How it started
Henry started as a mission church plant in Henry County. About 50 people met in a small trailer nestled among 7 acres of pine trees to learn God's Word. Pastor Archie Norman came as the first full time pastor in the summer of 1994, and they chartered into an autonomous church that fall. After 30 years of faithful ministry, Pastor Archie Norman transitioned into full-time missions in September of 2024.
who we are now
Henry Baptist looks very different now than it did in 1994. We've undergone several building projects, brought in new staff, and seen God grow our membership into a larger body of believers. But the core values that Henry was built upon are still our foundation today. With God's help, they'll continue to be our foundation until Christ returns.
Henry is a church that focuses on what's important (Jesus, the Gospel, the Bible, and relationships), not on what's not important (preferences, methodology, and standards). We believe that God's grace is at work in every person, and we are patient with what God is doing in every life. We want His grace to work through us to change our lives and then spread the Gospel to our community and our world.
Henry is a church that focuses on what's important (Jesus, the Gospel, the Bible, and relationships), not on what's not important (preferences, methodology, and standards). We believe that God's grace is at work in every person, and we are patient with what God is doing in every life. We want His grace to work through us to change our lives and then spread the Gospel to our community and our world.
our core values
scripture guides us
Core Value 1
At Henry we believe that everything we do should be grounded in Scripture, because God's Word is embedded into every part of our mission and methods. In every decision we make, we ask ourselves "What does the Bible say?"
the gospel motivates us
Core Value 2
At Henry, we believe that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the purpose behind everything that we do. No work that is not Gospel-centered can ever bring lasting change to our world. The purpose of every ministry and event at Henry is to share the Gospel either in our community or around our world.
grace changes us
Core Value 3
At Henry, we believe that God's grace is what changes people. No amount of coercion, manipulation, or force can bring about salvation or sanctification. We rely on the power of the Holy Spirit to convict hearts and the grace of God to change lives. Not everyone at Henry has to fit one specific mold because we're all at different stages of our grace journey. We're patient with each person's individual growth as God leads them on that journey.
the mind of christ unifies us
Core Value 4
At Henry, we believe that unity is more important than accomplishments. When making decisions, we believe that the Holy Spirit will work in all of our hearts to show His will and direct our steps into a unified plan.
making disciples develops us
Core Value 5
At Henry, we believe that leaders should be training other leaders. We don't want our church staff doing everything in the ministry, we want every member of the body of Christ to be contributing their gifts. As leaders train leaders and disciples make other disciples, we see our church and our impact grow.
our future
Henry has been faithfully trying to serve God and reach people since 1994, but we're not done yet! We believe that God still has much more for us to do in our community and around our world. We are constantly rethinking how to best spread the Gospel in our changing times. As a church body, we are currently planting a daughter church nearby to reach more people. This church plant now has their own building in Barnseville and is actively seeking to reach the community there.
