First Baptist Church of Lorena has stood on East Center Street in Lorena, Texas, since 1882, when twenty-two charter members organized what was then called Lorena Baptist Church under Rev. A.J. Shelton. More than a century later, the congregation on Center Street still gathers around the same call - to worship God, to study His Word, and to love their neighbors in the small town just south of Waco. The church's motto, "Sowing Seeds of Love in Jesus' Name," appears on its welcome materials and threads through every ministry described below, from children's AWANA clubs to a food pantry that has grown from serving a handful of families to more than one hundred.
The Oak Tree in the Courtyard
Ask anyone at FBC Lorena about the meaning behind the church's logo, and you will hear the story of the oak tree standing in the courtyard. About twenty years ago, an ice storm split the tree completely in half, leaving a crack that ran to within two or three inches of the ground. Many people thought it would not survive. Three men bound the tree back together with two bands and two bolts, pruned it severely so its roots could continue nourishing what remained, and waited. The tree did more than survive. In its first year it grew three to five feet, and today it is nearly twice as large as the other oak in the courtyard, with no obvious sign of the damage it once carried.
During a season of transition between 2013 and 2016, a Transition Team at the church prayed and asked God for a picture of what He wanted for the congregation. The oak tree became that picture - a body bound together in love, deeply rooted in Scripture and prayer, and willing to embrace the pruning that God uses to produce new growth. The church adopted two simple statements that grew from the image: a vision that "we are rooted in faith, bound together by God's love," and a mission that "we will sow seeds of love in Jesus' name." The broken-and-restored oak became the church's logo, and the courtyard tree still stands as a quiet reminder of what God can do with what looks beyond repair.
Sundays on Center Street
First Baptist Lorena is a multigenerational congregation, and its Sunday schedule is built so that every age has a place. Two identical Worship Gatherings fill the sanctuary at 8:45 am and 11:15 am, with both a traditional hymn heritage and newer worship songs sung in each. The early service is offered in person only, while the 11:15 gathering is also livestreamed and shared on the church's Facebook page for those who cannot be there in person.
Between the two worship services, Grow Groups meet at 10:00 am for an hour of Bible study across every age group. Kids from three years old through fifth grade study Lifeway's Bible Studies for Life in classes led by background-checked teachers, while adults dig into Scripture in their own groups. The Grow Groups and nursery wing are located in the Education Building, just steps from the main sanctuary.
Visitors who arrive for the first time find a "Connect Card" in the pew rack, a low-pressure way to share a name and contact information. The church asks newcomers to fill it out and drop it in the offering plate. There is no dress code - most people come casually, and parking is available all around the building. The staff describes Sunday worship as the church family lifting its voice together rather than watching a performance, and the message each week is grounded in Scripture with an emphasis on the hope of the gospel.
What Sundays Look Like for Kids
Children are not an afterthought at FBC Lorena. Nursery care is available for infants six weeks old through three-year-olds during both Grow Groups and both Worship Gatherings, and a Kids Choir leads worship several times a year with the conviction that kids can teach adults about childlike faith.
During the 11:15 Worship Gathering, children four years old through second grade remain in the sanctuary with their families for the first part of the service and are then dismissed to Kids Worship, where they hear a Bible story, sing songs, play games, and share snacks. The Kids Ministry is led by Rachel Tate Yattor, who joined the staff in June 2022, holds a B.A. in Religion and a Master of Divinity from Baylor University, and served in children's ministry and prison discipleship in Kenya before returning to Texas. Her ministry is built around a vision of "nurturing children to grow in Christ, to engage in worship, to discover their spiritual gifts, and to reach the community and beyond," and a mission of "equipping children through Scripture to be Christ-like examples and leaders within our community and to the world."
On Wednesday evenings, AWANA picks up where Sunday teaching leaves off. Children three years old through fifth grade gather for a structured program of Scripture memory, game time, and handbook work that introduces biblical ideas of sin, grace, and salvation. The Wednesday program runs through the school year and has become one of the anchors of the church's ministry to children.
Wednesday Nights: AWANA, The Gathering, EQUIP, and COLLIDE
Wednesday evenings at the church are busy in the best way. Four regular gatherings run from 6:00 pm to 7:15 pm (or 7:00 pm for EQUIP), sharing the building and the parking lot and creating what the staff calls a one-stop evening for many families.
- AWANA, for children ages three through fifth grade, focuses on Scripture memory and Bible skills.
