Set in the heart of McHenry, Illinois, the Alliance Bible Church of McHenry has called the corner of Bull Valley Road and Route 31 home since 1974, though its roots reach back to a small Bible study in 1948. The church is a member congregation of the Christian and Missionary Alliance (C&MA), part of an evangelical family that emphasizes expository preaching, world missions, and the work of the Holy Spirit. McHenry Alliance, as members often call it, is known locally for two things: preaching that works straight through books of the Bible week after week, and a Sunday gathering that intentionally runs in English and Spanish at the same hour, side by side, in the same building.
From a 1948 Bible Study to a Building on Bull Valley Road
The story of the congregation is older than the brick. Donald G. Liberty started a Bible study in McHenry in 1948, and the church that grew from it built the property at Bull Valley Road and Route 31 in 1974. Generations of families have walked the same hallways, climbed to the same upper-level sanctuary, and descended to the same lower fellowship area for coffee and conversation after the service. The location sits in a part of McHenry County where commuters pass on their way north and south, and the building has been a steady landmark in the surrounding neighborhoods for more than fifty years. The church's reach has spread into nearby towns as well, including Woodstock, where the congregation has maintained a regular ministry at a local care center since 1976.
One Church, Two Languages on Sunday Morning
The Alliance Bible Church of McHenry is proud to share the message of Jesus in two languages at the same hour on Sunday mornings. The English-speaking congregation gathers in the main sanctuary with Pastor Paul Martin, while in an adjoining room Pastor Hector Morales leads the Spanish-speaking congregation. The two groups meet simultaneously, so visitors will hear overlapping music drifting through the walls - a feature of the church the leaders describe openly and with a smile rather than apologize for. The arrangement keeps the building full and keeps the preaching and worship happening for both language communities at once, and it is the first thing the church points to when introducing itself to new neighbors.
A Morning Where Anyone Can Walk In
Visitors do not need to dress up. The church makes a point of saying so: jeans and t-shirts are welcome alongside button-downs and dresses, and tattoos do not keep anyone from a seat. Music at the service is blended, with both cherished hymns from generations past and more contemporary songs that listeners may recognize from stations like K-LOVE. The musicians include piano and organ as well as guitars, bass, drums, and keyboard. The hour and a half of worship is followed by a time of fellowship downstairs with refreshments, an opportunity to meet others and to be encouraged in everyday life. Following the fellowship time, the women's quarterly Bible or book study meets in the homes of women who volunteer as hostesses, running from 11:30 to 1:15 with a light snack.
Children in the Service and Downstairs
Mothers are welcome to take babies and small children to the nursery downstairs to nurse or settle them. Children begin in the sanctuary with their families for the singing and prayer portions of the service, then are invited downstairs during the sermon for an interactive Bible time. A teacher is available each week to work with preschoolers from infancy through age four. Older children are folded into the church's Awana and Youth Group ministries, which run on the church's regular schedule and are part of the wider children's ministry program. The Reading2Gether program, referenced in the church's contact form, is another way younger children are served through the ministry.
Preaching Straight Through Books of the Bible
Pastor Paul Martin preaches in an expository style, working through a book of the Bible week by week and applying what the text says to daily life. Recent series have walked through 1 Corinthians from beginning to end, taking months at a time on a single letter. The teaching avoids sugar-coating, the church says, and aims to be timely, relevant, and applicable. Elders and guest preachers step in from time to time, including Rahn Pfeifer, who preaches regularly, and visiting speakers such as Dr. Michael Green. Audio recordings of the sermons go back to 2012, and a YouTube channel carries video recordings of services from 2020 forward. Together they form a long-running record of expository preaching on a wide range of Old and New Testament books.
A Building That Stays Open for Prayer
Prayer is woven through the church's calendar in unusual depth. On Monday mornings at 5:30 a.m., men gather in the sanctuary for an hour of individual time with the Lord before coming together for sharing and corporate prayer. On Wednesday evenings at 7:00 p.m., the entire community is invited for a one-hour prayer meeting that lifts up the church, the local area, and individual needs. During the summer and early fall, the church hosts prayer walks in local neighborhoods, with participants walking together while praying for the people and homes they pass. The prayer ministry is one of the church's longest-standing commitments, and new faces are welcomed into any of these gatherings.
