The Legacy and History of Lake Country Church
In 1975, Lake Country Baptist Church was officially started with Bill O'Brien as pastor, meeting first in the Country Club of Lake Country and then to the Eagle Mountain Athletic Center. The Lake Country Estates developers, with a vision of a church that would impact the community and the world, gave 4 1/2 acres to build on, and at ground-breaking four doves were released. Upon release, each dove flew in a different direction - North, South, East and West. The four doves became the symbol and logo of the church.
A sanctuary and classroom facility were completed in 1976. Bill O'Brien announced that he would be leaving to work with Foreign Missions once again. Jesse and Darlene McElreath became the youth ministers. The following year, Jim Hylton lead as Senior Pastor, following 10 years as a traveling minister.
In 1980, the church body believed they should have a Christian school and in September, Lake Country Christian School (K-8) opened with 35 students with Dr. Jesse McElreath as the first administrator.
May of 1980, Jim Hylton began a meeting in New Albany, Indiana, which would forever change the course of Lake Country Baptist Church. Revival broke out in the services in Indiana, and Jim and Jane Hylton were involved in an 18-week move of the Holy Spirit right out of the New Testament. Jim brought the revival home to Lake Country and they began a journey discovering who they were in Christ.
Shortly after, in 1984, the church broke ground on a gym-a-torium for the school, which is now the sanctuary of Lake Country Church. With so many people traveling from all over the Metroplex to attend the church, a second campus was birthed and called Restoration Church.
Jim Hylton heeded the call to pastor in Oklahoma, so in 1995 Dr. Jesse McElreath transitioned from Associate Pastor to Senior Pastor.
In 1996, the church changed the name from Lake Country Baptist Church to Lake Country Church, an independent and non-denominational fellowship.
Dr. Jesse McElreath retired as Senior Pastor and would become Pastor Emeritus. In 2005, Gateway Church in Southlake sent Jeff Drott and Gateway members who lived in the vicinity to join the Lake Country campus. Stephen LeBlanc pastored from 2008-2011, and Randy Thomas from 2011-2018.
In 2018, Scott Crenshaw was asked to serve as interim pastor.
In 2020, Dr. Jesse McElreath was promoted to glory and his Celebration of Life was held at Lake Country Church. The Lake Country family, along with its elders affirmed Scott Crenshaw as their senior pastor shortly after.