About us
The Jerseyville congregation, like all congregations of the churches of Christ, is autonomous and has no creed except the Bible. It strives to live and worship in accordance with the Bible and to "Speak where the Bible speaks and be silent where the Bible is silent." The church aims to serve God and our fellow man.
The "Family of God" here at Jerseyville has accomplished many good things and as servants of God have rejoiced and wept with many over the years. When trials face us, we stand together. When problems arise, we face them together with united determination to overcome them. We continue to pray for guidance and wisdom through God's Word to serve Him and our neighbors, realizing the strength of the church is not in physical facilities, academic degrees, large numbers, material riches, or our ancestral background, but in obedience to our Heavenly Father.
Meet our Preacher
Jake Medford
Preacher
How about this for a change, no titles like "Pastor or Reverend"... Meet Jake!
Jake grew up right here in Jerseyville. You may know him from around town, he's active in the community and likes a good joke.
He grew up in the Catholic faith and even planned on becoming a priest at one time, but things changed. He grew tired of being told what to believe and not to question it. He found the small congregation north of town simply called the "church of Christ" from a friend he worked with on a non-profit project.
After study, debates, and many many questions, he decided this was the church he needed to be part of. The only church he found without man-made doctrine, the only church that wouldn't back away from any verse, the only church that didn't have a manual, hierarchy, or a man-based theology. It was the only church in town named after the one in the New Testament. The church of Christ.
Since he took on Christ the study kept coming and movement didn't stop. He took on the position of preaching on Sunday mornings back in May of 2017. Jake met his wonderful wife, Samantha in 2018 and they got married in 2020. In May of 2022, they welcomed Emersyn Rose to their family.
If you need anything, please let Jake know, he would love to meet you and study with you!
Our History
In the summer of 1916, W. E. Ballenger of Hamburg, IL, And Thomas Smith of Bernard, MO., two very capable Gospel ministers held a six-week tent meeting in Jerseyville. At the close of this meeting, sixteen members banded themselves together to form the first congregation of disciples known as the church of Christ to be established in this city.
Henry C. Dunham was chosen to help lead this congregation, and they met in the Redlick Hall each Lord's Day for worship services. In 1920 this congregation purchased a small dwelling house on the corner of Lafayette and Prairie, which with some remodeling, provided a large room for the assembly and a smaller one for the children's class. The church met in this building for a number of years. During this time Brother Thomas J. Roady, a beloved, itinerant minister who lived in Kane, preached every third Sunday in the month. Several evangelists held protracted meetings at various times.
The congregation increased, but the building deteriorated, so for both reasons it was deemed wise to tear down that building and erect a new one on the same site. While the new building was being constructed, the congregation met in a dwelling house on State Street which was owned by one of the members. The new building was completed and dedicated on March 23, 1941, and with further modernization in the 50s to accommodate more and larger classes, this was where the church met for several decades.
In 1970 a plot was purchased north of town, on then Route 267 (now US Highway 67), and plans were set in motion for erecting a large and more modern building. It was not until 1973 that the actual building began. Many men of the congregation were to thank for working with contractors to make the building a wonderful place to worship. The open house was held on September 1, 1974, and the congregation continues to meet here for four services each week.
Many ministers have served at the Jerseyville congregation including L. C. Roberts, Lowell Manchester, Arthur Rowland, Arlan Campbell, Larry Palmer, Burl Price, Jack Phillips, Boyd Goodson, Stephen Fishel, Mark Turok, Arch Montgomery, Patrick Harper, Norm Fields, Scott Springer, David Turnmire and present minister Jake Medford.