Rev. Laura Heikes becomes first woman to lead historic Charlotte church with deep ecumenical spirit
Media Contact: Leslie Bragg, 704-609-6064
[Click here to read the Letter from the Pastor Search Team]
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — St. John’s Baptist Church has voted unanimously to extend and the Rev. Laura Heikes (HIGH-kiss) has accepted the call for her to become the eighth senior minister of this historic church in the Elizabeth neighborhood. Rev. Heikes will become the first woman to lead the church long known for its affirmation of women in ministry. Ordained in the United Methodist Church, Rev. Heikes’ call also aligns with St. John’s deep history of commitment to Christian unity, further positioning the church to live out its Baptist heritage in an ecumenical, post-denominational era.
“I’m absolutely thrilled that St. John’s is calling Laura Heikes, whose many gifts make her an exceptional fit for this role,” said Leslie Bragg, chair of the church’s pastor search team. “From the moment I read her cover letter, I felt a strong sense of hope and enthusiasm about her candidacy, which only deepened as I learned more about her extensive experience in church leadership and her active engagement across so many dimensions of Christian life. She will be a transformational senior minister for St. John’s.”
Rev. Laura Heikes comes to St. John’s with 23 years of experience, primarily as a senior pastor at several churches in Texas and Kentucky. She has most recently served as pastor of mission and community engagement at Myers Park United Methodist Church. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from Texas A&M University, a Master of Divinity and a Master of Theology in Missiology from Asbury Theological Seminary, and will complete her Doctor of Ministry from Wesley Theological Seminary in May. Rev. Heikes is the author of Finding God: Discovering the Divine in the Gritty and Unexpected (2023) and a contributor to Healing Fractured Communities (2024). Rev. Heikes lives in Charlotte with her husband, Kevin, with whom she has three children.
“Discerning a call like this is both a spiritual and relational process, and from the very beginning, I approached it with a posture of listening,” said Rev. Laura Heikes. “As I moved through the interview process, I was listening carefully: to God, to the Search Committee, to what I read and heard, and to what trusted friends in Charlotte shared about the St. John’s church family. I sensed a deep alignment between who God has shaped me to be and who St. John’s is seeking in a Senior Minister. I was especially struck by your love for one another and for your neighbors, and by your commitment to both freedom and community — held together in a way that creates a genuine and meaningful space for faith to grow. I’m excited to learn your stories, your history, your hopes, and your shared dreams. I look forward to introducing my family to this remarkable church and to sharing life together.”
The search for a new senior minister at St. John’s began in earnest following the retirement of its most recent senior minister, Rev. Dennis Foust, PhD, in August 2025. Nearly 40 candidates were considered, with Rev. Heikes being clearly revealed as the candidate most qualified to join the church aligned with seven criteria created and informed by surveys of the congregation.
“Laura’s experience as a successful senior pastor of growing congregations is compelling, and it is complemented by a winsome personality that will build trust quickly and connect deeply with our members,” said Rev. Don Gordon, D.Min., interim minister. “She brings the energy, spiritual depth, and theological maturity needed to meet the demands of the modern church. I am grateful to have been ‘in the room’ to witness the movement of God’s Spirit bringing us to this remarkable convergence of calls. I am deeply confident in — and excited about — the future of St. John’s.”
St. John’s Baptist Church, founded in 1922, has a long history of exercising its local autonomy as a Baptist church in rich and unique ways. The church made the visionary decision to ordain women as both deacons and ministers in 1973. Five years earlier, the church was expelled from the local Mecklenburg Baptist Association after broadening its baptism and membership policy. The church’s ecumenical spirit of Christian unity has resulted in a church whose members come from a wide variety of Christian traditions. Its Baptist heritage and commitment to soul freedom, Bible freedom, church freedom, and religious freedom informed its active participation in the Civil Rights Movement and its full affirmation of women’s and LGBTQ people’s gifts to the life of the church and community.
St. John’s is affiliated with the Baptist World Alliance, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, the Alliance of Baptists, Baptist Women in Ministry, and the Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists.
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