Business Focus: MIMS Baptist Church

Photos by Gina Turner

In January of 1933, 14 born-again Christians met in the home of Mr.and Mrs. J.R. Price in the old Humble Oil Camp. Named the First BaptistChurch of Humble Camp, that house church outgrew meeting in a home by 1944 when they were given a plot of land by Mr. and Mrs.Ira B. Mims. The group honored that gift by renaming themselves Mims Baptist Church.

Passionate about outreach, Mims Baptist Church has been growing ever since. They continued to accumulate adjacent land, first as a gift from Sam and Leatha Vanderburg in 1985, then by purchasing the old Conroe Drive-in property in 1994. This has allowed them space for a large worship center, increased parking, and an education building with classrooms, offices, and a banquet hall with a kitchen for hosting events.

From just over a dozen original members, attendance at Mims Baptist Church now averages 1,000 people on Sunday mornings. On Easter Sunday, over 2,000 people attended, and the church held 2 services. The church still strives to maintain a friendly, family-like atmosphere.

Currently serving as a senior pastor is Dr. Jerry Chaddick. He and his family

moved to Conroe in July 2018 (his wife of 26 years, Julie, and two children, Luke and Keeley). Dr. Chaddick’s ministry journey started by being licensed and ordained in his hometown of DeRidder, Louisiana at Temple Baptist Church. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Religion from Liberty University and went on to earn his Masters and Doctorate of Theology from Andersonville Theological Seminary in Camilla, Georgia. He spent 12 years pastoring, followed by 11 years as a full-time traveling evangelist, speaking at various churches and seminars across the country. During those 11 years, he was also involved in planting three churches in Southwest Louisiana. He returned to full-time pastoring in North Carolina, before making the move to Texas to be part of Mims Baptist Church, giving him over 30years of ministry experience.

Sunday School is a main focus at Mims Baptist. “As our church grows larger, we want it to grow ‘smaller’ through small groups,” said Dr.Chaddick. “Sunday school is our launching pad. It’s where everything is focused and centered.”

Sunday School classes are available for adults as well as children, and there is a staffed nursery and children’s church during the worship service, too. Visitors can stop by the welcome center for help in finding the right class.

Brother Shannon Talley oversees the education programs as associate pastor of education. Brother Larry Daigle serves as pastor for the youth and college ministries. Claudette LeVrier is the preschool ministry director, and Debby Stovall is the children’s minister. Working together, the ministry staff seeks to fulfill Mims Baptist’s overall mission to reach people, teach people, and minister to people through Sunday School.

Outreach is also a major focus for this church. “The Conroe area is rapidly growing,” said Dr. Chaddick. “We are a part of the community and want everyone to feel welcome.”

A thriving music ministry plays a large role in the outreach at MimsBaptist, overseen by Music Minister Fred Guilbert. With a large choir and orchestra, music programs throughout the year seek to include church members as well as those in the community. The two largest programs are the Christmas program in December and a PatrioticCelebration around July 4th. The Patriotic

Celebration concludes with fireworks outside the church, making it a wonderful option for families in the greater Conroe area. A full schedule of music programs, along with a plethora of information about Mims Baptist, can be found on their website, mimsbaptist.org.

Other ministries of this church are those for women and men, including separate Bible classes and events like the Ladies’ Banquet. There are ministries targeted at offering studies and events for specific seasons in life, like single adults and senior citizens. There is a homebound ministry seeking to serve shut-ins who may feel isolated. MimsBaptist is also a part of GriefShare Ministries, a network of over 15,000churches world-wide offering grief support groups.

For those who rely on technology to connect with church life, MimsBaptist offers live streaming of the Sunday service, as well as podcasts and videos of past sermons.

When asked what makes Mims Baptist Church a special place to be, Dr.Chaddick replied, “We are marked as a loving and friendly congregation. We are passionate about worshipping. We emphasize biblical teaching.”

He continued, “Our vision is to reach people, teach people, and minister to people. That’s here in Conroe, in the surrounding areas, and the world. We remain faithful to the task God has given us to reach every person with the gospel.”

Mims Baptist Church is located at 1609 Porter Road in Conroe, Texas. The church office can be reached by phone at (936) 756-0065 or by email at info@mimsbaptist.org.

Bible study is at 9 am on Sunday mornings, followed by a worship service at 10:30 am and an evening worship service at 6 pm. They also hold a midweek service on Wednesday evenings at 6:30 pm, with a meal available from 5:15 pm to 6:15 pm fora small fee.