On the west side of Grand Ledge, Michigan, Grand Ledge Baptist Church gathers Sunday after Sunday on Willow Highway to worship, study the Bible, and walk with one another through the slow work of Christian growth. The congregation is best known for a leadership approach that is unusual among American churches: rather than shepherding through a single senior pastor, GLBC is led by co-pastors who share the pulpit, sit together on Mondays to plan the year ahead, and divide ministries according to gift and calling.
A Hundred-Plus Years on Willow Highway
For well over a century, the people of Grand Ledge Baptist Church have been gathering for worship on what is now 1120 Willow Highway. The congregation's earliest decades were shaped by a traditional senior-pastor model in which one minister carried the weight of preaching, vision, and pastoral care. Over time, the church noticed that those burdens often shortened pastoral tenures and put strain on the people. In 2007 the church found itself between senior pastors, and three associate pastors - Andrew Ford, Brian McLaughlin, and pastoral intern John Lemke - stepped in together to carry the work of the church. That year, the congregation discovered that sharing pastoral leadership brought genuine relief and a steadier rhythm to ministry. In 2008 the co-pastor model was formalized, with Andrew, Brian, and John serving as a team.
In 2024 Andrew Ford concluded twenty-four years of ministry at GLBC and transitioned into a role with Converge Mid-America. The departure demonstrated the resilience of the model the church had chosen: GLBC could celebrate one pastor's ministry while continuing its work with Brian and John as co-pastors. The church has belonged to the Converge family of churches for many years, and the region known as Converge Mid-America is one of the partners in this shared calling.
Three Voices at One Pulpit
The co-pastor model at Grand Ledge Baptist Church rests on the conviction that God calls and gifts more than one person to lead a single local congregation. The two co-pastors and a council of elders work together to cast vision and to shepherd the people of GLBC. They share the pulpit, and each one participates in every sermon series. After they pray about what the congregation needs to hear from the Word, the pastors present their sermon ideas to the elders. Once a text and series are approved, the pastors divide the passage at its natural breaks and choose who preaches each section.
Preparation is collaborative. Each pastor studies the assigned text, then shares notes and asks advice on interpretation and delivery. On Mondays they sit at the same table for hours, working through introductions, applications, and the hard parts of passages, always moving toward consensus on what the church needs to hear. The pastors describe these Monday sessions as one of the most important things they do together: humility, patience, and effort are required, and the rhythm sets the tone for how they lead.
John Lemke grew up in Toledo, Ohio, earned a B.A. in Economics from the University of Toledo, and worked in manufacturing plants across Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Oklahoma before he and his wife Patti sensed a call to vocational ministry. He completed his Master of Divinity at Grand Rapids Theological Seminary. Brian McLaughlin grew up in Columbus, Ohio, met his wife Nikki at Miami University, and after working in the paper industry in Kalamazoo completed his own Master of Divinity at Grand Rapids Theological Seminary in 2002. Brian went on to earn a Master of Theology in Systematic Theology from Calvin Theological Seminary in 2007 and a Doctor of Ministry from Fuller Theological Seminary in 2014. Brian leads the student ministries at GLBC, from junior high through college, in addition to sharing the pulpit.
A Sunday at GLBC
A regular Sunday at Grand Ledge Baptist Church follows three rhythms. Worship gatherings take place at 8:30 in the morning and at 10:45, when the later service is also livestreamed on YouTube. Between them, from 9:45 to 10:30, the church runs an education hour with classes for every age: nursery, toddler, preschool through kindergarten, first through fourth grade, fifth and sixth grade, junior high, senior high, and adult Life Groups. During the 10:45 worship service, nursery through kindergarten classrooms are also open so that parents with small children can attend either gathering.
A normal worship gathering includes congregational singing, other music, prayer, and a 30 to 35 minute sermon. The music blends older and newer songs, all pointing to Jesus Christ, led by a worship team that uses piano, guitars, bass, and drums. Once a month the service takes on a liturgical shape that includes the Lord's Prayer, the Apostles' Creed, communion, and a public reading of Colossians 1:15-20. Preaching typically moves through extended series, with the pastors alternating passages as they work through books of the Bible or themes such as the person and work of Jesus.
