Rev. Lawrence Blackful, Jr., became the seventh pastor of St. Bethel Missionary Baptist Church of Chicago Heights, Illinois on August 23, 2013. He currently serves as the Senior Pastor at Bethel and CEO of the Bethel Family Resource Center (BFRC). BFRC provides workforce development training opportunities for adults and youth, through pre-apprenticeship training in the construction trades. Since its inception, over 200 people have graduated from programs and found career opportunities in the community.

Pastor Blackful’s philosophy of ministry includes a belief that the church and the community are mutually interdependent upon one another. God has given him the heart to help under-served people and communities. He believes that the local church must have strong sustainable relationships with other churches, denominations, area schools, law enforcement, social agencies, and elected officials.

Since 1987, Pastor Blackful has been an active member in south suburban communities advocating for causes such as community policing, education funding reform, economic development in under-served communities, and eliminating health disparities, drugs, violence, and injustice. An abbreviated list of organizations and committees Rev. Blackful currently and has previously served on our Strategic Community Solutions Inc. (CEO), Chicago Heights Area Ministerial Council (Current President), Far South Suburban NAACP (Legal Redress & Branch President), St. Bethel Baptist Church (Youth Pastor), Community Action Network (Organizer), South Suburban Action Conference (Organizer/Executive Director), Friends of the Abraham Lincoln National Airport Commission (Founding Chairman), University Park Youth Athletic Association (President), Eastside Renewal Foundation (Project Coordinator), OBAMA/JACKSON for Illinois (South Suburban Office Manager), St. James Hospital/Governors State University Health Disparity Project (Advisory Board Member), Cook County Workforce Investment Act aka WIA (Advisory Board Member), and WYCA 102.3 (Gospel Radio Show Host).

His preaching is simple, powerful, practical, applicable, inspirational, and transformational. He would like to see the church play a key role in addressing community and social issues on the local, national, and international levels. His heart desires to develop leaders who will fulfill the biblical, cultural, and political mandate of God’s Word.

Pastor Blackful is currently pursuing a degree in Pastoral Studies at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School at Trinity International University, Deerfield, IL.

Pastor Blackful is married to Lady Charlette and the proud father of five children, Koree, Ryan, Lawrence III, LaVonte, and Keila.

His ministerial, servant-leadership is reflected in the following words: “2 For I decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the crucified one. 3 I came to you in weakness—timid and trembling. 4 And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit. 5 I did this so you would trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God.” I Corinthians 2:2-5 (NLT)

Connect With Rev. Blackful

Email: pastorblackful@bethelbaptist.org
Phone: 708-757-9800
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