The Leadership of Covenant Church

Leadership

Covenant Church takes its leadership cues from the Bible itself. We believe that a plurality of elders along with a team of deacons is necessary for the health of the church. Both are important parts of the servant leadership ordained by God and instituted by Jesus.

Choices for each position are not made lightly. Potential leaders are vetted over time with character as the deciding factor (1 Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-16). We are committed to maintaining Biblical church government even as we grow, appointing leaders as the need arises.

Our lead pastor Joe Hillrich is also one of our elders. He and his wife Abby have six children (five boys and one girl) and have been married since 2000. Joe got his start in ministry in his native Ohio. After graduating with his bachelor’s degree from the University of Toledo, he served as a local youth pastor.

While serving in youth ministry, Joe began to feel a pull toward planting a church in Northwest Ohio. That passion led him to Reformed Theological Seminary (RTS) in Jackson, Mississippi, where he earned a Master of Divinity in 2005.

Back in Ohio in the summer of 2005, Joe’s dream of planting a church was fulfilled, and Covenant Church was born. Since then, he’s continued to help root and pastor the church.