About WLBC

About Us

Our Mission

Our Mission Statement: West Lake Baptist Church exists to magnify God the Father and His son, the Lord Jesus Christ, witness for the Lord Jesus Christ, and grow up people in Christ and do this here and wherever God gives us opportunity.

To fulfill the mission we are committed to:

Changed Minds . . .
Compassionate Hearts . . .
Committed Lives . . . To live as fully committed, disciples of Jesus Christ (the Great Commitment)

Our History

In 1976 God moved in the heart of several devoted believers to start a church designed to reach people within the West Lake/Lake Palestine area. The first service was held on March 16, 1976 with 56 people in attendance in a "Big Blue Tent" at the current location and was to be known as the West Lake Baptist Mission. On February 19, 1978, West Lake Baptist Church was officially organized as a church with their own constitution.

Through the years of God’s blessing, and faithfulness of His people - facilities have been established and properties expanded. In 1996 an education building was built, followed by a worship center in 1997.

In 2009 we completed our Youth Education building, which serves as a facility to teach and train the youth 7th - 12th grade, host a college class and additional small group gatherings when needed.

In 2016 we added a new roof to the original structure.

All of the facilities/structures are completely paid for because of the generosity of our members and the Blessing of God.

Through decades of growth and blessing, God has preserved the original vision; to reach the community with the unchanging life transforming truth of Jesus Christ. We remain grateful for a richly blessed past and look forward to the future with great expectation believing that our best days are yet to come.

History is still being written at WLBC. We invite you to come, be a part of the journey and make history with us as we reach people with the life changing truths of Christ - all for His glory!

Our Beliefs & Affiliations

Beliefs

West Lake Baptist Church affirms the

Baptist Faith & Message 2000.

Affiliations

West Lake Baptist Church is a congregationally governed, autonomous, Southern Baptist Church, affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention. We are affiliated with The Southern Baptists of Texas state convention. In addition, we are locally aligned with the Dogwood Trails Association and Smith County Association. The state and local association affiliations help us to partner in spreading the gospel throughout the world.

Visitors Frequently Asked Questions

Please reach us at cevans@westlakebaptistchurch.org if you cannot find an answer to your question.

What should I wear?

Wear something comfortable and tasteful. Some members of WLBC wear jeans, while others wear dresses or suits. It is not your clothing that matters as much as your heart. So, bring an open heart prepared to meet the presence of God in worship.

Will I Be Singled Out In Any Way?

No. You will not be asked to raise your hand, or to stand or to wear a guest badge that identifies you as a guest. As a guest, you will not be put on the spot in anyway. Just come, sit back, and enjoy encountering God through worship.

What are your services like?

Worship is a time of celebration, fellowship, and learning God’s Word. Our desire at West Lake is that our service be designed to help people right where they are. Our service starts with a great blend of music led by our worship pastor leading into an inspiring message that will help you learn more about God in a practical way. We do not use hymn books on Sunday mornings but defer to the use of convenient large overhead projectors. So, it does not matter if you are still searching for a relationship with God or if you know Him well, we pray that you will be inspired at WLBC. As our guest, you will not be singled out in any way, but we simply ask you to let us know you are present by filling out a guest card and placing it in the offering plate. Our commitment is to pray for you in the days ahead.

How Do I Become a Member?

Church membership is an important decision, and that should be made after much prayerful deliberation.

There are four ways to become a member at WLBC, all of which are built upon a recognizable commitment to Christ.

You may join by profession of faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord and as a candidate for baptism by immersion at WLBC.
You may join by baptism – presenting yourself as candidate for baptism, stating that you have previously been saved but were never scripturally baptized by immersion following your salvation experience. You will then be baptized at WLBC.
You may join by transfer of membership from another Baptist Church. We will contact your former church and request a “letter”, confirming your membership. This will allow us to add you to our roles and your previous church to remove you from their roles.
You may join by statement (affirmation of baptism & salvation) : meaning that you have previously been saved and scripturally baptized by immersion following your salvation.

We would be happy to discuss any questions that you might have about membership at WLBC.

What about my children?

A secure nursery is provided during each service for infants through 3 years old. For your security, a sign in/out system is implemented for parents and guardians. Parents and guardians are given pagers for their convenience - in the event that the nursery may need to contact them at any time during the service.

A children's church is usually available for children ages 4 through 2nd grade. These children participate as a group in the music portion of the service and are dismissed with caring leaders to another building for a Bible time with various activities geared especially for them.

45th Anniversary Booklet