A Bilingual Church in the Heart of Logan Square
Armitage Baptist Church sits at 2451 N Kedzie Boulevard, in the heart of Chicago's Logan Square neighborhood, and describes itself as a diverse community of believers from many nations, united in apprenticing Jesus as His disciples. Each Sunday the building fills twice: at 9:30 AM with English-speaking worshipers and at 11:30 AM with a Spanish-speaking congregation. Between those services, the lower-level Fellowship Hall hosts coffee, snacks, and conversation from 11:00 to 11:30 AM, a relaxed hour where newcomers and longtime members meet one another face to face.
What to Expect on Sunday Morning
The Sunday Gathering is described as a time of heartfelt worship, prayer, and a Bible message designed to encourage, challenge, and transform. Sermons are prepared by the pastoral team and focus on equipping people to grow in faith, build God's Kingdom, and live out His love in everyday life. A current teaching series, The Book of Acts, walks through the early church and examines the key characteristics of the body of Christ; the parallel Spanish-language series Hechos covers the same material for the 11:30 AM service. Messages can be watched online at any time.
A team of greeters in blue vests stands ready outside to help visitors find a spot. Two parking lots are reserved for those who drive: behind Advocate Medical Center at 2458 N Linden Place, and a gravel lot at 2510 N Linden Place. The building is wheelchair accessible, with designated seating for those with mobility needs.
Children, Youth, and the Next Generation
The Children's Ministry welcomes kids from early childhood through sixth grade with age-appropriate lessons, music, skits, and crafts. Nursery and toddler care are offered during both the English and Spanish services, with infants and toddlers (ages 0 to 2) gathering in Room G03 and preschoolers (ages 3 to 5) in Room 230. To give volunteers a scheduled break, childcare is not provided on the fifth Sunday of the month.
The Youth Ministry serves seventh through twelfth graders. Beyond Sunday Bible studies, the team gathers on Wednesday and Friday evenings for discussions and activities that connect God's truth to the everyday challenges of adolescence. Throughout the year, the group heads out for camps and weekend excursions designed to deepen faith and build strong bonds.
Growing Together Throughout the Week
Bible studies are at the center of the church's teaching life, with classes for every age and stage meeting on Sunday mornings. English options include Warrior Princess (a women's class), a Men's Bible Study, the Bereans (an in-depth, Scripture-searching class), a Couples class, a Youth class, and the Young Adults meeting at 2501 N Kedzie Boulevard in a space called The Porch. Spanish-language classes gather at 9:45 AM, including Mujeres, Escrituras Para Vivir, and Jóvenes. Children's Bible study meets at 11:30 AM with separate rooms for ages 3 to 5, first through fourth grade, and fifth and sixth grade.
For those wanting deeper community during the week, Grow Groups are home-based small groups that meet across the city. Men's groups gather on Mondays in Montclare and on Thursdays in Logan Square. Women's groups meet on Mondays in Albany Park and on Tuesdays in Logan Square. Mixed groups meet on Tuesdays in Albany Park, on Wednesdays in Portage Park and Dunning, and on Thursdays in Dunning. The groups emphasize applying biblical truth in everyday life and sharing the joys and challenges of faith, relationships, work, and family.
Chicago Hope Food Pantry: Thirty Years on the Front Line
The Chicago Hope Food Pantry is Armitage's primary outreach and has been serving the surrounding community for thirty years. Led by coordinator Maggie Jordan, the pantry operates on a client-choice model, meaning guests select the items they need rather than receiving a pre-packed box, an approach that preserves dignity alongside nutrition. The pantry serves six Chicago zip codes: 60618, 60622, 60639, 60641, 60647, and 60651, and welcomes all individuals and families, including those already receiving government assistance. Regular hours are Mondays from 4:00 to 6:00 PM and Thursdays from 10:00 AM to noon. A separate Senior (60+) Box Program distributes food on Fridays from 10:00 AM to noon. Volunteers help with deliveries, organizing, distributing food, and building partnerships with local businesses, and financial gifts help the pantry purchase fresh produce, milk, and eggs.
Local Service and Loving Neighbors
Beyond the pantry, the church regularly shows up across the neighborhood. Members help feed the homeless, assist with the Logan Square Farmers Market, and respond to other urgent community needs. The Closet, a ministry within the church family, gathers gently used clothing donated by members and makes it available to others free of charge, a tangible expression of generosity and stewardship that keeps garments in use and meets practical needs.
