Heights Baptist Church sits on a single campus at 1591 County Road 144 on the south side of Alvin, Texas, and reaches outward in two languages and across every stage of life. The Southern Baptist congregation describes itself as multigenerational and multiethnic, and its weekly rhythm is built to reflect that: two morning worship services in English at 9:00 and 10:30 AM, a parallel set of Spanish services called Heights en Español, and a network of Life Groups, children's programs, student ministries, and disability ministries running at the same hours. The address is also the hub of a small constellation of buildings, including a Worship Center, a Children's Building, an Activity Center, a Fellowship Center, Buildings A and B, and a separate Student House just across the parking lot at 3006 County Road 145.
Sunday Mornings at Heights
Each Sunday begins with two identical worship services in the Worship Center at 9:00 and 10:30 AM. The service follows a simple, Bible-centered pattern: singing led by the church's praise team, prayer, and a sermon. Music is described as a blend of traditional and contemporary songs, and the gathering typically runs about 75 minutes. A time of prayer and invitation is built into the service, giving anyone who wants to talk or pray with a leader the chance to step forward, while those who prefer to remain in their seats are welcome to do so. Heights describes its own culture as a place where people can ask hard questions, where it is okay not to be okay, and where the goal is to keep Christ at the center of everything done on a Sunday.
Heights en Español meets at the same campus as a parallel Hispanic ministry. The Spanish-language congregation describes itself not as a separate building but as a family within Heights, where English-speaking and Spanish-speaking communities walk together as one church, one body, learning from one another and celebrating the diversity God has given. Worship is held on Sunday mornings in Spanish, with a live English translation available for the 9:00 AM service, and the ministry is led by Osvaldo Tello Dellafazia, the Resident of Hispanic Ministry.
A Campus Built Around Life Groups
The church uses the phrase "Life Groups" to describe its Sunday School-style classes, and the listing runs to roughly two dozen groups spread across the campus and across the week. Life Groups meet during both Sunday service hours, with many offering a 9:00 AM option and a 10:30 AM option so adults can attend either worship service and still find a class.
The adult classes are organized by age, stage, and interest. The Spring gathers adults in their mid-30s to mid-40s under Dustin DeBerry and Greg Ponshock. Under Construction, led by Harrison Cardiff and Andrew Nesrsta, reaches adults in their mid-20s to mid-30s. The Fellowship Class, taught by David Boyles Jr., is for adults 55 and older. Branches, with Trey Atkinson, also serves the mid-30s to mid-40s. Christians In Action, led by John Yokum, gathers adults 45 and up. Koinonia is a couples class for adults 68 and older, led by Andy Jensen. Several classes are designed for women, including Walking Worthy for women 40 and up led by Tracy Loy and Patty Bradley, B.Y.K.O.T.A. for women 60 and up with Terry Oliver and Brenda Schibi, Faithful Followers for women 50 and up with LaVerne Tankersley, and Entre Amigas, a Tuesday evening Spanish-language women's class with Thays Tello. Men's options include the Heights Men's Class, led by Mike Hiatt on Sunday mornings and again on Thursday evenings, Iron Man Sunday Night with Justin Brownlee and Alan Larson, and Iron Men Wednesday Night with Tobias Reichert. Better Man, a men's group led by Osvaldo Tello Dellafazia, meets at the Student House on the third Tuesday of each month. The Bridge is a class for young adults ages 18 to 25, led by Theresa and Miguel Cabrera.
Children and students also have Life Groups. Heights Preschool Ministry, for birth through kindergarten, and Heights Kids Ministry, for first through fifth grade, both meet at 9:00 and 10:30 AM in the Children's Building under Jackie Marcel. Heights Students, for sixth through twelfth grade, meets at 9:00 AM at the Student House under Alex Briand.
HeightsKIDS and the Preschool Floor
Children's Ministry at Heights stretches from birth through fifth grade and is led by Jackie Marcel, who has been part of Heights since 1993 and serves with a team that includes the Children's Ministry Associate, Kathleen Robinson. The two Sunday hours are deliberately different. HeightsKIDS, for first through fifth graders, offers a small-group, discussion-based Bible study at 9:00 AM and a larger-group, digitally-based Bible study at 10:30 AM. The lessons coordinate so that children attending either hour are learning the same key point, but with a different approach and learning style. Preschoolers, from birth through kindergarten, experience small-group learning and play at both hours, with developmentally-appropriate classrooms for every stage. During the school year, Midweek Kids runs on Wednesdays from 6:30 to 8:00 PM, giving elementary-age children another touchpoint each week.
