A Southern Baptist Family on Cline Avenue
Cline Avenue Fellowship Church sits at 8600 Cline Avenue in Highland, Indiana, serving the communities of Lake County and the nearby Illinois border. The congregation describes itself as a church family that identifies and partners with the Southern Baptist Convention, drawn to the SBC's commitment to the autonomy of the local church, its focus on the Great Commission, and its investment in biblically grounded pastoral training. A second campus in Hammond, at 3425 Orchard Drive, extends the same fellowship across the town's southern edge.
What the Church Believes
The church's Statement of Faith is grounded in the Scriptures and adapted from the historic confessions of the Baptist Faith and Message (2000) and the Abstract of Principles (1858). Eighteen articles of doctrine are taught plainly and without hedging. The opening line of the statement borrows from 1 Timothy 1:15: "The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners."
The teaching walks through the full scope of Christian belief: the Bible as the only sufficient and infallible rule of saving knowledge; one true God revealed as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; the providential rule of God over creation. The doctrines of man, the fall, and inherited corruption are taught from Genesis and Romans. Jesus Christ is confessed as the divinely appointed mediator who perfectly fulfilled the law, suffered, died, was buried, rose again, and now lives at the Father's right hand to make intercession.
The church holds that regeneration is the work of the Holy Spirit alone, that saving faith rests on Christ alone for justification, and that sanctification is a progressive work carried out by the Spirit through the Word. Believers whom He has accepted will certainly persevere to the end. The church is governed by elders (pastors) and servant leaders. Two ordinances are observed: baptism by immersion for every believer, and the Lord's Supper, which is remembered rather than re-sacrificed until Christ returns. The Lord's Day is set apart for public and private worship, and the church looks forward to the resurrection of the body and the final judgment of the living and the dead.
The elders of Cline Avenue Fellowship Church serve as the final interpretive authority on the Bible's meaning and application for the congregation's life, doctrine, and discipline.
Sunday Morning at 10:30
Every Sunday the church family gathers at 10:30 a.m. for a worship gathering the members of Cline Avenue describe with care. The gathering is built around singing, prayer, public Scripture reading, expository preaching through books of the Bible, a response in giving, and, frequently, the ordinances of baptism and the Lord's Supper. The members of the church use the word "gathering" deliberately because they see Sunday morning as more than attending a service; it is the church being the church together for the purpose of worship.
Visitors often ask what to wear, and the church's answer is straightforward: "Clothes. Seriously, that's it." The members describe themselves as comfortably dressed. Some wear suits and dresses; others wear jeans and button-ups. The English Standard Version is the translation used in preaching, and free ESV Bibles are available at the Welcome Table in the back of the sanctuary for anyone who needs one.
Before the main gathering, an adult version of the Gospel Project meets at 9:00 a.m. The Gospel Project is a three-year curriculum that walks participants through the whole Bible, Christ-centered from start to finish. Because the curriculum is chronological, newcomers do not feel lost no matter when they arrive.
ClineKids on Sunday Morning
Children from infants through fifth grade are cared for during the worship gathering by a hand-selected group of volunteers. The children's version of the Gospel Project is used at every age level, with fun interactive activities, snacks, and a lesson drawn from both the Old and New Testaments. The same chronological approach means a child can join at any point in the three-year cycle without missing the thread of the story.
Wednesday Nights at 6:30
Midweek worship takes place on Wednesday evenings at 6:30 p.m. The midweek service gathers the whole church family for a shorter, more intimate time of worship and teaching. ClineKids for children ages three through fifth grade meets at the same time, and the Students ministry gathers sixth through twelfth graders in their own space. Wednesday is the church's midweek anchor, and the leadership encourages the whole congregation to treat it as part of the regular rhythm of discipleship.
Vacation Bible School
Each summer the church hosts Vacation Bible School for the children of the congregation and the surrounding community. The most recent program, "Illumination Station," is signed up for through the church's Church Center account, and registration is open to families from both campuses.
Two Campuses, One Family
The Highland campus is the main campus, with the church office, youth area, and children's areas upstairs and the sanctuary and childcare classrooms downstairs. The Hammond campus extends the church's reach into the neighboring community at 3425 Orchard Drive. Both campuses share the same elders, the same doctrinal commitments, and the same rhythms of worship.
The Eldership and Ministry Leaders
The church is shepherded by an elder team made up of Jose Corona and Johnny Best. Around the elders, a ministry team of lay leaders coordinates the work of the congregation.
Gabe Sanchez leads the Worship Ministry, shaping the singing and the flow of the Sunday gathering. Nora Best leads the Mercy Ministry, organizing the church's care for those in need. Faith Best leads the ClineKids Ministry, recruiting and training the volunteers who walk children through the Gospel Project each week. Matthew Corona leads the Audio/Visual Ministry, serving the livestream and the in-person gathering each Sunday. Armando and Lupe Sanchez lead the Marriage Ministry, caring for couples across the congregation.
Visiting the Highland Campus
The building is fully accessible. Two ramps serve the campus: one on the south side of the building leads to the upstairs office, youth, and children's areas, and one on the west side leads to the downstairs sanctuary and childcare classrooms. The address is 8600 Cline Avenue, and the church notes that the building cannot be reached directly from Cline Avenue itself; visitors are encouraged to follow the church's directions or use Google Maps to find the entrance.
Contact information is straightforward: the phone number is 219-923-6849 and the email is clineavenuefellowship@gmail.com. Worship services are livestreamed, and past sermons are available for download. Giving is set up through the church's Church Center account, and a Church Center app is available for those who prefer to connect digitally.