Training for Urban Ministry: The C.A.U.S.E. Program
For those sensing a call to urban ministry, the church runs the Chicago Armitage Urban Study Experience, known as C.A.U.S.E. The program prepares men and women for effective ministry in city settings through an integrated model that develops the head (theology, ministry practices, city dynamics), the heart (love for God and compassion for the community through one-on-one ministry and spiritual disciplines), and the hands (working alongside seasoned staff in real-world settings). C.A.U.S.E. offers several tracks: a one-week Explore experience with housing provided; a three-month Summer Internship; a one-year Internship with comprehensive intellectual and practical development; and a Residency of one to two years (with an optional third) for experienced urban ministers holding at least a bachelor's degree. The program is led by Pastor Steve Laughlin, who mentors young leaders through C.A.U.S.E. and supports the children and youth teams.
Global Partnerships and Mission Trips
Armitage's missional reach extends well beyond Chicago. Each year the church sends a short-term team to serve alongside international partners, and recent trips have gone to Hyderabad, India (to support Joseph and Esther Sharon and ICBM), Nairobi, Cape Town, Manila, Germany, and Puerto Rico for Hurricane Maria relief. Long-term partners include ministries in Bangkok (Better Life Thailand), Cape Town (Living Hope), Nairobi (Kahawa Sukari Baptist Church), Manila (Abundant Life Baptist Church), Central and South America (Training Pastors International), the former Soviet Union (Bible Missions International), and Hyderabad (International Cultural Bible Ministries). Domestic partnerships include the Chicago Hope Food Pantry itself, refugee ministries in Chicago, the Iranian Christian Church in San Diego, and an Afghani refugee ministry in Dallas.
Membership and Discipleship
Those who wish to put down roots can walk through a four-session membership path: Who We Are, What We Believe, Baptism and Your Story, and How We Live. Each session is taught from the church's own materials, and after completing them along with a spiritual gifts survey, members submit an application. The local church is described in the church's statement of faith as a congregation of baptized believers, independent in that the only authority over it is that of Christ and the Word of God, with baptism (by immersion) and the Lord's Supper as the two ordinances observed.
What the Church Believes
Armitage holds to the verbal inspiration and inerrancy of the Bible, to one God eternally existing in three persons, and to Jesus Christ as fully God and fully man, virgin-born, bodily resurrected, and personally returning. The church teaches that salvation is secured through Christ's substitutionary death and received by faith, that all who are regenerated by the Holy Spirit will never perish, and that there is no salvation apart from Jesus. Members affirm the ultimate triumph of Christ, the resurrection of the dead, eternal blessedness for the saved, and eternal conscious suffering for the unsaved.
Values That Shape Daily Life
Six values guide the congregation. The church prioritizes the transforming power of God's Word through learning and applying Scripture. It values God's supernatural work and pursues prayer and bold steps of faith. Servanthood, placing others' needs above one's own, is seen as the fullest expression of love. Personal connection is emphasized because healthy, Christ-centered relationships help believers flourish. Diversity is celebrated across racial, ethnic, cultural, and socioeconomic lines. And global and urban ministry remains a central focus, rooted in the conviction that cities are cultural engines and highly influential places.
Pastoral Leadership
The pastoral team is led by three pastors. Pastor Jeremy Crowe serves as Community Life Pastor, leading the church body in fostering community beyond Sunday gatherings, overseeing the Grow Group ministry, and supporting the relationship with global partners. He also preaches, leads a men's Grow Group, and shepherds married couples. Pastor Steve Laughlin, the Spiritual Formation Pastor, teaches and preaches the Word of God, mentors young leaders through C.A.U.S.E., and supports the children and youth teams. Pastor Joel Bozian serves as the Spanish-Language Pastor for the 11:30 AM service and the Spanish-language Bible studies. Chloe Waters serves as Executive Director of Chicago Hope, and Maggie Jordan coordinates the food pantry day to day.
The Heart of the Mission
Armitage Baptist Church describes its vision as a Kingdom people, intimate with Jesus and one another, overflowing with His love to every person in every place. Its mission is to invest in the family of God and reproduce disciples of Jesus through the Gospel. Whether someone arrives speaking English or Spanish, single or married, a child or a retiree, the church offers a place to belong, to learn Scripture, to serve the neighborhood, and to be sent out, locally and globally, as a disciple maker.