Our
Story

On a Wednesday evening in the fall of 1963, a small group of families from Bethany Evangelical Free Church on the east side of Madison, began meeting together in a west side home for connection, bible study, and prayer. After nearly two years of meeting, this small group of families was encouraged by the leaders of Bethany to purchase a newly vacant church building on Madison’s near westside with proximity to the University of Wisconsin campus. Trusting that God was guiding, the families took the leap and held the first official service of Blackhawk Avenue Evangelical Free Church on May 2, 1965. Nineteen people signed the original charter to incorporate Blackhawk Church.

Though Blackhawk has grown since its first service in 1965, the ethos of that small neighborhood church has remained – that’s why you’ll find things like venues at our Brader Way site, our Downtown and Fitchburg sites nestled in local communities where Blackhawkers can go to church near their neighborhoods, a variety of small group options so people of all ages and stages (even kids and students!) can engage the Bible and do life together, and culture-specific spaces where people can connect with God and each other through their “heart language” and shared cultural rhythms. We have long been grounded and guided by a desire to “build a community to reach a community” and, while that has taken various forms through the years, consistent threads regardless of season have been a commitment to the Bible, a passion for local and global service, and a love for the city and University.

As founding member George Brader once said, “We have God to thank for the way people were interested in growing together, studying the Word, and worshiping … We were really, truly blessed.” Yes, indeed – to God be the glory.