On West Pea Ridge Road in Huntington, West Virginia, Lewis Memorial Baptist Church has kept one purpose at the center of its life since 1942: making disciples who live and love like Jesus. The church is known for two Sunday worship times, ministries from early childhood through senior adulthood, Life Groups that meet throughout the week, local outreach through Ebenezer Community Church, and an extensive missions family. Its buildings, activities and services all serve that same mission.
Two Sunday Gatherings on West Pea Ridge Road
Lewis Memorial Baptist Church gathers for Sunday worship at 9:00 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. at 1358 West Pea Ridge Road in Huntington. The two services are the same and run a little over an hour, so guests can choose the time that best fits their schedule. Both are open to people who already have a relationship with Jesus and to those who know very little about him. The gatherings include praise and worship songs and learning more about God's plan through the Bible.
The music mixes traditional hymns with contemporary praise songs. There is no dress code, although Lewis Memorial asks guests to avoid overly flashy clothing so attention remains on Christ. Children are welcome in worship. A children's program and nurseries are downstairs, and a Mother's room is available. The church also livestreams services, and recorded messages are available as another way to hear the teaching.
Lewis Kid's Connection: Bible Lessons and Family Check-In
Lewis Kid's Connection, or LKC, teaches children age four through fifth grade important biblical lessons in ways designed to help them enjoy and remember what they learn. Its curriculum is structured so that a child who begins at age four moves systematically through the Bible several times before reaching the preteen years.
During all worship gatherings, LKC provides nurseries for infants through age three. Pagers allow parents to be reached if a child needs them. Safety begins at check-in stations in the lower lobby of the Worship Center, where parents meet LKC staff and are walked to the area where their child is participating.
Refuel: Fuel for Faith on Wednesday Nights
Refuel is the middle and high school student ministry of Lewis Memorial. Students gather at the Student Ministry Building on Wednesdays from 6:45 to 8:15 p.m. to build a growing relationship with Jesus, connect with caring leaders and be grounded in the truth of God's Word. The evening is organized around four spiritual directions:
- Upward: Connect with God.
- Inward: Connect with other Christians through Christlike relationships.
- Outward: Reach students in the community with the good news of Jesus.
- Forward: Keep pressing toward becoming more like Jesus.
How a Wednesday Unfolds
- 6:45 to 7:05 p.m., Park Time: Students check in on the second floor, enjoy games, visit with friends and have food.
- 7:05 to 7:25 p.m., TAG Time: Students join small groups divided by age and gender under caring adult leaders. They discuss the Bible, organize missions and outreach, and are encouraged and invited to become disciples of Jesus.
- 7:25 to 7:40 p.m., Worship Time: Students move to the third floor auditorium for prayer and music led by the Refuel band.
- 7:40 to 8:10 p.m., Teaching Time: Students hear truths from God's Word and consider how to apply them in daily life.
- 8:10 to 8:15 p.m., Commissioning Time: Leaders pray over students as they are commissioned to reach their friends and families with the message of Jesus.
Lewis Memorial also seeks to partner with parents through Refuel, offering weekly information and a ParentConnect registration for families.
The Bridge for College Students and the Prime of Life for Adults 55 and Older
The Bridge is a community for college students and young adults who want to grow closer to Jesus while connecting with a local church. It welcomes people who are exploring faith, growing in their understanding or ready to lead and disciple others. On Wednesdays at 6:45 p.m., students meet in room S100 of the Student Ministry Building for food, a message from the Bible and time to spend together afterward.
For the Sunday gathering, college students and young adults are invited to join gathered worship in the main auditorium at 9:00 a.m., then come to the Student Ministry Building at 10:45 a.m. for breakfast food and a Bible study. For adults age 55 and older, The Prime of Life offers Sunday gatherings at 9:00 a.m. centered on fellowship, fun and the best years ahead.
Life Groups: Faith Shared in Smaller Circles
Lewis Memorial describes every member as someone who should be connected to a Life Group. These groups meet throughout the week, on and off campus, and are where the church's community takes shape. Members share their lives with other believers, study and apply the Word together, pray for one another and minister to one another as they seek to become more like Christ.
Life Groups also give people a natural way to welcome friends, family, neighbors and coworkers who do not yet know Christ. Group sizes range from a few people to more than 50, and no age group is excluded. For people who are exploring faith or looking for steady support, the groups combine biblical teaching with friendships, shared life and opportunities to serve others.
Local Care: Ebenezer, LifeBridge, School Children and the City
Ebenezer Community Church is Lewis Memorial's outreach to downtown Huntington. Pastor Mike Smith oversees the ministry, and volunteers can serve through teaching, assisting with music, event coordination and service projects. This work gives church members a practical way to participate in the mission beyond the church's main gathering place.
Other supported local ministries address everyday needs:
- LifeBridge operates a food and clothing pantry as part of the church's outreach.
- Backpack Ministry provides food and supplies to children in local schools.
- Brown Bag Ministry begins with showing care and reaches people through simple gifts.
- Huntington City Mission is a nonprofit, nondenominational Christian organization that meets physical, emotional and spiritual needs among people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
Lewis Memorial also supports local work including A New Beginning, Child Evangelism Fellowship, Friends of Israel and Tri-State Bible College. Visitors, greeters, hospitality teams, medical volunteers, security volunteers and those who help with outreach all have opportunities to use their abilities.
