Formed by God's Word
Disciples are shaped by Scripture. We preach through books of the Bible, gather around the Word each week, and trust God to form His people through what He has said.
About HighView A story of God's kindness in west Georgia.
Here is who we are, what we believe, who leads us, and how God brought us to 19 acres in Villa Rica. Read as much or as little as you like. When you have questions, we would rather answer them than leave you guessing.
Our Mission Formed. Activated. Multiplied.
HighView Church exists to make disciples of Jesus who are formed by God's Word, activated to God's Work, and multiplied in God's World.
Formed
Activatedto God's Work
Every member is a minister. We equip one another to serve the church, love our neighbors, and carry the gospel into everyday life in West Georgia.
Multipliedinto God's World
Disciples make disciples. We long to see the gospel multiply through changed lives, new leaders, and new churches across West Georgia and beyond.
We can't wait to meet youMeet Our Team
HighView is led by a plurality of elders, served by deacons, staff, and ministry leaders. Jesus is the head of this church. We are His hands and feet for His mission.
How we got here A Story of God's kindness
Beginning: Preview Services and Meeting in Homes
HighView’s beginnings can be traced back to the Summer of 2012, when Pastor Chad Williams and Pastor Josh Hildebrandt began discussing plans to plant a Gospel-centered church in the West GA area. That summer, a core team of five people met and committed themselves to forming HighView Church. From this small team, HighView began.
In September and October 2012, HighView Church held two preview services in a small community center in Villa Rica, Georgia, and plans for the launch of weekly gatherings began. In the Fall and Winter months of 2012, HighView met two Sundays each month for a worship service in Josh and Bethany Hildebrandt’s living room. Approximately 20 people attended, some of whom expressed interest in being a part of HighView Church.
Constituting: The Chapel Era
In January of 2013, HighView Church began meeting weekly on Sunday evenings in a small chapel in downtown Villa Rica. The Chapel was built in 2005 by Chad Williams’ grandfather, the late Dr. Gene Rainwater, a pastor and church planter who served in pastoral ministry for over 50 years. In March of 2013, HighView Church formally constituted as a church and began accepting members. Later that spring, HighView became a sponsored North American Mission Board church plant and established a new relationship with Mt. Vernon Baptist Church as a primary supporting church partner. As summer began, HighView Church experienced rapid growth and quickly outgrew the small chapel, with overflow crowds each week. In June, as growth continued, HighView leased a new storefront and began the build-out process to facilitate the growing attendance and provide room for future growth. On Sunday, December 1st, HighView met for the last time at the Chapel.
Expansion: The Edge Road Era
On Sunday December 8th 2013, HighView Church held its first service at the newly completed storefront facility on 165 Edge Road in Villa Rica. In January of 2014, HighView began meeting on Sunday mornings and the church continued its numeric growth, quickly outgrowing the store front facility. New leaders emerged and new members joined as HighView launched new small groups and ministries through 2014. As the growth continued, HighView began looking at possible expansion plans, when a dialogue began with Cornerstone Baptist Church about working together for the good of the Kingdom in West Ga.
A Turning Point: HighView and Cornerstone
2015 began with a truly momentous event, as after months of conversations, Cornerstone Baptist Church, a local church planted in 1985 in the West GA area, dissolved and donated its building and 19 acres of land to HighView Church. Most of Cornerstone’s remaining members went through HighView’s membership process and became a part of the HighView family. This generous, Kingdom-focused act enabled HighView to continue its rapid growth and provided much-needed educational space for children. In 2016, HighView Church created a new Student ministry and completed a sanctuary expansion project that allowed an additional 30% more attendance during Sunday morning services.
An expansion and development plan was formed in October 2017, and it was shared with the congregation in December.
Maturing in Mission: Leadership and Discipleship Growth
As HighView entered its sixth year as a constituted church, the congregation continued to grow in depth and number. In 2019, Pastor Tyler Sweatt joined the pastoral staff as Pastor of Connection and Community, also overseeing the church’s student ministry. This season marked a shift toward intentional leadership development and the solidifying of Gospel Community Groups, equipping members to grow in spiritual maturity and relational discipleship.
In early 2020, like churches across the globe, HighView faced the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our plans for campus expansion were halted, and for a couple of months, the church moved online. Yet by God’s grace, HighView not only endured this trial but saw numerical and spiritual growth during this time. Returning to in-person gatherings became a key priority, and the church leaned into its identity as a family of faith centered around the Word, the Gospel, and meaningful membership.
Make Disciples: A Vision Refined
In the years that followed, HighView launched a renewed three-year vision titled Make Disciples, emphasizing the core mission of Jesus given in Matthew 28. The church’s rhythms were increasingly shaped around three discipleship spaces: Worship, Teaching, and Community. Lay leaders began stepping into strategic ministry roles across Kids, Littles, Students, and the Connect Team—reflecting the church’s commitment to developing faithful servant-leaders.
During this time, HighView also underwent a significant building expansion project (February–June 2023). This addition provided much-needed sanctuary seating, new children’s classrooms for Sunday discipleship, and expanded pastoral office and counseling space—an investment in both present ministry and future mission.
New Beginnings for HighView
In late 2024 and into 2025, HighView entered a new season of leadership transition as the community reflected on the profound impact of Pastor Chad Williams. A visionary leader and the church's planting lead pastor, Pastor Chad dedicated many years to nurturing the spiritual growth and development of leaders at HighView. As he stepped away from his role to pursue a new ministry assignment, the community celebrated not only his contributions but also the lasting legacy he created through his unwavering commitment to the gospel, God's Work, and the church's mission of Making Disciples. Pastor Chad's influence will continue to shape the HighView family as we enter this new chapter.
Listen to a Special Episode of the HighView Podcast where Pastor Josh and Pastor Chad share their reflections on the first 12 years of HighView's History.
HighView is preparing for the next chapter in its disciple-making vision. Now anchored in the desire to become a Legacy Church, HighView is committed to forming deep disciples, activating them on mission, and multiplying churches across West Georgia and beyond. The church continues to press forward, rooted in Gospel faithfulness, with joyful expectation for what God will do next.