First Baptist Church of Hammond — Church Directory

Quick Facts

Pastor — the shepherd God holds accountable Pastor John Wilkerson

Founded 1887

Denomination Independent Baptist (Hyles legacy)

Service Times See website

Men's Ministry Yes

Kids Ministry Yes

Website firstbaptistchurchofhammond.com

Pastor Credentials Senior Pastor of First Baptist Hammond since 2013 (succeeded Jack Schaap after his 2012 conviction); navigates post-Hyles/post-Schaap reform era

10-Point Theological Scorecard

Christology

Is Jesus the only way? (John 14:6)

Orthodox per IFB statement

Strong

Scripture

Inerrancy affirmed? Final authority?

YELLOW: KJV-Only emphasis (Hyles tradition strongly KJV-Only)

Caution

Men's Discipleship

Intentional formation for men?

YELLOW: 'Manhood' Hyles-era teaching has been criticized; verify current discipleship

Caution

Soteriology

Faith alone? How is salvation presented?

Faith alone; believer's baptism by immersion

Strong

Gender / Biblical Design

Biblical manhood and womanhood by God's design — patriarchal, complementarian, egalitarian, or affirming gender ideology?

YELLOW: Patriarchal IFB default; historic Hyles-era 'old-paths' / pastor-as-king teaching pattern is part of the legacy that produced documented abuse — verify reform under Wilkerson

Patriarchal — male pastors/deacons; Hyles-era 'manhood' teaching legacy (verify reform)

Caution

Leadership Structure

Male elders/pastors? Accountability?

YELLOW: Strong-pastor model historically; Schaap's 2012 conviction is a structural-accountability red flag for the institution; verify current accountability structures under Wilkerson

Caution

Preaching Style

Expository or topical/therapeutic?

YELLOW: Topical 'sermon-as-event' Hyles tradition; verify exposition under Wilkerson

Caution

Mission Clarity

Great Commission central?

Large historic missions program

Strong

Cultural Alignment

DEI/CRT language? Social justice crowding out gospel?

Hard separationist IFB cultural posture

Caution

Accountability Structure

Denominational home, elder plurality, or external network — is the pastor answerable to anyone?

Independent — no external denominational accountability

Caution

Assessment

First Baptist Church of Hammond is the historic Hyles-Anderson legacy IFB congregation in Hammond, IN. The church is tied to Hyles-Anderson College and was led by Jack Hyles from 1959 until his death in 2001, then by his son-in-law Jack Schaap from 2001 until Schaap's 2012 conviction for sexual misconduct with a 16-year-old church member (he served prison time and was released 2021). Multiple women have publicly described abuse and cover-up patterns spanning decades of the Hyles era. Current senior pastor John Wilkerson (since 2013) inherited the institution at its lowest reputational point and has publicly acknowledged the failures while leading reform. The congregation is included for completeness as one of the most consequential IFB institutions in the country, but is rated YELLOW with significant caution: the documented abuse history, Hyles-era pastor-as-king theology, and KJV-Only doctrinal emphasis all warrant discernment. Adam should not visit casually; survivors of Hyles/Schaap-era abuse remain a live pastoral concern within IFB circles.

#independent-baptist#ifb#hyles-legacy#schaap-scandal-2012#reform-era#hammond-in#kjv-only#abuse-history-documented#verified-2026

MOOP Engagement Tracker

How this church was personally verified by the MOOP directory team:

✓ Researched church website