Lakeland Baptist Church (Lewisville, Texas)
Encyclopedia
Lakeland Baptist Church is a Southern Baptist congregation located in Lewisville, Texas
.
who worked at Southwestern Bell
in Dallas
, noticed that several new houses were being built on the west side of Interstate 35E
in Lewisville (at that time, the majority of the small community was located on the east side). The new subdivision was named Lakeland for its proximity to nearby Lewisville Lake
.
Angel believed that God was leading him to start a new church in the area to reach the residents of the growing subdivision. Using their property as collateral, Angel and his wife Darlene purchased a plot of land at 397 South Stemmons Freeway, which today remains the church's address.
The church (named after the subdivision in which it was located) held its first services on June 25, 1962 with 34 in attendance, and simultaneously held a ground-breaking ceremony for its first facility. Services were held in a 60 feet (18.3 m) by 40 feet (12.2 m) tent rented by Angel (who was now Lakeland's first pastor) from Childress Tent Company until August 1 of that year, when the first indoor service was held. During the first service, ten persons joined by letter and six made salvation decisions.
Angel would remain as pastor until 1967, when he would resign to begin another startup ministry, nearby Camp Copass in Denton. During his five years, Lakeland would baptize over 200 individuals.
Garland Beasley would become Lakeland's second pastor in 1967, and would continue to maintain Lakeland's successful ministry until his resignation in 1974.
Lakeland has arguably had its greatest success since 1974, which can be attributed equally to Dr. Smith's leadership and to Lewisville's growth from rural farming community to Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex suburb. From 1974 to 1998, Lakeland:
Lakeland is strongly affiliated with the conservative wing of the Southern Baptist Convention
. It is affiliated with the Southern Baptists of Texas
and the North Texas Baptist Association
(the Association's offices are located at Lakeland's facility).
Lakeland also sponsors a private school
, Lakeland Christian Academy, on its facility. The school currently operates through 7th grade.
On Sunday June 1, 2008 Lakeland members voted in Dr. Ron Osborne as their Senior Pastor.
Lewisville, Texas
Lewisville is a city in Denton County in the U.S. state of Texas. The 2010 United States Census placed the population at 95,290 within . The city also includes of Lewisville Lake....
.
History
During the late 1950s and early 1960s, Jim Angel, a resident of DentonDenton, Texas
The city of Denton is the county seat of Denton County, Texas in the United States. Its population was 119,454 according to the 2010 U.S. Census, making it the eleventh largest city in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex...
who worked at Southwestern Bell
Southwestern Bell
Southwestern Bell Telephone Company is a wholly owned subsidiary of AT&T. It does business as AT&T Southwest and other d/b/a names in its operating region.The company is currently headquartered in Dallas, Texas at One AT&T Plaza.-History:...
in Dallas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
, noticed that several new houses were being built on the west side of Interstate 35E
Interstate 35E (Texas)
Interstate 35E , an Interstate Highway, is the eastern half of Interstate 35 where it splits to serve different cities in Texas. I-35 splits into two branch routes, I-35W and I-35E at Hillsboro. I-35E runs north for , maintaining I-35's sequence of exit numbers. It runs through Dallas before...
in Lewisville (at that time, the majority of the small community was located on the east side). The new subdivision was named Lakeland for its proximity to nearby Lewisville Lake
Lewisville Lake
Lewisville Lake is a reservoir located in North Texas on the Elm Fork of the Trinity River in Denton County near Lewisville. The lake is primarily used recreationally for boating and watercraft, however, it was built for flood control purposes and to serve as a water source for Dallas and its...
.
Angel believed that God was leading him to start a new church in the area to reach the residents of the growing subdivision. Using their property as collateral, Angel and his wife Darlene purchased a plot of land at 397 South Stemmons Freeway, which today remains the church's address.
The church (named after the subdivision in which it was located) held its first services on June 25, 1962 with 34 in attendance, and simultaneously held a ground-breaking ceremony for its first facility. Services were held in a 60 feet (18.3 m) by 40 feet (12.2 m) tent rented by Angel (who was now Lakeland's first pastor) from Childress Tent Company until August 1 of that year, when the first indoor service was held. During the first service, ten persons joined by letter and six made salvation decisions.
Angel would remain as pastor until 1967, when he would resign to begin another startup ministry, nearby Camp Copass in Denton. During his five years, Lakeland would baptize over 200 individuals.
Garland Beasley would become Lakeland's second pastor in 1967, and would continue to maintain Lakeland's successful ministry until his resignation in 1974.
The Ben Smith Era
Dr. Ben Smith, Lakeland's third pastor, was called in December 1974 and retired in 2007.Lakeland has arguably had its greatest success since 1974, which can be attributed equally to Dr. Smith's leadership and to Lewisville's growth from rural farming community to Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex suburb. From 1974 to 1998, Lakeland:
- baptized 1,926 individuals,
- donated over $5 million to mission causes locally and abroad,
- started 14 mission churches, several of which have become successful congregations, and
- greatly expanded its facilities (Lakeland built a Family Life Center in 1976, which served as its auditorium until 1989 when its current auditorium – dubbed "The House of Prayer" – was completed, a three-story Educational wing in 1998, and significantly renovated the facility in the early 2000s to move the main entrance away from the busy Interstate 35E frontage roads).
Lakeland Today
Lakeland offers a variety of programs and ministries for all ages and stages of life.Lakeland is strongly affiliated with the conservative wing of the Southern Baptist Convention
Southern Baptist Convention
The Southern Baptist Convention is a United States-based Christian denomination. It is the world's largest Baptist denomination and the largest Protestant body in the United States, with over 16 million members...
. It is affiliated with the Southern Baptists of Texas
Southern Baptists of Texas
The Southern Baptists of Texas Convention is a convention of conservative Southern Baptist churches in Texas. It is supportive of the national Southern Baptist Convention...
and the North Texas Baptist Association
North Texas Baptist Association
The North Texas Baptist Area Association is an association of conservative Southern Baptist churches in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex area....
(the Association's offices are located at Lakeland's facility).
Lakeland also sponsors a private school
Private school
Private schools, also known as independent schools or nonstate schools, are not administered by local, state or national governments; thus, they retain the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students' tuition, rather than relying on mandatory...
, Lakeland Christian Academy, on its facility. The school currently operates through 7th grade.
On Sunday June 1, 2008 Lakeland members voted in Dr. Ron Osborne as their Senior Pastor.