Pascack Bible Church was launched in February 1966 with 232 members. Rev. Don Kenyon (a professor at Simpson College, CA) became the first pastor of “PBC” and served from 1968 through 1973. During his tenure, the present property in Hillsdale, NJ, was purchased and a sanctuary constructed and dedicated in 1970.

Our second pastor, Dr. R. Fred Beveridge (Gordon College, Grace Seminary, doctorate from Fuller Seminary), was called to pastor PBC in 1975 from a prior ministry in the Boston area. During his 34 years at PBC he initiated small group ministry and opened up a new era of world missions outreach through PBC. One of the greatest achievements during his tenure was the strong encouragement of a church planting movement in Albania, begun in 1993 just after the fall of Communism. It should be noted that Missions has been a major part of PBC since its founding.

Former Pastor Beveridge guided the development of a philosophy of ministry which is focused upon the Grace of God rather than rules and regulations, the unity of the Body of Jesus Christ, the centrality of prayer, and a social conscience with particular attention to racial reconciliation. During his tenure, he shepherded the church through times of intense debate over the role of the Holy Spirit, styles of worship, and other controversial issues.

Our third and present pastor, Pastor Chet Klope, was a Navy helicopter pilot who began seminary studies (Gordon-Conwell) in his mid-30′s. Pastor Chet was called as Minister to Youth at PBC in 1991. He was made Associate Pastor in 2000, and Senior Pastor in July 2009. Pastor Chet works closely with the PBC elders and has built them into a united body by the grace of our Lord Jesus.

Barbara Schiro is Office Administrator and Director of Childhood Ministries. Trained at Lancaster Bible College, she has been on staff since 1981. Barb has provided stability to the PBC operation for 30 years.

Gloria Kaslander serves as Administrative Assistant, providing administrative support and coordination to the general office procedures. Gloria started working at PBC in 2000.

Troy Childress joined our staff in August 2011, as Minister of Students. A 10 year Air Force veteran, Milligan College graduate and Liberty University graduate student,  Troy comes with almost 10 years of youth ministry experience.

Other key leaders have contributed greatly to each of the achievements mentioned. Bill Wortman, former missionary to Costa Rica, served as Minister of Discipleship from 1977 until retirement in 1992. He left a lasting imprint upon many at PBC whom he discipled. He contributed strongly to the congregation’s unique character as a church with unity in diversity. And most recently, Mark Allen was with us for two years as Minister of Students. Our youth greatly benefitted from his term here.

The Annex, where offices, education, and youth ministries are housed, was built in 1991. Immediately adjacent is the oldest house in Hillsdale, the Geruldsen House, with which we provide housing for missionaries on furlough and an occasional staff member. Refurbished in 1995, the house is in constant use.

Our church is not affiliated with a denomination, but we work closely with other independent and evangelical congregations in the metropolitan area.

PBC is governed by elders, who are nominated and confirmed by the congregation. One of their major duties is development of leadership through discipleship. This is reflected in our mission statement: “It is the mission of Pascack Bible Church to glorify God by living out His love in a diversity of worship and ministries that develop disciples of Jesus Christ who reach our families, neighborhoods, nearby cities, and the world.”

The primary building blocks of Pascack Bible Church are our “Home Groups.” Each home group has up to 15 people who meet weekly or biweekly for worship, sharing, prayer and teaching. It is in these small group settings that people find their faith encouraged as they develop closer personal and spiritual relationships with other Christians.  PBC is a community of people from Bergen and Passaic Counties in New Jersey and Rockland County in New York.

Today, we are poised and ready to embrace the new adventures that our Lord God has for us.