A Six-Decade Reformed Church on Fleur de Lis Drive
Tucked into the Lakeview neighborhood of New Orleans on a quiet stretch of Fleur de Lis Drive, a church has been meeting week after week for more than sixty years. That church is Lakeview Christian Center, and the congregation it has built is shaped by a conviction older than the building itself: that the good news of Jesus Christ, faithfully taught and faithfully lived, is the center of everything a church does.
Visitors who walk through the doors on a Sunday morning in 2026 will find a community that does not try to copy the feel of a megachurch or a downtown cathedral. It is a friendly, laid-back gathering, with people whose families have been part of Lakeview for one generation or for three. Some wear shorts and flip-flops; others wear collared shirts and dresses. The dress code is whatever you would wear to brunch with friends. Many members grew up in the church and now bring their own children. A few are exploring Christianity for the first time, often through the Alpha course that has become a regular gateway into the church family.
A Mission Phrased as a Sentence
The mission statement fits on a breath: "Growing together for the glory of God." The three words carry the weight of the church's teaching. Growing points to the daily work of being shaped by the gospel; together points to the conviction that Christianity cannot be lived alone; for the glory of God locates the whole project, as the elders put it, outside of the people and inside of God himself.
Two texts anchor that mission. From 1 Corinthians 15, the Apostle Paul's summary of the gospel: "that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day." And the church's own paraphrase of the whole arc: "Whether praying together, hearing God's word together, eating together, or sharing Jesus together, we want to see people become followers of Jesus and mature in Christ as we experience His joy."
Six Values Shared with Sovereign Grace Churches
Lakeview's leadership is upfront about where their convictions come from. "At Lakeview Christian Center, we share core values with Sovereign Grace Churches," the church states, and its statement of faith is connected to the network. The six values that define the church are:
- Gospel-Centered. The gospel is "the pinnacle of His redemptive acts, the center of the Bible's story, and the essential message for our faith, life, and witness."
- Reformed. "God's sovereign grace to save an undeserving people for a relationship with Him, for His glory, humbles us, fills us with gratitude, and compels us to worship Him and share the message of His grace to all people."
- Continuationist. A willingness "to pursue God's active presence through the ongoing, supernatural work of the Holy Spirit so that Christ may be magnified."
- Elder-Governed. Jesus is the head of the church and gives elders (pastors) the responsibility to govern and lead.
- Complementarian. Men and women share equal dignity but "differing and complementary roles" in the home and the church.
- Mission-Minded. A partnership with local and global ministries to proclaim Jesus to neighbors and to the nations.
The combination of Reformed theology and continuationist practice is uncommon in many neighborhoods of New Orleans, and it is precisely what draws a particular kind of Christian to Lakeview: people who take seriously the sovereignty of God and want to live with an openness to the gifts of the Spirit.
A Statement of Faith Worth Reading Slowly
Lakeview makes a longer Statement of Faith available, and the summary itself is an extended overview. The arc follows the storyline of the Bible from start to finish.
The church teaches that the Bible is "the only authoritative and complete revelation for all humanity," that all sixty-six books are "breathed out by God," and that in their original manuscripts they are inerrant and self-interpreting. God is one in being and three in person: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, equal in essence and distinct in their ordered relations. From all eternity, God has sovereignly ordained all that comes to pass for the display of his glory, and he has chosen, before the foundation of the world, a people to save in Christ, his election resting on his good pleasure and not on foreseen faith.
The statement of faith confesses that human beings were created in God's image, that Adam's sin brought guilt and death to all his descendants, and that Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man, born of the virgin Mary, crucified under Pontius Pilate, buried, raised on the third day, and now enthroned at the right hand of God. It is through Christ's life, death, and resurrection that the elect are justified by faith, adopted into God's family, and progressively sanctified by the Holy Spirit, who pours out gifts on believers and fills them for ministry until Christ returns.
The church practices two sacraments. Baptism, by immersion in the name of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, publicly proclaims the believer's union with Christ in his death and resurrection. The Lord's Supper is observed as a gathered meal of bread and cup, signifying Christ's body and blood, nourishing the soul and looking forward to his return. Lakeview's elders teach that Christ will return bodily and visibly, that the dead will be raised, and that those who belong to him will reign with him forever in the new heavens and the new earth.
