Lake Ridge Church lives out the Purpose Driven philosophy. It’s written in their bylaws, designed in their church logo in the form of five concentric circles, and more importantly, it’s demonstrated in the way the members minister to each other and their community. 

Members of the 10-year-old Southern Baptist church are about the Father’s business, whether it is passing out free stamps at the local post office on tax day or traveling to Mississippi to help victims of Hurricane Katrina.

“Our church exists to carry out the Great Commandment and the Great Commission by following the five purposes of the church: worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry, and evangelism,” Pastor Jeff Calloway said. “We are intentional about incorporating each of the five purposes in our worship time.”

Calloway uses conventional methods of outreach in unconventional locations. For instance, a visitor won’t find stained-glass windows or a tall steeple at Lake Ridge. Rather, the congregation gathers at the local Regal Cinema multiplex. “Our meeting place is non-threatening to the unchurched and the dischurched,” Calloway said. “We do our best to provide a relaxed atmosphere.” 

Members of Lake Ridge are intentional about fellowship and strategically place greeters around the cinema to welcome guests and use the theater’s box office as their welcome and information center. Guests and members also mingle with coffee and donuts before the service.

“We greet each person and intentionally make a point to get to know them. We want each person to feel welcome,” Calloway said, who mentioned that each guest receives a Starbucks gift card just for visiting.

“When a visitor walks in, they are blown away at the coffee bar, the casual dress code, and the stadium seating. We want to intrigue them to come back so that we can minister to them,” he said.

Biblically centered and application-based, teaching at Lake Ridge is purpose driven. The music coordinates with the sermon, providing a thematic flow throughout the worship service. “We have a balance of expository and topical preaching and are intentional about the preaching schedule,” Calloway said, who just finished a 12-week series titled Who is Jesus.

The 170-member church also follows the Purpose Driven model for assimilation. Leadership first asks that anyone who makes a commitment during the service to record that decision on a communication card. Next, a church leader will contact that person by telephone the same day to congratulate them and make arrangements to send them materials, like a Bible and the Fresh Start Bible study. Their name is then given to a group leader to make contact and invite them to a group study. Calloway follows up two weeks later with a letter or e-mail and personally invites them to attend the next C.L.A.S.S. 101. After three weeks, the ministry coordinator will make contact with the person and try to recruit them into serving in a “First Serve” ministry.

After each of the Life Strategy classes, leaders then challenge attendees to sign a covenant making a commitment to that specific purpose.

More than 80 percent of the members serve in some capacity of ministry, which creates an atmosphere of servanthood, Calloway said. “We have members serve in all kinds of ministries based on the gift they have identified in C.L.A.S.S. 301.” 

Lake Ridge Church members have participated in World Changers in New Hampshire, disaster relieve mission trips to Mississippi, as well as local ministries such as the Cleveland Food Bank and the Crisis Pregnancy Center. 

One way to note healthy churches, Calloway said, is that they reproduce themselves by planting new churches. Lake Ridge has a goal of planting one church a year, starting in May. 

Lake Ridge will extend their ministry as they start a new “cowboy” church in May.

They will partner with the North American Mission Board and Cleveland Hope to launch Life Brand Cowboy Church. The church is geared to reach individuals who love to be around horses, rodeos, bull riding, barrel racing, and in general, love the country life. 

Royce and Patty Gregory, Lake Ridge members, will lead Life Brand. Royce, a former bull rider, has a passion for the cowboy culture and hopes to minister to the cowboy culture with the Gospel.

“I believe our church is a healthy church because we exist to proclaim the Great Commandment and live out the Great Commission,” Calloway said. “We are seeing new believers at our church and lives are being changed.” 

All 2006 Church Health Award winner information is correct as of Jan. 1, 2006.