Midwestern’s for the Church vision impacts the way the seminary partners with real local churches, such as Lenexa Baptist Church. With Midwestern students on the church staff and church pastors serving as seminary trustees over the years, Lenexa maintains a close relationship with the seminary. Moreover, President Jason Allen and his family have served the church as faithful members for many years. Lenexa Baptist Church is well-known for living out their vision to “reach, teach, and unleash,” and it was a privilege to highlight this faithful church in this edition of the Midwestern Magazine.
MBTS: Can you tell us about the history of Lenexa Baptist Church?
Lenexa Baptist Church: In January of 1988, Lenexa Baptist Church met for the first time at Christa McAuliffe Elementary School in Lenexa, Kansas, as a mission church sponsored by Emmanuel Baptist Church. In January of 1990, the church called its first pastor, Steve Dighton. After meeting in several locations throughout Lenexa, the church moved to its current site in 2001. In 2005, Lifeway named Lenexa Baptist as one of only 13 “Breakout Churches” in America. In January of 2007, LBC was also recognized by Lifeway as one of 19 “Standout Churches,” having experienced sustained growth for more than 10 years, more than 26 baptisms per year for those ten years, and a membership-to-baptism ratio of no more than 20:1. Pastor Steve Dighton’s 25 years of leadership placed the church on a solid foundation of faithfulness to the Word of God, the mission of Christ, and the love of the saints. In 2015, the church called Chad McDonald to serve as Senior Pastor and he has sought to continue the tradition of biblical preaching and a passion for evangelism.
MBTS: What is the vision of Lenexa Baptist Church?
LBC: The vision of Lenexa Baptist Church is to reach, teach, and unleash. We have a passion to reach the lost with the gospel so that they make a personal commitment to Jesus. Moreover, we want to teach them so that they grow in their competency to study and apply God’s Word in their daily life. Most importantly, though, we want to unleash them into their homes, their schools, their workplaces, and the world to make disciples for the growth of God’s kingdom and the glory of Christ. Matthew 28:18-20 and 2 Timothy 2:2 provide the foundation for our vision and all our work and ministry at Lenexa Baptist.
MBTS: Lenexa Baptist Church has been a longtime supporter of Midwestern Seminary. Can you speak to the church’s relationship to the seminary and with President Jason Allen?
LBC: Since the very beginning of the church, Pastor Steve Dighton led Lenexa Baptist to be a strong supporter of Midwestern Seminary. This relationship grew even stronger in 2012 when Pastor Steve reached out to the newly elected president of Midwestern Seminary, Dr. Jason Allen, with a commitment to support the seminary and the leadership of Dr. Allen as he provided a vision that was for the Church.
Throughout these past 10 years, the blessing and grace of God upon Midwestern Seminary has overflowed to the Lenexa Baptist Church family. One of the initial campuses of Lenexa Baptist, now Fellowship KC, met for a time on Midwestern’s campus. Midwestern has supplied LBC with numerous interns, many of whom are now full-time pastors at LBC. There is no doubt that God’s gracious success at LBC has been in no small part due to the health and growth of Midwestern. More than this, LBC has been blessed by the Allen family as they joined our church family. Dr. Allen has filled the pulpit, taught Sunday School, and served in various capacities as a lay leader within the church. We could not be more grateful for the health and growth of Midwestern and our partnership with the seminary and its leadership.
MBTS: Having served in pastoral ministry for many years, what advice would you give to aspiring pastors and ministry leaders at Midwestern Seminary?
LBC: If I have known any measure of success in ministry, it has been founded upon a daily private time alone with God in prayer and the study of His Word. To anyone aspiring to pastoral or ministry leadership, commit yourself to becoming a Psalm 1 man or woman. In your ministry, you will either operate out of a stagnant pond or a flowing stream of God’s presence. I have found that when I abide in His presence I not only find the supply I need to complete His work, but He is able to do abundantly beyond what I could think or ask for His glory.
