Highland Park Baptist Church is a diverse community of the forgiven, walking by faith in the completed work of Jesus Christ on the cross for us.
Our Worship Services
Every Sunday, 9:30am + 11:00am
28600 Lahser Rd | Southfield, MI 48034
A community. Forgiven. Walking by faith. In Christ.
Our desire is to provide a place where everyone can worship and grow as one family in Christ.
Our Values
We are called to:
with all that we are.
disciples of Jesus Christ.
share the gospel.
The HPBC Timeline
For more than 100 years, God has faithfully preserved the ministry of Highland Park Baptist Church.
- 1910 · A small band of Christian men and women began a Sunday school in Highland Park, Michigan.
- 1911 · Twenty members organized the Baptist Society of Highland Park.
- 1913 · The Baptist Society of Highland Park was renamed Highland Park Baptist Church.
- 1914 · A building committee was appointed, and a lot was purchased on Ford Avenue in Highland Park.
- 1916 · The Highland Park building was completed and dedicated.
- 1957 · Twenty acres of land was purchased in Southfield, MI.
- 1963 · The Southfield campus was completed and dedicated.
- 1966 · The Southfield and Highland Park campuses merged at the new Southfield location.
- 1970 · HPBC opened Southfield Christian School.
- 1984 · A second Sunday morning worship service was added.
- 2005 · An Elder Board was elected to oversee ministries and operations.
- 2008 · Pastor Brent Slater was commissioned as the new Senior Pastor.
Our Team
Nancy Baughman serves as our Early Childhood Director, and brings a big heart and the experience of over fifty years to children’s ministries. She joined our staff ministry team in 1996. After receiving her Bachelor of Science in Education at Eastern Michigan University, Nancy taught Kindergarten at a Christian School before starting a family. She then ran a preschool in her home for the next twenty years. With the support of her creative and energetic volunteers, the Early Childhood program continues to use concrete and hands-on ways to show our little ones God loves and cares for them. Nancy and Ken have been married forty-three years, have three grown children, and ten grandchildren. Nancy’s favorite thing to do is spend time with family.
Grace serves kids ministry staff as well as directing HPBC's disabilities ministry for kids. She is passionate about making the Gospel accessible to all of God's people. She graduated from Grand Valley State University in 2023 with a dual degree in Public and Nonprofit Administration as well as Communication Studies. Before college, Grace attended Southfield Christian School from kindergarten to 12th grade while being an active part of Highland Park ministries. She enjoys getting to spend time with friends and family, being active, traveling, and finding pretty places to take walks.
Jackie Green serves as our Elementary Associate and desires to create an environment where kids are excited to learn about and apply the truths of Jesus. She is passionate about creatively and effectively teaching God's Word to help children know God and trust Him with their lives. She believes a great team of parents and teachers is integral to this mission. Before joining the HPBC staff, Jackie spent many years in higher education at Old Dominion University and the University of Michigan, and later transitioned into a career as an elementary teacher. Jackie and Troy have three children and are active in the SCS community. They enjoy cheering on the Michigan Wolverines, having fun on the water, and family vacations to Florida.
Will Guerra serves as Head of School at Southfield Christian School, a ministry of HPBC. Will is well known in both the Southfield Christian and Highland Park Baptist Church communities. He is the husband of a SCS alumna, Nancy Guerra (Hall) parent of two SCS alumni (Christina, Class of 2013 and Ben, Class of 2016) served on the SCS School Board, and coached the Varsity Baseball team for many years. He has been a member of Highland Park Baptist Church for over 35 years and has served as a member and chairman of the Elder board, Youth Ministry team, Trustee, and Mission boards. Will has a strong love and passion for Southfield Christian School and HPBC, and more importantly, his personal testimony and reliance on Jesus Christ prepared him well to lead Southfield Christian School into the future.
