At 1205 Old Cherokee Road in Lexington, Mt. Horeb Church is known for four Sunday worship gatherings across its East and West worship spaces, a discipleship network for every age, and Concerts at Mt. Horeb, a ministry that brings Christian artists to the area. The Global Methodist congregation calls itself prayer driven and defines its mission as making, maturing and mobilizing disciples who magnify Jesus Christ.
Four Sunday Gatherings, Two Distinct Worship Traditions
Each Sunday, Mt. Horeb offers four worship experiences at two times. Traditional Worship begins at 9:00 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. in the Sanctuary on the East Campus. It centers on hymns, liturgy, the Mt. Horeb Choir and Orchestra, and messages prepared for the traditional congregation and delivered by pastors on rotation. Contemporary Worship also begins at 9:00 and 10:45, in the Auditorium on the West Campus, with music from the worship team, pastoral messages, immersive lighting and video production.
Guests are encouraged to arrive 10 to 15 minutes early. A volunteer parking team directs drivers to the closest available space, while first-time guest spaces are marked with flags. At the doors, a Welcome Team in Mt. Horeb red shirts escorts visitors to the Auditorium, Sanctuary, restrooms and Kid's Ministry. The Guest Services desk offers mints, ear plugs, Bibles and pens, and a Connections Kiosk provides information about groups and ministries.
- Service length: Morning services last about one hour and 15 minutes, leaving extra time to meet the Guest Services team afterward.
- Attire: People should come in whatever is comfortable. Traditional Worship is a little more formal than Contemporary Worship, but neither has a dress code.
- Children: All children are welcome in the services. The Welcome Team helps families take children to the appropriate ministry, and age-specific programs are available for nursery through fifth grade.
First-time guests also receive homemade bread from the Bread of Life Team. If it is not picked up at Guest Services after the service, the team delivers it with a welcome bag.
Mt. Horeb extends its worship through Watch Live, with full services available through the church app, Facebook and YouTube. Sunday rebroadcasts are offered at 4:00 and 6:00 p.m., and archived messages remain available for viewing.
Prayer-Driven Discipleship and a Clear Statement of Belief
Mt. Horeb joined the Global Methodist Church in August 2023. Its mission is not presented as a program with a final completion point. Instead, the church describes discipleship as a rhythm to be repeated, helping people identify the next faithful step toward becoming more like Jesus. That rhythm has five dimensions:
- Living faithfully
- Living communally
- Living generously
- Living humbly
- Living missionally
Core values include Jesus First, Truth Is Essential, Participation Over Observation, People Matter, Better Together and Prayer Driven. They shape a church that emphasizes biblical truth, active service, meaningful relationships and a willingness to go beyond comfort in order to share the gospel.
Mt. Horeb regards the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments as the sole basis of its beliefs and the final authority for faith and life. It teaches that God is the eternal Trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit; Jesus Christ is fully human and fully God, lived a sinless life, died as the perfect sacrifice, rose again and serves as the only mediator between God and people; and salvation is God's gift, received through faith in Christ rather than earned through human effort. The Holy Spirit convicts people of sin, lives in Christians and gives them power to understand spiritual truth and pursue what is right. The church is a local community of baptized believers united through faith in Christ, and eternity is divided between union with God in heaven or separation from God in hell.
Water baptism is an outward sign of God's inward work and is not a requirement for salvation. Mt. Horeb baptizes people of all ages and teaches that baptism does not need to be repeated. The church offers immersion, pouring and sprinkling, and children baptized at an early age are encouraged to confirm their belief in Christ as they mature. Holy Communion is open to everyone who desires to receive it and renews the relationship with Jesus through remembrance of his sacrifice and the new life celebrated through his death and resurrection.
Children Begin with Safe, Age-Appropriate Ministry
Mt. Horeb's Kids Ministry serves children from infants through fifth grade. Each week, children take part in small groups, large-group lessons designed for their age, age-specific worship and activities that help families continue exploring God's Word at home. The emphasis is on helping children know Jesus, grow in faith and build lasting friendships.
- Nursery through fifth grade: Sunday mornings from 9:00 to 10:15 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. to noon.
- Low-Stim option: Available during the 10:45 a.m. session.
- Kids MidWeek: Wednesdays from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m., with no summer session.
Outside the West Campus Auditorium, volunteers in signature blue shirts staff the Kids Information Desk and direct families to the correct rooms. Each child receives a name tag and a matching security tag. If a child needs a parent during a service, the family receives a text, making it important to keep the listed phone on vibrate. Families are asked to report allergies, medical needs and behavioral needs. Children with fever, vomiting or another contagious illness must be symptom-free and fever-free for 24 hours before attending.
MKids Academy provides preschool for children ages 2 to 5 from Monday through Thursday, 9:00 a.m. to noon. Its whole-child approach includes physical, intellectual, emotional, social and spiritual development. Mt. Horeb also maintains a separate special-needs ministry dedicated to a child's well-being and development. Its annual Vacation Bible School welcomes children from age 4 through fifth grade with Bible teaching, team-building games, worship and treats.
Students, Young Adults and Seniors in Their Own Groups
Student Ministry seeks to help middle and high school students develop passion for Jesus and compassion for others. Its Person, Place and Plan approach calls for every student to have a trained adult mentor, safe spaces where students can be known, and clear presentation of the gospel at an appropriate level. Student nights begin with recreation, table games and snacks in the Cafe before moving into worship, biblical teaching and small groups led by at least two trained adults.
- Middle school: Wednesdays from August through May, with cafe time at 6:00 p.m., worship and teaching from 6:15 to 7:00, and small groups from 7:00 to 7:30.
- High school: Sundays from August through May, with cafe time at 6:00 p.m., worship and teaching from 6:30 to 7:30, and small groups from 7:30 to 8:00.
