Sitting along a quiet stretch of W. Sale Road on the south side of Lake Charles, Sale Street Baptist Church has built its identity around one phrase: multiplying disciples of Jesus. From the moment you pull into the campus, the church presents itself less as a building and more as a family - one organized around making disciples who in turn make more disciples, both across the street and around the world.
The congregation gathers every Sunday morning for Bible study and worship, fills the building again on Wednesday nights around tables for dinner and study, and sends men, women, and students into the surrounding neighborhoods of Calcasieu Parish, into foster and adoptive families, into local schools facing food scarcity, and overseas to Malawi. The teaching here is rooted in the Baptist Faith and Message, the confession shared by cooperating Southern Baptist churches, and the leadership structure follows the New Testament pattern of a shared eldership overseeing decentralized small-group communities.
Multiplying Disciples of Jesus
Sale Street's stated mission is to glorify God by fulfilling the Great Commission through the transforming of people into fully obedient disciples of Christ. Their vision pushes that mission into the daily life of the church: every member abiding in Christ, every member connected in community, every member caring for one another, every member continuing toward maturity, and every member contributing toward the mission.
The church borrows a six-marks description from theologian Zane Pratt to describe what a disciple actually looks like. Disciples are passionate about the Bible, reading, studying, memorizing, and meditating on it daily until its worldview becomes their own. They grow to love what Jesus loves and hate what He hates. They obey out of desire rather than duty. They love fellow believers and neighbors practically, through forgiveness and service, and they share the gospel, disciple other believers, and engage in the global spread of the gospel to all peoples.
To make that happen, Sale Street follows the model of Jesus and the early church: gathering the local body together for teaching, singing, giving, and prayer; meeting in smaller, diverse, connected, and committed communities (the church calls these CORE Groups); spending time one-on-one; meeting practical needs in the city and beyond; and sending missionaries out to share the gospel and plant churches.
What Sale Street Believes
Sale Street subscribes fully to the Baptist Faith and Message, the doctrinal confession used by cooperating Southern Baptist churches. The statement is organized into eighteen articles, each paired with extensive Scripture references. The church holds that the Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired and is God's perfect, trustworthy revelation of Himself, and that all Scripture is a testimony to Him who is its focus.
There is one living and true God, infinite in holiness and all other perfections, who reveals Himself as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Christ is the eternal Son of God, conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, who honored the divine law through personal obedience and provided redemption through His substitutionary death on the cross, was raised from the dead, ascended to the right hand of God, and will return personally and visibly in glory. The Holy Spirit inspired Scripture, illumines truth, convicts of sin, regenerates the believer, baptizes every believer into the body of Christ, bestows spiritual gifts, and seals believers until final redemption.
Salvation is offered freely to all who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and is worked out in regeneration, justification, sanctification, and glorification. Election is the gracious purpose of God and is consistent with human free agency; all true believers endure to the end, kept by the power of God through faith. A New Testament church is described as an autonomous local congregation of baptized believers, associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel, observing the two ordinances of Christ (baptism and the Lord's Supper), and operating under the Lordship of Christ through democratic processes. The office of pastor is limited to men as qualified by Scripture, while both men and women are gifted for service. Marriage is defined as the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime, and children from the moment of conception are described as a blessing and heritage from the Lord.
Sundays at Sale Street
The weekly Sunday rhythm at Sale Street centers on two gatherings. CORE Groups meet at 9:00 am across the campus. These are the small, diverse discipleship communities the church considers central to its mission. After an hour together, the church comes together for corporate worship at 10:15 am in the Main Worship Center. Worshipers pray, sing, hear God's Word preached, partake of the Lord's Supper on first Sundays, give, and serve one another. The church describes its goal for worship plainly: not to put on a performance, but to create an environment in which God's people can worship Him in spirit and in truth.
The first Sunday of every month carries a special shape. CORE Groups that normally meet on Sundays gather together for a church-wide breakfast in the Fellowship Hall at 9:00 am, and the 10:15 worship service includes the ordinances of the faith - the Lord's Supper and baptisms - with children ages five and older joining their parents in the service to witness these acts.
Midweek: Dinner, Bible Study, and Prayer
Wednesday evenings are a second weekly gathering point for the whole church. The Fellowship Hall fills at 5:30 pm with a family dinner, and at 6:00 pm the church splits into age-appropriate Bible studies that run in parallel. Adult classes change throughout the year, and the church encourages members to check the church app, social media, or text messages for the current study. Children head into the Kidz Music and Missions program at the same hour, and the student building opens at 3:15 pm for students who want to stop by after school, with a youth Bible study called Journey at 6:00 pm. Childcare is provided during adult studies.
