Who We Are


Shepherd RBC began as a church small group where a number of families were praying about the prospect of starting a new church near Joliet, a church unified on their Reformed Baptist convictions. To prepare to plant a church, the group joined Living Word Bible Church of Morris as members to be shepherded and overseen by an established local church, and Living Word officially adopted Shepherd RBC as a church plant.


With the help of the Illinois Baptist State Association, Three Rivers Baptist Association and the Send Network, we began meeting Sunday afternoons in July of 2023 for fellowship, worship, and prayer as we sought to form a core group for our church plant. As other families joined, we started meeting for informal worship, studying Scripture and discussing our convictions as Reformed Baptists.


On June 29th, 2025, we officially covenanted together as a local church with 12 members, including an elder and a deacon. Through every trial and triumph, the Lord has been abundantly gracious and kind to us, and we are excited to see what He will continue to do in us and through us for years to come!

In August of 2026, we moved to a church space in Romeoville, where we continued to meet Sunday afternoons for worship and discipleship. We worship in the chapel at Bible Baptist Church, Sundays at 12:30pm. We began forming relationships in the community and seeking to reach the lost with the Gospel, and to bring wandering sheep back into Christ’s fold.

Our Leadership

  • Pastor Luke Schmeltzer

    Luke Schmeltzer is our elder and full-time pastor/church planter. He has been leading Bible studies, preaching, and serving in various ministry capacities since 2017 and earned a Masters of Divinity from Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary in 2025. Luke and his wife Jess are residents of Crest Hill with their two daughters, Olivia and Annabelle. Luke is passionate about sound doctrine lived out in love to God and neighbor.

  • Deacon Landon J.

    Landon J. is our deacon, who joined Shepherd at the start of the church planting process. He earned a Masters of Theological Studies from Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary in 2023 and has been married to Hannah since 2024. He has worked in a variety of roles in Christian camps and is currently fundraising to be a missionary with Live Global. Landon is grateful for the opportunity to serve the body of Christ in any way he can.