Meet the Pastors

Senior Pastor: The Rev. Dr. R. Edgar Bonniwell is a native Virginian, raised in Hampton, Virginia.  As a child he spent many a Sunday afternoon following church, playing on the Yorktown Battlefields, which were 17 miles from his house.  At age 18, he surrendered to the call to Pastoral ministry.  He is a non-denominational Pastor in the Reformed Tradition.  He is the visionary founder for the current church he Pastors, HillSide Bible Church.  He was also the founding Pastor of Faith Christian Fellowship Church, where he Pastored for 33 years. While there he founded the Miami Valley Christian Academy.  He was a contributor to the Global Pastors Network, and for a number of years taught courses for that organization at Liberty University; courses which were put up on satellite TV, equipping over 20 million third-world Pastors and Christian lay workers.   For 22 years he was a member of the Arlington DC group, and served as Chaplain for that group at the Heritage Foundation from 2007 to 2017.  Dr. Bonniwell is a graduate of Asbury University, and holds his M. Div. and Th. M degrees from Princeton Theological Seminary, Princeton University, and he has also earned two doctorate degrees.  For the last 6 years Dr. Bonniwell has been a member of the Sons of the American Revolution, and served as State Chaplain for 3 years, 2018 – 2021.  He also served as Director of Youth Outreach, and with a presentation team has held Festivals of Learning on the American Revolution, and as of the end of May, 2023, has spoken to over 7,000 kids in the Greater Cincinnati area.  He remains active on the SAR Speaker’s Bureau.   

Associate Pastor:  Dr. Christopher McDowell has demonstrated an unusual ability in handling the Word of God; he connects great truths with a systematic understanding of Bible doctrine, bringing forth expositions that delight the heart and provoke one to higher ground.  Moreover, he has a true shepherd’s heart.  Trained as a lawyer, his area of specificity is criminal law.  In the U. S. Army, he was a member of the Jag core, and has served as a prosecutor as well as an advocate, or defender, of those accused of crimes.  One of his delights is using DNA to get people falsely accused off of death row.  He is a world-famous numismatist, i.e. coin expert, and he has published various books on that subject.  His precious wife is a West Point graduate and served with distinction for nearly 13 years.  She now is a corporate executive and is often in Japan. Pastor Chris’ messages are always clear, related to real life, understandable, provoking one to a greater love for Jesus Christ.  It’s quite a story as to how the Lord brought him to our church; but He did, and indeed it was the unseen hand of divine providence working in the life of this church.  Indeed, Christ is among the lampstands, i.e. His Church, according to the book of Revelation.