Men's and Women's Gatherings Around the Table
Two distinct fellowship streams run alongside the main services. The men meet on the first Saturday of every month at 7:00 a.m. for a continental breakfast and a more structured time of fellowship that includes singing, a Bible lesson, and prayer. The Alliance Women host a monthly breakfast and prayer time on the third Saturday from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m., with each woman bringing a breakfast item to share. The women's gathering has a particular focus on Alliance International Workers around the globe, and supports a Third Culture Kid who is the child of one of those workers, supplies Bongolo Hospital with rolled bandages and medical supplies each year, and runs an annual tea with a missions emphasis that has been one of the church's best-attended events for more than twenty years. The women's group also collects used stamps from the congregation to support the Alliance Stamp Ministry, whose proceeds fund Spanish-language Sunday school curriculum in nineteen countries across the Americas.
Learning With Us During the Week
Several small groups meet on different days of the week to dig into the Bible, discuss the sermon, or take part in a Bible or book study. The church encourages visitors to ask about the days and times of group meetings, since each group finds its own rhythm. First Place for Health, a Christ-centered wellness program, is another of the church's ongoing ministries. Together these groups give members and newcomers a way to keep learning and supporting one another between Sundays.
Outreach in Local Care Centers
The church's local outreach reaches three places where older adults live. Since 1976, members have led a monthly chapel service at Crossroads Care Center in Woodstock on the third Sunday of each month at 2:00 p.m., with singing, prayer, testimonies, and preaching. Members also visit residents in their rooms and extend personal invitations. At Heritage Woods Retirement Community in McHenry, a team leads a weekly Saturday morning Bible study at 9:00 a.m. with residents gathered around tables, working through books of the Bible or topical studies in an interactive setting. One woman in the church provides a monthly devotional and time of singing at the White Oaks facility in McHenry, and is looking to expand that ministry. Each of these outreach streams is open to anyone who wants to come along and serve.
Dinners With a Purpose and Shoeboxes
Two family-serving events draw multiple generations together. The Alliance Women host Dinners With a Purpose, themed potluck evenings that combine a meal with a service project such as cutting sheets for bandages, rolling bandages, or preparing supplies for Bongolo Hospital in West Africa. Each year in late October, the church hosts a Samaritan's Purse shoebox packing party that consistently packs more than one hundred shoeboxes of clothing, school supplies, personal items, and a special gift. Donations come from the congregation and the work is done in a party atmosphere. A churchwide Missions Conference held every couple of years hosts international workers and their families for two or three days of family dinner, mission-focused games, ministry videos, and dedicated prayer time for each visiting family.
A Heart for Missions Around the World
The Alliance Bible Church of McHenry carries a strong sense of belonging to a wider missionary family. Members pray regularly for Alliance International Workers in difficult places, support Bongolo Hospital each year with donations of medical supplies and rolled bandages, and partner with the Alliance Stamp Ministry to fund Spanish-language Sunday school curriculum across nineteen countries in the Americas. The church also walks together at McHenry Dam, Moraine Hills, and even the Chicago Botanic Gardens, combining recreation and prayer in a way that suits McHenry County's outdoor setting.
A Sermon Archive That Goes Back to 2012
The audio archive is searchable by speaker and by year, and Pastor Paul Martin has preached the majority of the sermons. Regular sermons come from Rahn Pfeifer and other elders, with visiting speakers such as Dr. Michael Green and other guests filling in from time to time. Recent years have included a substantial series through 1 Corinthians and sermons through Isaiah, Daniel, 1 Peter, Jude, and Revelation. The video archive on YouTube runs from 2020 to the present. Sermon recordings and study guides are linked from the archive so members and visitors can pick up a series at any point.
Beliefs in Brief
The Alliance Bible Church teaches that the Bible is the inspired, inerrant, and infallible Word of God, and the ultimate guide for faith and life. Scripture is to be understood literally rather than opened to private interpretation or treated as a fanciful tale. The church holds to the historic Christian and Missionary Alliance statement of faith, which includes belief in one God in three persons, the deity and humanity of Jesus Christ, salvation by grace through faith, the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit, the spiritual unity and equality of believers, the return of Christ, and the resurrection of the dead. As part of the C&MA family, the church also emphasizes the call to take the gospel to the nations and to pray for and support international workers.
Finding the Church
The church office can be reached by phone at 815-385-1519 or by email at mchenryalliance@yahoo.com. Sunday morning worship runs from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. in the sanctuary at 3815 Bull Valley Road. Fellowship follows downstairs with refreshments. Weekly offerings can be made online through PayPal. Sermon audio and video, ministry descriptions, contact forms, and a calendar of upcoming events are available through the church's online channels, including a Facebook page and a YouTube channel called Alliance Bible in McHenry. Visitors who want to learn more, walk with members through a season of study, or join one of the church's outreach ministries are encouraged to reach out.