The stated mission of the Children's Ministry lists five commitments: recognizing caregivers as the primary spiritual formers and equipping them with resources; serving the broader community's spiritual and physical needs; creating a safe environment through background checks, diaper-changing procedures, check-in and check-out systems, and a clear discipline plan; building relationships by learning each child's name; and seeking changed hearts and lives through the love of Jesus and the foundational truths that lead to a personal relationship with Christ.
Heights Students Across the Parking Lot
Sixth through twelfth grade students have their own building, the Heights Student House at 3006 County Road 145, located across the Heights parking lot near the big white building. Student Ministry is led by Alex Briand, who grew up in South Houston and Pearland and moved to Alvin in 2021. The ministry gathers on Sundays at 9:00 AM for a Life Group hour and on Wednesdays from 6:00 to 8:00 PM for Student Bible Study, with events layered on top throughout the year.
The student ministry frames its work around John 13:34-35, the new commandment to love one another, and aims to help students take their next step toward a bold, authentic life with Jesus. Teaching, worship, small groups, and serving opportunities are built into every gathering so that students can connect, be known, and grow. The hope is that students move from simply attending to belonging, contributing, and becoming more like Christ in the process.
Heights en Español
The Spanish-language ministry at Heights is led by Osvaldo Tello Dellafazia, who was born and raised in Mendoza, Argentina, arrived in the United States in 2008, and is currently completing a Master of Theological Studies at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He and his wife, Thays, have served together since 2018, and Osvaldo previously served as a youth pastor and as a resident pastor in the Houston area.
The ministry's welcome statement is written as a family letter rather than a service description. It speaks of the church as a family, not a building, and describes the English and Spanish communities as walking together as one church and one body, serving side by side and celebrating the diversity God has given. Children, youth, married couples, and individuals each have a place to grow, serve, and feel at home. The invitation ends with a phrase used as a quiet tagline: the language may be different, but the mission is the same, and everyone speaks the same language, the language of God's love.
Disability Ministry: Sensory-Friendly, R.I.S.E., and Embrace
Disability Ministry at Heights is built into the children's floor, the student ministry, and the adult Sunday School wing, with Julie Hernandez serving as Inclusion Coordinator for Disability Families. The ministry begins with two sensory-friendly classrooms located in the children's area, designed for children typically ages 3 through 12, where adapted activities use the same Bible curriculum as the rest of the children's ministry but in a calmer setting. For students who prefer to be with their same-age peers, trained buddies are paired one-on-one with children so they can participate in any of the regular children's ministries.
For teens and young adults, the R.I.S.E. class - Reverse Inclusion Serves Everyone - meets during both Sunday hours and invites typical peers to join the class to support spiritual growth and build friendships. The newest addition is Embrace, a Sunday morning class for adults of all ages with disabilities, led by Leslie DeRay, designed for adults to grow in their faith alongside other adults. Parents are asked to contact the Disability Ministry Director to register a child and share specific needs before a first visit.
What to Expect on a First Visit
Heights offers a detailed first-visit plan for families and individuals. Buildings on the campus are labeled, and the Worship Center is the main entry point. Greeters meet visitors at the door and help with directions, including to the children's and student check-in areas. Visitors with children are pointed first to the Children's Lobby for a check-in that includes registration and a secure pickup system. Visitors without children, or those attending with their children, can enter the Worship Center, where restrooms and Information Boards offer materials about Heights, upcoming events, Life Groups, classes, and ways to get involved.
Dress at Heights is described as varied, ranging from T-shirts and jeans to sweatshirts, business casual, and dresses, with a request that everyone dress modestly and respectfully so that all members and guests feel welcome. Children with disabilities are paired with trained buddies when needed, and parents are encouraged to share specific needs ahead of time so the team can prepare appropriately. After the service, the church invites visitors to meet leaders, ask questions, and get connected, with an option to fill out a Digital Connect Card in advance. Services and sermons are also available on the HeightsBaptistChurchAlvin YouTube channel and on podcast platforms.
