Lamar Baptist Church stands at 1000 W Lamar Blvd in Arlington, Texas. It is known for expositional preaching, meaningful membership, weekly communion and biblical theology while bringing together English- and Spanish-speaking families, students, children, seniors and people in the Zo community. Its mission, To know Christ and be His light to all nations and all generations, reaches from this Arlington address toward people across generations and nations.
Expositional Preaching and a Biblical Center
Lamar describes its welcome with a memorable challenge: Come as you are, but don't expect to stay as you are! The church says the gospel of Jesus Christ changes lives. Four practices describe that life together: preaching shaped by biblical exposition, meaningful membership, weekly communion and theology grounded in the Bible. The Bible is truly all the church needs for faith and practice, and Lamar seeks to be clear about what it teaches.
Pastors, staff and leaders hold to several doctrinal commitments:
- The Baptist Faith and Message 2000 is identified as the Southern Baptist Convention's doctrinal statement outlining beliefs held dear by associated churches.
- The Chicago Statement emphasizes the power, truth and purity of God's Word.
- The Danvers Statement affirms that men and women are made in God's image and have complementary roles in the church and home.
- The Nashville Statement describes sexuality as a gift from God for emotional and physical intimacy between husband and wife and for bringing new life into the world.
Lamar states that no teaching or preaching will contradict these commitments even though not every member agrees with every statement in full. Expository preaching also remains part of the church's ongoing life through a sermon library organized by biblical book, series, year and speaker.
A 9:30 a.m. Sunday Gathering in English and Spanish
English- and Spanish-language worship begins at 9:30 a.m. Sunday. The English gathering worships through music and the preaching of God's Word and lasts about 70 minutes. Lamar en Español worships through modern and timeless songs, hears a message from God's Word and generally follows with text-message questions and answers involving the pastor. Its services last between 60 and 70 minutes.
Both gatherings may be attended in person. The English service is available through the English livestream, while the Spanish service has its own Spanish worship livestream.
Finding the Worship Center and Choosing What to Wear
Guest parking is clearly marked beside the worship center, the large building with a blue roof. Signs along Barbados and Port Au Prince direct drivers toward the GUEST area. At the church, visitors can enter through any main door of the worship center, where greeters offer directions and answer questions. Those attending the Spanish gathering can ask for the Spanish service.
No single dress style is expected. Members and attendees may wear anything from a formal suit and tie to shorts and a T-shirt. Lamar's practical advice is to wear whatever feels most comfortable.
Children from Two Years Old Through Fifth Grade
Families bring children to the Kids Welcome Desk before the 9:30 service and keep them with them during the opening portion of worship. Children are then dismissed before the sermon for age-specific ministry led by trained staff and volunteers.
- Children's Church serves first- through fifth-graders with Bible stories presented through dramatic play, science experiments, scavenger hunts and other activities.
- KIDBOP gathers four-year-olds through kindergarten for a large-group lesson with an emphasis on movement, music and age-appropriate learning.
- HOPPERBOP welcomes two- and three-year-olds with play, music, dance and active learning before transitioning into the Sunday School hour.
Children three and younger may remain in childcare for the full worship gathering, or families may keep them with them for the entire worship hour. Lamar's purpose is not simply to watch children but to minister to them and help their faith grow at every stage.
Come as You Are: Support for Every Child
Lamar Kids Ministry includes a special-needs ministry called Come as You Are. It welcomes families from every background and works with parents to develop an individualized approach when that would be helpful. The church provides quiet spaces and devoted volunteers who can offer integrated participation, independent options or a combination of both.
A voluntary intake form gives children's ministers and teachers information that helps them prepare logistically and spiritually. The goal is to remove obstacles that might interfere with a child's ability to know the Lord, support the child's family and make worship less stressful for parents and caregivers.
Sunday School and Small Groups Across the Generations
Lamar Kids Sunday School begins at 10:45 a.m., with pickup at 11:45. Students also meet for Bible study at 10:45, while many adult groups study during the same morning hour. Whether someone is a new believer or a long-time Christian, the church presents small groups as a way to grow in relationship with the Lord.
The regular group mix includes:
- Children in the Kids Wing and students in the upstairs ministry area.
- A College and Career group called FUEL that meets at the FLIP House.
- Several intergenerational groups, along with a senior adult group, men's groups and women's groups.
- Small groups for Spanish-speaking men, women and young adults.
- A Zo, or Burma, group.
These gatherings place families, college students, seniors, couples and singles within the same broader fellowship while giving each generation opportunities to learn and serve together.
Wednesday Equipping for Every Stage
Wednesday equipping classes begin at 6:30 p.m. and are offered for all age groups. Student Ministry meets upstairs for teaching, games and time with friends. The College and Career group uses Wednesday evenings for topical teaching related to what students are experiencing, while children have activities tailored to their age groups.