On the first Wednesday of every month, regular adult and youth activities pause for an intimate prayer service - a quieter, more contemplative gathering designed to pray through Scripture with a rich time of worship and seeking the Lord together as one body. Similar prayer services are held at other points throughout the year as a regular rhythm of the church.
SSBC Kidz: Children from Birth Through Fifth Grade
SSBC Kidz partners with parents to lay the biblical foundation children need to grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ and to raise up disciples in the home. The ministry's heartbeat is described this way: equipping families to make disciples, love God, and love others.
Children's programming runs alongside the adult Sunday schedule. Bible study classes are offered for every child, nursery through 5th grade, at 9:00 am, with separate rooms and teachers for 0-1 year olds, 1-2 year olds, 3-4 year olds (pre-K), K5-1st grade, 2nd-3rd grade, and 4th-5th grade. At 10:15 am, Kidz Church (called Children's Worship) gathers kindergarteners through 3rd graders to walk through the same passage adults are studying in the main service. The aim is to prepare children for corporate worship by teaching them the basic steps of studying the Bible, understanding context, and applying the passage to their lives, with songs, games, and a reflection time at the end. Fourth and fifth graders attend worship with their parents in the main service.
On Wednesday nights, the children's program continues with family dinner at 5:30 pm and Kidz Music and Missions at 6:00 pm.
Safety is taken seriously. The children's building remains locked and can only be opened with a code. A door monitor is in place during service times. Each child receives a name tag and each parent receives a matching guardian tag that must be presented in order for the child to be dismissed. All volunteers undergo safety training and pass a background check before serving. Standard fire, tornado, and lockdown procedures are in place. Children with special needs are welcomed into an all-inclusive environment; parents are asked to note needs on the new family form so a volunteer can be put in place to help.
Family and baby dedications are held in March and October. The children's ministry also sends home a Kingdom Kit each semester to support family discipleship at home, with bags labeled keep, connect, grow, and share - each tied to the themes of regular use, church connection, deeper study, and faith-sharing. The children's ministry can be reached at kids@salestreet.org.
SSBC Students: Sixth Through Twelfth Grade
Sale Street Students exists to help guide 6th through 12th graders toward maturity as disciples of Jesus, in an environment where students develop lasting friendships, share meaningful experiences, and serve the community together.
Students meet three times a week. On Sundays, Bible study classes meet in the Student Building at 9:00 am, followed by worship in the Main Worship Center at 10:15 am. On Mondays, the high school and middle school gather for a Bible study at 7:00 pm at the Thomas Home, 3638 Burton Lane. On Wednesdays, the Student Building opens at 3:00 pm for students who want to drop in after school, with dinner at 5:30 pm and the youth Bible study called Journey at 6:00 pm. Throughout the year, students also have opportunities to attend camps, service projects, and social events; sign-ups and payments are handled through the Sale Street app.
Tom and Barbara Thomas lead the ministry. They have been at Sale Street and investing in students for many years, and Tom also serves as one of the church's elders. Barbara is the main lecturer for the Bible Study Fellowship program that meets on the campus. Parents who want to volunteer are welcomed, especially around camps and events, and camp scholarships and sibling discounts are available by speaking with Barbara Thomas. The ministry can be reached by texting ssbcstudents to (337) 337-3865.
CORE Groups: The Church in Smaller Form
If Sunday worship is the gathered church, CORE Groups are the church in its smallest recognizable form. Sale Street uses the language of microcosm for them - smaller communities in which the marks of the whole church should be visible.
Groups are organized around four commitments. Members are connected in community centered on Christ, actively involved and invested in one another's lives. They care for one another like Christ through pastoral care, prayer, counsel, accountability, and the sharing of resources. They continue toward maturity by studying the Bible together and living it out. And they contribute to the mission of Christ, with each group holding an identified collective mission in addition to its shared responsibility to share the gospel and make disciples.
Most CORE Groups include a mix of ages and life stages rather than being organized strictly by age or gender. The full list of current groups is on the church website and app; weekly times and locations vary based on the preferences of each group. Several Sunday morning groups meet in rooms in Building A and in the Student Center, while others meet in homes on weeknights - for example, a women's group meeting Mondays at 6:506 pm at 509 Dolby Street, and a women's group meeting Tuesdays at 6:00 pm at 1514 N Covey Lane. There are also student CORE Groups for 6th-8th grade boys, 6th-8th grade girls, and 9th-12th grade boys and girls meeting in the Student Center on Sundays at 9:00 am.
