Our Story
Taylor received Christ in November of 2003 at the age of 4 after his dad walked him through how he could know for he was going to heaven. On June 5, 2004, he was baptized at Lighthouse Baptist Church, where he grew up attending with his family. Lynsey was saved at the age of 4 after a conversation with her parents, where they showed her she could know for sure she was going to heaven. Then at the age of 12, she got assurance of her salvation at Vacation Bible School at Lighthouse Baptist Church. She was baptized not too long after that at Lighthouse Baptist Church. They both surrendered to the calling of God in October of 2010 at a Missions Conference at their home church. These events ultimately led them to attend Veritas Baptist College, where Lynsey graduated in 2019, and Taylor in 2020. Taylor and Lynsey met when they were young at Lighthouse Baptist Church when Lynsey’s dad moved to the church to become the Youth Director. They grew closer and closer together as the years went on until they eventually started dating in September 2015 and later married in September 2020. Then in September of 2022 we were blessed to add the third member of our family a little girl, Maxi-Ann. They have had the opportunity to serve in many capacities at their home church of Lighthouse Baptist Church, including but not limited to being Youth Director 2018-2022, Children Ministry, tech ministry, and music. Now as of Jan. 1st of 2023 we have enter the season of full-time deputation where we desire to serve God, serve churches, and share our call to the inner-city of Chicago.
Our Testimonies
Taylor's Testimony of Salvation:
My testimony begins centered around the church, the Bible, and most importantly, Jesus Christ. I grew up hearing and learning bible story after Bible story through children's church, Sunday school, and other kid events. Even though I heard and believed that the Bible was the truth, I had never decided to accept Christ personally. Until one day, when discussing with my dad about Jesus and what he would look like, the fact that I had never accepted Jesus personally changed. It changed because my dad pulled over on the side of the road and walked me through the scriptures to know how I could know Him personally. At the end of him walking me through the scriptures, I knelt my head, and there I asked Jesus to come into my heart and save me (Romans 10:13, Romans 10:9). That day it was no longer the gift of God that I knew about in my head only, but it became the gift of God that I knew about in the head and accepted it as my own in the heart. Then, not long after, I decided to follow the Lord in believers' baptism and follow the Lord. Things have not always been perfect, whether by choice or circumstances around me, but the Lord has always been faithful. He has allowed me the opportunity to learn, grow, and mature in my fellowship and relationship with Him.
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Lynsey's Testimony of Salvation:
I was saved at the young age of 4. I remember going to church and hearing accounts from the Bible, but I never fully grasped salvation. So, one night at home, I asked my parents how to be saved, and that night I accepted Christ as my Savior. Though I accepted Christ that night, I struggled with assurance some years later. One night at Bible School, our Associate Pastor at the time was talking about knowing for sure you are saved. For those years, I struggled, but that night I got assurance of my salvation so that today I know for sure that God died for my sins, and through His sacrifice, I can live with him forever. Shortly after that assurance, I got baptized at my home church, Lighthouse Baptist Church.
Our Call
In October 2010, a Missionary came to our home church for the yearly missions conference. In that missions conference, the one thing he focused on in his preaching and presenting was surrendering your life fully to the Lord. One night after the service, there was alter call, and it was centered around the very topic that he had focused on surrendering your life to Lord, whatever that you were saying, "Yes Lord," I want to your will for my life. So, during that alter call, I got up to go to the altar, and that night, I surrendered my will to the Lord, not knowing at all what that entailed for my future family and me to do. But, as time went on, the Lord continued to deal with me about being one of the laborers that go out of your Jerusalem into Samaria and the uttermost parts of the earth. I began to pray and seek counsel from the Word of God and other people about this calling that I felt the Lord was placing on my life at this time. Then one day the Lord gave me what would become my life verse Acts 1:8 where Jesus says, "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." The Lord used this verse to confirm in my life the calling of missions, but now I was like, where Lord would you have me go to fulfill this calling, which brings us to 2016 where the Lord through my Youth Pastor would present the need in the inner-city of Chicago, IL. When he presented this need to the youth group, the Lord broke my heart for these people, but it was a call yet until sometime later where the Lord would confirm he was calling me there using Romans 10:14 where it says, "How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard?" Now the Lord is opening the door for my family to fulfill this calling and present the gospel of the needy city of Chicago. Since then, he has allowed me to serve as Youth Director under Pastor Avery Varnadore at my church. I have been given several opportunities to grow in various areas of ministry, such as preaching, planning, outreach, and more.
Our Vision
Our vision is to plant a church in the inner-city of Chicago that can use its outreach to start other ministries and reproduce itself into other churches in the inner-city and around the world through training, developing, and helping other young couples that God calls to missions work.
Our Mission
Our mission is to fulfill the Great Commission of reaching, baptizing, and discipling people in our sphere of influence so that can go forth in the world and fulfill the Great commission in their sphere of influence.
Our Goals
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Plant a Church (City Life Baptist Church)
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Reproduce into other churches (in Chicago & around the world.)
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Rehab Ministries
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Bible Training Classes
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Internships for young man & women going into ministry
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Christian School
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Homeless Outreach