Two Campuses, One Mission in the Quad Cities
Heritage Church meets in two locations across the Quad Cities - Rock Island, Illinois and Bettendorf, Iowa - and exists for a single purpose: to be a place where all people can belong to God's family, encounter the presence of the Holy Spirit, and become transformed by Jesus Christ. The motto Belong, Encounter, Become shows up everywhere - in children's ministry, student ministry, sermons, missions, and the discipleship pathway - and sets the tone for everything that happens across both campuses.
A Wesleyan Heritage with a Forward-Leaning Heart
Heritage is part of The Wesleyan Church, a denomination whose roots stretch back to the mid-19th century. The Wesleyans were among the earliest American churches to ordain women and to give laity significant leadership roles, addressing the need for change in issues like slavery, women's rights, and child labor. Heritage honors that legacy while continuing it - making Christ known in the Quad Cities, across the country, and around the world.
Senior Pastor Bryan Savage leads the church with a focus on teaching God's Word with clarity and relevance while fostering authentic relationships. He is committed to empowering every member to use their gifts for God's glory and to guiding the church in fulfilling its mission locally and globally.
Sunday Mornings at Both Campuses
Sunday is the main gathering day, with identical rhythms at both locations.
At the Rock Island Campus (4801 44th St), services are held at 9 AM and 11 AM. At the Bettendorf Campus (2700 Middle Rd), services are held at 8 AM, 9:30 AM, and 11 AM.
Each service lasts about 70 minutes and follows a consistent shape: two or three worship songs, a 30-35 minute message, and a closing song. A prayer team is available in the room for anyone who would like prayer. For those who can't make it in person, the 9 AM and 11 AM services are livestreamed online, and the broadcast is also carried on local TV channels 8.3 MyTV and 8.1 WQAD.
First-time visitors are encouraged to arrive 10-15 minutes early to park, grab coffee or tea in the lobby, and meet a few friendly faces before the service begins. Dress is completely casual - come as you are.
Heritage Kids: A Community for the Youngest
Heritage Kids exists to help children take a step toward owning their own faith. The ministry defines success simply: every time a child takes a step closer to owning their faith, the team wins. Four habits drive that growth - spending time with God, spending time with others, using their gifts, and sharing their story.
Programming is offered during every Sunday service for children from 6 weeks old through 5th grade. Classroom breakdowns differ slightly by campus, but the categories are similar - nursery, toddler, pre-K/K, and elementary. Each room uses the Grow Strategy curriculum, balancing engaging Bible lessons, age-appropriate worship and crafts, and small-group time for elementary students.
Safety is a clear priority. Every volunteer passes an annual background check, provides references, and completes staff-led onboarding and mandatory reporter training. At check-in, each child receives a name badge with a unique code that matches a parent pickup tag, and only matching tags release a child from the classroom. Parents are asked to alert volunteers to any allergies or special needs.
On a first visit, a Heritage Kids volunteer walks the family through the process from check-in hub to classroom tour, and a First Time Visitor gift bag is waiting at the end. For families who would rather keep their children with them, the main Worship Center is open to kids of any age, and a Family Space in the lobby offers a couch, toys, and a live feed of the service. A private Nursing Mothers room is also available.
Heritage Students: A Place for 6th Through 12th Grade
Heritage Students serves middle and high schoolers at both campuses, meeting Sunday nights from 6 to 8 PM. The ministry believes that through intentional disciple-making relationships, students will look more and more like Jesus and grow closer to Him. The long-term hope is a generation awakened to the call God has placed on their lives.
Volunteering with the student ministry follows the same careful process as the kids side: apply, conversation with the Students Pastor, background check, observation and training, and final approval. Heritage Students maintains its own social media presence for both the Rock Island and Bettendorf groups.
Discipleship: Belong, Encounter, Become
Discipleship at Heritage is built around three pathways that mirror the church's overall vision.
The Belong Pathway connects newcomers into the life of the church. Discover Heritage is a 30-45 minute introduction to the church. Discover Membership is a 75-minute class required for anyone wanting to become a member, and it covers Wesleyan doctrine and Heritage's history. Discover Serving helps people find a volunteer team to join.
