“I think God is calling us to Central Illinois,” Karl Anderson, the Senior Pastor of Sierra Bible Church in Reno, Nevada, told his wife Andrea, a Chillicothe native, this summer.

“Really? There aren’t any mountains, and you love to ski. Are you sure?” Andrea responded with astonishment.

This simple conversation in July set in motion a series of events, culminating in Karl Anderson’s call to serve Chillicothe Bible Church as its Senior Pastor. 

Pastor Karl joins CBC after serving seven and a half years in Reno, Nevada, the second-least-churched city in the USA. His ministry in Reno centered on helping a hurting church heal and bringing reconciliation to people who experienced deep hurt. 

“When I arrived at Sierra Bible Church in 2017, the church was broken,” Pastor Karl recalls. “There was a four-year pastoral vacancy at the church; the people were hurting, and the church was struggling. By God’s grace, we recovered over the course of seven years, and the church grew healthy. This recovery gave my soul a sense of completion for my pastoral work in Nevada that freed me to pursue a call anywhere in the USA. When it came time to decide what was next for Andrea and me, the possibility of living in Central Illinois grew in our affections.” 

When Karl first suggested Chillicothe, Andrea was stunned because it was her childhood hometown. She was raised in a home in Fawn Hills and even attended CBC as a child. After graduating college, she worked as an editor of the former local newspaper (Chillicothe Independent). 

Though she moved across the country with Karl to Nevada with joy, her love for Central Illinois remained. “I love Chillicothe,” Andrea says. The small-town feel was perfect for me as a child, and Chillicothe Bible Church has a special place in my heart. I was baptized there. I matured as a young adult and sang regularly. I even married Karl at the church. But, after we married, I didn’t think I would live here again.” 

Karl is from Trevor, Wisconsin, a small town in Kenosha County just north of the Illinois border. He was an athlete in high school and the captain of the soccer team, and he spent much of his time as a teenager skiing at the local ski hill, Wilmot Mountain. This passion led him out west to serve – and ski – in Nevada, but his small-town roots kindled a love for the green pastures of Central Illinois.

Karl and Andrea met in college at Trinity International University in Deerfield, IL. Karl remembers regularly traveling from Deerfield to Chillicothe to visit Andrea’s parent’s home. The seeds of raising a family in the rural Midwest were planted on those trips. They arrive at CBC with their two children: a daughter, Kassidy, who is 14 years old, and a son, Judah, who is 12 years old. 

Kassidy shares her mother’s musical gift and sings regularly with her mom in church. She plays soccer like her Dad, playing for Peoria FC United, and holds her own on a platform. She recently had a lead role as Marcy in the musical The World According to Snoopy, which was presented on November 22nd at Peoria Christian School. 

Judah is quieter and intelligent. He doesn’t seek the spotlight but loves performing on the soccer pitch. Upon arrival, he earned a roster spot for Central Illinois United, a youth soccer club that competes nationally and is composed of top players from Peoria, Bloomington, and Springfield. 

After months of prayer and discussions with the church, Pastor Karl responded to the call to Central Illinois and began his ministry at Chillicothe Bible Church on Sunday, November 10th. He is excited to share the gospel and lead others to Jesus Christ. Additionally, he wants to equip those who already know Jesus with the tools to foster deep spiritual growth. 

Chillicothe Bible Church welcomes you and your family to meet Pastor Karl, Andrea, and their family. Then, join CBC for Sunday school at 9am and morning worship service at 10:30am. Sermons are also available on our website, chillibible.org.