LACON BAPTIST CHURCH
About Us
The focus of the ministry at LBC is to “make disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Matthew 28:19-20)
We believe the disciples of Jesus Christ should minister to one another in the local church. It’s not about one or a small number of pastors bearing total responsibility to care for the entire congregation. It’s about all disciples using their God-given spiritual gifts to provide mutual ministry in the context of the vibrant and strong local church (Ephesians 4:11-12).
Lacon Baptist Church offers an array of ministry opportunities for every disciple to grow in relationship to Jesus Christ and connect with others.
OUR PRIORITY STATEMENT
The Great Commandment
The priority of our church is to glorify God! Jesus singled out the greatest commandment to his disciples in Matthew 22:37 “Thou shalt love the Lord they God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” Therefore the church is reminded in Ephesians 3:20 “Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.” This priority should be carried out regardless of the activity says 1 Corinthians 10:31 “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” In every activity, social event, ministry, service, class, and function, we want to glorify God with our attitudes and actions. Paul explains this priority in Colossians 1:18 “And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.” Jesus Christ is number one…not the pastor, not a special family, not the wealthiest member, not a talented musician, not the properties, not our achievements…the LORD JESUS CHRIST is number one! He deserves the preeminence in Lacon Baptist Church! Jesus gets all the glory, the praise, the honor, the credit, and worship…and any good people, any good accomplishments, any good talents, any good facilities, are directly the result of the blessings received from the Lord Jesus Christ, and we PRAISE AND THANK HIM! The priority of our church is to glorify God!
OUR PURPOSE STATEMENT
The Great Commission
Jesus gave the church a great commission…to preach the gospel to every creature! “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”(Matthew 28:19-20) It is recorded at least five times in the New Testament and each time a promise accompanies it: Matthew 28:19-20 – The Promise of His Presence Mark 16:15 – The Promise of His Protection Luke 24:46-49 – The Promise of His Program John 20:21 – The Promise of His Peace Acts 1:18 – The Promise of His Power The Great Commission is great because of its magnitude, message, meaning, motive, and miracle. The Great Commission can be summarized with seven words: MAKE DISCIPLES OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. This includes a personal conversion (Belief), a public confession (Baptism), and a progressive conformation (Behavior). The church is supposed to be a “soul-saving station”. The church is not a museum to display religious relics, but rather a hospital where sick people get healed, and a lighthouse to help bring lost souls to safety. Jesus prayed we would be unified so that we could convince a lost world that Jesus Christ is truly the Son of the living God. We are unified to win souls to Jesus! John 17:21 “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.”
OUR PREACHING STATEMENT
The Great Confession
It does make a difference what you believe; therefore, it makes a difference what we preach! In 2 Timothy 4:1 we are instructed to “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth. And shall be turned unto fables. Lacon Baptist Church emphasizes, “Doctrine determines destiny.” Therefore, we must teach God’s Holy Word without apology. God’s Word is the final authority for the church, the believer, the Christian Home and a Christian nation.
Leadership
Tim Beddingfield
Interim Pastor
Tim Beddingfield assumed the pastorate of Lacon Baptist Church in February 2025. Before taking the pastorate at LBC, Pastor Beddingfield has served as the Senior Pastor at Cedar Hills Baptist Church in Dunlap, IL since 2010. Pastor Tim is a 1996 graduate of Baptist Bible College in Springfield, MO and received his Masters of Divinity Degree from Baptist Bible Graduate School of Theology in 2008. Pastor Tim has the heartbeat of a pastor. He loves his God, his church and has a passionate vision and strategy to reach Lacon and its surrounding community with the life changing message of Jesus Christ. Pastor Tim and his wife, Angela, have seven children.