Who we are

Taken from a 2007 journal entry by Pastor Gil, and displayed at our campuses as a statement of our faith in what the Lord has promised.

The Lakeshore that I see is a church that only God could build – a church where He is able to do what He wants to do.

The Lakeshore that I see is a church where people experience God’s love…have their hope renewed…and discover that their faith in Christ has come to life. Each week, people are being saved, filled with the Holy Spirit, delivered from past and present bondages, healed and renewed with joy. The Lakeshore that I see just keeps on growing inside and out in spite of cultural, economic and generational boundaries.

The Lakeshore that I see has services that are charged with the very presence of Jesus. In this atmosphere, worship is real and moving, and the dynamic flow of God’s Word floods people’s hearts with wisdom, understanding, answers to problems, and innovative ideas. It seems like everyone is a minister – building relationships, pursuing discipleship and doing their part with servant hearts. A sold out generation of kids and youth is being raised up, ready to engage and defeat the giants that challenge them. They think and dream big and refuse to compromise for they are convinced that God will do all that He promised to do.

The Lakeshore that I see is a people of prayer – fervent, believing prayer – prayer that is aligned with God’s will and His Word and gets extraordinary results.

The Lakeshore that I see takes the gospel of Jesus Christ into the surrounding communities and around the world through satellite and church plant campuses, outreaches, missionaries, and quality resources.

The Lakeshore that I see has supernatural favor and influence with governments and leaders.

The Lakeshore that I see is made up of regular, down-to-earth people who have such a desire to be a part of God’s plan that they are willing to do any job, pay any price, happily leverage their time, talent and treasure even to the point of forfeiting personal ambition, trusting that God will make up the difference.

The Lakeshore that I see cannot be stopped because God is the driving force. It is so beyond human ability, ingenuity or planning that God gets all of the credit.

I believe that this is the Lakeshore that God sees. Although, I can only see it in my heart right now, I will follow God and obey His voice until everyone can see…The Lakeshore that I see!

Over the last twenty-five years we have watched as God has established a house for His glory and His purposes, one where His faithfulness has been seen and the truth of His word has been proclaimed. People have been reached, disciples have been made, the next generation has been impacted, new campuses and ministries launched, local and global missions’ partnerships established, and so much more. While we rejoice and celebrate all that God has done, we know that God is not done.  

As we approach the quarter of a new century we believe God is directing our attention to “the next 25”. The first 25 has been nothing short of a miracle and a testimony, but we believe that it is only the foundation. The foundation for not a new work but for the fullness of what God has already began. Building upon this foundation we thank God for “THE LAST 25” and look forward in faith and expectation to “THE NEXT 25”.  

A HOUSE OF PRAYER- We will be a people and a place of faith-filled, spirit-led prayer – a house where prayer is our starting place in all things and for all things. We will pray first, pray often, and pray continually.

A HOUSE OF WORSHIP- We will be a people and a place of spirit-filled worship – a house where praise, worship, and the presence of God are among our greatest priorities. We will be a home for His presence – a place where the Holy Spirit is welcomed, celebrated, and given the freedom to move in people’s lives.

A HOUSE OF TRUTH- We will be a people and a place of uncompromising, spirit-led truth – a house where the anointed teaching of God’s Word brings freedom, healing, and supernatural power to our lives.

A HOUSE FOR THE NEXT GENERATION- We will be a people and a place that passionately prioritizes reaching and equipping the next generation for Christ. Through discipleship, education, and training, a generation will be sent out – filled and empowered with the Holy Spirit – to build God’s house and advance His Kingdom on this earth.

A HOUSE OF SERVICE- We will be a people and a place of sacrificial service – serving the Lord, one another, our city, and world God has called us to. By the leading of the Holy Spirit, and through generosity, service, outreach, missions, and evangelism, we will leverage all God has given us to serve His purpose on the earth with eternity in mind.

Lakeshore’s Frequently Asked Questions

Q. When are your services?
A. We have 4 Sunday morning services at three seperate campuses…both 9:00a and 11:00a at the Tega Cay Campus, 10:00a in Catawba and 10:00a in Gastonia. We have other ministry activities ongoing throughout the week. Please check this website’s schedule or call the church for more details at 803-548-2755.

Q. Who is Lakeshore Christian Fellowship?
A. Lakeshore Christian Fellowship is a group of people wanting and desiring to have a meaningful relationship with Jesus Christ. We work very hard to peel the “plastic” off of religious norms to show that God is not mad at you and that He wants to have a relationship with you. He wants you to be who He created you to be. Our hope is that Lakeshore will be the place for you where Love is confirmed, Hope is renewed, and Faith comes to life. Lakeshore Christian Fellowship is a member of The International Church of the Foursquare Gospel. (www.foursquare.org).

Q. Who is Pastor Gil Dirmann?
A. Pastor Gil came to Lakeshore Christian Fellowship in July 2003 with over 20 years of hands-on ministry experience and expertise, joined by his wife, Debbie, and their three children, Brandon, Brittany, and Breanna. Pastor Gil’s heart is for this diverse church to grow in a closer relationship with Jesus Christ, become grounded in the Word of God, and reach out to those in Tega Cay, Fort Mill, and the surrounding areas.

