Born from a Community Vision in 1983
Lebanon Christian Church was born from a simple conviction shared by the Boone County Christian churches: that the town of Lebanon, Indiana, needed a community of believers devoted to introducing neighbors to Jesus Christ. The first service was held on November 27, 1983, at Memory Hall, where thirty-five adults gathered around that vision. From those modest beginnings, the church has grown into the multi-generational congregation known locally as LCC, meeting on the north side of Lebanon at 610 West 250 North.
LCC describes itself as "an outpost of HOPE in our community." The mission statement is short enough to memorize: "We are devoted to loving God and others, by helping people trust and follow Jesus." Five values flow from that mission: Rooted in the Bible and prayer, Welcoming to all people, Generous with God's resources, Redemptive in extending God's restoring love, and Loving in authentic relationships.
Two Sunday Mornings at 9:00 and 10:30
Sunday is the rhythm of the week at Lebanon Christian Church. The 9:00 a.m. service is followed by an identical service at 10:30 a.m., each running the same sermon and teaching plan so families can choose the hour that fits their schedule. Both services are led by a worship team, and communion is woven directly into the service. Members are released from their seats to one of six communion stations, where they can give an offering, take a Connection Card, sanitize their hands, and bring the elements back to their seats for quiet reflection. Deacons bring a tray to anyone who needs assistance.
Visitors planning ahead can fill out a basic information form by 3:00 p.m. on the Thursday before their first Sunday and be pre-entered into the check-in database, making Sunday morning check-in quick and easy. Newcomers who want to learn more about the church are invited to the Next Steps Class, offered on the third Sunday of each month in Room 157. The class begins at 11:45 a.m., lasts no more than forty-five minutes, includes a light lunch, and welcomes children along with their parents.
For those who want to keep up with teaching between Sundays, weekly messages are available as a podcast on iHeart, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. Live and on-demand video is hosted on the church's YouTube channel.
From the Nursery Through Fifth Grade
Children's ministry at LCC is led by Children's Minister Sharon Osborn, working alongside Preschool Director Julie Mark. Together they oversee a fully staffed Sunday morning experience for every age from birth through fifth grade, with background-checked volunteers and a security tag system at the heart of every classroom.
Preschool Ministry
The Preschool Ministry serves children from birth through kindergarten. The nursery, geared for babies and toddlers up to age two, provides diaper changes, bottle feeding, snacks, cuddles, and play. Preschool Small Groups for ages two through kindergarten are organized into three classes: Sprouts, Forest Friends, and Little Adventurers. Each class gathers for an age-appropriate Bible lesson, an activity or craft, and a season of worship called Little Hands Worship. Children age two through kindergarten participate together in Little Hands Worship during both the 9:00 and 10:30 services before returning to their own classrooms for parent pickup.
Kids' Ministry (1st through 5th Grade)
Kids' Church meets in the Kids' Area at both Sunday services. The same Bible lesson and Bottom Line are taught at both hours, but in different ways and with different small group activities, so kids who attend both services receive two experiences of the same message. Stable small groups are a cornerstone of the ministry, with the same volunteer leaders serving the same children every week so relationships can deepen over time. Periodic Parents' Night Out events give caregivers an evening off while kids enjoy dinner, games, crafts, and a Bible lesson. Parents who want a personalized dedication for their child can request one through the Preschool Director.
For children who love music, the Joy Christian youth choir is a community choir for LCC and Lebanon-area kids. Rehearsals take place on Thursdays from 6:30 to 7:20 p.m., with a Christmas performance each year woven into the church's holiday program.
412 Student Ministries: A Ministry of Students
Middle and high school students belong to 412 Student Ministries, led by Youth Pastor Jess Swain. The name "412" captures four commitments that shape the ministry:
- 1 Timothy 4:12 - the conviction that students can be the church of today, not just the church of the future.
- For Twelve - discipleship that happens best in small groups.
- For One, Too - a place for every student who wants to join the family.
- A shared mission to help students discover Christ, decide to follow Christ, grow in faith, and go into the world.
Students are encouraged to lead worship, serve, study, and own their faith now rather than later. All adult leaders go through background checks and a vetting process before they are released to work with teens, and check-in stations in both lobbies and at the top of the stairs in the Student Center make drop-off and pickup secure. Annual events at local venues bring students and their families together for fellowship throughout the year.
