Hilleson Account

I was raised on a pig farm in northern Illinois. With a background like that, I suppose I shouldn’t have been surprised by what God had in store for me. I began sensing a call to pastoral ministry while still in high school, but it wasn’t until I was a student at Moody Bible Institute that I was first introduced to RHMA—and to the deep gospel need in rural communities. From that moment, I was hooked. I knew God was calling me to serve in rural America. In 2020, I joined the Rural Home Missionary Association and completed their pastoral residency program.

Currently, I’m assisting another missionary in their mission field in Paw Paw, Illinois. While my long-term goal is to plant a church in rural Nebraska with the support of a partnering church, my present role in Paw Paw is that of associate pastor. This small town, surrounded by cornfields in northern Illinois, has become a place where I focus on leading and improving the children’s ministry, using it as a tool for outreach to the community. I also support the senior pastor by sharing in the responsibilities of pastoral care.

My favorite part of ministry is when the Holy Spirit opens the door to share the gospel with people I’ve been building relationships with. Those moments are a powerful reminder of why I’m here.