During the summer the rhythm changes to a single Sunday morning service at 9:30, with children's ministries from nursery through kindergarten and age-appropriate classes from 10:45 to 11:30.
What Visitors Need to Know
Grand Ledge Baptist Church welcomes first-time visitors at any of its gatherings. The two parking lots are open to all, one directly off Willow Highway to the north of the building and another to the south, and both have handicapped parking. The building meets ADA requirements throughout the public spaces. Visitors with children are encouraged to use the north entrance; the children's ministry wing is reached through the first set of double doors on the right.
The dress is casual. Most of the congregation wears jeans or business casual, a few men wear suits, and everything in between is welcome. All those who serve in children's ministry have been background-checked, and the children's wing uses a security-tag system with cameras in every classroom. Children are always welcome to remain with their parents during any morning service, and every service includes a Bible video for younger viewers, with worksheets available in the foyer.
Children, From Nursery Through Sixth Grade
The aim of Children's Ministries at GLBC is to partner with families to raise children who know, love, and serve Christ. The nursery is open during the 9:45 education hour and during the 10:45 worship service. Toddlers through sixth graders attend graded classes during the education hour, and toddlers through kindergarten also have a class during the 10:45 gathering.
The children's ministry team takes safety seriously. Workers pass background checks before serving, classrooms are secured so that only approved workers and children with matching security tags are admitted, members of the church security team make periodic rounds, and every children's classroom is equipped with a security camera.
Two programs anchor children's ministry outside of Sunday morning. Kid Konnection meets on Wednesday evenings from 6:30 to 7:30 during the fall and winter school year, gathering preschool through sixth graders for games, crafts, and a Bible story in a series that moves through books such as Genesis, Exodus, Ruth, Psalms, and Proverbs. Many Wednesdays begin with a 5:45 pizza dinner for the whole family before programs start. Summer Nights Lights runs several evenings in the summer for the same ages, with outdoor play, crafts, snacks, and Bible lessons.
Junior High and Senior High
The youth ministry at GLBC seeks to help every student love God and love others through a relationship with Jesus Christ, built on three core values: loving God, loving others, and serving others. Junior high covers students in grades 7 and 8, who meet at the church on Wednesday evenings from 6:30 to 7:30 during the school year. Senior high, grades 9 through 12, meets at the church on most Sunday evenings from 6:00 to 7:30. Both groups also meet together on Sunday mornings during the 9:45 education hour.
Students participate in summer service trips and retreats, mission trips, social events, and service opportunities alongside the regular weekly calendar. Paul Hicks joined the staff as Youth Ministries Director in the fall of 2024, after several years of attending and serving at GLBC with his wife Rachel. He oversees ministries to all seventh through twelfth grade students.
Life Groups and Small Groups
Adults at GLBC grow in two settings. Life Groups meet on Sunday mornings during the 9:45 education hour and are structured around two things: relationships and the Word of God. Four groups currently gather: a college, post-college, and young-marrieds group; two family-to-empty-nester groups; and a senior adult group. Studies move through books of the Bible such as Lamentations, Ephesians, Colossians, and Hebrews, and participants are free to choose any group.
Small Groups take the work of discipleship off the church campus and into homes and neighborhoods. Most meet on Sunday evenings, though others gather at other times. The groups are made up of two to twelve adults who meet three or four times a month for a year or more, with Bible study, prayer, fellowship, and outreach at the center. The aim is to multiply, develop new leaders, and reach new people; anyone interested is welcome to show up on Sunday at 6:00 pm or to contact Pastor John.
Grief Care and Other Adult Ministries
The adult classes on Wednesday evenings move through electives such as "How People Change," a study of how God brings transformation, and "Money: Bible and Best Practices," a multi-week look at what Scripture teaches about money alongside practical topics like cash flow, investing, taxes, retirement, and leaving a legacy. GriefShare, a thirteen-week grief support series, runs Tuesday evenings from 6:00 to 8:00 during certain seasons of the year, welcoming anyone who has lost a spouse, child, family member, or friend.