What a Sunday Morning Looks Like
Sunday is the rhythm of the church, and the church has thought carefully about how to make it easy for a first-time visitor.
An hour before the gathering begins, the doors open for School of the Word at 9:00 AM, a Sunday morning Bible teaching hour that meets in the church building and is designed for anyone who wants to study Scripture in a small-group setting on the way to the main service.
The worship gathering starts at 10:00 AM. Ushers greet people at the doors and point them toward seats. In the lobby, near the bookstore, a hot cup of coffee and a conversation with a Connect Team volunteer are available for anyone who would like them. LCC Kids, the children's ministry, runs from nursery through sixth grade; parents can check children in at the remote check-in station in the lobby before the service, and the kids are dismissed to their classes after the singing portion of the gathering. Pre-registration for children's check-in is offered so that the first visit can move as quickly as possible.
Music and message follow. Singing is described as a blend of "traditional and contemporary" and "joy-filled songs that are rooted in God's truth." After the singing, the pastor preaches an expository, gospel-centered message through a book of the Bible. The service typically concludes around 11:30 AM, and guests are encouraged to linger, visit the Connect Kiosk, ask questions, and grab another cup of coffee.
A Pre-Service Bible Hour and Two More Weekly Rhythms
School of the Word at 9:00 AM is a regular hour of Bible teaching on Sunday mornings. The Wednesday night meeting of LCC YTH, the student ministry, brings middle and high schoolers together during the week. Small groups meet on several nights throughout the week, some with childcare, and discussion content typically follows the Sunday sermon, with a few topical groups focused on themes or books of the Bible.
Children and Students: LCC Kids and LCC YTH
LCC Kids is the ministry for children from six months old through sixth grade. Parents are welcomed into a safe, orderly, gospel-centered environment with a check-in team of volunteers in the lobby. Children's classes are dismissed after the singing portion of the adult gathering, so that parents with young children do not have to miss the first half of the service.
LCC YTH is the student ministry for middle and high schoolers, overseen by Harrison Bath as part of his pastoral role. The ministry offers Wednesday night meetings, camps, and retreats, as well as one-on-one discipleship and leadership opportunities. Older students can serve alongside the children's ministry team and on the camera crew, putting a face and a name with the work of the church.
Pivot for Young Adults and Primetime for Senior Adults
Two ministries bookend the generations between kids and seniors. Pivot is the young adult community of Lakeview, a transition-period ministry aimed at college students, graduate students, and young professionals. Pivot offers a community of support and safety where young adults can build meaningful friendships, wrestle through tough questions, and grow together for the glory of God. The group is led by Garrett Ryan, a pastoral intern who gives leadership to the young adults while also supporting children's and student ministry.
Primetime is the senior adult community, directed by Ferrell Greene. The group meets for crawfish boils, holiday parties, and game nights with the younger adults, and also holds regular teaching nights on topics especially encouraging to those 55 and older. The leadership describes the tone of Primetime with a grin: great food, laughs together, and encouragement, "while still allowing you to get to bed on time."
Small Groups, Alpha, and Dinner and Discipleship
Small groups are the relational backbone of the church. Groups meet in homes across New Orleans and the surrounding parishes on different nights of the week. Some groups offer childcare; others are built around sermon-based discussion; a third variety is topical, focusing on marriage, parenting, or a particular book of the Bible. The church describes its small group culture as the place where members "get to know people in our community and apply God's Word together."
The Alpha course is a regular, recurring program for people who are exploring Christianity or returning to the faith after a long absence. Alpha is built around a meal and a discussion about Jesus and the big questions of life, and it is open to anyone who would like to come. A second meal-based ministry, Dinner and Discipleship, gathers around the table for Christians who want to grow deeper. Both are part of the church's pattern of mixing food and teaching. Frank Loria, one of the elders, oversees the Alpha course and the marriage course.
Beliefs on Sunday Mornings
Biblical preaching is, in the church's words, "one of the most important parts of the Sunday gathering and a central element in many of our other ministries." The sermons follow books of the Bible, are rooted in the gospel, and are designed to be both "challenging and encouraging." Featured messages include a walk through John 17 with Senior Pastor Keith Collins, a meditation from Hebrews 12 on worship, and an exposition of 2 Chronicles 14 with Elder Frank Loria.
