Access Church

The truth is, we just wanted a place to bring our friends - and we were a little wary of hugging strangers and church lingo.

So about 15 friends quickly turned into hundreds of people seeking truth and authentic community. And you’re invited to join in. We don’t expect you to agree with everything we do or say. We just ask that you’re open to considering the possibility that there is a God who loves and pursues you.

What are you doing this weekend?

Stop on by. We’ll have fresh coffee, kind people, low lights, and easy exits if you change your mind.

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Learn more about what we believe »

Our History

In 2007, a group of about 15 "Lakelanders" felt a need.

They wanted a great environment to meet with friends to explore questions about God without having to pretend they had it all together or wading through a bunch of religious lingo. They wanted to offer their friends an alternative that wouldn’t make assumptions about what they believed about God or knew about the Bible. They wanted to assure their friends that no one would single them out by asking, “Where are all the visitors?”

Access began as a Bible Study for college students in a rented room at the Lakeland Center, in downtown Lakeland. A few people actually showed up, intrigued by the promise of “great music, free coffee and real topics.”

In September of 2008, Access became a church. In the time since, Access has grown. The goal was never size; the goal always was, and continues to be, based upon the ideas of authentic community, honest conversation and exploring the question: Where is God taking us next?

So where is Access going?

Only God really knows. But our short history has shown us that it’s a journey of creating something that hasn’t yet been seen, saying things that aren’t being said and trusting God to do something truly meaningful in and through a bunch of imperfect people. We’ve seen that kind of faith and dependence affect people within our community, our city and, increasingly, our world. We expect God to continue to lead us through hard decisions that challenge the status quo. We’ll do these things because we believe that God uses them to bring all of us into a thriving life of freedom. And we’re all about that.