Other annual rhythms fill out the year. The church family gathers for a hot chocolate social on a Sunday each January, when classes are paused for a time of fellowship. Family movie nights happen several times a year on Friday or Sunday evenings. The children's Christmas program and a candlelight service mark Advent, and on Good Friday the church gathers for Scripture reading, music, and communion, with child care for the smallest children and a Good Friday program for preschoolers.
What GLBC Believes
The Statement of Faith at Grand Ledge Baptist Church begins with the Bible: the church holds that the Holy Scriptures as originally written are verbally inspired and are the only infallible rule for Christian faith and conduct. The God of the Bible is one God existing in three persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - co-equal and united in every divine perfection. The church teaches the eternal deity of the Lord Jesus Christ, born miraculously of the Virgin Mary, who bore the sin of mankind through his death and resurrection and rose again as the only ground of salvation.
Salvation is by grace through faith in Christ, given to all who believe and confess, and the church teaches that all who take Christ as Savior are born from above and eternally secure in him. Two ordinances are observed: believer's baptism by immersion and the Lord's Supper, observed in remembrance of Christ's death until he returns. Local church government rests in the congregation itself, led by elders (also called bishops or pastors) and deacons.
Distinctively, GLBC teaches the bodily, personal, premillennial return of Jesus Christ. He will come before the seven-year tribulation to take His church, and will return with His church at the close of the tribulation to judge the nations and establish His kingdom. The dead will be raised: believers at the coming of Christ for His church, and the wicked at the close of the millennial kingdom to stand before the Great White Throne of judgment.
The four words the church uses to describe its own DNA are Bible, community, service, and evangelism. The Bible is the source of knowing God and his heart for the world. The Christian life is lived in redeemed community, growing in Christ together. Each believer has been gifted and empowered, and the church seeks to serve one another and the Grand Ledge community. The world needs to know Jesus Christ, and GLBC seeks to be used by the Holy Spirit to share the good news.
A Footprint from Grand Ledge to Togo and Beyond
The people of GLBC invest in partnerships that span Grand Ledge, the United States, and the world. The church currently supports fifteen missionaries who serve in places including Mango and Tsiko in Togo, Europe, Vietnam, Taiwan, Myanmar, Niger, Lansing, Black River in Jamaica, Cedine in Tennessee, and Michigan State University. The work ranges across health care, church planting, pastoral training, aviation maintenance, Bible translation, evangelism, camping ministry, curriculum development, campus ministry, student mentoring, pregnancy resources, and homeless care.
Among local partners, the church works with Kids Hope USA through Willow Ridge Elementary, building one-to-one mentoring relationships. Lansing City Rescue Mission serves people experiencing homelessness in the area, and Shared Pregnancy supports women navigating unexpected or challenging pregnancies. Across the Atlantic, GLBC has partnered with The Hospital of Hope in Mango, Togo, since 2009. The church has sent teams to Togo on three previous occasions and has recently given $13,000 to train Togolese nurses, pharmacists, and x-ray technicians for Mango. Other partner organizations include ABWE, Bibles International, Cedine Ministries, CRU-MSU, Horizon Education Network, MMS Aviation, The Navigators, Reach Global, and SIM International.
Staff and Practical Matters
The day-to-day ministry of Grand Ledge Baptist Church is supported by a small staff. Deb Merryfield serves as Children's Ministry Director and Financial Administrator, overseeing ministries to children and families and keeping the office books. Wendy Mulder, who has been with GLBC since 2011, keeps the office running and often uses her culinary skills to support church events. Paul Hicks oversees ministries to students in grades 7 through 12. Tammy Shiflett has led worship at GLBC since 2019, using her musical and organizational gifts to lead and organize the music ministry.
The church office can be reached at 517-627-9056 or office@glbc.org. The mailing address is P.O. Box 333, Grand Ledge, Michigan 48837, and the building is at 1120 Willow Highway in Grand Ledge. Giving is welcomed online through PayPal, by mail to the post office box, or in person in the donation box in the foyer; all donations support the General Fund, which underwrites the ministries and outreach described throughout the life of the church. Past messages are available on YouTube, and the Sunday morning livestream can be watched at the church's YouTube channel.