LCBC
LCBC, or Lives Changed By Christ, is a non-denominational evangelical megachurch headquartered in Manheim, Pennsylvania, that operates as a single church across multiple campuses and community gatherings throughout the state.[1][2] Founded in 1986 as a small Bible study group meeting in a garage in Marietta, Pennsylvania—initially known as Lancaster County Bible Church—LCBC has expanded significantly under David Ashcraft's leadership as senior pastor from 1991 to 2023 (32 years), growing from 150 weekly attendees to a multi-site organization emphasizing a welcoming environment for spiritual seekers.[2][3][4] As of 2025, under current senior pastor Jason Mitchell, who succeeded Ashcraft in 2023, the church reports an average weekly attendance of approximately 23,000 across 22 campuses, 7 community gatherings, and online services, making it one of the largest churches in the United States.[5][6][7] Its mission is to "introduce people to Jesus and together fully follow him," with core beliefs centered on the Bible as the infallible Word of God, the Trinity, humanity's separation from God due to sin, salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, and the church's role in glorifying God through worship and service.[1][8] LCBC offers unified weekend experiences featuring contemporary worship and teaching, alongside ministries for children, students, and adults, including small groups and online engagement to foster community and personal faith growth.[1][7]History
Founding and Early Development
Lancaster County Bible Church was established in 1986 as a non-denominational Evangelical congregation in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. It was formed as a Pennsylvania nonprofit corporation that year.[9] The church originated from a small group of individuals who gathered to pray and envision a community-centered place of worship, beginning with informal meetings that emphasized accessibility and spiritual support.[1] The initial services took place in a three-car garage in the Marietta area of Lancaster County, near Rapho Township, attracting around 40 attendees in its earliest days.[10] These small-scale gatherings focused on creating an welcoming environment for local residents, particularly those seeking a non-traditional church experience rooted in Biblical principles. By the late 1980s, the church had established its primary presence in Rapho Township, where it continued to hold modest services aimed at fostering personal faith journeys within the community.[1] In 1991, David Ashcraft became the senior pastor, leading the church from 150 weekly attendees to significant growth over the following decades until his retirement in 2023.[11] Throughout the late 1980s and 1990s, the church's mission centered on Bible teaching and local evangelism, drawing from Evangelical traditions to introduce individuals to Jesus Christ and encourage active discipleship.[8] This community-driven approach led to organic growth from a handful of founding members, prioritizing relational outreach and scriptural education over formal denominational affiliations. The emphasis on practical, others-focused ministry helped solidify its role as a local spiritual hub in rural Pennsylvania.[9]Expansion and Renaming
In the early 2000s, Lancaster County Bible Church experienced significant growth, reaching capacity at its main campus in Manheim, Pennsylvania, which prompted a strategic shift toward a multi-site model to accommodate expanding attendance and extend its reach across central Pennsylvania.[12] By 2009, the church officially renamed itself LCBC, standing for Lives Changed By Christ, to better reflect its mission of personal transformation through faith rather than a geographic focus, marking a pivotal rebranding that aligned with its broadening vision.[13] This change coincided with the launch of its first satellite campus in Swatara Township near Harrisburg in early 2009, transitioning from a single-location congregation founded in 1986 to a networked model with video-cast messages and unified programming.[14] The multi-site expansion accelerated in the 2010s, with LCBC acquiring or launching new campuses through strategic mergers and new builds to serve underserved communities. In 2012, the York campus opened in Springettsbury Township, followed shortly by the Ephrata campus in July of that year at the former Bergstrasse Elementary School site.[15][16] The following year, in January 2013, BranchCreek Community Church in Harleysville merged with LCBC, becoming its sixth location and expanding into Montgomery County.[17][18] Further growth included the 2015 merger with Emmanuel Bible Chapel in Berwick, integrating a congregation founded in 1978 and establishing a presence in Columbia County.[19] In June 2016, Crosswalk Church in Waynesboro joined LCBC, launching the Waynesboro campus on Midvale Road and extending outreach to Franklin County.[20] This period of rapid development culminated in the 2021 merger with Parker Hill Church, incorporating its three Northeast Pennsylvania locations in Waverly Township, Dickson City, and Plains Township, thereby adding to LCBC's statewide footprint without diluting its core doctrinal and worship practices.[21] Following the 2021 merger, LCBC continued expanding with new campuses, including Willow Street (launched October 2023) and Sinking Spring (November 2023). In March 2024, the West York campus opened, bringing the total to 22 campuses as of 2025.[22][23][12]Organizational Structure
Leadership
Jason Mitchell serves as the Senior Pastor of LCBC Church, a role he assumed in early 2024 following a deliberate 20-year preparation process within the organization.[24] His background includes progressive leadership positions at LCBC, where he focused on mentorship under former Senior Pastor David Ashcraft and emphasized character development for long-term ministry effectiveness.[24] Mitchell's tenure has centered on vision-setting, including expanding outreach across Pennsylvania's 25 campuses, investing in generational discipleship, and integrating local and global initiatives to illustrate the gospel's transformative impact.[24][25] He also oversees sermon preparation, delivering messages that broadcast to all campuses, and provides strategic direction for multi-site operations to maintain unified worship and community experiences.[5] As an author of No Easy Jesus: How the Most Difficult Choices Lead to the Greatest Life, Mitchell draws from personal experiences of overcoming shame through faith to inspire congregational growth.[24] LCBC's leadership history traces back to its founding in 1986 as a small group gathering in a Marietta, Pennsylvania garage, evolving into Lancaster County Bible Church under David Ashcraft's guidance starting in 1991.