Aaron Hamel serves as the Director of Refugee Services. He facilitates small groups of adults to help welcome the refugees arriving in Metro Detroit. He also coordinates English classes and various community events. Aaron grew up in sunny Southern California and met his wife, Alisa, at Moody Bible Institute where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Discipleship. Aaron and Alisa have four children and enjoy traveling both locally and internationally, meeting new people, and trying new foods.
Andrea Hockenbrocht serves as our Women’s Ministry Director. Her desire is for women to know how Jesus Christ meets the needs in every area in our lives, for women to grow in their knowledge of God’s Word, and for the body of Christ to walk in love as we care for one another. Over the past 33 years, Andrea has served in various ministries at HPBC; teaching in the elementary children’s department, participating in and leading women’s bible studies, mentoring young women, and belonging to a Grow group and care groups. Andrea was a part of the Southfield Christian School staff from 2000 - 2017 as a classroom teacher. Andrea and her husband, Doug, have two married children who live in New York City and Texas. They welcomed their first grandchild to their family in 2019. In addition, they love to golf, bicycle, work on house projects, and get together with friends.
Gar Hoover serves as our Director of Young Adults and Local Outreach. He has a passion for teaching and discipling young adults to create lifelong relationships with the Lord. Gar attended Highland Park and Southfield Christian School from Kindergarten to 12th grade. Gar graduated from Belmont University with a Bachelor of Arts in Christian Leadership and shortly after married his wife Susie who is also a Michigan Native. Gar is currently pursuing a Masters of Divinity from Denver Seminary online. He enjoys skiing, hiking, and cooking fun meals with his wife.
Pastor John is passionate about Shepherding; being eager to connect people into relationships and opportunities that allow them to flourish in their relationship with Jesus Christ. John frequently is engaged in teaching, counseling and leadership development. Growing up in Michigan, John did undergraduate studies at Cornerstone University, followed by a Master’s at Dallas Theological Seminary and Doctorate from Fuller Graduate School. John and his wife Carol enjoy spending time with family, going on walks, exploring new pathways and bicycling whenever they can.
Scott Kowalski serves as our Business Manager and also oversees Encore Upscale Resale, a ministry of Southfield Christian School. Scott’s a native of metro Detroit and is an alumni of SCS class of 97’, where he met his wife Jena, also class of 97'. The Kowalski’s have three children, Tyler, Andrew and Madison, all who attend SCS. Scott has a Bachelor Degree in Business Administration from Oakland University along with a combined 15+ years of lending, finance and non-profit experience. Scott enjoys serving at HPBC, because it’s a church that focuses on Christ, His Word and serving others. Scott loves spending time with his family and friends along with playing golf and baseball.
Elijah Morrow serves as our Middle School Director and is passionate about building relationship with students. He is also passionate about teaching students how to apply the truth of the Bible in their lives. Elijah is currently attending Southeastern University and pursuing a degree in Christian Ministry. He enjoys Alabama football, music, and spending time with friends and family.
Andy Rist serves as the Pastor of Spiritual Formation at Highland Park Baptist Church. He desires, by the strength and guidance of the Holy Spirit, to “present every man complete in Christ.” (Col 1:28-29) Andy is a native of Michigan, where he completed his undergraduate degree in Business at Wayne State University. Then, the Lord moved him to Texas to study at Dallas Theological Seminary, where he earned a Master of Theology degree. Prior to Andy’s call to HPBC, Andy and his wife, Holly, with their three children, served as missionaries in Ukraine for 20 years, where Andy discipled and trained church leaders at Kyiv Theological Seminary. Andy enjoys spending time with his family, the study of church history, being outdoors, any chance to travel, and every opportunity to try a new cultural meal.
Lake Slabach serves as our Family Ministry Pastor and is passionate about seeing parents embrace their role as the primary disciplers of their children. He also enjoys seeing leaders grow and take ownership of ministries within the church. Before joining our staff in 2021, Lake served at a church in North Carolina. He holds a Bachelor Degree in History from High Point University, and a MA in Christian Studies from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. He and his wife Elly have two daughters, Davie and Mercer. Lake loves spending time with his family, exploring new places and restaurants, playing golf, and keeping up with various sports interests.
