Three Campuses Across Limestone County
Lindsay Lane Baptist Church sits just north of Highway 72 in Athens, Alabama, in the rolling country between I-65 and the Tennessee River. What began in 1988 as a small church plant of 63 members has grown into a multi-campus congregation that today gathers at three locations across northern Alabama. The Athens Main Campus on Lindsay Lane South anchors the work, while the Harvest (East) Campus and Lester (West) Campus extend the same body of believers into neighboring communities. Lindsay Lane reports its membership to the Limestone Baptist Association and uses the purpose statement Together for the Glory of God and the Good of Man as the through-line for everything it does.
From 63 Members to an 1,800-Seat Sanctuary
The church's first pastor, Phil Daws, was followed by a season of transitions that left membership at just 32 by early 1992. On April 26 of that year, Dusty McLemore was called as a bi-vocational pastor and was ordained on May 3. Growth came quickly. By 1994 membership had reached 200 and McLemore moved to full-time ministry. A sanctuary was dedicated in October 1996, but within six months the growing congregation was back to two Sunday morning services.
A second, 1,800-seat sanctuary was filled for the first time on December 1, 2002, with Dr. Johnny Hunt as the guest speaker. Membership by year's end had reached 1,200, and the following year brought the church's greatest numerical harvest: 140 baptisms and 169 people joining by letter or statement, pushing total membership past 1,400. The year 2003 also saw the launch of Lindsay Lane Christian Academy as a home-school umbrella program and the renovation of the old sanctuary into a two-story educational facility and choir suite.
The mid-2000s brought outreach beyond Athens: in 2004 alone the church sent three pastors to plant churches in Tennessee and ran international mission trips to France, Venezuela, and South Africa. Membership passed 1,800 by the end of 2007, the same year the church updated its mission statement to Making Disciples who Worship, Grow and Serve. A Preschool and Children's Building opened in August 2008, the church's 20th anniversary year, and the student worship center followed in February 2009.
Two church plants followed: the Harvest (East) Campus launched in 2013 by acquiring the Christ Way Baptist Church facilities, and a North Campus in the Elkmont community launched in 2019. When Pastor Dusty retired in April 2020, Andy John King stepped into the lead pastor role, and Heath Haney took over the East Campus.
Sunday Mornings at the Athens Campus
Sunday worship at the Athens campus is offered twice in the morning, each gathering paired with on-site groups for every age. A 9:00 AM service and a 10:30 AM service both include groups for adults, students, and children, and the two-hour rhythm gives families flexibility. The morning begins earlier for those who want to pray: a prayer ministry meets at 8:15 AM in the Gathering Space each Sunday, with a second weekly prayer time on Wednesday evenings at 5:45 PM in the Counseling Room.
Worship is led by Worship Minister Daniel Green and draws on a blended style that includes the church's Worship Choir and Orchestra alongside a contemporary worship team. The church streams services live through its SermonCloud page for those worshiping from home. Year-round, the Sunday calendar rotates through several touchstones: New Christians Class for those exploring faith, Baby Dedication Sunday each fall, Promotion Sunday when children move up into new classes, and Graduate Sunday each spring.
Wednesday Nights for the Whole Church
Wednesday evenings at 6:30 PM have been a part of Lindsay Lane's schedule since the mid-1990s, and the current lineup reflects that long-running emphasis. WAM, or Worship, Activities, and Missions, gathers children ages 2 through 5th grade in the Children's Building for a night of worship, hands-on activities, and a missions focus. A Ladies Bible Study on the Women of the Bible runs in the fall, and short courses such as Parenting Plus One rotate through the same hour. The student ministry hosts its own Wednesday programming in the Student Center, often built around events like Silent Disco nights and Junior or Senior mission trip interest meetings.
Children: Little Lane, WAM, and Promotion Sunday
Children's ministry is described as the heart of the church family at Lindsay Lane. The Preschool program, called Little Lane and rooted in the Mom's Morning Out tradition, is directed by Rhonda Carter and exists to nurture self-confidence through creative activities and exploration. Ashley Claborn oversees Children's Ministry, partnering with parents to teach children to Know God, Grow with God, Love God, and Live for God.
Children move up into new classes each year on Promotion Sunday, a tradition that gives the fall calendar a fresh starting point. A New Christian Class is offered for children who have questions about faith, and a Baby Dedication Sunday takes place each year for parents wishing to present their infants to the congregation. Respite Care, part of the Special Connections ministry, gives caregivers a regular break while their loved ones are welcomed in a loving environment.
Students: The Lane
The Lane is the student ministry of Lindsay Lane, drawing students from Limestone and Madison counties and representing more than eight different high schools along with several intermediate schools and homeschool associations. Programming centers on Wednesday nights in the Student Center and includes large group gatherings, seasonal events like a High School Ski Trip and Silent Disco nights, and annual mission trips. The student ministry is led by Mary Elizabeth Beasley (Girls) and Daniel Green (Guys), with recreation duties also under Beasley's oversight.
Special Connections: A Place for Every Family
Lindsay Lane takes seriously its ministry to individuals and families impacted by disability. The Special Connections Ministry, directed by Holley Wright, works to create a safe and secure environment as we meet the unique needs of individuals and families impacted by disability, leading them to know Jesus. The ministry hosts a Sensory Friendly Experience at Trunk or Treat, runs a Respite Care program for parents and caregivers, and partners with Upward Sports, which offers basketball and cheerleading for children during the fall and winter seasons.
