Our Story

Lenexa Baptist Church has served as a Gospel-center in the Kansas City area since the late 1980s. The church has grown dramatically since its inception and is now a multi-campus ministry serving both urban and rural areas.  A growing online presence has created vast outreach opportunities as well.

In January of 1988, Lenexa Baptist Church met in the Christa McAuliffe Elementary School in Lenexa for its first service as a mission church sponsored by Emmanuel Baptist Church in Overland Park. The church was initially named Westside Baptist Church.  Steve Dighton became the first Senior Pastor of the newly constituted Lenexa Baptist Church in January of 1990.  Under his leadership, the church experienced tremendous growth and moved to its current location on 87th Street in March of 2001.  The addition of a Family Life Center and a larger Worship Center soon followed.  LBC became a center for the revitalization of other churches as opportunities arose in in both Kansas and Missouri. 

In 2015, Pastor Steve retired after 25 years of faithful ministry.  LBC became debt-free and was well established for future growth. He and his wife Mary continue to minister and serve in various capacities across the country.  He currently serves as Pastor Emeritus.

Pastor Chad McDonald assumed the role of Senior Pastor later in 2015. Under Pastor Chad’s leadership, the church continues to thrive and expand.  Multiple revitalized campuses have been “unleashed” as autonomous bodies that are reaching their communities for Christ.  Newer Kansas campuses in De Soto and Paola have been planted, as well as in Raytown, Missouri, and are all growing. Missions both nationally and internationally has moved to the forefront of vision and strategy. 

This is the mission of Lenexa Baptist Church:

REACH so that the lost are found …

TEACH so that the found are equipped …

UNLEASH so that the equipped are engaged …

The story continues to unfold…


 Leadership

Chad McDonald | Senior Pastor

Our Story

Lenexa Baptist Church has served as a Gospel center in the Kansas City area since the late 1980’s. The church has grown dramatically since its inception and is now a multi-campus ministry serving both urban and rural areas.  A growing online presence has created vast outreach opportunities as well.

In January of 1988, Lenexa Baptist Church met in the Christa McAuliffe Elementary School in Lenexa for its first service as a mission church sponsored by Emmanuel Baptist Church in Overland Park. The church was initially named Westside Baptist Church.  Steve Dighton became the first Senior Pastor of the newly constituted Lenexa Baptist Church in January of 1990.  Under his leadership, the church experienced tremendous growth and moved to its current location on 87th Street in March of 2001.  The addition of a Family Life Center and a larger Worship Center soon followed.  LBC became a center for the revitalization of other churches as opportunities arose in in both Kansas and Missouri. 

In 2015, Pastor Steve retired after 25 years of faithful ministry.  LBC became debt free and was well established for future growth. He and his wife Mary continue to minister and serve in various capacities across the country.  He currently serves as Pastor Emeritus.

Pastor Chad McDonald assumed the role of Senior Pastor later in 2015. Under Pastor Chad’s leadership, the church continues to thrive and expand.  Revitalized campuses have been “unleashed” as autonomous bodies that reach their communities for Christ.  Newer Kansas campuses in Olathe and De Soto are growing and the City of Paola is the next opportunity.  Missions both nationally and internationally has moved to the forefront of vision and strategy. 

This is the mission of Lenexa Baptist Church:

REACH so that the lost are found …

TEACH so that the found are equipped …

UNLEASH so that the equipped are engaged …

The story continues to unfold…


 Leadership

Chad McDonald | Senior Pastor