Worship Ministry
Worship Ministry is led by Matt Hogan, Pastor of Worship and Discipleship, who grew up in Orange County, California, holds a Bachelor's from The Master's University and a Master of Divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and has served in church music ministry in the Houston area since 2006. The ministry exists to guide and model Christ-centered worship and to develop Christ-centered lives, and it welcomes both seasoned musicians and beginners.
Three serving pathways are open to volunteers: Choir and Vocals, where no prior vocal experience is required; the Worship Band, for instrumentalists of any level who want to plug in; and the Media team, which runs lights, lyrics, cameras, and sound on Sundays. The Media Ministry is led by Skylar Garcia-Frost, Director of Media Ministry.
Care, Grief, and Caregiver Support
Beyond the main weekly ministries, Heights hosts several smaller ministries designed for specific seasons of life. Heights Care is a member-to-member care ministry led by Dawn McSwain and Sara Rhoads, organized around the idea of loving one's neighbor in practical ways. When members face unplanned life events, the team organizes meals, lawn mowing, and other needs. Members can text the word CARE to opt in for notifications when a need arises.
Comfort Circle is a grief support group led by Carol Rost and Cary Perrin. It meets on the first and third Thursdays from 10:00 to 11:30 AM and on the fourth Thursday from 6:30 to 8:00 PM in Building A, Room 4. The Gathering Place is Heights' host site for an interfaith ministry that provides a safe, nurturing environment for loved ones with Alzheimer's, offering a fun-filled event led by loving volunteers on the fifth Wednesdays of the year from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM in the Fellowship Center.
Beliefs and Affiliations
Heights Baptist Church is dually aligned with the Southern Baptist Convention at the national level and with both the Texas Baptist and Southern Baptists of Texas Conventions at the state level. Locally, the church is part of the Gulf Coast Baptist Association, a family of more than seventy Southern Baptist churches and missions in Brazoria County.
The church's statement of faith is set out across eighteen articles and follows the historic Baptist Faith and Message shape. Scripture is described as divinely inspired and totally true and trustworthy, with Christ as the focus of divine revelation. God is one triune God who reveals Himself as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, with distinct personal attributes and without division of nature. Man is created in God's image and has fallen into sin through free choice, so that salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ is necessary. Salvation is set out across regeneration, justification, sanctification, and glorification, with repentance and faith described as inseparable gifts. The church is understood as an autonomous local congregation of baptized believers, governed by the Lordship of Christ through democratic processes, with pastors and deacons as its scriptural officers.
The two ordinances observed are believer's baptism by immersion and the Lord's Supper, both understood as acts of obedience. The first day of the week is set apart as the Lord's Day for worship and devotion. The statement of faith also addresses God's purpose of grace and the perseverance of the saints, the Kingdom of God as both general sovereignty and particular kingship, last things including the personal return of Christ, the resurrection of the dead, and final judgment, the duty and privilege of evangelism and missions, Christian education, stewardship of time, talents, and possessions, voluntary cooperation between churches, the Christian's calling in the social order, peace and war, religious liberty with church and state kept separate, and the family as the foundational institution of human society, defined as the lifelong covenant union of one man and one woman.
Office, Giving, and Location Details
The church office is open Monday through Thursday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM and can be reached at 281-331-8201 or at hbc@heightschurch.org. The physical campus is at 1591 County Road 144, Alvin, Texas 77511, while mail is sent to PO Box 819, Alvin, TX 77512. Giving is described as an act of worship and is offered online through debit, credit, or bank transfer, with cash and checks accepted in the offering boxes at the exits of the Worship Center, dropped off at the office, or mailed to the PO Box.
Leadership at Heights
Dr. Lee Peoples serves as Lead Pastor. He grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina, attended North Carolina State University, and holds a Master of Divinity and a Doctor of Ministry from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. He has served as lead pastor of churches in North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Texas, and his stated passions are discipleship, evangelization, and serving the local community. Matt Hogan serves as Pastor of Worship and Discipleship. Jackie Marcel serves as Director of Children's Ministry. Alex Briand serves as Director of Student Ministry. Osvaldo Tello Dellafazia serves as the Resident of Hispanic Ministry. Julie Hernandez serves as Inclusion Coordinator for Disability Families, and Skylar Garcia-Frost serves as Director of Media Ministry.