Church Highlight: City on a Hill – Fort Worth, TX

15 Sep Church Highlight: City on a Hill – Fort Worth, TX

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Nestled in Fort Worth, City on a Hill Church—often referred to as COAH—has long been known as a “hospital church,” a spiritual sanctuary where the hurting can find healing. Since its founding in January 1984 by Pastor James Reeves, the church has stood as a place of grace and tangible love for those wrestling with life’s brokenness. Its identity is rooted in creating safe space for the vulnerable, aligning with the vision: “help, hope, and healing of Jesus,” and the mission: “becoming a safe place for people to let go of their secrets”. These aren’t mere statements—they embody the church’s heartbeat, reminding pastors everywhere that authenticity and compassion form the foundation of lasting transformation.City on a Hill’s mission radiates both clarity and warmth to become exactly what its name suggests—a safe place for letting go. By championing intimacy over image, and healing over hypocrisy, City on a Hill invites people into the messy, beautiful work of being known and known by grace. In a world chasing perfection, City on a Hill stands firm in the ministry of presence and vulnerability.

Since joining the staff in 2008 and stepping into the role of Senior Pastor in 2021, Derrick Bledsoe has embodied a rare blend of theological depth and pastoral accessibility. His journey into faith began at City on a Hill in 2007, after encountering a dangerous religious fringe group—an experience that revealed both the fragility and beauty of the truth he now teaches faithfully. Academically gifted, Pastor Derrick holds a B.A. in Linguistics (UT Arlington), a Master of Divinity and a Master of Theology in Early Church History from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Systematic Theology.

Despite the demands of sermon preparation, and parenting three young daughters, he models ministry as sacred rhythms, not heroic feats—writing in coffee shop lobbies by day, and guarding evening family time at home. His transparency as a leader, sharing how seminary felt like ministry reminds us that rest and theological formation belong at the heart of pastoral identity.

City on a Hill, under Pastor Derrick’s leadership, invites the global Body of Christ to reclaim two truths: that churches must be sanctuaries of authenticity, and that scholarship is not an ivory tower but a cottage—seated within, ministering to the human heart. In an age when churches too often display polish over purpose, City on a Hill Church continues to be a place where hurt is met with healing, habit is met with help, and theology is made tangible.

Please join us this week as we celebrate and lift up our friends at City on a Hill Church in prayer! We are excited about all God is doing and will continue to do in and through them!

Click Here to learn more about City on a Hill!