Servant, humble, integrity, excellence, love, consistency, and dependability: These are all
adjectives that describe the man of God that God Himself has selected, anointed, and appointed
to serve on behalf of the Kingdom of God for such a time as this. Pastor Christopher E. Swims
has been the Senior Pastor of Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church (affectionately called “The
Well”) in Carbondale, IL since November 2010. Pastor Swims and his lovely life companion,
Lady Brittany K. Swims along with their daughters Carrington Leigh & Kennedy Amelia, are
called to make a profound and inerasable impact on their generation. In an age where, according
to recent studies, church attendance is at an all-time low in the United States and one in four
adult Americans say that they are not affiliated with any religious ideology, God has sanctioned
Pastor and Lady Swims to live, teach, and preached that salvation through the shed blood and
subsequent resurrection of Jesus, the Christ is still the only way to sustained, meaningful victory
in this life and in the life to come. Although Pastor and Lady Swims’ life’s message of The
Cross is timeless, their methods are culturally yet relevant and they skillfully navigate life 21 st
century life while effectively presenting and living the truths as set forth by our Lord and Savior,
Jesus, the Christ. Because God has graced them to be in leadership at an incredibly young
chronological age, their generation receives, respects, relates to them. Subsequently,
revolutionary ministry taking place as a result!

Pastor Swims is a trusted confidant, mentor, and teacher in his community by the seasoned and
the novice. Ordained in 2007 by Pastor Christopher-Michael Barnes, Pastor Swims has
demonstrated that he is flexible and multifaceted. He has served in various capacities in ministry
in diverse ways from being a percussionist to assistant choir director to an usher. In addition to
serving at The Well, he serves/have served on many advisory boards in his community (such
boards include but are not limited to the Carbondale Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors,
Carbondale Community High School 165 School Board and the Good Samaritan House
Ministries Board of Directors). Pastor Swims has a Bachelor’s of Science in Speech
Communication from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale with a concentration in
interpersonal communication.

Pastor Swims has served as the Senior Pastor of The Well since November 2010 and He is a man
of VISION! As any church should, his vision is to bring Help to our City, Restoration to our
Community & Hope to our World. Pastor Swims’ teachings are an impeccable balance of
spiritual truths and practicality. His agenda (as given to him by God) is that Hopewell to be a
dynamic, spiritual organism that is fueled by the Holy Spirit in order to share Christ with
multitudes on a global scale-beginning at home (Carbondale). Pastor Swims desires for
Believers to ultimately showcase the character of our God and His Christ.

A man of vision, integrity and excellence, Pastor Christopher E. Swims is on the move for
Christ!