Minister Larry Lyles

Larry Lyles and his wife Kathy began their ministry in Shreveport/Bossier City, Louisiana.  After Larry graduated from Ozark Bible College in December 1980, he moved back home to Shreveport to start a new church.  In September 1981, the Christview Christian Church began meeting in temporary facilities.  After 23 years, three building programs, and much prayer, they decided to start a new church in Alexandria, Louisiana.  Larry and Kathy attended an assessment with Stadia (a church planting organization), and were asked to launch the Heartland Christian Church.  They spent two years in Alexandria, growing a healthy congregation with contemporary praise and worship.  Before leaving Alexandria, Larry and Kathy started a faith-based substance abuse program in the church with help from the state of Louisiana.  At this point in life, they became empty-nesters and prayed for God’s leading.  They moved to Plainville, Kansas to work with the First Christian Church (FCC) on November 1, 2005.  FCC grew, added a second service and began an AWANA program.  In 2010, they were approached by the Norton Christian Church (NCC) in Norton, Kansas.  They accepted the call and moved to Norton in October 2010.  NCC was a growing church with over 350 people and robust youth programs.  The AWANA program ministered to over 150 elementary students weekly, and the youth group had well over 100 in their middle school and high school programs.  In 2018, Larry and Kathy retired and moved to Ozark, Missouri to be near their son, daughter-in-law and grandkids. In 2021, when their son accepted the position as Senior Minister at the Thayer Christian Church, they moved to be closer to their grandkids and bought a house in Chanute.  After being approached by Ambassador’s retiring minister, David McCoy, Larry started preaching at Ambassador in May 2022 as an Interim Minister.  After prayerful consideration, Larry submitted his resume and was confirmed as Senior Minister in July 2022.