The Encounter Pathway centers on a slower, more contemplative spirituality. Its flagship offering is the Encountering Freedom ministry, which is described in more detail below.
The Become Pathway is the lifelong journey of transformation into the likeness of Jesus. Baptism is offered quarterly as a public declaration of faith. A New Believers Class runs for 10 weeks and covers foundational topics including the Bible, prayer, and spiritual disciplines. Formational Communities gather around shared interests - men's ministry, women's ministry, Vintage Classics (a senior-focused community), and support environments - while Formational Resources include classes, events, and studies that foster maturity in faith.
Small groups are the connective tissue of the whole process. New 10-week groups launch every fall, spring, and summer, and they provide a safe space for learning, prayer, and authentic relationships.
Encountering Freedom in Christ
Encountering Freedom in Christ is a discipleship ministry whose roots go back 25 years inside Heritage Church. Over that time it has expanded and now serves thousands of people. For those who struggle with anxiety, depression, anger, bitterness, or deep emotional wounds, the ministry's experienced teams help individuals find forgiveness, release past hurts, and walk in victory through Christ - all with gentleness, love, and compassion.
Sessions are free, available to people of all ages, and average three per adult (children often need only one). They take place across the street from the Rock Island campus at 4708 44th St, in a building connected to the Interstate Batteries store; visitors look for the Encountering Freedom sign on the entryway door.
Missions Across the Quad Cities and the World
Missions at Heritage are organized around five guiding principles: Commission is the Vision (make disciples), A Good Deeds Plant the Seed (faith in action), Compassion is the Action (love moves toward people), Salvation is the Motivation (share the hope of Christ), and Multiplication is the Goal (God brings the growth).
Locally, Heritage partners with Argrow's House, One Eighty, the Woman's Choice Center, Pregnancy Resources, YouthHope, Wellsprings of Freedom, Christian Care, and the Kewanee Life Skills Re-Entry Center. Regionally and nationally, the church supports Story Church, Shiloh Christian Children's Ranch, and The Well church plant in Peru, Illinois. Internationally, Heritage walks alongside missionaries Joel and Angel Ballew in Colombia, Jason and Kerensa McFrederick in the Czech Republic, Lester and Amanda serving the Fotizo people, and Children's HopeChest.
Additional initiatives include the Heritage at Home TV and online ministry, Freedom Ministries, community outreach projects such as Vacation Bible School, Christmas Outreach, and Night to Shine, and short-term mission trips. Those interested can give to missions, sign up for the monthly missions newsletter through the Church Center app, or email the missions team.
The Next Chapter
Heritage is in the middle of a building campaign called The Next Chapter, a $750,000 effort to refresh both campuses without taking on debt. The Rock Island campus is gaining a state-of-the-art Family Life Center with a mezzanine and cafe, new kids' classrooms, stage upgrades, and audio improvements. The Bettendorf campus is getting a renovated main lobby and welcome center, a new Kids HUB, and expanded on-site office space that will save the church $50,000 a year in rent. The campaign is funded as gifts come in, with a target of roughly $14 per attendee per week for one year.
Giving, Communication, and Practical Details
Online giving is available through the Church Center platform, and the same app gives members a way to register for events, find groups, and stay connected. Gifts can also be mailed to 4801 44th St, Rock Island, IL 61201. Heritage accepts stock and securities transfers, IRA distributions from those 70½ and older, corporate matching gifts, and legacy or estate gifts. The finance office can be reached at 309-732-0023 or 309-732-0024.
Services are also available on a heritage at home livestream, and the church maintains active Facebook and Instagram accounts. Two additional student ministry pages on Instagram and Facebook serve the Rock Island and Bettendorf groups specifically. A small online shop sells Heritage merchandise.
Heritage Church is a Wesleyan congregation with a clear three-word vision, two campuses, a deeply developed kids and students ministry, an uncommon freedom ministry, and a wide network of missions partners - all held together by a simple promise: a place where people can belong, encounter, and become.