Missions: A Faith That Reaches Across Cultures
Missions is described as the heartbeat of Lewis Memorial. The church does more than support mission workers; it seeks to participate in the mission itself. Its supported mission family includes active international missionaries, local ministries and missionaries serving in places where spreading the Gospel is dangerous. For those secure locations, family names and full details are withheld to protect the people serving there.
Daystar Baptist Missions, Inc. was born out of Lewis Memorial to facilitate the call of church members into the mission field. Lead Pastor Dr. David Lemming is a founding member. Supported assignments have included Latin America, Europe, Africa, Asia and the Pacific, including work among deaf communities in Zambia and Australia.
The church's mission family also includes local workers, international families and ministry partners such as World Help International. Operation Christmas Child remains another recurring expression of the missions emphasis. Through Samaritan's Purse, families can prepare gift-filled shoeboxes for children who need them around the world, along with the message of the Gospel. Participants can pack their own boxes, use a supply list or have boxes built and sent for them.
A Leadership Team Built for Different Parts of the Mission
Lewis Memorial's leaders oversee worship, groups, students, member care, technical work and downtown outreach as part of one shared ministry.
- Dr. David Lemming, Lead Pastor: He has served since December 1982 and helped establish Daystar Baptist Missions.
- Dr. Tim Yates, Pastor of Groups and Outreach: He oversees Life Groups, trains small group leaders and equips group apprentices.
- Nathan McClay, Worship Pastor: He has overseen music and worship at Lewis Memorial since 1991.
- Dr. Jeremy Shaffer, Executive Pastor: He oversees technical and administrative areas, works in children's ministry, teaches in the LMBC Bible Institute and teaches marriage, family and general Bible studies.
- Dr. Matt McClay, Student Pastor: He oversees the student ministry.
- Bill Blankenship, Pastor of Member Care: He oversees visitation and a ministry to the sick, shut-ins, widows and widowers.
- Mike Smith, Pastor of Ebenezer Community Church: He is an assistant pastor who oversees the church's outreach to downtown Huntington.
What Lewis Memorial Teaches and Confesses
The church's core beliefs are rooted in biblical doctrines and flow into all of its teaching and ministry.
- The Bible: The verbally inspired Word of God, without mistakes as originally written.
- One God: One God exists eternally in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, equal in glory and power.
- The Father: Creator, Sustainer and Sovereign Ruler of the universe, giver of all life, and Father and Disciplinarian of his chosen in Jesus Christ.
- Jesus Christ: His deity, miraculous conception by the Holy Spirit, virgin birth, sinless life, substitutionary death on a cross, bodily resurrection, ascension to the right hand of the Father and personal, imminent return.
- The Holy Spirit: He indwells all believers, enabling and empowering their life and ministry.
- The Fall of Mankind: Humanity was created in the image and likeness of God, but disobedience to God brought a sinful nature into every person through Adam's sin, separated humanity from God and left people unable to save themselves.
- Salvation: Jesus Christ died for sins, and all who believe are declared righteous through his sacrificial death. It is God's gift, received by grace through personal faith in Christ.
- Eternity: Everyone who has lived will experience bodily resurrection. The saved will receive eternal life with God, while those who reject God's forgiveness through faith in his Son will receive everlasting punishment.
People preparing to join Lewis Memorial are asked to understand and agree with these core beliefs before signing the church's Membership Covenant.
Baptism by Immersion
Lewis Memorial practices baptism by immersion and reserves baptism for those who believe in Jesus as Savior, describing personal faith in Christ as the only biblical requirement. The church teaches that the Greek word for baptism means to immerse or submerge and reads biblical accounts as describing immersion. Baptism may take place any time the church is gathered, with advance scheduling allowing the church to prepare.
Participants are asked to wear a dark T-shirt and shorts and bring an extra set of clothes. A dark Raised to Life T-shirt is provided for those who want one. During the baptism, the pastor helps an adult sit on a bench, covers the person's face with a clean handkerchief, gently guides the person back into the water until immersed, and raises the person immediately. Towels and a dressing room are available afterward. Parents may remain with their child throughout the baptism and take photographs or videos.
Many Ways to Serve, Faith Promise to Fund the Mission
Service at Lewis Memorial is built around using gifts, talents and availability so the church can meet needs and reach the community. Participation is possible in many areas:
- Teaching, assisting, music, event coordination and driving in age specific ministries
- Choir, praise team and instrumentalist roles in music and worship
- Camera, lighting, audio, screen and video control roles in multimedia work
- Life Group leaders, assistants and home groups
- Greeters, hosts and guest services in hospitality
- LifeBridge's food and clothing pantry, greeting cards and service projects
- Visits to hospitals, nursing homes, shut-ins, widows and widowers
- Medical support from doctors, nurses, EMTs and CPR certified people
- Security through cameras and posted guards
- Operation Christmas Child packing parties, collection and donations
- Teaching, assisting, music, event coordination and service projects at Ebenezer
Faith Promise is the primary way Lewis Memorial funds its missionary program. Regular, systematic giving is determined by a person's income, while a Faith Promise commitment goes beyond what a giver can afford to support the spread of the Gospel. The commitment is anonymous and may be made weekly or monthly.
Other giving can be placed in black boxes in the sanctuary or in a lobby. Checks may also be mailed to the main office at 1358 West Pea Ridge Road in Huntington. Online giving is available through the church's giving options.
Since 1942, the style of worship and the tools used for ministry have changed, but the central purpose has remained: making disciples who live and love like Jesus.