The midweek rhythm complements the 10:45 a.m. student Bible study rather than replacing it. Together, the Sunday and Wednesday gatherings give students interaction with Scripture, teaching modeled for their stage of life and time to build friendships.
Reading, Serving and Summer Together
Children's formation continues beyond Sunday mornings through practices designed for different ages. Preschoolers and kindergartners receive Bibles and participate in the Bible Buddy program, which encourages children to read God's Word with their families. Weekly reading bookmarks give preschool families a manageable way to read together throughout the week.
First- through fifth-graders receive monthly Bible-reading challenges that coordinate with the teaching in adult Sunday services. Children read a verse with a family member or trusted adult, discuss what stands out or remains unclear and return the completed challenge with a parent's or guardian's signature. A shorter weekly challenge gives families another opportunity to discuss the Children's Church lesson and apply it at home. Fifth-grade leadership adds service opportunities and advanced Bible studies for students ready to take a servant role in the church.
Vacation Bible School gives children another recurring opportunity to learn about God and meet others in the church community. Lamar's annual summer camps serve children who have completed grades one through five at Camp Copass in Denton. The church provides transportation to and from camp, where activities include swimming, climbing, archery, crafts, games, worship and teaching about Jesus. Scholarships are available for families who need them.
Serve Cycles for Healthier Volunteer Ministry
Lamar's Serve Cycles structure children's volunteering around one-year commitments. At the end of a commitment, a volunteer can leave the schedule, change positions or recommit to the same area. Volunteers receive a reminder before their scheduled week and can speak with ministry leaders about their mental, emotional, physical and spiritual well-being.
The model seeks to protect volunteers from burnout while treating service as discipleship rather than simply one more duty. It gives families and ministry leaders time to nurture the people who teach, welcome and care for children. Kids Ministry staff and volunteers also gather for a Sunday leader huddle at 9:00 a.m. before the 9:30 worship hour.
FUEL, Women's Ministry and English Worship
FUEL is Lamar's College and Career ministry. Joel and Jill Skinner lead the group, which gathers at 10:45 a.m. on Sunday to take the sermon into deeper discussion. On Wednesday at 6:30 p.m., the group turns to topical subjects connected to the experiences of college students and young adults.
Lamar Women's Ministry seeks to deepen women's connections to God and to one another through discipling relationships, friendship and opportunities to serve. Its recurring options include Moms Rooted, a Women's Bible Study Fellowship hosted at Lamar but not organized by Lamar, and a Sunday Women's Connect group with Cristyl Chance. The ministry combines Bible study, community and service.
Joel Sellers serves in English worship, and music remains central to Lamar's gathered worship alongside biblical preaching.
From North Arlington to Mexico City, Indonesia, Uganda and Latvia
Lamar understands missions as following Jesus Christ's command to minister to people of all nations, whether they live in the local community or far away. The church participates in missions through the Southern Baptist Convention's Cooperative Program and maintains strategic mission efforts in Mexico City, Indonesia, Uganda and Latvia. North Arlington is the immediate setting for its local expression of that mission.
Pastor Kham Mung is particularly focused on Burmese refugees, especially people from the Zo community. ChinChin Tungnung works to organize the migrant Zo community from Myanmar and teach the truth of God's Word. Their work reflects Lamar's commitment to helping people who are far from home find a biblical foundation and spiritual community.
Lamar also partners with the Metroplex Women's Clinic by committing time, energy and resources to that community organization. Giving is available online to support the church's ministry and the spread of the gospel in the community through Lamar's giving program.
Preachers, Teachers and Ministry Leaders
Lamar's elder team consists of Dale Braswell, lead teaching pastor and elder; Joel Skinner, lead pastor of ministries and elder; Kham Mung, Zo and Burmese pastor and elder; Jack Chambers, congregational elder; and Andrew Stasio, congregational elder.
The ministerial staff includes:
- Matthew Ball, interim student minister.
- Emily Cooley, children's minister.
- Luis Gonzalez, interim Spanish pastor.
- Becki McNabb, preschool minister.
- Joel Sellers, English worship pastor.
- Dade Skinner, interim associate student minister.
- ChinChin Tungnung, discipleship and missions minister.
Several leaders bring international and cross-cultural experience to their present roles. Joel Skinner previously served with Africa Inland Mission in Uganda and worked across Eastern and Central Africa. ChinChin Tungnung speaks English, Hindi, Manipuri and Zo, and his work centers on migrant communities. Andrew Stasio has taught at Lamar for decades and was part of the church from its beginning. Alongside them, Emily Cooley and Becki McNabb lead children's and preschool ministry, while Matthew Ball and Dade Skinner serve students and Luis Gonzalez leads Spanish-language pastoral ministry.
Lamar's life moves from expository preaching and weekly communion into children's formation, intergenerational groups, volunteer discipleship, pastoral care, neighborhood partnerships and world missions. Its shared identity is to know Christ, teach the biblical faith to every generation and carry that light from North Arlington to all nations.