History

“Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off." Acts 13:1-3

Missions:
Intrinsic to the Essence of
Hawthorne Gospel Church

As told by our Senior Pastor John Minnema

1915

In 1915, the renowned evangelist Billy Sunday conducted an evangelistic crusade in Paterson, NJ. Following this event, some of the newly converted women initiated a Bible Study.

1925

By 1925, some Christian men, standing outside a home in Hawthorne, were inspired by their wives attending the Ladies' Bible class. Their passion for spreading the word led to discussions about organizing Sunday afternoon meetings — not in traditional “church time” — solely to preach the gospel. On June 5, 1925, in a rented fire hall in Hawthorne, 24 believers gathered to hear the teaching of God’s Word.

As the attendance for these meetings grew, it became clear that God was working. Thus was born the Hawthorne Gospel Mission, a name embodying their core belief: the paramountcy of sharing the gospel.

1932

By 1932, the mission evolved and was rechristened as the Hawthorne Gospel Church. As offerings flowed in, they were generously directed to support multiple missionaries and organizations, ensuring the gospel they preached was accessible to all.

Rooted in the teachings of God's Word, the church believes in “...going and making disciples of all nations…” as stated in Matt. 28:19. Following the directive of Jesus in Acts 1:8, they've been his “...witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth”.

1939

Not only did they focus on Hawthorne and its neighboring regions, but they also had an unwavering commitment to evangelism on a global scale. Supporting numerous missionaries initially, by 1939 they sent out Ed Schuit, the first among many to spread the teachings of Jesus Christ.

Present Day

The fervor that kindled the initial desire to share the gospel worldwide remains undiminished. Through all these years, missions have been intrinsic to the essence of the Hawthorne Gospel Church!

‘I am your missionary, representing on that field the widespread ministry of the Hawthorne Gospel Church. I am not alone in the work; we, you and I, stand and work together.’ 1947. Horace McGuill...Pakistan Refugee Camps

I am very glad for the privilege of being in the Lord’s work in a place where the Gospel is scarcely known.’ 1949
Dr Walter Newman...Martinique

‘In order to learn to learn to speak their (Shapra) language fluently, we must live right with the Indians and get to know them in all situations of life. An understanding of them and their way of living is necessary to a good translation of the Bible into their own language.’ 1950. Doris Anderson…Peru

It has been our privilege to go out into the villages…..even though we could no talk to the people, we were glad to go and were challenged by their great interest. We are anxiously waiting for the day – working on it – when we can come to them with the good news of our wonderful Savior and Lord.’ 1949. Neil & Cay Vander Ploeg…Congo, Africa

‘We need young men who can be taught to read and to be grounded in the scriptures so they will be able to go out among their own people as evangelists.’1948. Gladys Gilson...West Africa

‘Our work at Blukwa is just a small part of the whole, and we praise God for the privilege of serving Him here………many precious souls among the Lendu and Bahema people have turned from darkness unto light’. 1950. Ed Schuit…Belgian Congo