Congregational Meeting - June 28th, 2026


Growing Together

The Story

  • As we planned for 2026, we invited elders, deacons/deaconesses, staff and small group leaders to analyze where LBC is, and where we'd like to be. As we listened, two common desires were expressed:

    • #1: The desire for growth

      • Many expressed a desire to connect with our city, to reach out to the lost, and to see more non-Christians coming to church. 

    • #2 The desire for togetherness

      • Many expressed a desire to be one church, united across our various ministries, ages and stages. As one LBCer said, "I want to expand my tribe."

  • From these two desires came our vision for this year: Growing Together.

    • Our theme verse comes from Philippians 1:27: "Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ. So that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel." [Emphasis mine] 



Critical Mass→ what we need to do ministry and grow together

  • Welcome New Pastor

  • Increase Number of Elders

    • Mike Tilley, Scott Stinson and Brad Houdashelt are currently leading and teaching an officer training course of 15+ people! These are candidates for elder, deacon, and deaconess, as well as a few who want to further understand our church's theology and mission.

  • Address Worship Location

    • Though the 9th Grade Center has served us well, we are always open to exploring our facility options. 

      • To that end, the deacons have explored options in our WP/BP area; we have contacted a local church to see if they'd be willing to rent their space; and we've asked Stephen Bowles to continue our search for the ideal venue.

  • Grow the Grace of Generosity

    • As evidenced by Immerse's highly successful bake sale, LBC is a very generous church! We want to continue to grow that grace of generosity.

      • To that end, the elders have recently agreed to go through the next Journey of Generosity together, and will strongly encourage others to do so too.



Critical Path→ how we get from the "real" to the "ideal"

  • Community Groups, Worship, SPLASH and Immerse→ the four core ministries of LBC



Connect to Christ and community

  • Cultivate a culture of evangelism

    • Meaning→ to texture everything we do at LBC so that non-believers could participate. To make outreach natural and normal.

      • History Happy Hour→ intentionally repurposed this event to make it accessible and engaging for non-Christians

      • Training for Independence Day Bash volunteers→ a brief orientation given by Brad Houdashelt to equip and encourage people to connect with our city

      • Evangelism cohort→ Brad H will lead an evangelism cohort this fall, to continue to equip and encourage in regards to outreach

  • Evangelistic Worship

    • We aspire to make the riches of the Gospel accessible to outsiders. Sunday morning is a gathering of believers with non-believers in view, and so we aspire to speak and worship as if non-believers were present. 

  • Celebrate 20th Anniversary

    • Done!

  • Open Community Groups

    • CGs and small groups are the primary carriers of our vision. We want them to be places where new people and even non-believers can belong.

      • Oak Hollow CG hosted an Easter egg-hunt and encouraged their group to invite non-churched people, with great success.

      • Waterford CG is hosting a "Levi party" on the 4th of July, and inviting their neighbors. 



Grow in grace and truth

  • Continue Growing in Worship Excellence

  • Intergenerational Connection

    • Cohorts→ This spring, we launched a new(ish) churchwide initiative: Multi-generational cohorts! 

      • 4 cohorts, 20 people

      • The aim→ Deeper discipleship, deeper community. 

  • Grow Teaching Fellowship/Theology Cohorts

    • Teaching Fellowship→ Our goal is formation, not information. To that end, the TF has offered classes this year on Faith and Work, on Worship, and in the Fall, on Union with Christ. 

      • A healthy balance of practical, biblical and systematic theology.

  • Strengthen Shepherding

  • Discipleship Pathway from Children to Adults

    • A NextGen pathway from SPLASH to Immerse



Love as we've been loved

  • Renew Our Outward Face

    • Continue to serve our city, ex: Habitat for Humanity

  • Strengthen Global Missions

    • The Missions Committee, led by Matt Watts, has started this year strong.

      • A missions spotlight each month

      • Frequent dialogue and check-ins with our missionaries

      • Working for CGs to "own" a missionary