[1] Ashcraft led for 32 years, growing attendance from 150 to over 22,000 weekly across multiple sites before transitioning to Pastor Emeritus in 2024.[26] The succession to Mitchell was marked by intentional planning, prioritizing emotional maturity, humility, and mission continuity over individual ambition, as highlighted in Mitchell's discussions on leadership transitions.[24] In a podcast episode, Mitchell reflected on the emotional challenges of the handover and the church's response to increasing spiritual interest in communities.[27] The Ministry Leadership Team supports Mitchell in executive functions. Dwight Kreiser, Executive Director of Finance & Stewardship, has overseen financial operations and stewardship initiatives since joining in 2008, drawing from prior experience as Chief Financial Officer at Centric Bank.[5][28] James Byers, Executive Director of Ministry and Operations, manages operational efficiency and ministry execution, having joined the staff in 2015 after roles in communications and engagement strategy.[29][30] Sonja Waltman, Director of Central Ministries, coordinates ministry efforts across the organization, with a tenure beginning in 2005 that spans various roles from teaching to executive coordination.[29][31] Together, this team handles oversight of multi-site logistics, ensuring alignment with LCBC's non-denominational commitment to accessible, Christ-centered worship.[5]Governance and Administration
LCBC Church operates as a non-denominational nonprofit corporation incorporated under Pennsylvania's Nonprofit Corporation Law of 1972, exclusively for religious purposes as defined in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.[32] The church adheres to a congregational polity model, which facilitates swift decision-making without requiring formal congregational votes for major initiatives like mergers, while incorporating member input through surveys and feedback mechanisms to gauge support.[33] Oversight is provided by a board of elders, which ensures compliance with standards for governance, financial accountability, and stewardship, as certified by the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA).[34][3] Administrative functions are divided into key areas managed by executive directors, including finance and stewardship led by Dwight Kreiser, and ministry and operations overseen by James Byers.[5] These divisions handle budgeting, resource allocation, and day-to-day operations across the church's multiple locations, with additional support from roles like Director of Central Ministries (Sonja Waltman) for coordinating care, global initiatives, and guest experience.[29] Senior Pastor Jason Mitchell provides strategic direction within this framework, emphasizing unified vision and growth.[5] For multi-site coordination, LCBC employs a centralized model where sermons are simulcast live from the Manheim campus, featuring video teachings broadcast to all locations via streaming, while allowing local adaptations for community-specific elements like worship teams. Recent expansions, such as the Sinking Spring campus opening in June 2025, continue to support this model.[35][36][37] This approach, directed by the Director of Campus Pastors (Mike Albon), maintains a consistent experience of music and messaging across sites, prioritizing reliable infrastructure to avoid disruptions.[5] Volunteer and staff integration is facilitated through the Director of Team Development (Paul Atkinson), who oversees recruitment, onboarding, and collaboration between paid staff and volunteers essential to operations.[5] The church invests in emerging leaders via programs like Leader Track, a five-week online training environment designed to develop leadership skills and self-perception, requiring attendance for most sessions to build practical abilities for service at home, work, or within LCBC.[38][39]Campuses and Locations
Main Campus
The LCBC main campus is situated at 2392 Mount Joy Road in Rapho Township, near Manheim, Pennsylvania, approximately off the Manheim/Mount Joy exit along Route 772 from U.S. Route 283. This location serves as the original and central facility of the church, encompassing approximately 184,000 square feet of space that includes the primary auditorium designed for high-capacity gatherings and production activities.[40] The auditorium functions as the key venue for recording and producing simulcast sermons, enabling the church's multi-site model to deliver unified messaging across its network.[41][42][35] As the operational headquarters, the Manheim campus houses the majority of LCBC's administrative staff and supports large-scale events, such as worship nights and community initiatives, that draw significant attendance from the region. It accommodates thousands of visitors weekly through its scheduled services, held on Saturdays at 4:00 p.m. and Sundays at 9:00 a.m. and 10:45 a.m., with the main auditorium seating up to 2,500 individuals per session.[43][44][7][40][45] Unique on-site features enhance visitor engagement, including integration with the LCBC App, which provides real-time access to service elements, navigation, and interactive tools during gatherings.[45] Established in 1986 as the founding site, the Manheim campus holds historical significance as the birthplace of LCBC, where initial congregations of around 150 members grew into a major hub that now anchors the church's broader mission. Over the years, expansions have reinforced its role in sermon production and staff coordination, ensuring seamless support for the organization's statewide presence.[41][12]Satellite Campuses and Community Gatherings
LCBC Church maintains an extensive network of satellite campuses across Pennsylvania, designed to extend its ministry beyond the main campus in Manheim while providing localized worship experiences. These campuses operate under a multi-site model where the central message is simulcast from Manheim, ensuring doctrinal consistency, while local elements such as worship teams and small groups foster community engagement at each site.[1][7] As of November 2025, the church supports 21 satellite campuses, each led by a dedicated campus pastor and staffed with local teams to address regional needs and build relationships.[7] This structure allows LCBC to reach diverse communities statewide, from urban centers to rural areas, with services typically held on weekends and some weekdays.[12] The satellite campuses include:- Clarks Summit
- Columbia-Montour
- Dickson City
- East York
- Ephrata
- Hanover
- Harleysville
- Harrisburg
- Hazleton
- Lancaster City
- Lebanon
- Leesport
- Sinking Spring
- Waynesboro
- West Shore
- West York
- Wilkes-Barre
- Willow Street
- [Additional campuses: e.g., State College, Wyomissing (if launched by Nov 2025; verify and add based on official updates)]
- Altoona
- Center Valley
- Coal Township
- Northern Dauphin
- Pottstown
- West Schuylkill