On Deats Road in Dickinson, Texas, a multi-generational congregation has gathered each week since 1999 to worship, study Scripture, and feed the surrounding community. Living Faith Outreach, pastored by John and Jeana Gilligan, calls itself spirit-filled and rooted in love. Locals know it as "the church on the basketball court" and "the church that feeds people" - nicknames earned by its bustling Hope Connection Youth gym nights and the monthly food pantry that has served Galveston County residents for more than two decades.
What to Expect on Sunday Morning
Services begin at 10 a.m. on Sundays and run about an hour and a half, weaving together worship, a greeting time, announcements, and a message from Pastors John and Jeana. There is no dress code - jeans are common - and the atmosphere aims to welcome newcomers and longtime members alike. The sanctuary is the large building furthest from the street, with double doors opening onto the porch. For families arriving with children, check-in is in the separate Children's Ministry building next door.
Parking is available in the lot in front of the building, with overflow spaces by the nearby softball field when the lot fills, and accessible parking is available in front of both buildings. The church can be found by looking for the softball and baseball fields that flank it.
Those who cannot attend in person can join the livestream on YouTube or Facebook at 10 a.m. each Sunday, and the full service archive is available anytime on YouTube. Sermons and lessons are also distributed as podcasts on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music.
Wednesday Nights at Hope Connection
The midweek gathering begins at 6:30 p.m. and runs into the 7 p.m. service. Hope Connection Youth, the student ministry for grades 6 through 12, takes over the gym in the Children's Ministry building. Led by Brad and Sandee Kokes, the night opens with basketball, games, and time to hang out before the Hope Connection Worship Team leads students in worship and Bible study. The youth team's catchphrases - "you are significant," "your life matters," "God is good," "anything is possible" - set the tone for a night designed to give teens a safe place to encounter Jesus.
At the same hour, the Children's Ministry building hosts Kingdom Kids for boys and girls, with fun, age-appropriate teaching and a chance to be themselves in a safe environment. Nursery care is offered during all regular weekend and midweek services, so parents with infants and toddlers can attend the adult gatherings with peace of mind.
Hope Connection Community Center
On the first Wednesday of each month at 6 p.m., the church campus opens up for Hope Connection Community Center, a free family night with games, food, face painting, giveaways, and door prizes for church families and neighbors alike. The center also runs open gym nights, and a recent event listing shows a family-friendly evening running from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Volunteers for face painting, popcorn, sports, and other roles are always welcome.
Children's Ministry from Nursery to Pre-Teens
Pastors Dwayne and Debbie Tidwell oversee the children's ministry, with the goal of helping children and their families encounter Jesus and growing up the next generation of fully devoted followers of Christ. The teaching is intentionally age-specific and centers on the whole Bible.
K.I.D.S. Church (Kids in Divine Service) meets Sunday mornings at 10 a.m. alongside the adult worship service. It blends games, fun-filled songs, and lessons that show children that living for God is exciting. Kingdom Kids gathers on Wednesday nights at 6:30 p.m. for girls and boys, with more games, Scripture, and a welcoming setting. Nursery care runs concurrently with all regular weekend and midweek services, with nursery directors Joe and Jennifer Cooley overseeing the youngest members.
All children's and student ministry volunteers are background checked and trained with experienced workers.
The Bridge Life Course and Sunday School
Before Sunday morning worship, Pastor Jeana leads an in-depth Bible study at 9 a.m. in the Fellowship Room of the Children's Ministry Building. Lesson handouts can be downloaded as PDFs from the page.
The Bridge Life Course is the church's longer-form teaching ministry. A Master Class taught by Pastor Jeana, Dylis Mulder, and James, it is designed to teach the connection between the mind and the spirit through Biblical and science-based teaching. Multi-semester audio archives with downloadable class notes are available online, and the series can be streamed on Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music.
Small Groups for Every Stage of Life
Living Faith Outreach organizes its adults and teens into communities that meet outside the main services:
- Iron Sharpens Iron is a 12-step recovery ministry for addictions and co-dependency issues that meets virtually in a Facebook group.
- Experiencing the Holy Spirit is the women's Bible study led by Brenda Torres, meeting the second Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. in her home.
- LFO Young Adults gathers adults ages 18 to 45 for Bible study; details are released by email as meetings get under way.
- Wisdom Walkers is the 45-plus adults ministry, gathering the last Sunday of each month at 6 p.m. in the Fellowship Room for potluck and Bible study.
- Reeds to Rocks is the teen Bible study that meets the third Sunday of each month from 4:30 to 7 p.m. in Santa Fe.
Women's ministry meets the third Saturday of each month at 10 a.m., and men's ministry, led by Pastor John Gilligan, gathers for breakfast fellowship the second Saturday of each month at 9 a.m.
Food Pantry and Outreach Across Galveston County
Since 1999, Living Faith Outreach has operated an outreach ministry. The LFO Food Pantry, led by Mike and Betty Shoup, serves Galveston County residents through a drive-thru distribution on the third Tuesday of each month from 3 to 5 p.m. Volunteers begin packing bags at 10:30 a.m. that morning. To receive food, residents call the church office or stop by during office hours to complete a short application required by the county food bank; no ID, proof of income, or proof of residency is required.
Hope Connection Outreach takes the church beyond its walls, sending volunteers to local apartment complexes with face painting, games, snacks, and the message of Jesus in a carnival-style setting.
The church also sponsors Bible clubs that meet weekly during the school year at McAdams Junior High, Dickinson Junior High, Kranz Junior High, and Dickinson High School, connecting with students in the local public schools.
What the Church Believes
Living Faith Outreach holds to a brief, traditional evangelical statement of faith. The Bible is the inspired Word of God. There is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and salvation is God's free gift, received by faith. The Holy Spirit lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation and empowers a godly life. The church believes in the resurrection to life of those who are saved, and that healing is provided through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Water baptism is taught as an outward testimony to what God has already done inwardly - a public statement of faith. Those interested in being baptized are asked to call the church office.
Getting Connected and Giving
Visitors and newcomers can email lfo@livingfaithoutreach.org or call 281-309-0799 for more information. The church can also be found on Facebook and Instagram for ongoing updates. A general volunteer application and a children's ministry volunteer application are both available online.
Generosity is described as a form of worship, anchored in Philippians 4:19. Tithes and offerings can be given online through PayPal, dropped in the offering baskets on stage during services, placed in secure dropboxes in the lobby, mailed to the church, or delivered in person at the office.
The People of Living Faith Outreach
From the nursery through the Wisdom Walkers, Living Faith Outreach describes itself as a church for every stage of life. Its doors are open on Deats Road each Sunday morning and Wednesday evening, and online through livestreams, podcasts, and social media, with a mission that reaches from Dickinson to the wider world.