Church Leadership

Pastor Jason Siebert

Rev. Jason Siebert has served as senior pastor of First Church
of the Open Bible since February of 1997. Prior to coming to the Hopedale community Siebert served as an associate pastor in Morton, Illinois. He also served as the treasurer of the Southern Illinois District of Open Bible Churches for eleven years, resigning in 2010.

Siebert holds a B.A. in Bible and a B.A. in Pastoral Ministries from Central Bible College. In addition, he holds a M.A. in Philosophy and Christian Apologetics and an earned Ph.D in Philosophy and History, both from Trinity Theological Seminary.

Rev. Jason Siebert has pastored First Church of the Open Bible for nearly thirty years and enjoys immensely the community of Hopedale. His desire is to see the church minister to the needs of this community and to be a beacon of light and hope to a hurting world.

Pastor Siebert has been married to his wife Tami for thirty-two years. Jason and Tami have one child, Justin and a future daughter-in-law, Grace.

Our Mission

Serve
To serve Christ and walk in His fullness

Dynamic Growth
Growing together in Christ as one
unified body of believers

Harvest
Fulfilling Christ's Great Commission by
reaching souls for the kingdom of God

Beliefs:

We believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God and the only infallible guide and rule of
our faith and practice.
We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son and
Holy Spirit.
We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return in power and glory.
We believe that for the salvation of lost and sinful people, regeneration by the Holy Spirit
is essential.
We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit, given to endue the believer with power from God, to offer an inspired witness for Christ, to lead the believer in a life of holiness, and to equip for a Spirit-filled life of service.
We believe there will be a final judgment for all. Believers will receive the reward of eternal life in heaven, while unbelievers will suffer in hell eternally, apart from the presence of God.
We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ.

What to Expect

Friendly People Loving atmosphere
Meaningful worship
Relevant Biblical teaching

Our History

A few people with a vision of what God wanted them to do, started the Open Bible Church in Hopedale in 1949. The Rev. Bob Edwards from Des Moines, Iowa held a three-week revival in the town hall and from that revival emerged First Church of the Open Bible.

The church started with just fifteen dedicated people. Some of those people were Mr. and Mrs. Loren Wittrig, Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Stalter, the Phoebe Siscoe Family, Miss Betty Nafzinger, Mrs. Wilder and “Aunt” Daisy Smalley. The initial catalyst for this church plant was born out of a vision by Gordon and Lela Stalter, who had attended an Open Bible Church while residing in Denver, Colorado.

Mr. Bob Edwards was the first pastor. Two years later, Rev. Arnold Rutledge became the second pastor of the church. Rev. Rutledge was a hard worker and while he was here the town hall was remodeled, which the town had allowed the church to use to hold their services. Several years later, the church purchased
the property owned by a Mrs. Threasher, located at 605 Cherry Street.

In 1951, remodeling began of a seven-room home, converting it into a church. All the labor was done by the pastor and the church members. In 1952 the first service was held in the new church, although it was not yet completed.

In 1953, the church became a charter member of the Open Bible Organization. In 1954, Rev. John Chase became pastor. Rev. Chase and his wife were accomplished musicians and had a thriving children’s ministry. It was at this time that a children’s club entitled, J.I.M.Club (Jesus Is Mine) was formed. It was also at that time that God placed a vision in the hearts and minds of the people to build a new building for His glory. In 1961 construction began of the current church building. The church was constructed directly behind the old home. The church members worked diligently and in 1962, the church was dedicated.

In 1963 construction of a three bedroom parsonage began under the leadership of Rev. Wayne Warner. Rev. Warner and his wife Joy, along with their family, came from Texas. Rev. Warner was a highly accomplished leader. In addition to pastoring the church, Rev. Warner also served as the editor of the Mackinaw Valley Newspaper. He was a photographer and also a writer.
The Warners left in 1968 and went to Springfield, Missouri where Rev. Warner became an editor
for Gospel Publishing House and later managed the
Assemblies of God Archives for several years. Joy passed away in 1973 and Wayne passed away in 2024.

Wayne and Joy Warner

The 1960’s and 70’s saw numerous pastoral changes. During this time the J.I.M. Club continued under the leadership of Ruth Schilpp. The club was not only for the church children, but for any of the children in town that had the desire to come. The children learned Bible songs and Bible verses, as well as Bible stories with object lessons.

In addition to the children’s program, the church also had a youth program entitled ‘Overcomers’. The Overcomers group consisted of several teens and young adults. They participated in community events and had opportunities for Christian fellowship with other young people in different churches. Many of those young people went on to serve the Lord in various capacities.

A tribute to the continual spiritual influence of this group in the church. Sadly, one of the individuals within the Overcomers program became Hopedale’s first Vietnam War casualty. Elyvin Brown was killed in February of 1968 when an explosive device accidentally detonated, killing him and a few other soldiers during a training exercise.

The church went through several changes during the 1980’s and early 90’s. Rev. Brad Hunt and his family came in 1979 to pastor First Church of the Open Bible. Under his leadership the church grew to nearly seventy people. Rev. Hunt led several Bible studies throughout the week to reach the Hopedale community.

In 1985 Rev. Don Rhode became the new pastor and remained until late 1996. Under his leadership, the church continued its purpose to fulfill the Great Commission. Sadly, the mid 90’s saw a decline in membership. Many individuals who had been part of the church for years had passed away or had left the Hopedale community.

In October of 1996, the difficult decision was made to cease services indefinitely. With an overwhelming desire to see the church continue and fulfill the vision that had begun nearly fifty years earlier, five remaining members embarked on a mission to find a pastor who would continue the work at First Church of the Open Bible. Loren and Lavon Wittrig, Lela Stalter, Ruth Schilpp and Wilma Roberts began praying for the Lord’s provision of a pastor and His guidance in the pastoral search. In February 1997, Ruth Schilpp was given the name of a young minister who was an associate at a church in a neighboring community. Rev. Jason Siebert said he would be willing to assist the church in Hopedale as they searched for a minister, with the understanding that he would be available for only four or five months, until he left for law school.

Elyvin Brown

Building the new church sanctuary, around 1962.

The church has recently experienced new growth as well, with new families calling First Church of the Open Bible their home. The church members are excited about what God is doing in their midst. The vision, started many years ago in a small town hall, is still the catalyst and inspiration for the church today.

Of the original charter members that were here from its inception, only one remains. Mrs. Lavon Wittrig, who celebrated her 95th birthday on August 30, 2025, is still active within the church. Whether it is the memory of those who started the work back in 1949, or the current members, who attest to the faithfulness of God, First Church of the Open Bible has had and continues to have a rich tradition of fulfilling the Great Commission in the community of Hopedale. (Excerpts taken from Hopedale My Hometown by Ruth Schilpp)

Open Bible Church Building - Years: 1952-1962

After only a few weeks, Loren Wittrig, along with Ruth Schilpp, approached Rev. Jason Siebert about becoming the permanent pastor. Rev. Siebert accepted and a new season of ministry and vision began at First Church of the Open Bible. Rev. Siebert remains today as the senior pastor and is the longest serving minister to pastor First Church of the Open Bible. During his tenure, the church has seen many changes. The church, along with the parsonage, has seen two renovations, the most recent renovation to the church building occurred in 2020. The decision was made to remove the old pews and change the floor plan of the sanctuary to a multi-use facility. The church has seen many updates to the outside grounds as well. A new church sign, landscaping and a new cross to adorn the front of the church have become a reality.