A Wesleyan Congregation on Ridgeview Road
Olathe Wesleyan Church sits along Ridgeview Road between 151st and 159th Streets in Johnson County, Kansas, in the same neighborhood as Olathe South High School, Foody's Restaurant, the Garmin International headquarters, and Bobo Chinese. The church's address, 15320 South Ridgeview Road, is easy to find from any of those landmarks, and the building has become a familiar anchor for a community that reaches well beyond Olathe's southern edge.
What the church is best known for is breadth. On any given week, the campus is hosting a Sunday worship service, a Wednesday night children's program, a teen gathering, English language classes for adults, a Christian counseling center, a DOJ-accredited immigration legal clinic, and a Christ-centered preschool. Olathe Wesleyan calls its mission "to cultivate a church multiplication movement by making disciples of Jesus who passionately pursue who God created them to be," and the ministries that branch out from a single Sunday service are how that mission is lived out.
What to Expect on a Sunday Morning
Visitors are invited to arrive at 10:30 a.m. for the Sunday service, which runs about one hour. The dress is casual, the teaching is described by the church as "dynamic and straight-forward," designed to be helpful in everyday life, and drawn directly from the Bible. Communion is observed as part of gathered worship, and sermons are livestreamed and archived so anyone can follow along later in the week.
The building is set up so that families can worship together and children can step into their own space at the same time. KidZone, the children's ministry, runs from 10:30 to 11:45 a.m. for children from birth through fifth grade, with age-appropriate classrooms so parents can attend the service with peace of mind.
Anyone with questions, someone going through a difficult season, or just curious can talk with a pastor before or after the service. The church encourages first-time guests to fill out a connection card or use the 'I'm New' form.
KidZone Children's Ministry
KidZone is the children's ministry at Olathe Wesleyan Church, dedicated to teaching the faith while helping kids have fun and grow lifelong friendships. The ministry partners with parents, recognizing that parents are the primary disciplers of their children, and exists to support what happens at home, reinforce faith conversations beyond the church walls, and create meaningful community for the whole family.
Children from birth through fifth grade meet on Sundays from 10:30 to 11:45 a.m. during the worship service. A second weekly gathering called ClubHouse runs on Wednesdays from 6:15 to 7:45 p.m. for children ages three through fifth grade. ClubHouse is described as a high-energy midweek experience where kids are challenged to grow in faith and relationships. Children must be potty-trained to participate.
Every volunteer who works with children is background-checked and trained. Lessons are biblical, age-appropriate, and engaging, and the environment is built so that kids are known and welcomed by name. The church encourages families to pre-register their child before a first visit so check-in is quick and easy.
StudentLife for Middle and High School Students
StudentLife is Olathe Wesleyan's ministry for sixth through twelfth graders. The group meets on Sunday nights from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. in the Student Center, the lower level of the church building, and the time includes worship, games, biblical teaching, and small-group discussion.
The ministry's purpose is to root students' lives in Christ's love through fun fellowship, worshipful living, dynamic service, life-changing discipleship, and genuine care, creating a new generation of leaders. Its mission is to reach middle school and high school students, connect them with God and with one another, and lead them as they discover their identity in Christ and His purposes. The vision is a student-led movement for authentic, life-giving ministry for Christ's Kingdom.
StudentLife is shaped by five values: have fun and treat life as an adventure, stay safe and value each other, be present and make friends and memories, be honest and communicate openly, and own your own emotions and actions. Adult volunteers lead the ministry, and the church regularly invites parents and caring adults to step into those roles.
KidZone Learning Center
Across the parking lot from the main church building sits KidZone Learning Center, a Christ-centered early childhood education program. The center describes itself as "more than a local daycare," a place where children are inspired to develop their minds, bodies, and faith within the context of relationships.
The program is designed for families who want a strong academic and spiritual foundation for their children in the earliest years. The KidZone Learning Center maintains its own enrollment process.
ESL: English as a Second Language
Olathe Wesleyan offers English as a Second Language classes every fall and spring. The fall 2026 session runs from Wednesday, September 2, 2026, through Wednesday, November 18, 2026, meeting on Wednesday evenings from 6:15 to 7:45 p.m. at the church. The cost is $60 per person, which includes a book and workbook, and new students are placed in one of four levels after a literacy assessment.
Classes include English conversation practice with native speakers, reading, writing, listening, and vocabulary development. The program is designed for Johnson County residents who have come to the area for work, education, business, or to build a new life, and the classroom is intentionally a community built on encouragement, mutual respect, and meaningful relationships. Registration takes place in early September each fall, with classes beginning shortly after. New students and volunteers are always welcome.
Immigrant Connection
Immigrant Connection is Olathe Wesleyan's DOJ-accredited immigration legal services program. The clinic is recognized by the Department of Justice's Office of Legal Access Programs, and its attorneys and DOJ-accredited representatives are authorized to provide legal counsel to immigrants regarding their eligibility for immigration benefits under current U.S. immigration law.
People who need help navigating the legal system can submit a request for information and be connected to resources, advice, and support tailored to their specific situation. The church promises clear, actionable information that empowers immigrants to understand their options and next steps.
