An Apostolic Community on Eaton Rapids Road
Life Christian Church sits on 48 acres along Eaton Rapids Road on the south side of Lansing, Michigan, where a 17,000-square-foot building serves as both sanctuary and gathering place for a multicultural, multigenerational family of believers. The congregation is affiliated with the United Pentecostal Church International and is part of the Michigan District of that organization. The church's motto, "Experience Pentecost," is more than a slogan; it captures the daily hope that everyone who walks through the doors will encounter God in a personal way. Members describe themselves in three phrases: they love their God, they love their church, and they love their community.
The church grew out of Eastside Apostolic Tabernacle, founded decades ago by Hebert and Eleanor Starr, and now carries the name Life Christian Church. Today, Senior Pastor Jared Wilkerson and his wife, Erica, lead the congregation, joined by a team of ministry coordinators who oversee children, youth, seniors, member care, and Bible studies. Together they seek to minister to individuals from all walks of life by addressing spiritual concepts on each and every level.
Half a Century of Growth in South Lansing
The story of Life Christian Church begins with Hebert Starr, who had already assisted churches in Bedford, Indiana, and Flint, Michigan, before he and his wife Eleanor came to Lansing to pioneer a new work. They named the church Eastside Apostolic Tabernacle. Hebert worked as a skilled planerman during the day and tried to hold Bible studies and services in the evenings. He soon built a list of contacts, and the need for a permanent home grew obvious. The first step was purchasing property at the corner of Francis and Elizabeth, where in the middle of winter, with pick and shovel, Hebert and his son Bill dug the foundation and basement by hand. The completed building at 601 S. Francis Street served the congregation for many years.
In October 1971, Hebert's grandson David Stephens took over as pastor. He was 22 years old and had just graduated from Michigan State University. Stephens remembers the early days with a smile: he would pick up members of his congregation in his own car and bring them to church, play the organ beside the pulpit during worship, preach the sermon, play the organ again for the altar call, and then drive everyone home afterward. Those humble beginnings set the tone for a congregation that has always prioritized personal care and faithfulness over formality.
By 1977, Stephens felt the church should move to a more visible location. Hebert Starr had earlier purchased property in South Lansing at the corner of Starr and Jolly Roads, and that site became the new home. The new facility seated about 125 and included five classrooms and a nursery. Around 1979, walls came down, the auditorium was expanded, an educational wing was added, and the parking lot was paved. Between 1989 and 1990, the church built a school on a 48-acre parcel along M-99, and in 1993 the present worship center was constructed on Highway 99, an auditorium that seats around 500. The current campus enjoys 17,000 square feet of space specifically designed for worship, spiritual training, and social events.
After almost fifty years of pastoring, Stephens was ready to pass the baton. The church board approved Jared Wilkerson unanimously to be presented for election, and the congregation voted unanimously in January 2021 to call him as Senior Pastor. The church now carries the name Life Christian Church and stands as a testimony to the persistence of an extended family of faith in Lansing.
Sundays at Eleven, Mondays in Prayer, Wednesdays in the Word
Three weekly gatherings shape the rhythm of the church. The Sunday morning service begins at 11:00 AM and is designed to lead the congregation into the presence of God through heartfelt worship and a life-changing word. Children's church for Life Kids up through age 11 meets at the same time, and a staffed nursery is open for babies from three months to three years old, so parents can worship without distraction. The order of a typical Sunday includes extended praise and worship, prayer, tithes and offerings, an open time of testimony, and a sermon rooted in the Bible.
Monday nights at 7:00 PM are set aside for all-church prayer, when the body gathers to seek the Lord together for personal needs, the life of the church, and the wider community. Wednesday nights at 7:00 PM gather the congregation for worship and Bible study, typically lasting about an hour in consideration of work and school schedules. A Life Littles class for children up to four years old runs concurrently with the Wednesday service, with worship, a lesson, snacks, and crafts each week.
Worship at every service is vibrant. Members clap and lift their hands, sing aloud, and offer heartfelt expressions of praise. The congregation prays out loud together, testifies in church, worships with musical instruments, claps and shouts, dances in the Spirit, anoints the sick with oil and prays the prayer of faith, and allows the Biblical operation of spiritual gifts as outlined in 1 Corinthians 14. The teaching staff root each practice in Scripture, from John 4:23-24 on worshiping in spirit and truth, to Acts 4:24 on praying aloud, to James 5:14-15 on anointing the sick. Ushers and greeters are stationed to help visitors at any point during a service.