Serving Lake Charles and the World
Sale Street organizes its service life around several standing ministries.
Operation Christmas Child. The church collects items year-round to ship through the global OCC ministry, with thousands of boxes packed at a yearly packing party in October or November.
Global Missions. The church supports several missionaries overseas and sends groups to work with You Turn Ministries in Malawi throughout the year.
Food for Thought. Volunteers pack food bags for children in Calcasieu Parish experiencing food scarcity. The bags are delivered by volunteers to local schools each week. Food for Thought meets in the church's annex building on Tuesday nights at 5:30, and anyone is welcome to drop by and help.
Local Missions. The church partners with neighborhoods to bring the gospel to children and families through block parties, kickball games, and holiday celebrations throughout the year.
Kitchen Crew. A team prepares Wednesday night meals, First Sunday breakfasts, and other events.
Foster the Family. A multi-faceted ministry that supports foster and adoptive families in the community. It hosts family meetings in the Children's Department, delivers meals to parents taking new children into care, provides training and supplies, and runs Show Hope's Hope for the Journey Conference each year at the church. The ministry also hosts an annual car show, the Sale Street Showcase, which raises funds for the families it serves.
Widows' Might. A monthly luncheon and fellowship gathering for widows, supported by volunteers who prepare and serve food and lead activities.
Ministry Partners. Three outside ministries share the campus. Prudentia Classical Academy, a hybrid homeschool group, meets on campus twice a week. Christian Youth Theater - Lake Charles rehearses weekly for its semester showcases. And the Bible Study Fellowship women's group meets on campus on Thursdays for its study and lecture, with classes for women and children.
Elders, Deacons, and Distributed Leadership
Sale Street describes its leadership model as distributed and decentralized. The church is united under the headship of Jesus and led by one eldership body. Elders manage and care for the church, provide spiritual oversight, determine church policy, teach and preach, hold firm to sound doctrine, and set an example for the flock. Under elder oversight, the church is decentralized into CORE Groups, each with its own distributed leadership.
The current elders are Drew Mills (Teaching Pastor), Justin Martindale (Worship Director), John Rhoden (who also serves as the church's accountant), Paul Pettefer, Lucas LaCour, and Tom Thomas. Drew Mills preaches and teaches; Justin Martindale leads the worship ministry and oversees the music staff and Praise Team CORE Group. The diaconate is made up of Mark Whisenhunt, Daniel Cutrer (who also leads the Kitchen Crew), Chuck Runyon, Josh Beasley, Colin Patton, and Kyle Williams. Pastoral correspondence can be sent to elders@salestreet.org.
Hospitality Nights, Membership, and Getting Connected
For newcomers and members who don't yet have a CORE Group, Hospitality Nights are the church's main bridge. The gatherings are simple: a meal together in someone's home, with sign-ups handled through the church office. Hospitality nights are intentionally designed to be a stepping stone into joining a CORE Group.
Those interested in formal membership fill out an inquiry form on the website; an elder follows up. Baptism, for both kids and adults, is scheduled by contacting the Children's Coordinator or an elder for a meeting to discuss its meaning before the baptism takes place in a Sunday service.
Planning a Visit
Sale Street welcomes visitors warmly, and the practical details are spelled out for first-time guests. Dress is whatever is comfortable - jeans, slacks, or shorts are all fine. The main entrance is on the south side of the building, opposite Sale Road, marked by a stone portico and quadruple doors. Coffee is brewing in the lobby on Sunday mornings, and the greeting team will help families find their way.
Families with children can save time on Sunday morning by pre-registering through the Parent Portal on the website. On arrival, guests can enter through the main doors and turn right toward the yellow wall, or use the Children's Building doors by the playground and head for the main desk in the Children's Welcome Center for check-in. There is no obligation to give as a guest; offering envelopes and collection boxes are available at both doors of the Worship Center for those who wish to contribute.
The church app, searchable as Sale Street Baptist Church in the App Store, is the central hub for events, giving, sermons, and CORE Group details. Giving is also accepted online through the website and by mail to the church's P.O. Box. Office questions can be directed to office@salestreet.org or (337) 477-3463.
On any given week at Sale Street, the same wide range of people are doing the same things they have done for years - gathering in CORE Groups, sharing a meal on Wednesday night, packing food bags for local schools, packing shoeboxes for children overseas, teaching kindergartners the same Bible stories their parents learned, and sitting under the steady preaching of God's Word. The church's name is taken from the road it sits on, but its identity is taken from the Great Commission it has organized itself around.