- The Gathering pulls in students in grades six through twelve for energetic worship, a teaching time that speaks to the questions they face each day, and the kind of games that turn classmates into friends. Student Minister Logan Hansen, who joined the team in September 2021, oversees the program and also organizes "5th Quarters," late-night gatherings after Lorena Leopards home football games that have drawn more than two hundred students each time.
- EQUIP is the adult discipleship track, taught by Associate Pastor Donnie Page. The Wednesday evening class is currently walking through "The Next Steps," a study developed by Navigators Ministries that helps new and growing believers find their footing in salvation, prayer, guidance, temptation, and forgiveness, alongside a second class called "How to Have Community Impact."
- COLLIDE, for adults eighteen and older, is a discussion-driven Bible study built around the Promises of God. Using John 3:16 as a starting point, the class explores how God's promises apply to daily life and how they demonstrate His love.
EQUIP and the Adult Discipleship Path
Discipleship at FBC Lorena runs through a single program with several entry points. EQUIP, anchored in Ephesians 4:12 ("to equip the saints for the work of ministry"), is offered in two formats each week. On Sundays at 5:00 pm, three short-term studies - "The Next Steps," "The Ways of the Alongsider," and "How to Win and Disciple New Believers" - run in rotation. "The Next Steps" uses the Navigators framework; "The Ways of the Alongsider" is a ten-week mentoring curriculum that teaches lifestyle habits for everyday disciple-making; "How to Win and Disciple New Believers" prepares members to explain the gospel with confidence. On Wednesdays at 6:00 pm, two of those classes are offered again with the addition of "How to Have Community Impact." Individual schedules are available for those who want to study one-on-one.
Don Page, who has served as Associate Pastor since November 2021 and oversees administration and discipleship, is the point person for the program. He was ordained to the gospel ministry in 1979 and holds degrees from Jacksonville College, Lamar University, and the University of Texas at Tyler, while pursuing a Doctor of Pastoral Leadership at Andersonville Seminary.
Students at the Center of Town
FBC Lorena's student ministry is woven into the life of Lorena ISD rather than tucked away from it. Students worship with the rest of the church at the 8:45 or 11:15 gathering on Sundays, study Scripture in Grow Groups at 10:00 am, and return on Wednesday nights for The Gathering. Outside of those weekly rhythms, the ministry hosts 5th Quarters after home football games and joins the annual Lorena Homecoming Parade with a church float. The See You at the Pole gathering each September has been led by the student ministry at several local campuses, and the Wednesday night program is built around the conviction that "God loves them, has a plan for them, and will never leave them alone."
Logan Hansen, the Student Minister, came to Lorena in September 2021 from South Dakota, holds a Bachelor of Arts in Theology and Youth Ministry and Psychology from the University of Sioux Falls, and is working on a Master of Divinity at George W. Truett Theological Seminary. He lives in Waco with his wife, Kirsten.
Women, Men, and the Long Table of Senior Adults
The church runs several ministries aimed at specific seasons of life. The Women's Ministry hosts gatherings built around prayer, study, fellowship, and occasional creative projects - floral-arranging classes, Mother's Day events, and small-group connections that turn into long friendships. A Women's Ministry Team coordinates study groups, prayer, and service projects, while a parallel Men's Ministry Team focuses on prayer, activity, and spiritual growth for the men of the church.
Senior adults have their own rhythm. On the second Tuesday of each month at 5:00 pm, the Senior Adult Fellowship gathers in the Fellowship Hall for a potluck meal, games, and a slow-paced evening of conversation. The gathering is intentionally intergenerational in feel - older adults eat, laugh, and trade stories with anyone who shows up, and participants are asked to bring a dish to share when they can.
Shepherd's Heart Food Pantry of Lorena
One of the most visible ways FBC Lorena sows seeds in the community is through the Shepherd's Heart Food Pantry of Lorena, a non-profit that was born inside the church in May 2014 and has since grown into its own 501(c)(3). In its first months it served fewer than a dozen families; today it serves more than one hundred. The pantry operates out of the church's Center Street building and is open on the first and third Thursday of each month from 6:00 to 8:00 pm, with volunteers drawn from the church and the broader community. Members of FBC Lorena can sign up to serve by contacting Susan Yow, and the church regularly promotes pantry dates on its calendar.
The food pantry is also a Texas Baptist Missions partner, and the church participates each year in the Mary Hill Davis Missions Offering, a special offering that supports ministries, missionaries, and outreach efforts across Texas through WMU of Texas.