Bible Quizzing: A Hallmark of the Church
Bible Quizzing is one of the defining ministries of Life Christian Church. The program encourages young people up through age 18 to study and memorize Scripture, and competitions are held at local, state, and national levels. Participants often quote between 170 and 550 verses, depending on their age bracket and division. While the primary objective is to teach children the Word of God, the program also builds self-discipline, good study habits, teamwork, and a positive response to winning and losing.
Junior Bible Quizzing includes a Beginner Division for quizzers eight years old and younger, who memorize just under 200 verses in a single season, and a Junior Division for children no older than 11, whose material covers around 275 verses. Senior Bible Quizzing includes an Intermediate Division for ages 12 to 14 and all rookie quizzers ages 12 to 18, typically covering about 400 verses, and an Experienced Division for any young person 12 to 18, who memorize 525 to 550 verses per season. The church's Junior team has competed at the national level, sending Michigan 1 to the National Junior Bible Quizzing Finals in Branson, Missouri, sponsored by UPCI Children's Ministries.
Pastor Wilkerson serves as the Senior Bible Quizzing Coordinator for the Michigan District of the United Pentecostal Church International and is often invited to work as a guest quizmaster for tournaments outside the state, including the national finals each year. For Lansing-area families, the program is one of the most visible ways the church invests in the next generation, and several of the Wilkerson children are active quizzers themselves.
Children, Youth, and Young Adults
The Children's Ministry is dedicated to loving and ministering to children of all ages. At 11:00 AM on Sunday mornings, Life Kids through age 11 enjoy their own exciting children's church at the same time as the main service. Staff members love children and desire to help each child develop a personal relationship with Jesus on their level, and every children's ministry worker undergoes a background check every two years. The teaching is age-appropriate and includes memory verses, songs, and creative activities.
The Nursery Ministry is tended and available for all children from three months to three years old during the 11:00 AM Sunday worship service. On Wednesday nights, Life Littles welcomes children ages one to four with a schedule that includes worship, a lesson, snacks, and crafts. Each adult who serves with the littles has been background checked within the last two years. The church holds to Proverbs 22:6, "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it," as a foundation for this age-level ministry.
Ignite 517, the youth ministry for ages 12 to 17, hosts a weekly Saturday evening youth service at 7:00 PM, and also participates in weekend retreats, regional and statewide events, and church camps in connection with other UPCI youth groups. Teens can also read about culturally relevant issues from a Biblical perspective in INSIDEOUT magazine, a digital periodical produced by UPCI Youth Ministries that features theme-based articles, book and music reviews, interviews, devotions, and student ministry profiles. Ignite 517 supports a global ministry through Move the Mission, fund-raising for outreach efforts around the world so that the gospel can be shared in places the Lansing congregation cannot reach in person.
Hyphen is the young adult ministry for ages 18 to 30, meeting on Friday nights except the fourth Friday of each month and participating in numerous outings throughout the year. The aim is to equip young adults interested in ministry and to build relationships and strong leaders in the church. The previous pastor, David Stephens, remains connected to the church and helps oversee this generation of leaders, signaling a remarkable continuity between the church's pioneering generation and its present.
Beliefs: The Oneness of God and the Baptism of the Holy Spirit
Life Christian Church holds to the classic Oneness Pentecostal teachings of the United Pentecostal Church International. The church confesses one God who exists outside the boundaries of time, the Creator of all things, who exists as the Father, who manifested Himself in the flesh of Jesus Christ, and who later returned in the form of the Holy Spirit to live in the hearts of believers. When one receives the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the believer will speak in a language never learned, as the Spirit gives utterance, in keeping with Acts 2:4, Acts 10:46-47, and Acts 19:6.
Salvation, the church teaches, is by grace through faith because of the death of Jesus on the cross. The gospel is the good news that Jesus died, was buried, and rose again, and obedience to the gospel is the evidence of saving faith. Obedience means repentance, baptism in Jesus' name for the remission of sins, and receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit, evidenced by speaking in other tongues, in keeping with Acts 2:38. Repentance identifies the believer with Jesus in His death, baptism in Jesus' name identifies the believer with His burial, and the infilling of the Spirit identifies the believer with His resurrection. Water baptism by immersion in the name of Jesus is taught as a necessary step of obedience for those who have repented.
