First Baptist Church Hammond — Church Directory

Quick Facts

Pastor — the shepherd God holds accountable Pastor John Wilkerson

Founded 1887

Denomination Independent Baptist

Service Times Sunday Morning 10:45 AM, Sunday Evening 6:00 PM, Wednesday 7:00 PM

Men's Ministry Yes

Kids Ministry Yes

Website www.fbchammond.com

Pastor Credentials Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church Hammond

10-Point Theological Scorecard

Christology

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

Trinitarian, gospel-centered.

Strong

Scripture

Inerrancy affirmed? Final authority?

KJV-only; inerrancy affirmed.

Strong

Men's Discipleship

Intentional formation for men?

Hyles-Anderson College. But discipleship depth questionable.

Caution

Soteriology

Faith alone? How is salvation presented?

RED — Easy-believism at its most extreme. '1-2-3 pray after me' evangelism. Hyles-Anderson lineage prioritizes decision counts over genuine conversion.

WARNING!

Gender / Biblical Design

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

Male pastoral staff. Traditional IFB patriarchal structure.

Strong

Leadership Structure

Male elders/pastors? Accountability?

RED — Historic pattern of leadership scandals. Jack Hyles, Jack Schaap (convicted), and ongoing concerns about institutional culture of cover-up.

WARNING!

Preaching Style

Expository or topical/therapeutic?

Topical, personality-driven. Hyles legacy of showmanship.

Caution

Mission Clarity

Great Commission central?

Bus ministry numbers-driven. Evangelistic but shallow.

Strong

Cultural Alignment

DEI/CRT language? Social justice crowding out gospel?

Conservative externally. | SCANDAL FLAG (added 2026-04-29 via SBC megachurch audit): Massive multi-decade scandal under Jack Hyles (sexual abuse, financial misappropriation, doctrinal errors); multiple class-action sex abuse cases against Hyles-Anderson College alumni. Note: this is INDEPENDENT FUNDAMENTAL Baptist (IFB), NOT SBC — so out of scope but historically conflated. Verify directory categorization.

Strong

Accountability Structure

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

WebFetch returned HTTP 403 (bot-blocked). IFB single-pastor polity documented historically; Hyles/Schaap scandals under prior pastors. Current John Wilkerson. Held yellow — IFB polity precludes green upgrade regardless of fetch outcome.

WARNING!

Assessment

First Baptist Hammond is one of the most controversial churches in American Christianity. Founded 1887, it became a megachurch under Jack Hyles. The church has been plagued by scandals: Jack Schaap (Hyles' successor and son-in-law) was convicted of transporting a minor across state lines for sexual activity (2012). Multiple staff/associated pastors have faced similar charges. The institutional culture has been widely criticized for prioritizing numbers, easy-believism, and personality-driven leadership over genuine accountability. Current pastor John Wilkerson has attempted to restore credibility, but the institutional DNA remains a major concern. NOT recommended without extensive personal investigation.

#hammond#hyles-anderson#ifb#independent-baptist#indiana#kjv-only#megachurch#scandal-history#scandal-flag-2026-04-29#needs-rating-review

MOOP Engagement Tracker

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

✓ Researched church website