The Staff Who Walk the Hallways
The pastoral team is led by Heath Kirkwood, who became Lead Pastor in August 2016 after years in worship and student ministry. Heath holds degrees in Music from the Moores School of Music, a Master of Divinity, and a Doctor of Ministry from George W. Truett Theological Seminary. He sang baritone for years with the Texas-based Gospel Express quartet and is an avid Kansas City Royals fan. He and his wife Amanda have two daughters, Norah and Riley.
Supporting Heath is Associate Pastor Donnie Page, Kids Minister Rachel Tate Yattor, Student Minister Logan Hansen, Music Minister Sheril George Shaji, and Ministry Resident Grace Swartley. Sheril joined the team in October 2025 after earning a Bachelor of Music in Church Music Leadership from The Bangalore Conservatory in India and a Master of Arts in Worship Studies from Dallas Baptist University. Grace, a 2026-2027 Ministry Resident, holds a Bachelor of Arts in Theology and Youth Ministry from the University of Sioux Falls and is working on a Master of Divinity at George W. Truett Theological Seminary.
The church is also served by a large diaconate - eighteen men and women, including Kevin Austin, Doug Baldwin, Greg Blanchard, Bill Broach, Josh Browder, James Bryan, Stanley Byrd, Jason Caldwell, Craig Carpenter, Josh Collier, Justin Geddie, Randy Hickerson, Chris Kinney, John Kuehn, BT Land, Brent Lummus, Kerry Smith, and Bert Yow - who function as servant leaders to the church family and the wider community. A Deacon on Call is reachable through the church office at any time.
Ministry Teams: Gather, Grow, Go
FBC Lorena organizes its life around three ministry team families, each with a clear purpose. The Gather Ministry Team handles the church's hospitality - welcome activities, kitchen and meal duties, decorating, and bereavement support. The Grow Ministry Team coordinates Bible study groups, men's and women's ministries, adult discipleship programs, and the membership class. The Go Ministry Team focuses on evangelism and the church's mission footprint, encouraging members to share the gospel locally and globally in line with the Great Commission.
Around those three families sit several age- and interest-specific teams: the Kids Ministry Team (birth through fifth grade), the Men's Ministry Team, the Women's Ministry Team, the Prayer Ministry Team, the Safety Ministry Team, the Student Ministry Team (sixth through twelfth grade), and the Worship Ministry Team, which plans and leads the music and other elements of the Sunday gatherings. Anyone interested in serving can contact the church office to find a team that fits.
Elevate: A New Sanctuary for the Next Generation
FBC Lorena is growing in every area of ministry, and the church has launched an Elevate campaign to expand and enhance its facilities in step with that growth. Past generations prayed and gave to build the spaces the congregation enjoys today; the current generation is being asked to carry that legacy forward. The centerpiece of the campaign is a new sanctuary, designed so that the church can keep advancing at the pace God sets and keep welcoming the families of Lorena for years to come.
Beliefs, in the Church's Own Words
FBC Lorena describes itself as "a biblically-centered fellowship of loving, worshiping, praying people" whose members are "gathered together for a united purpose - to worship God, to grow through studying His word and fellowship with one another, and to go out into this world sharing God's great love with others." At the center of that purpose is a common faith in Jesus Christ. The church teaches that every person needs a Savior and that hope comes through faith in Christ alone. The Sunday messages are intended to take listeners deep into Scripture while remaining accessible, and the church's stated goal is that every person who attends would understand the hope found in the gospel.
A Church of the Waco Regional Baptist Association
Although the congregation has been self-governing since 1882, it remains in fellowship with the broader Baptist family in central Texas. FBC Lorena is a member church of the Waco Regional Baptist Association, and members may vote at the association's annual meetings. The church also supports the Mary Hill Davis Missions Offering each year through WMU of Texas, a tangible expression of its commitment to Texas Baptist missions.
Joining In
Anyone who wants to be part of what is happening at FBC Lorena can connect in several ways. First-time guests are invited to fill out a Connect Card during worship. Online giving is available through the church's giving portal. Sermons are posted to the media page and YouTube channel for those who want to catch up or share a message with a friend. The church also provides a RightNow Media library subscription for members and regular attenders, an extensive collection of Bible studies, children's videos, and discipleship resources. For those ready to take a next step, EQUIP classes are designed to plug newcomers into the church's discipleship rhythm in a way that fits their schedule.