The church looks for the imminent return of Jesus, when all who have believed and obeyed the gospel will be caught up to meet Him in the air, while those who have not obeyed the gospel will face the final judgment and eternal death. Scripture is the New King James Version, the translation used throughout the church's teaching and preaching. Tithing, the church teaches, is a way of showing devotion to God; the tithe belongs to Him, and giving is both an act of worship and a means of supporting the work of the Kingdom.
Music, Media, and the Livestream
The Music Ministry is built around the conviction that the purpose of music in the church is to usher in the presence of God to every service. A team of musicians, worship leaders, a praise team, and a chorale make this their mission each time the church gathers. The team is committed to cultivating an atmosphere in which the congregation can encounter God through song, blending hymns and gospel songs with modern choruses and Spirit-led improvisation.
The Information Technology department expanded quickly beginning in 2020. In addition to sound and projection technicians, the team now includes a videography department. Services are livestreamed and archived on Facebook and YouTube, allowing members who are traveling, ill, or homebound to remain connected to the life of the church, and giving prospective visitors a sense of the worship and preaching before they arrive. The archived sermons also serve as a record of Pastor Wilkerson's preaching over the years.
Pastor Jared and the Leadership Team
Senior Pastor Jared Wilkerson became a member of his local church's youth committee in Humboldt, Tennessee, at the age of 12 and later served as youth director in that congregation for three years. He and his wife, Erica, moved to Cookeville, Tennessee, where they joined the local church staff as student pastor, a position they held for four years. Pastor Wilkerson has also served as an assistant to the pastor, worship leader, service leader, sound technician, drummer, and drama director, and has experience in social media, digital marketing, and teaching in the Tennessee prison system. He is an ordained minister in the United Pentecostal Church International and has held multiple positions in the Tennessee District of that organization. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in organizational leadership from Urshan University and is pursuing a Master of Arts in Christian Ministry from Urshan Graduate School of Theology. The Wilkersons have four children: Eden, Canaan, Judah, and Selah.
The staff also includes AJ Lehnert, who oversees youth; Alani Stephens, who leads the Children's Ministry; Yolanda Vasquez, who directs Life 50 and Wiser; Dave Walsh, who coordinates member care and the transportation ministry; and Gabe Rangel, who oversees Bible studies and groups. David J. Stephens, the church's longtime former pastor, continues to serve in connection with the young adult ministry. Together, the leadership team carries the church's three-fold calling of loving God, loving the church, and loving the community.
What to Wear, Where to Park, and Other Practical Matters
Visitors often wonder what to wear to a service, and the answer at Life Christian Church is simple: come as you are. The dress at any given service ranges from jeans to suits, and every style is welcome. When a first-time guest arrives, a friendly volunteer plans to greet them at the door, answer any questions, and offer guidance. The parking lot on the south side campus offers plenty of space for the Sunday morning crowd.
First-time guests are invited to fill out a digital guest card before visiting, and the church celebrates each new arrival with a gift on both the first and second visits at the Welcome Center. Ushers and greeters are ready to help throughout the service, and the transportation ministry, coordinated by Dave Walsh, will provide a ride to anyone who would otherwise be unable to attend. Rides should be requested at least a day in advance.
Giving is available online, and the church teaches that tithing - giving a tenth of one's income - is both a Scriptural principle and a way of showing devotion to God. Malachi 3:10 is taught as an invitation to put God to the test by bringing the whole tithe into the storehouse. The church provides a livestream on Facebook and YouTube for those who cannot attend in person. The church also rents its facility for outside events, and an online rental request form is available for those interested in hosting a wedding reception, conference, or other gathering at the south Lansing campus.
Life 50 and Wiser, Bible Studies, and Member Care
For adults 50 and over, Life 50 and Wiser plans monthly activities and outings such as car shows, museum tours, and potlucks. Bible Studies and Groups, under the leadership of Gabe Rangel, offers smaller gatherings for deeper study and fellowship throughout the week, with home groups and topical studies that complement the Sunday sermon. Member Care, coordinated by Dave Walsh, looks after practical needs within the congregation, and the same brother Walsh also serves as transportation coordinator, providing rides to and from services for those who need them.
Across every age and every ministry, the same thread runs through Life Christian Church. The Wilkersons and the staff lead a congregation that wants to love God, love the church, and love the community, and that invites every neighbor in the Lansing area to come and Experience Pentecost.