- Sunday mornings: Middle and high school students meet at 10:45 a.m. for breakfast, community and discussion-based Bible study in the Student Room or Fellowship Hall.
Mt. Horeb's Young Adult Ministry welcomes singles who have graduated from high school through age 30. It emphasizes fellowship, spiritual growth, service and mission travel. Young adults also meet for Sunday School from 10:45 a.m. to noon in Room 548 to discuss Scripture, ask questions and encourage one another in faith.
Senior Adults, a ministry for people age 55 and older, gathers on the third Tuesday of every other month. Programs, luncheons and day trips with church-sponsored transportation create regular opportunities for fellowship and activity. The Recreation Ministry also operates Upward Sports with basketball and cheerleading.
Adults Grow in Classes, Small Groups and Shared Practice
Adult discipleship is built around community. Sunday classes and small groups are available at both 9:00 and 10:45 services, creating times to read Scripture, discuss it with other followers of Jesus and identify the next faithful step. The church also offers daily prayer prompts and quarterly digital devotional booklets so adults can engage the same passages and spiritual truths together.
Serving opportunities extend through adult choir and orchestra, contemporary worship, production, guest services, parking, care, the Cafe and recreation. These roles reflect the church's conviction that worship is shared through song, communion, prayer, teaching and the use of spiritual gifts.
Membership classes are offered throughout the year. They explain Mt. Horeb's beliefs and values, allow participants to meet staff and ask questions, and provide an opportunity to join the church at the conclusion of the class.
Missions and Mentorship From Lexington to the World
Mt. Horeb's missions goal is to become a faith family of world-impacting disciples for the sake of people who are lost locally and globally. It supports missionaries serving in the United States and other countries through evangelism and discipleship, church planting, university ministry, adoption and special-needs advocacy, human-trafficking prevention and support for current and future missionaries. Mission teams also serve under-resourced communities, stand with marginalized people, defend the persecuted, provide empowerment for orphans and work with partners on sustainable, Christ-centered communities.
Several partnerships illustrate the scope of this work:
- Red Bird Mission and Clinic in Beverly, Kentucky: The ministry serves isolated rural communities in Appalachia, where Mt. Horeb teams work alongside local ministries.
- New Life Centers in Chicago: The partnership connects inner-city youth and families through relationships, mentoring, community care, education, sports, violence prevention, food-bank work and community outreach.
- Work in Boway, Liberia: The partnership with Dr. Jerry Kulah has included homes, solar lighting, bridges and scholarships, with teams contributing medical outreach, construction, agriculture and youth ministries.
- Peruvian villages along the Amazon River: Through Catch the Vision International, Mt. Horeb has adopted seven villages for projects including medical outposts, church and school buildings, safe water, youth Bible school and community-wide meals.
Mt. Horeb also supports missionaries in India, Kenya, Samoa and other nations, with work that includes care for rescued children, outreach among vulnerable communities, orphan empowerment, free medical clinics, preventative health education, medication and evangelism.
Three mentoring ministries bring that outward focus close to home:
- 10:10 Bridge: Tuesday through Thursday during the school year from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m., this elementary program combines mentoring, Bible teaching, recreation, academic support and a hot meal. Volunteers can serve as mentors, tutors, drivers, meal helpers, prayer partners or substitutes.
- Heritage Builders: One Monday evening each month from September through April, this Lifeline Children's Services ministry surrounds teens and young adults ages 14 to 21 who are aging out of foster care or need a circle of caring adults. It emphasizes relationships, life-skills training, encouragement and connections to resources.
- Connections Lexington Community: Tuesday evenings from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m., adults experiencing poverty gather for a shared meal, learning, mentoring, accountability, practical life-skills development and connections to resources.
Choir, Orchestra and Concerts at Mt. Horeb
Music is a major part of Mt. Horeb's worship life. The Adult Choir sings each Sunday in Traditional Worship and also performs at special events, while the Orchestra includes both contract and volunteer musicians. The choir rehearses Thursday evenings from 6:30 to 7:45 p.m. in the Choir Room, followed by orchestra rehearsal from 7:45 to 9:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary.
- Contemporary Worship: Musicians can audition for the band, and singers can join the Worship Choir for special services.
- Kids Choir: First through fifth graders rehearse on Sunday afternoons from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. from September through May and sing in both worship styles.
- Common Bond Handbell Choir: The group rehearses on Mondays and rings in church several times each year as well as at community events, nursing homes and other churches.
- Student Worship: Students use their musical abilities in weekly ministry and can develop further through worship workshops.
- Production: Separate teams support video, sound, lighting, photography, preaching, stage help and art in the contemporary and traditional services.
Concerts at Mt. Horeb extends that musical emphasis into the community. The ministry works directly with Christian artists or through their production companies and typically hosts three concerts each season. Each event is designed as an up-close evening of worship and music. Friends of Music supports the concert series and helps make discounted tickets available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Care That Reaches Beyond the Campus
Congregational Care extends through visits to homes, hospitals and nursing homes, delivery of flowers, meals, Holy Communion, cards and phone calls to people unable to attend worship or take part in church activities. Grief Care brings prayer and support to families when a loved one is dying and after a death occurs. The pastoral staff can also help plan and officiate funerals or memorial services. Baby Baskets welcome new life with a basket containing a Bible and other gifts.
Taken together, these ministries show the shape of Mt. Horeb: two worship traditions, five discipleship rhythms, places for people from infancy through older adulthood, local and global mission partnerships, music shared in many forms and care that extends beyond the church buildings. At Old Cherokee Road in Lexington, Mt. Horeb continues to organize its life around making, maturing and mobilizing disciples who magnify Jesus Christ.