Q. Is there a children’s program at Lakeshore?
A. Absolutely, yes! LKIDS is our vibrant, exciting children’s program that draws children closer to God every week and leaves them wanting to come back for more. LKids ministers to children from nursery age to grade 5. Each week we provide exciting, high-energy packed services on Sunday mornings at the Tega Cay. Lea Queener is Lakeshore’s Children’s Director.  If you would like to contact her, e-mail her at lqueener@nulllakeshorecf.com or call the office at 803-548-2755.

Q. Is there a youth program at Lakeshore?
A. Absolutely, yes! Our student ministries is open to everyone grades 6-12 and is called “Lakeshore Youth Community (LYC)“. The ministry features live worship, strong Biblical teaching and the constant encouragement of positive peer-to-peer relationships to support the youth of Tega Cay, Fort Mill, Catawba, Gastonia, and the surrounding areas. LYC has a variety of meeting times which can be found under the ministries tab.

Q. What if I want to volunteer?
A. Lakeshore has many opportunities for volunteers at different commitment levels. The best way to get involved is to click the link below and fill out the form and we will make sure the right person contacts you immediately so that you can get CONNECTED!
CLICK HERE.  We have lots of opportunities available from basic maintenance, mowing someone’s lawn, preparing a meal, helping with different ministries, to praying or answering phones. Everything we do here is “connected to a soul.”

Q. Do I have to be a member of Lakeshore to volunteer with the ministry?
A. Not necessarily. While it is certainly encouraged, being a member is not a prerequisite to volunteer in some of our ministries at Lakeshore Christian Fellowship. As you can understand, there are some volunteer positions that do require membership.

Q. Does Lakeshore have a Preschool?
A. Lakeshore has an effective and successful Preschool for the Tega Cay, Fort Mill and surrounding areas serving children ages two through Pre-K. Lakeshore Christian Preschool combines Biblical and academic principles through the use of learning centers and relationships in order to instruct the children. The classroom design is modeled after the Fort Mill School District’s Kindergarten classes so that our children will be prepared to step in and enjoy school in Fort Mill with little stress or effort. The children have consistently scored very high on entrance tests; but more importantly, they leave the Preschool with a strong Biblical foundation and solid moral principles. Lakeshore Christian Preschool’s Director is Amy Martinez. Please call 803-548-2760 for more information or click here for more info!

Q. Does Lakeshore Christian Fellowship ever offer financial assistance?
A. Lakeshore sets aside a portion of its budget to help those in need through our Benevolence Fund. All benevolence funds are distributed under the oversight of the Administrative Pastor and staff. Our first priority is to help those people within the Lakeshore Christian Fellowship congregation and then if someone outside the church has a genuine need, we do our best to help. There is a biblical precedent for our responsibility to begin by providing for our immediate family and then moving out from there to the family of believes (church), our local community, and then the world.

Q. Is Lakeshore growing?
A. Yes! Lakeshore draws people from all over the area. We are proud to be a church for the cities of Tega Cay, Fort Mill, Rock Hill, Lake Wylie, and the communities around southern Charlotte, NC. Many realtors say that this area is the fastest growing in the country, and we are seeing the positive growth. Because of this, we have considered building a new facility. We have no firm direction yet and are still processing ideas and strategies to increase the ministry and its effectiveness.

Church services were first held in the two-year-old city of Tega Cay, South Carolina, on December 17, 1972. At which time, today’s Lakeshore Christian Fellowship was named The Church of Today at Tega Cay. In 1983, the name was changed to Tega Cay Community Church.

In 1988, the Education Building was built. In March, 1992, construction began on a 600-seat sanctuary. Lakeshore sits on 4.5 acres of property which was graciously given to the church in the late 1970s by the City of Tega Cay. Our two buildings comprise of approximately 30,000 square feet. The first service in the new sanctuary was held on Christmas Eve, 1992.

A new church (Grace Chapel) was meeting at the Knight’s Stadium in Fort Mill and it was determined that the two churches (Tega Cay Community Church and Grace Chapel) held very similar beliefs, and they merged together forming one church. The “new” church officially became Lakeshore Christian Fellowship in December, 1999. In February, 2000, Lakeshore Christian Fellowship was officially under the “umbrella of the denomination – International Church of the Foursquare Gospel, also known as Foursquare.”

Upon Pastor Gil’s arrival in July of 2003, he immediately knew that it would be a church that God would continue to use to grow people and impact the community in very positive ways. Pastor Gil, along with his staff, began to meet regularly to pray, plan, and seek God for wisdom and guidance for this new season at Lakeshore. God has been faithful to His word by bringing many people and the church has grown to provide many positive attributes to the cities of Tega Cay and Fort Mill.

As a result, the sanctuary has been remodeled to accommodate this growth, almost every room has been redecorated, and the number of services and ministries continue to increase to accommodate the increasing number of people attending Lakeshore. God has assembled a solid team of pastors, support staff and committed volunteers to care for each person that comes.

Lakeshore Christian Fellowship is truly where Love is confirmed, Hope is renewed, and where Faith comes to Life.