Lima Baptist Temple has been a steady presence on Brower Road in Lima, Ohio for decades, growing out of a small mission project in 1954 into a 1,200-seat auditorium that fills weekly with families, college students, senior adults, and children from across Allen County. Senior Pastor Ben Anderson leads a congregation that describes its calling with three simple verbs: together they go, serve, and love, pursuing life-transforming relationships with Jesus. Worship is livestreamed to Facebook and YouTube each Sunday, sermons are released as a podcast, and a global missions program supports 59 missionaries in 39 countries.
From the Majestic Theater to Brower Road
Lima Baptist Temple held its first service in 1954 inside the Majestic Theater Building on South Main Street in downtown Lima. The church began as a mission project of Akron Baptist Temple, with Rev. Harold Morgan serving as founding pastor. In 1961, the church called Pastor Ronald Cannon, whose first service drew 78 people and produced three decisions for Christ. During Cannon's forty-year ministry, the church built a 600-seat auditorium in 1964 and a new 1,200-seat auditorium in 1970 to keep pace with explosive growth, becoming known across the region for its emphasis on evangelism and missions.
Pastor Gary Hohman led the church from 2000 to 2005 and today continues his ministry at Lima Baptist Temple as the New Horizons pastor, caring for the senior saints of the church. Pastor Dan Wigton served as senior pastor from 2005 to 2010, followed by Dr. Charles D. Miller from November 2010 through May 2013. In October 2013, Pastor Al Elmore accepted the call to LBT. Pastor Ben Anderson now leads the church into a season focused on generational discipleship, global missions, and a campus-wide renovation campaign called NEXT.
Sunday Mornings: Groups, Worship, and Kids
The Sunday rhythm at Lima Baptist Temple is built around two anchor hours. At 10:00 AM, Sunday Morning Groups meet across the campus for Bible study, fellowship, and prayer. The groups are open, with no sign-up required. Adults can join a topical discussion group near the Welcome Center led by Jon Brown, work through a book of the Bible with Marvin Thitoff's Cross Training class, or study the minor prophets exegetically with Associate Pastor Aaron Ray's Rooted group. A traditional Auditorium Group, taught by a rotation of teachers, draws a larger crowd and often features missionaries and other guest speakers. The MasterBuilders class meets at 10:00 AM in the building directly behind the main church for empty-nesters and grandparents.
For families with school-age children, the 56 Ministry offers a preteen space at 10:00 AM where fifth and sixth graders build friendships and grow deeper in their faith through engaging Bible teaching, small groups, and snacks. Pathfinders, a Sunday morning class for intellectually and developmentally disabled adults ages 22 and up, meets at 9:45 AM in the back of the main building with a Bible lesson, Scripture memory, prayer, and singing. The class meets during the school year.
At 11:00 AM, the worship service fills the main auditorium with a relaxed, friendly atmosphere and what the church calls traditionally blended contemporary worship. A practical, relevant message is taught each week, and a printed outline is provided in the worship guide to help with note-taking. The service is broadcast live on YouTube and Facebook so those who cannot be on campus can still participate. Communion is observed together on Communion Sundays, with gluten-free elements available.
LBT Kids and AWANA
LBT Kids serves babies through sixth grade every Sunday at both 10:00 and 11:00 AM. The nursery cares for children from birth through 24 months, with separate classes for 2- and 3-year-olds, 4-year-olds through kindergarten, and first through fourth graders. The curriculum walks kids through the entire Bible, and the team emphasizes that they teach biblical truths that stick for a lifetime. A secure check-in system, background-checked volunteers, and tight security protocols make the environment safe for families. Children's Director Jenna Beougher oversees the team.
On Wednesday evenings from 6:30 to 8:00 PM, AWANA clubs fill the LBT Kids wing. AWANA, which stands for Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed, includes Cubbies (3- and 4-year-olds), Sparks (kindergarten through second grade), and T-n-T (third through sixth grade). Each evening combines small group time, Bible teaching, and high-energy games, with a calendar released before the September kickoff. Parents who want a clear policy on when to keep a child home can review the church's sick guidelines, which cover fever, vomiting, strep throat, pink eye, chicken pox, and other common illnesses.
LBT Students: 6th Through 12th Grade
Student Pastor Aaron Blevins leads LBT Students, a ministry designed to awaken and inspire middle and high schoolers to live for what matters most. Students meet on Sundays at 10:00 AM and Wednesdays at 6:30 PM in an environment the church calls equally exciting, relational, and Bible-based. Weekly meetings, monthly events, and mentoring give students ongoing ways to get involved, and parents are encouraged to reach out so the team can help them win at home. The student ministry maintains its own Facebook and Instagram pages and uses email notifications to keep families in the loop.
MDWK, the Wednesday night student gathering, takes on themed nights throughout the year, including Boba and Beanies, Chick-Fil-A Night, Nacho Night, and Dressed for the Wrong Occasion. Larger events have included the Live Clue murder mystery game, a Friendsgiving night with Turkey Bowling and a pie-in-the-face leader contest, a Tacky and Bright Christmas Party with blacklight games, a Toledo Walleye hockey trip, and a Fall Party and Bonfire.