The Leadership Team
Lakeview is elder-governed, and the leadership team is led by two elders, Senior Pastor Keith Collins and Elder Frank Loria, with Elder Phil Widener giving additional pastoral oversight. Keith Collins joined the pastoral team in 1993 after six years in the engineering recruiting field; he preaches, teaches, leads the pastoral staff, and casts vision for the church. Frank Loria and his wife Annette have attended since March 1980, and Frank preached, counsels, and oversees Alpha and the marriage course. Phil Widener and his wife Liz have been members since 1981 and oversee the small group ministry, while also leading one of the small groups themselves.
On the pastoral staff, Harrison Bath grew up in the church and oversees LCC YTH and the AV team. Seth Collins leads worship after graduating from the University of New Orleans with a degree in jazz piano performance. Garrett Ryan serves as a pastoral intern with a focus on young adults. Pete Schefferstein has been on staff since 2001 and oversees the church's administrative responsibilities and daily operations.
Ministry leaders round out the team. Ferrell Greene directs the Primetime senior adult ministry. Todd Tucker leads the prayer ministry. Tiffany Bath directs the Connect Team and the Connect Kiosk. Daisey Mackey directs LCC Kids.
Serving the City and the World
Lakeview carries its gospel-centered conviction out the front door. "We love our city," the church says, "and the opportunities we have to share Jesus, whether it's serving our community through dinner and discussion about Jesus at our Alpha course, partnering with ministries to care for foster kids, or providing hurricane relief."
The church partners with other ministries for service and outreach in New Orleans, including One Heart NOLA, New Orleans Mission, Young Life, NextGen Clubs, and the Louisiana Teen Challenge, and it has formal ties to networks and training ministries such as The Gospel Coalition, Desiring God, CCEF, and 9Marks. The stated mission is to be "mission-minded" in everything, "partnering with local and global ministries to proclaim Jesus to our neighbors and to the nations."
The Building, the Bookstore, and the Parking Lot
The church meets on Fleur de Lis Drive in the Lakeview neighborhood, a residential stretch of mid-city New Orleans noted for mid-century homes and easy access to City Park and nearby schools. Free parking is available in two adjacent lots at the building, with overflow across the street at the Office of Motor Vehicles. A short walk from the parking lot brings visitors to the main entrance.
The bookstore and coffee bar sit in the lobby and serve as an informal welcome center; many first-time conversations happen here before and after the service. The building is fully wheelchair accessible, with parking at the main entrance and an elevator that takes everyone, regardless of mobility, to programs on both the main floor and the upstairs level.
Coming from Across New Orleans
Lakeview describes its reach in terms of the parishes and neighborhoods that drive in: New Orleans, Metairie, Kenner, Destrehan, Belle Chasse, and Uptown. Members live in New Orleans itself and in communities across the river and around Lake Pontchartrain. The pastoral team and the Connect Team intentionally serve the area as a whole, and the church building sits within easy driving distance of most of the metropolitan area.
Plan a Visit
Anyone visiting for the first time is invited to come as they are. The service begins at 10:00 AM and ends around 11:30 AM. Sunday dress runs the gamut from shorts and T-shirts to dress shirts and dresses, and the greeters at the door, the ushers in the seats, and the Connect Team in the lobby are there to answer questions and make introductions. Children's check-in is in the lobby before the service; pre-registration is offered so that the first visit can move quickly. Coffee is free.
For those joining remotely, services are livestreamed at 10:00 AM on YouTube and the church's mobile app, and the sermon archive is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, with a back catalog on YouTube.
Lakeview Christian Center holds to a simple, sturdy belief. The church is gospel-centered because the gospel is the message of what God has done in Christ to reconcile sinners to himself. It is Reformed because God's grace is the only hope and the only boast. It is elder-governed because Christ is the head of his church. It is continuationist because the same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead still empowers ordinary Christians to love and serve. And it is mission-minded because the same God who saved his people has sent them out.
For sixty years and counting, that is what has kept Lakeview Christian Center on Fleur de Lis Drive worth coming back to.