Our History

Building Completed in 1950Christ Community Church began as a dream of Rev. J.L. Kendrick during World War II. This dream began to become reality in 1944 when four persons met together to form a Wednesday night prayer meeting and Bible study: Mr. and Mrs. J.R. Weeks, Rev. Kendrick, and George Martin. Thus, small groups have been important in the life of Christ Community Church since even before the congregation was organized formally as a church.

After four years, this home group incorporated as a church (non-profit corporation) in 1948, even though the church was not yet holding Sunday morning worship services. In March 1949, Verlin and Georgia Rogers moved to Lake Charles from Kansas. The Rogers had served as a traveling evangelistic team in Oklahoma and Kansas for a number of years before their relocation to Lake Charles. "Brother" Rogers was gifted in the area of music, and "Sister Rogers" preached. Within a month of arriving in Lake Charles, the fledgling church held its first Sunday morning worship and Sunday School in the home of the Rogers on April 24, 1949. Nineteen people were in attendance at that first service. During those early months, Sister Rogers and the elderly Rev. Kendrick shared preaching responsibilities.

Property was purchased for a church home in 1949. A white, wood-framed building was completed in 1950. It contained a sanctuary, a couple of classrooms, and an apartment for the pastor and his family.

Later, what would become the main church structures were completed in two stages. A new sanctuary was completed in 1963, and a major addition, containing most of the rest of the church's facilities, was completed in 1971. Growth forced the church to purchase the house to the south of the main building as a temporary home for our student ministries in 2003. This is appropriate since that house originally belonged to Verlin and Georgia Rogers.

Relocation of Christ Community Church had been discussed since the early 1970s. However, at that time, the church's buildings were new, and a few members still lived within walking-distance of the church. In 1998, the church agreed that the time had finally come. Relocation is an expensive project. And so many of us covenanted to give beyond our tithes to make relocation possible. In 2003, we purchased 13 acres on I-210 and West Prien Lake Road. Construction was delayed by Hurricane Rita, but it finally began in 2008. The new facility was completed in 2009.

And so at our 60th anniversary, the church is in many ways, a new church. What excites us is not a new building, but rather an opportunity to participate with God to see lives, and ultimately, our city, changed by the gospel of Jesus Christ. Come be a part of "his-story" at Christ Community Church.