Paul Westbrook will join the Illinois Baptist State Association staff as Church Planting Director after three decades of pastoral ministry at the church he planted near St. Louis. Westbrook has served as Senior Pastor of Metro Community Church in Edwardsville for 31 years. The church has been instrumental in starting new congregations in Illinois since it was first planted in 1991.
“Paul has led this church to consistent growth and multiplication,” IBSA Mission Team Leader Scott Harris said, “and he is passionate about seeing churches planted across Illinois.”
“The opportunity to join a team and partner with churches with the potential to impact the entire state fires me up,” Westbrook said. “I’m praying that God would lead us to turn the tide and see churches planted all across Illinois.” Starting new congregations in underserved areas and among people groups not reached with the gospel is one of the chief goals of IBSA.
Westbrook and his wife, Melody, moved from Oklahoma and started the church in a duplex along with six other couples. Metro Community Church would eventually grow to more than 1,000 worshippers. With a desire to reach beyond their immediate community, Westbrook and the church engaged in house church ventures, financially supported several church planters, and started its Vandalia campus in 2007.
In addition to his personal experience with church planting, Westbrook has demonstrated commitment to the value of strategic cooperation with the IBSA network of churches. Metro Church has a history of strong cooperative support and will host the IBSA annual meeting in November.
Westbrook begins serving in his new role May 2.