[Click here to read the media release]
April 26, 2026
Dear St. John’s family,
It is with hearts overflowing with prayerful gratitude that the Pastoral Search Team and your fellow members share exciting news with you today.
In a church conference held this morning, members of St. John’s voted unanimously to extend an official call to the Rev. Laura Heikes to serve as the eighth Senior Minister of St. John’s Baptist Church. We are thrilled to announce that she has accepted this call and is excited to begin her ministry with us on September 1.
Rev. Heikes comes to us with 23 years of experience, primarily as a Senior Pastor at churches in Texas and Kentucky. She has most recently served as Pastor of Missions and Community Engagement at Myers Park United Methodist Church.
Her pastoral service has been marked by increases in congregational life and vibrancy, a focus on congregational care, and a life of ministry built on collaborative servant leadership, relationship, inclusivity, gifted preaching, and community engagement.
In accepting this call, Rev. Heikes shares with us:
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. 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 am also drawn to the sense that what lies ahead is just as compelling as what has come before. I see that in your vision for “the next 100 years,” and I am honored to be part of what God is continuing to do in and through this congregation.
Rev. Heikes 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.
The journey to this moment has been one of deep reflection and intention as we turned to the Holy Spirit for guidance. Members of the Pastor Search Team prayerfully discerned the needs of the congregation from 137 sets of survey results, yielding 7 criteria used to score the 37 candidates. Virtual interviews with our top 8 candidates and in-person interviews with our top 4 candidates clearly revealed Rev. Heikes to be the candidate most qualified to join us as our Senior Minister.
Rev. Heikes will become the first woman to hold the position of Senior Minister in the 104 years of St. John’s Baptist Church, 53 years after St. John’s visionary decision to begin ordaining women to both the diaconate and pastoral ministry. Her background as a pastor in the United Methodist Church combined with her deep admiration for historic Baptist principles like the priesthood of all believers and autonomy of the local church underscores the deeply ecumenical and welcoming spirit with which St. John’s has always lived out our Baptist heritage.
From members of the Pastor Search Team and Staff:
“I’m absolutely thrilled that St. John’s is calling Laura Heikes, whose many gifts make her an exceptional fit for this role. From the moment I read her cover letter, I felt a strong sense of hope and enthusiasm about her candidacy, which was only deepened as I learned more about her extensive experience in church leadership and her active engagement across so many dimensions of Christian life. Each time I interact with Laura, I am touched by her genuine presence and desire to connect with the person in front of her. All of this gives me great confidence that she will be a transformational Senior Minister for St. John’s.”
— Leslie Bragg, Chair, Pastor Search Team (PST)
“I am so excited that Laura has accepted our offer to be St John’s new Senior Minister. She has a calm and ease about how she carries herself. I felt we could be friends immediately. She is very spiritually led in everything she does, she walks and prays, observes and talks to God. Her connections with the many mission partners in Charlotte are strong and she already loves our city. Most of all, I can’t wait to invite friends and family to come to St John’s and be a part of this exciting chapter.”
— Ellen Smith, PST member
“This is a pivotal moment for St. John’s as we welcome our first female minister. Laura has a strong track record of bringing communities into the church and inspiring shared excitement around ministry. Laura is the right person to lead us at this time, and I am overjoyed by this opportunity for our church.”
— Meredith Sorrell, PST member
“In a competitive candidate field, Laura’s accomplishments, experience, commitment, and presence in the pulpit (and heck, in any room she steps into) struck me like a thunderbolt! The Pastoral Search Team views her as one of one, and importantly, she views St. John’s as one of one. This calling is truly mutual and we have all felt God’s presence in it!”
— Jason Benton, PST member
“I am beyond excited for the call of Laura Heikes for the role of Senior Minister at St. John’s. My first impressions of her in our introduction were warm, welcoming, and inviting. She has a calm yet confident temperament to her. Her presence was welcoming and inviting, and I knew from our first interaction that she would be a good fit. She fosters deep connection and acts as a catalyst to bring people together. She is an active listener; when I was speaking with her, I felt like I was truly being heard and understood. Laura values church history and says she cannot wait to explore and learn more about the deep historical roots of St. John’s.”
— J. Noel Lance, Minister for Worship and Music
“Laura’s passion for and commitment to ministry that extends beyond the walls of the church excites me. I look forward to serving alongside her as she leads St. John’s to engage in and with our community in mission and discipleship.”
— Rev. Kheresa Harmon, Minister for Children and their Families
“I made every effort not to influence the Pastor Search Team as they discerned God’s leading for the next pastor of St. John’s. But when I learned they had selected Laura Heikes, I was thrilled. Among all the candidates I heard and reviewed, she stood out as the strongest preacher. Her 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. 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.”
— Rev. Don Gordon, D.Min., Interim Minister