Lindsay Lane Christian Academy
What began as a Mom's Morning Out program grew into Lindsay Lane Christian Academy, a K-12 school serving roughly 600 students. The academy opened in August 2009 with 39 students and four full-time teachers in kindergarten through sixth grade. In 2011 it absorbed Faith Christian Academy's two campuses and expanded to K3 through 12th grade. The first high school graduating class walked across the stage in May 2012, and the school now holds full ACSI and SACS accreditation. Steve Murr serves as Head of School. A Booster Club Golf Classic is held each spring to support LLCA athletics.
Adult Communities: Men, Women, College, and Seniors
Adults at Lindsay Lane have several distinct communities to choose from. The Men's Ministry promotes spiritual growth through fellowship and service and gathers for events like the annual Men's Trap Shoot at Old South Clays. The Women's Ministry, led by Katie White, hosts the annual Women's Conference, a Women's Worship Weekend at Camp Helen, and a Ladies Bible Study on Wednesday nights during the fall. MOMS, Moms of Many Strengths, meets monthly for food, fellowship, Bible study, and outreach projects, and runs the semi-annual Little Lambs Consignment Sale to support its work.
The College and Young Singles Ministry welcomes young adults generally under 30 with no prerequisites. The Senior Adult Ministry, geared to those 55 and older, gathers for trips, luncheons, and missions projects, including a regular Senior Adult Lunch in the Family Life Center. A Veterans Ministry hosts an Ice Cream Social and other fellowship meals throughout the year. Grief Share, a 13-week support program, runs in seasons for those who have lost a loved one.
Hope for Athens and a Heart for the Local Community
Local outreach is anchored by Hope for Athens, a Saturday-morning event held at the Athens Middle School gym that provides free groceries, haircuts, health services, and a Kids Zone for anyone in need. The church also runs a Bedding Drive for the Limestone County chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace, hosts Move Month each July to encourage neighborhood outreach, takes over a local school's concession stand as a fundraiser, and meets on the Downtown Square each summer for an annual Worship Night coordinated by the Gross family. A Night of Champions dinner encourages middle and high school coaches each fall, and the church partners with ICR's annual golf tournament to support pastors and their wives in seven countries.
Missions Beyond Athens
Missions are described as a vital part of the church's identity. The annual Give to Go Sunday celebrates the church's 33 mission partners with a special offering that funds the next year's outreach and missions budget, while a fall Missions Celebration called Eat. Learn. Pray. gathers the congregation with featured partners from South Asia, the Middle East, Vermont, and Guatemala for a meal, ministry updates, and prayer. A monthly prayer calendar walks members through each partner, and short-term mission trips, both domestic and international, are organized through the year. Eric Pugh, who served as Missions and Family Ministries Pastor for 14 years, retired in late 2020; Jon Thackston, who had previously served as a missionary in Laos and as Discipleship Director at LLCA, took the role in January 2022.
Worship, Choir, and Orchestra
The Music and Worship Ministry sees music as central to every generation's expression of faith. The Worship Choir and Orchestra provide one path for musicians and singers to serve, and the Audio, Video, and Media team operates the church's high-quality sound, lighting, and broadcast systems for both in-person services and the livestream. A Photography Ministry captures events and activities throughout the year, and a Spotify playlist extends the church's musical reach beyond the sanctuary.
What Lindsay Lane Believes
The church's Statement of Faith centers on classic evangelical convictions. God is the Creator and Ruler of the universe, eternally existing as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, co-equal and one God. Man is made in God's image but separated from Him by an attitude of disobedience called sin. Jesus Christ is the Son of God, who lived a sinless human life, offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for sin by dying on a cross, rose again after three days, ascended to heaven, and will return again to reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Salvation is a gift from God received by trusting in Jesus Christ as God's offer of forgiveness. Eternal life begins the moment a person receives Christ by faith, and the believer's eternal security rests on God's grace and keeping power, not on self-effort. The Holy Spirit is equal with the Father and the Son, present in the world to make men aware of their need for Christ and living in every Christian from the moment of salvation, providing power for living, understanding of spiritual truth, and guidance in doing what is right.
The Bible is described as God's word to all men, written by human authors under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit and truth without any mixture of error. A New Testament church is understood as a local body of baptized believers associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel, observing the two ordinances of Christ. Lindsay Lane practices Christian baptism by immersion as an act of obedience symbolizing the believer's death to sin and resurrection to new life, and observes the Lord's Supper as a memorial of the Redeemer's death in anticipation of His second coming.
Practical Details for a First-Time Visitor
The Athens campus is located at 1300 Lindsay Lane South, Athens, AL 35613, just north of Highway 72. From I-65, head east 0.2 miles to Lindsay Lane, then turn north and travel about 0.2 miles; the church is on the left. The church office is open Monday through Thursday from 8 AM to 4 PM, and the office phone number is (256) 232-0020. A Parking Lot Ministry assists with parking and provides transportation from the lot to the Worship Center for those who need it. Worship services are livestreamed for those watching from home, and giving is available online. Group Bible studies for every age and stage meet alongside the Sunday morning services and can be browsed in the Connect Groups catalog, and the Lindsay Lane 101 New Members Class is offered periodically for anyone wanting to learn more about the church.