Senior Pastor Christopher Heckert uses his persistence and drive to “think big.”
Haddonfield United Methodist Church Senior Pastor Christopher Heckert has used his persistence and drive to build a success story beyond his rural hometown of Kittanning, Pa. From playing guitar at events featuring American activist Al Sharpton all the way to missionary work in some of the most dangerous third world countries on the planet, it is safe to say Heckert’s story is one worth reading.
Heckert’s passion for music and the challenges he has faced in life have shaped him into the man he is today. The pain and heartache he has gone through not only molded the fabric of his being but led him closer to God.
“I share a lot of personal stories of loss and pain and challenge and other things. I don’t openly gush about my wounds that haven’t healed yet, but I’m not afraid to talk about scars, and I think that’s an important part of our journey together is to acknowledge the hurt, challenge or fear in our lives and see where God is in the midst of that,” Heckert says.
Dec. 2, 1991, when he was in ninth grade, was a pivotal day that forever changed Heckert’s life when he awoke to find his headboard engulfed in flames. Gasping for air, he ran to wake his parents. As his family rushed to leave the house, everything was left behind, including his cherished Gibson Sonex guitar.
When asked what resonated with him after the fire, he replied, “I learned stuff is stuff and it can and will be replaced. Community and family are the most important.”
Although Heckert had lost almost everything, he used that moment in his life to bring him closer to God and the church.
Heckert chose to seek an education that could later be utilized toward his spiritual career. He obtained his bachelor’s degree from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in religious studies, followed by his master’s of divinity degree at Drew University. He also has a master’s degree in corporate communication from Duquesne, which led him to do communication work outside the country for the Mission Agency of the United Methodist Church.
Having worked for the Mission Agency for four years, Heckert traveled to developing countries all over the globe and even spent time studying in India. Some of his favorite countries he has worked in include impoverished countries such as Mongolia and Bolivia.
Despite the severe conditions in these countries, he explained why Mongolia was one of his most cherished trips, saying, “People live in really desperate conditions over there, extreme poverty. The climate is really hostile, the pollution, the temperature but people’s spirits are really beautiful.”
While in Mongolia, Heckert accompanied a missionary who started a hospice program. It was there Heckert witnessed individuals suffering with terminal and debilitating diseases.
“It gives you a window to the universality of humanity, you know you’re in this very strange, different place and people at their most vulnerable are the same as anyone else, very beautiful spirits.”
This formative perspective on life and death gathered from Mongolia was one of the many experiences that taught Heckert to “think big.” He carries this mindset with him on a local level.
Heckert continues to make a difference in his community and with his online following. He works to inspire Haddonfield residents with his story. In addition, he works to create a sense of love and support in his church and in his sermons.
Since Heckert started his journey two years ago with the Haddonfield United Methodist Church, he has been instrumental in the church’s technological advances. The church now has its own app, which includes videos of sermons and podcasts that are all available to the public.
Heckert continues to use his life experiences to help others and reach out to the community, encouraging people to be the best version of themselves; a mission of his since the start of his career.
“My job is not to say you need to come to me or you need to be where I am, it’s to go where the person is in their own journey, get to know them, encourage and walk with them, and the goal is to help them become their best self, who God has created them to be,” Heckert says.
For more information on Haddonfield United Methodist Church, go to Haddonfieldumc.org.