HopeBound Counseling
HopeBound Counseling is a non-profit Christian counseling center operating in partnership with Olathe Wesleyan Church and serving Olathe and Overland Park. The center was created to make mental health support accessible regardless of financial situation, and its team of therapists provides a safe, confidential space for individuals to explore their thoughts and feelings and to begin a journey toward healing and growth.
The counseling center welcomes people who cannot afford traditional therapy and want a place to begin. Anyone interested in scheduling can call the church office to be connected.
Alpha: Dinner, Conversation, and Questions About Faith
Alpha is an introduction to the Christian faith that meets at the church in a relaxed, conversational setting. Each gathering begins with a meal, followed by a short video and discussion in small table groups. Alpha is built around the questions many people ask when they first start thinking about faith, and the format is explicitly designed for people who are curious, skeptical, returning to church after time away, or simply exploring.
Making Your Mark and Other Discipleship Pathways
Several times a year, Olathe Wesleyan runs a course called Making Your Mark for people who want to go deeper. The course covers how God created each participant, the story of the church, the values that drive it, and how members can impact their community together. It is one of the main on-ramps into the life and leadership of the congregation.
Throughout the year, the church also hosts community events where the congregation gathers for a shared meal or a party. The calendar lists seasonal events, small-group opportunities, and the rhythm of ministry programs that run week by week.
What the Church Believes
Olathe Wesleyan's statement of faith is rooted in the core principles of historic Christianity. The church teaches that there is one God who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is the source of salvation and the Savior of all who put their faith in Him alone for eternal life; that those who receive new life in Christ are called to be holy in character and conduct and to serve the community through their spiritual gifts and calling, living this way only by being filled with the Holy Spirit; that the Bible is God's inspired Word and the standard for faith and actions; that God wants everyone to know Him as Savior and Lord; and that the purpose of the Church is to tell the world about Christ through worship, witness, and loving deeds.
The Wesleyan Church's broader Articles of Religion guide the congregation's theology and practice.
Six Values That Shape Everything
The church describes its life through six core values, and it emphasizes that no single value stands alone.
Acceptance is meeting people where they are. Everyone has intrinsic value because all are created in the image of God. The church chooses to love those who are broken, forgive those who stumble, and restore those who fall, showing kindness, forgiveness, and grace as demonstrations of God's acceptance.
Communitas is an intense community spirit, the feeling of social equality, solidarity, and togetherness. The congregation seeks to love God with heart, mind, soul, and strength, and to love neighbors as themselves. Members voluntarily sacrifice personal ambition for the mission. Communitas is characterized by mutual accountability and love that shares the good, the bad, and the ugly of life. No one stands alone, no one rises alone, and no one falls alone.
Generosity is liberally sharing one's resources. People are taught to give generously without compulsion because God loves a cheerful giver. Generosity is an antidote to greed, and the church teaches that its generosity will outlive the current generation, with impact felt by those who come after.
Making Disciples is the irreplaceable, core task of the church. The congregation develops fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ and guides them toward spiritual wholeness, cultivating connections through relationships with both God and others.
Missional Living is being an advocate for those who don't know Jesus by doing whatever it takes to reach them where they are. The church expects every disciple to model missional living, choosing to focus on the unchurched as Jesus did.
Multiplication is organically reproducing at an exponential rate. The church works to remove barriers to multiplication by deliberately developing reproducible systems, intentionally making disciples who make disciples, developing leaders who develop leaders, and planting churches that plant churches.
Listening Back: A Sermon Library in Motion
Olathe Wesleyan invests heavily in preaching and teaching. The sermon archive is updated nearly every week with audio and video on YouTube and a livestream for those who cannot attend in person. Recent series include "Unlearning," an extended walk through the lives of Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Noah, and Elijah, exploring what believers are invited to lay down in order to follow Jesus; "Encountering Jesus," a study through the Gospels that walks through the life of Christ from His calling of the disciples to the resurrection; "Restore," a series on the doctrines of salvation, sanctification, and glorification and the slow formation of believers; and one-off messages on topics such as hearing from God, trusting God with the future, the Trinity, overcoming the past, and what worship really is.
The teaching style is conversational and accessible, with illustrations drawn from everyday life, and the messages are typically followed by a short FAQ section that addresses common follow-up questions. Worship is described in the church's own teaching as far more than music, including the way a believer responds to God in every season of life, and the congregation gathers around the Lord's Table to remember the sacrifice of Christ.
The Leadership Team
The pastoral team is led by Jim Wood, who serves as Senior Pastor and Executive Director. Bill Rose serves as Campus Pastor, and Genetta Herrera serves as Assistant Pastor and Program Director. Damaris Santana Dominguez is the Executive Administrator, and Jocelyn Carlisle leads Social Media and Communications. The team can be reached through the church office at 913-780-6365 or by email.
How to Find Olathe Wesleyan
The church is located at 15320 South Ridgeview Road in Olathe, Kansas, 66062, between 151st Street and 159th Street. Anyone who knows the neighborhood landmarks of Olathe South High School, Foody's Restaurant, the Garmin International headquarters, or Bobo Chinese will be in the area. Sunday worship begins at 10:30 a.m., and services are also livestreamed online. Visitors are invited to come as they are, to join a small group, to bring their children, to explore faith through Alpha, or simply to stay for the meal that follows one of the community events. The church's mission is straightforward: to make disciples of Jesus who passionately pursue who God created them to be, and to see that life multiplied through the people of Olathe and far beyond.