Lane Prairie Baptist Church is located in Joshua, Texas, in Johnson County near Fort Worth. The church has been part of the area since 1871 and describes itself as “Kingdom-focused, Gospel-Centered, Disciple-making.” It is known for its multi-generational, multi-cultural congregation, strong children's and student ministries, K Groups for fellowship, and an emphasis on evangelism and service. Its stated mission centers on making disciples, offering hope of salvation, sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and pointing people to the transforming power of God's Word.
From the Railroad to 412 County Road 704
Lane Prairie's history begins west of Highway 174, near the place where Old Lane Prairie Cemetery still stands beside the railroad tracks. In 1905, when the railroad came through, the congregation decided to move away from the tracks. The church relocated to its present location at 412 County Road 704, where it continues to hold Sunday worship, Bible study, children's programs, student discipleship, missions, and churchwide gatherings.
That long history is paired with a clearly stated mission: make disciples, offer hope of salvation, boldly share the Gospel, and glorify Christ by making Him known through missions, evangelism, and service. The people behind that mission include David Washer, Associate Pastor of Missions and Administration; Aaron Christiansen, Student Minister; Dawton Marques, Worship Minister; and Jordan Harmon, Children's Pastor.
Sunday at 9:45 and 10:45
Sunday begins with Bible study at 9:45 a.m., followed by worship at 10:45 a.m. Children's Sunday School also runs from 9:45 to 10:30, with classes beginning among preschool-age children and continuing through older children. Adult Bible study classes cover College/Careers, Young Families, Families with Kids, Families with Students, Empty Nesters, Senior Adults, and Sisters in Christ, making the 9:45 gathering a shared Sunday rhythm for different stages of family life.
During the worship service, children are dismissed for Children's Church in the gym. Small groups rotate between a Bible lesson that follows the same Scripture preached from the pulpit and short periods of recreation and games. The stated aim is to help children understand God's Word, enjoy time together, and build friendships.
A Welcome Team greets people at the doors and helps individuals and families get settled. A Guest Registration Card is available during worship; personal information is kept confidential and is not sold or distributed. There is no dress code. Sunday morning attendees range from casual or business-casual clothing to a suit and tie or dress, while Sunday and Wednesday evening gatherings are generally relaxed and casual.
Worship is recorded and streamed at 10:45 a.m. on the church's YouTube channel. Baptisms, decisions to Christ, and testimonies are shared through the church's Facebook presence. The main telephone number is (817) 645-8797.
Wednesday: Awana, Student MDWK, and activities for all ages
Wednesday activities for all ages begin at 6:30 p.m. Awana is the children's program for three-year-olds through sixth grade and is completely free. Its gospel-centered sessions teach Bible lessons, include games, and help children memorize Scripture. A club meeting lasts one and a half hours and follows a clear sequence:
- A five-minute opening ceremony that provides a structured start.
- Game time on the Awana Games Square.
- Handbook time for passing achievements in entrance booklets and handbooks.
- Council time for announcements, awards, singing, a Bible message, and an invitation to trust Christ.
- A five-minute closing time with team awards and prayer.
Awana is presented as an international, Bible-centered organization with the purpose of reaching children and youth with the gospel and training them to serve Christ. Its priorities also include reaching parents and other family members with the gospel and training adults to minister to children. The name comes from “Approved workmen are not ashamed,” based on 2 Timothy 2:15.
Students are being built as disciple makers
Student Ministry intentionally works alongside parents. Its goal is to build students who are brought into community, shown the lordship of Jesus, and equipped to become disciple makers. Students join in-depth Bible study at 9:45 on Sunday mornings, gather for discipleship groups at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesdays, and meet for Student MDWK at 6:30 p.m. The Wednesday gathering includes worship, biblical teaching, and small groups for middle and high school students.
Camp, retreats, prayer, and mission projects extend that rhythm. Mission projects focus on serving the local community and people in other parts of the state and world. Student Summer Camp uses worship, biblical teaching, and small groups to place students in an environment centered on relationship with Christ. Disciple Now is a weekend gathering that starts Friday evening and continues through the Sunday morning service, giving students time away from distractions to build relationships and deepen faith in Christ. Retreats, service projects, and outings are also part of the student experience.
