A Pentecostal Church on South Broadway
Colonial Heights Church stands at 5200 South Broadway Avenue in Wichita, Kansas, on the south side of the city, where it has been rooted for more than four decades. The congregation's stated purpose is to bring glory to God by loving God, loving the Bible, and loving people - a three-part rhythm that shapes everything from Sunday worship to the church's signature Connect Groups. As an Assembly of God congregation, Colonial Heights belongs to one of the largest Pentecostal traditions in the United States, and its calendar of services, discipleship classes, and outreach reflects that heritage.
Mark and Starlene Combs lead the church as lead pastors, and they are joined by an associate pastor, a children's ministry director, and a youth pastor. The current generation of ministries, building programs, and groups has grown up around their leadership, while the congregation itself stretches back to the mid-1950s and continues to serve families from the surrounding neighborhoods.
From South Seneca Assembly to Colonial Heights
Colonial Heights traces its roots to 1954, when a small congregation known as South Seneca Assembly of God was officially formed. Rev. John and Clova DeVasher served as the first pastors from 1954 to 1963, followed by Rev. Jonathan and Arlene Hollis (1963 to 1965) and then Rev. James and Joyce Bridges (1965 to 1967), during whose tenure the steady growth of the church led to the construction of a new educational wing. The Hollis family returned to lead the congregation in 1967 and stayed for the next half-century. In 1979 the church relocated to its present South Broadway property and adopted the name Colonial Heights Assembly of God.
By its fiftieth anniversary in 2004, Colonial Heights had more than sixty members of its extended church family serving in ministry around the world as pastors, missionaries, and evangelists. In 2017, after Rev. Jonathan Hollis resigned, the congregation voted Mark Combs in as lead pastor. The church continues to carry the Assemblies of God identity - its children's missions offering, BGMC, is described by the church itself as the only long-standing missions ministry partner in the Assemblies of God.
Sunday Mornings on South Broadway
Sunday is the anchor of the week at Colonial Heights. Bible study classes for everyone from nursery-age children through adults meet at 9:30 AM. At 10:30 AM the congregation gathers for the worship service, and during that hour the nursery, preschool, and elementary classrooms run on the same schedule so that parents can worship alongside the rest of the church while their children learn at their own level. The building includes a Sanctuary for the main gathering, a Chapel used for prayer and baptism meetings, and a Colonial Room that hosts youth events and game nights.
The Sunday bulletin is rounded out by periodic Family Services when all ages stay together in the Sanctuary, recognition services for high school and college graduates, a yearly Water Baptism during an Easter service, and seasonal fellowship meals like a Labor Day potluck and a Trunk or Treat on the church parking lot in the fall. During Lent, Friday morning prayer at 7 AM in the chapel gathers adults for a six-week season of intercession before Easter.
Wednesday Nights: Bible Study and Three Ministries Under One Roof
At 7 PM on Wednesdays, the building fills up again. Adults gather for a Bible study class that includes an "Extra Credit" series taught by Pastor Mark and archived on Substack. In the same hour, three other programs run in parallel.
Children from kindergarten through fifth grade can attend Royal Rangers (boys) or Mpact Girls (girls), the church's two mentoring ministries. Royal Rangers exists to evangelize, equip, and empower the next generation of Christlike men and lifelong servant leaders, while Mpact provides age-appropriate activities for girls K through 5th grade. Nursery and toddler rooms are also open during the Wednesday hour.
Sixth through twelfth graders head to The Anchor Youth, the church's midweek gathering for teenagers. Together, the three Wednesday tracks give families a single night where every member - from babies to grandparents - is being taught the Bible at their own level.
Colonial Kids: Nursery Through Fifth Grade
The children's ministry at Colonial Heights is built around the conviction that it is important for children to learn and understand the Word of God at an early age. The team describes its goal as helping kids "connect the dots of every story back to the underlying message scripture tells us about God's redemption and freedom through Jesus."
On Sundays at 9:30 AM, Bible study classes are offered for every age group from nursery through fifth grade. During the 10:30 AM worship service, nursery, toddler, two-year-old, and preschool (ages 3 to 5) classrooms are open for every service, and elementary kids gather as Colonial Kids for their own programming during the sermon hour. The same nursery and preschool rooms open on Wednesday evenings for parents attending the adult Bible study.
Twice a year the children's ministry hosts its larger seasonal events. The Christmas Program, held during the 10:30 AM Sunday worship service in December, is the highlight of the year for elementary-age kids, with weeks of rehearsals, dress rehearsals, and a Sanctuary performance that the whole congregation attends. Promotion Week in mid-June moves every student up to the next grade-level classroom at the start of summer. Summer also brings Kids Camp, an overnight camp at Wheat State Retreat Center outside Augusta for kids who have completed second grade through entering sixth grade.
The Anchor Youth: Sixth Through Twelfth Grade
The church's youth ministry carries a name with a simple meaning. "We all have an anchor that we drop into something. This anchor consists of your faith, hope, and love. You can drop your anchor into a lot of different things in this world but nothing is like anchoring yourself in Jesus." The Anchor Youth meets every Wednesday at 7 PM and is led by Youth Pastor Cheira Massey.