College and Young Adults
College-age students gather with Worship Pastor Robin Zaruba on Sundays at 10:00 AM in a small-group Bible study setting and on Mondays at 6:30 PM for a Bible study followed by hangout time.
Adults: Mid-Week Studies and Small Groups
On Wednesday evenings at 6:30 PM, adults have several study options. A Women's Bible Study meets in the CrossTraining Room for an eight-session walk through the names of God. A Men's Bible Study meets in the Group Meeting Room, using the book "The Bible According to Jesus" to approach Scripture as one unified story centered on Christ, with coffee and donut holes to fuel the conversation. MOM - Motherhood's Our Mission - meets in the Rooted Classroom for mothers of children from birth through the teenage years, offering Bible study, support, prayer, and fellowship. The Senior Adult Small Group gathers in the PathFinders Room, taught by rotating pastors from the church; the class takes a break each January and February and resumes in March.
Home-Based Small Groups meet on various days, times, and locations throughout the area. The fall session is a study through the book of Hebrews with Dr. Derwin Gray, designed to help participants learn how to live for Jesus in every season of life.
Legacy Ministry: Serving the 60+ Community
The Legacy Ministry promotes ongoing Christian development for adults ages 60 and older across five areas: spiritual enrichment, learning opportunities, socialization and fellowship, service opportunities, and service needs in times of personal need. Within Legacy, New Horizons is led by Pastor Gary Hohman and includes the Solid Food Bible Study, which meets every Tuesday morning at 10:30 AM in the Fellowship Hall for coffee, donuts, and Bible study with mostly empty-nesters and grandparents. Legacy also plans trips, banquets, conferences, concerts, and mission projects throughout the year.
What Lima Baptist Temple Believes
Lima Baptist Temple teaches that the entire Bible is the inspired Word of God, written by men moved by the Holy Spirit, and without error. The church affirms one God who exists in three distinct persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and holds that Jesus Christ became flesh to reveal God and to be the Savior of the lost world. Mankind was created in God's image for fellowship with Him but became alienated through sinful disobedience, leaving people unable to restore that relationship on their own effort.
Salvation comes only through faith in the death and resurrection of Christ as the sufficient payment for sin. Every Christian is called to live for Christ through obedience to the Word of God and daily yielding to the Spirit, maturing and being conformed to the image of Christ. The church itself is described as the body of Christ, of which Jesus is the head, made up of those who have trusted in His finished work, with the purpose of glorifying God by loving Him and making Him known to the lost world.
A Global Missions Heart
Mission giving and prayer support are a defining feature of Lima Baptist Temple. The church supports 59 missionaries in 39 different countries, partnering with mission agencies including ABWE, BBFI, Baptist Mid-Missions, BIMI, BEMA, Fellowship International Mission, Gospel Fellowship, Biblical Ministries Worldwide, and Central Missionary Clearing House. Missionaries serve in Africa, Asia, Australia, Canada, Central America, Europe, Mexico, South America, and across the United States. Local outreach includes the Gap Pantry, which fills gaps in personal care items such as laundry products, cleaning supplies, and toiletries for neighbors in need, along with partnerships with Family Promise of Lima/Allen County, Lima Rescue Mission, Lifewise Ministries/Acts Academy, Rally Point Youth for Christ, and Doulos Partners Ministry.
Worship, Discipleship, and Next Steps
The Worship Ministry at LBT is described by Worship Pastor Robin Zaruba as more than music, more than brief moments in a service. It is a lifestyle of worship in spirit and truth, and singers and instrumentalists are invited to step into the team. The Tech Team serves behind the scenes during services and beyond, and the First Impressions Team handles parking, greeting, and hospitality on Sundays and throughout the week. Visitors who want to take a next step can sign up online for water baptism, child dedication (held annually for member parents), or membership through the Discovering Church Membership Class.
Looking Forward: The NEXT Campaign
Lima Baptist Temple is in the middle of a 12-month capital campaign called NEXT, with a goal of raising $375,000 to keep the campus ready for the next generation. Already completed: phase one of the Children's Wing and parking lot resurfacing, with over $200,000 set aside for future projects. Projects funded through NEXT include lighting and electrical remediation in the main auditorium, a Student Ministry space update in the Chapel with new carpet and 200 chairs, and the start of phase two of the Children's Wing with updated bathrooms and restructured classrooms. A First Fruits Christmas Offering each December and Commitment Sunday each November are the major giving milestones.
Helpful Resources for Visitors
Visitors can plan a visit online to have a parking spot reserved up front, a greeting team meet them at the main entrance, a guided tour of the campus, kids' security tags ready in advance, and a personal introduction to the pastors. Free coffee is available, and visitors can wear whatever they like - everything from casual clothes to business suits shows up on Sunday mornings. The church livestreams the 11:00 AM service on both YouTube and Facebook, and the sermon podcast is available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. RightNow Media access is free through the church's account, offering more than 25,000 Bible studies, video sermons, and kid-friendly videos. Temple Christian School, which shares the Brower Road campus, is another way families stay connected to LBT throughout the week.