For younger children, Vacation Bible School at the beginning of summer connects children and families with the gospel through a fun-filled program. Kids who have finished grades 3 through 6 can attend Christian camp, where the church says students encounter God's presence, make close friends, and build experiences that shape their lives. Adults can join as sponsors.
K Groups turn fellowship into shared discipleship
K Groups extend Lane Prairie's ministry into smaller gatherings. The name comes from “koinonia,” a word for Christian fellowship or communion with God and fellow Christians. The church points to Acts 2:42-47 as a model of the early church being “together,” sharing meals, bearing burdens, and devoted to the Gospel.
The church-wide K-Group meets on the first Sunday of each month from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., while smaller groups meet periodically in the comfort of church members' homes to break bread, worship, hear God's Word, and serve one another. This smaller setting is also viewed as a natural place to invite neighbors who are curious about what a church does. A third-Sunday business meeting and second-Sunday Proclaim gathering complete the recurring monthly rhythm.
Adult classes and friendships across generations
Beyond the age-graded Sunday classes, Women's Ministry offers Bible studies through the year along with other women-related events. Men's Fraternity meets Thursdays from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. with the aim of developing characteristics of godly manhood. Together, these groups complement K Groups with separate times for Bible study, worship, fellowship, and service.
Proclaim, Who's Your One, and local care
Lane Prairie describes missions as essential to a healthy church, with Bible-based discipleship, evangelism, and missions working together. On the second Sunday of every month at 6:00 p.m., Proclaim gathers people for door-to-door evangelism. The church says participants receive what they need to speak with others about Jesus.
Who's Your One gives that outreach a personal focus. The premise is simple: each believer identifies someone far from God, prays for that person, and seeks to share the Gospel. The church describes the aim as a passionate desire for people to experience the new life offered through Jesus Christ, and it also welcomes people to share testimonies of what God has done.
Local care takes concrete forms as well. Each fall, Operation Backpack provides school-aged children in kindergarten through grade 12 with backpacks, school supplies, and shoes. The church pairs that practical help with prayer and an opportunity to share the Good News. During the holiday season, families in need can receive food baskets, generally distributed one or two weeks before Thanksgiving. The church also holds an annual family Fall Festival with games, bounce houses, door prizes, a cake walk, and candy. The event is explicitly designed as a safe, family-friendly environment with no scary costumes.
Mission work also extends beyond Johnson County. The church names Utah, Idaho, and New England within North America, along with Japan, Madagascar, Paris, France, and Central Asia internationally. These connections sit beside the regular local emphasis on Proclaim, Operation Backpack, and food-basket care.
Baptist Faith and Message at the center
Lane Prairie is a Southern Baptist church affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention nationally and the Southern Baptist Convention of Texas. It remains locally autonomous while emphasizing its place in a larger Southern Baptist family. Its affirmations are drawn from the Baptist Faith and Message 2000, which serves as a guide to the church's convictions.
The church affirms the Bible as God's revelation and truth, one living and true God revealed as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and the dignity of people created in God's image. Salvation is offered through accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and includes regeneration, sanctification, and glorification. Christian baptism is immersion in water as an act of obedience, while the Lord's Supper is a symbolic act in which believers memorialize Christ's death and anticipate His return. The Lord's Day is set apart for worship and spiritual devotion. The statement also looks to Christ's personal return, the resurrection of the dead, judgment, and the eternal reward of the righteous.
Its statement gives weight to evangelism and missions as the duty of every follower and church to make disciples, to Christian stewardship of time, talents, and possessions, to religious liberty, and to the family as a foundational institution. The church describes itself as the body of Christ, a covenant community of baptized believers committed to the gospel, and places education in service of the kingdom, missions, and general benevolence. It also affirms cooperation among Christian denominations while maintaining that cooperating organizations have no authority over one another or over local churches.
One church, many stages of discipleship
Lane Prairie Baptist Church's identity is unusually concrete: a historic Joshua congregation, a Southern Baptist fellowship with stated biblical convictions, and a working network of Sunday worship, Awana, student ministry, adult classes, K Groups, and local outreach. The church remains centered on the same aim reflected across its ministries: to form people who know Christ, love people well, share the Gospel, serve others, and live for the glory of God.