Brent Slater serves as the Senior Pastor of Highland Park Baptist Church. He was raised in Africa as the son of medical missionaries. After studying at Hope College and Denver Seminary, he was sent by HPBC to serve the Lord in Uganda. He planted churches and developed leaders in Uganda for 22 years along with his wife, Inell, and their three sons. During those years he completed a Ph.D. in Edinburgh, Scotland. In 2005, the elders asked Brent to come serve at HPBC. Brent's desire is to glorify God by faithfully teaching and obeying His Word, serving His people, and reaching the lost both here and around the world. He has a passion for the King whose kingdom crosses borders and cultures, making disciples of all people.
Inell serves as the Prayer Director at HPBC. God's vision for the church is to be a House of Prayer, worshiping and glorifying Him in everything we do corporately and individually. Inell’s hope is that she serves God by providing vision, encouragement, and many venues for prayer to the body of Christ. She has served the Lord in various roles in churches and as a missionary overseas in Africa for many years with her husband and children. She graduated from William Tyndale College with a major in religious education and a minor in cross cultural studies. While Inell loves outdoor adventure and fun, her longest standing adventure in life has been to learn to pray individually and corporately.
Jimmy Smith serves as our Executive Pastor and possesses a strong desire to see members of the body of Christ growing deeper in their personal walk with the Lord. He also enjoys spending time developing current and upcoming leaders within the church for the ministry of service. Before joining our staff in 2011, Jimmy served at a church in North Carolina as well as worked in the motorsports industry. He holds a Bachelor Degree in Business Administration from Western Carolina University, and a Master of Divinity from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. He and his wife Amber, have two children, Jack and Addie. Jimmy loves spending time with his family, along with running, camping and playing softball.
What We Believe
- We believe in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as verbally inspired of God, inerrant in the original writings, and of supreme and final authority in faith and life. II Timothy 3:16; II Peter 1:20,21
- We believe in one God, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Matthew 28:19; II Corinthians 13:14
- We believe that Jesus Christ was begotten by the Holy Spirit, was born of the Virgin Mary and is true God and true man. Luke 1:35; John 1:1
- We believe that man was created in the image of God by His direct act and not from previously existing forms of life; that all men are descended from the historical Adam and Eve, first parents of the entire human race; that man sinned and thereby incurred not only physical death but also that spiritual death which is separation from God; and that all human beings are born with a sinful nature and become sinners in thought, word and deed. Genesis 1:26,27; Romans 5:12
- We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures as a representative and substitutionary sacrifice and that all who believe in Him are justified on the ground of His shed blood. I Corinthians 15:3; Romans 5:9
- We believe in the resurrection of the crucified body of our Lord, in His ascension into heaven, and in His present life there for us as High Priest and Advocate. I Corinthians 15:4,20; Luke 24:51; Book of Hebrews
- We believe in “that blessed hope” – the personal, premillennial and imminent return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Matthew 24:27,31; I Thessalonians 4:16,17, John 14:3; Titus 2:13
- We believe that all who receive by faith the Lord Jesus Christ are born again of the Holy Spirit and thereby become the children of God; that they are thereafter indwelt by the Holy Spirit who makes possible a life of personal holiness and a walk of obedience to the will of God; and that all who are truly born again are “kept by the power of God” and, therefore, are incapable of losing their salvation. John 1:12; 3:1-5; 10:28,29; 14:17; I Corinthians 3:16; 6:19; I John 5:1
- We believe in the bodily resurrection of the just and the unjust, the everlasting blessedness of the saved, and the everlasting, conscious punishment of the lost. John 5:28,29; Acts 24:15
- We believe that the local church is a body of believers organized for worship, work, and fellowship; that the two ordinances of the Church are baptism by immersion and the Lord’s Supper; and that the local church is an independent and self-governing body responsible alone to Christ, who is its Savior and Lord. Romans 6:3,4; Matthew 28:19; Matthew 26:26-28; I Corinthians 11:23-26