Life Groups, Catalyst Studies, and Men's and Women's Ministry
Adults at LCC grow through a network of small gatherings. Life Groups meet at sixteen different times and locations during the week, with options for men's, women's, couples', and family groups. Some share a meal, others keep it simple with snacks or coffee. Each group studies, learns, serves, and does life together, and a map of group locations helps newcomers find a fit.
Catalyst Studies are short four-week studies designed as an entry point to small groups. Recent Catalysts have focused on the giving and use of spiritual gifts, with a follow-up survey through the Church Growth network. Anyone interested in leading a Life Group or a Catalyst can attend training through the Teacher and Life Group Leader track.
The church also hosts a Men's Ministry Breakfast each month at 8:00 a.m., focused on fellowship, opportunities to serve the church and the community, and a shared meal. Women's Ministry gatherings include cooking classes, fellowship nights, and other events that bring women together around the kitchen table and around the Word.
An Outpost of Hope in Boone County and Beyond
Outreach at Lebanon Christian Church stretches from Lebanon's front porches to the ends of the earth under the banner "Until the Whole World Hears." LCC supports and partners with a wide circle of ministries, including Christian Missionary Fellowship (along with the Pitts family serving in Kenya), Fellowship Associates of Medical Evangelism, Training Christians for Ministry, Haitian Christian Outreach, International Disaster Emergency Services, Training Tomorrow's Leaders, Operation Christmas Child, Johnson University, Love In the Name of Christ, Life Centers, Hanging Rock Christian Assembly, Packing Hope, and Shalom House. Mission teams also travel together to international locations such as Costa Rica to put feet on the gospel.
Local outreach includes Blessing Bags, small bags of essential items available at the handout station in the main foyer. Members are encouraged to grab a few and keep them on hand to share with anyone they encounter who needs a hand up.
Care, Prayer, and Benevolence
Beyond mission dollars, LCC walks alongside its own people during difficult seasons. The Care Team watches over the well-being of the church family, providing meals through Mealbaby after births or hospital stays and stepping in where neighbors need a listening ear or practical help.
A prayer chain and a confidential prayer request process give members two ways to ask for prayer, both routed through the church office. The church also offers financial assistance through its Benevolence program. Anyone who needs help can download the assistance form, fill it out, and return it to the church office during office hours (Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.).
Members who want a deeper well of Bible teaching, marriage and parenting resources, and family-friendly video content can sign up for free access to Right Now Media through the church.
What Lebanon Christian Church Believes
Lebanon Christian Church holds to a clearly evangelical statement of faith. Its essentials include:
- Jesus Christ is the one and only Son of God, who died for our sins and arose from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:1-8; John 3:16).
- The Bible is the inspired Word of God, a lamp for our feet and a light for our path (2 Timothy 3:16; Psalm 119:105).
- Every person has worth as a creation of God, but all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).
- Forgiveness of sins and the promise of eternal life are available to those who trust Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord (John 3:16).
- Salvation is found in Jesus Christ alone, for no one comes to the Father except through Him (Acts 4:12; John 14:6).
- Those who accept Christ repent of sin, confess their faith, are baptized, and commit their lives to Him (Romans 10:9; Acts 2:38).
- The Church is the Body of Christ on earth, empowered by the Holy Spirit, and exists to save the lost and instruct the saved (Ephesians 4:1-16).
- Jesus Christ will one day return to earth and reign forever as King of Kings and Lord of Lords (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).
A Pastoral Team and a Church Built for Serving
Lead Pastor Chris Collins oversees the preaching and ministry at LCC, supported by Discipleship and Connections Minister Kurt, Preschool Director Julie Mark, Children's Minister Sharon Osborn, and Youth Pastor Jess Swain. A team of elders provides spiritual oversight in keeping with the church's Christian church roots.
Serving is central to life at LCC. Volunteer needs range from nursery helpers and Kids' Ministry small group leaders to Student Ministry life group leaders, Jam Session instructors, communion meditators, and Worship Sound Team members. A spiritual gifts survey helps each believer identify where their passions and abilities fit. Members are encouraged to pray about how God is leading, then plug in through a Ministry Interest Form. For newcomers, the Next Steps Class is the simplest way to find a place to call your own.
Rooted in prayer and Scripture, welcoming to newcomers, generous with its resources, redemptive in its care, and loving in its relationships, Lebanon Christian Church continues the vision that thirty-five adults first gathered around in 1983, introducing one more generation to Jesus Christ.