Pa. Churches Welcoming of New Megachurch Campus
As a Pennsylvania megachurch that is one of the largest congregations in the United States of America is set to open a new campus, local congregations have been welcoming of the project.
Lives Changed By Christ (LCBC), a multiple campus church with an estimated 10,000 weekly attendance, will soon be opening its fourth campus in York in part to ease the commute of many of its members. While LCBC readies the campus for its March 18 opening, churches in the area are welcoming of the new arrivals.
"We welcome LCBC to our area," said the Rev. Tim Munson, pastor for First Baptist Church of York, in an interview with The Christian Post.
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"They are reaching people that we will never reach, just as we and other smaller churches in the area will reach people for Christ that they could not."
Jim Herbert, pastor at Emmanuel Christian Fellowship of York, told CP that he was made aware of LCBC's plan back in 2010 when the plans for adding a new campus were first initiated.
"We believe they will change the 'church' landscape and will have a ripple effect throughout our county, but that's not necessarily a bad thing," said Herbert.
"We worship and believe in the same God, therefore we do not see them as competition. Rather, they are friends and family members. We look forward to working together in advancing God's Kingdom."
Similar welcome was talked of by Pastor Don Hubbell of York's First Church of the Brethren, saying to CP that his congregation has no "problem" with the arrival of LCBC.
"The Gospel of Jesus Christ is proclaimed in many different ways so that it can reach as many people as possible," said Hubbell.
Lives Changed By Christ started in 1986 in a garage in Marietta, Penn., establishing its first church building in Manheim. From there it added two more campuses, one in Harrisburg in 2007 and another in Lancaster City in 2010. Its senior pastor is David Ashcraft and its executive director of Ministries is John Zeswitz.
Until the York campus officially opens on the 18th, those belonging to that satellite are holding meetings at the West Wing Auditorium on the Manheim campus. In addition to York, LCBC also plans to open a new campus in Ephrata, Pa.
According to Outreach Magazine, LCBC is the 38th largest church in the United States.