Cheira is joined by her husband Laban Massey, and together they coordinate a year-round calendar that includes Discipleship nights, summer Summenary gatherings hosted with a neighboring Assembly of God youth group, an overnight Spring Breakaway Retreat, a week of Summer Camp at Wheat State Retreat Center, and periodic Anchor After Hours evenings that stretch late into the night for students who want to hang out, play games, and eat together. Parents can stay current through the Anchor Family Facebook Group, and youth@colonialheightschurch.com is the direct line to the ministry.
Connect Groups: A Dozen Ways to Build Real Friendships
Connect Groups are the church's signature small-group strategy, and they are central to how Colonial Heights lives out its mission of loving people. The church explains it this way: "Some of the most powerful moments happen when we connect with each other, build trust, ask questions and consider how these big ideas intersect with our everyday lives. We need places where we're not a face in the crowd, but a unique story that God is writing just for us. That place is Connect Groups."
Groups launch in the fall and again in the spring around the school semester, with a smaller number meeting throughout the year. The range of options is broad:
- Family Adventures hosts parents and children for outings like inflatable parks and church-based treasure hunts.
- Quaint Quilters welcomes both seasoned and beginner quilters every other Saturday in room 201 at the church.
- Book Club - Mark's Story reads through the novelization of season one of The Chosen, meeting every other Thursday to study the life of Jesus.
- Young Adult Movie Night gathers 18- to 35-year-olds at the Masseys' home.
- Get Fit, Don't Quit is a monthly 45-minute workout combining strength, flexibility, endurance, and balance, open to men and women ages 18 and older.
- Lunch Bunch meets once a month at a local restaurant for midday fellowship.
- CHAG Diners heads out monthly to dinner at Wichita eateries with advance reservations.
- Who's Got Game? hosts friendly game nights in the Colonial Room with sweet or savory snacks.
- Sunday Supper takes the small group into a host home for an evening meal.
- Gals' Gratitude and Grace Gathering (4G) is a monthly brunch for women that moves between local restaurants.
- Backyard Craft-Teas offers a craft project and tea in a host's backyard.
- Biblical Brain blends Scripture study with mental-health coping skills for stress, anxiety, and depression, meeting every other Saturday in room 208.
- Joy Connection is the women's fellowship that gathers for themed evenings like Fiesta Bunco.
Office@colonialheightschurch.com or a call to the church office is the entry point for signing up or learning the next launch date.
What Colonial Heights Believes
The church's beliefs are summed up in the Apostles' Creed, which the congregation recites together as a statement of historic Christian faith: belief in God the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth; in Jesus Christ his only Son, conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, crucified, dead, and buried, who descended into hell, rose again the third day, ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father, from which he shall come to judge the living and the dead; in the Holy Spirit; in the holy catholic Church (which the church glosses as "the universal Christian church - all believers in Jesus Christ"); in the communion of the saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. As an Assembly of God congregation, Colonial Heights also embraces the Pentecostal distinctive of the present-day ministry of the Holy Spirit that gives the broader fellowship its name.
The Pastoral Team
Mark and Starlene Combs serve as lead pastors. Mark's passion is preaching, teaching, and leading people into a gospel-centered life. Starlene is actively involved in outreach ministries and heads up the connections ministry. They have four children who all love God and are pursuing his call on their lives.
Cameron Combs is the associate pastor. He served as Colonial Heights' youth and young adult pastor for nearly eight years before stepping into his current role, and has been on staff since October 2012. He earned a bachelor's degree in church ministries from Nelson University (formerly SAGU) in 2013 and a master's degree from Biola University in 2016. His wife, Emily Combs, serves as the children's ministry director. A graduate of Nelson University in psychology and biblical studies, Emily is dedicated to teaching children about the love and hope of Jesus.
Cheira Massey is the youth pastor. A 2020 graduate of Emporia State University with a bachelor's in elementary education, Cheira taught school for three years before being called to youth ministry at the church where she grew up. She and her husband Laban, married in 2020, have two sons.
Getting Connected
Visitors are welcome at any of the regular Sunday and Wednesday gatherings. Bible study for all ages begins at 9:30 AM on Sunday mornings, followed by worship at 10:30 AM with children's programming running at the same time. Wednesday nights at 7 PM include adult Bible study, the children's mentoring programs (Royal Rangers and Mpact Girls), and The Anchor Youth for teens. Services are livestreamed on Facebook for those who cannot attend in person, and sermons are also archived on YouTube and on Pastor Cameron's Substack.
For those who want to take a next step, the church offers three clear on-ramps. Baptism is celebrated during an Easter service each year, with an orientation meeting for candidates held a week before in the Chapel. A Serve interest form connects newcomers to ministry teams across the church. A Prayer Request form is available for anyone who would like the pastoral team to pray for them. Giving is available online through the church's Shelby Giving page.
The office is reachable at (316) 524-3068 or office@colonialheightschurch.com, with dedicated addresses for children's ministry (kids@colonialheightschurch.com) and youth (youth@colonialheightschurch.com). The church building sits at 5200 South Broadway Avenue, Wichita, Kansas 67216.