Welcome to Messiah
Welcome! I appreciate your taking time to learn more about our Messiah family, and believe you’ll find that we’re passionate about God’s Word, worship, fellowship, and serving others.
I consider it a great honor to serve as senior pastor alongside a gifted and passionate ministry team. God is doing incredible things through our many ministries – on campus, in our community, and around the world.
Get to know us, join us for worship, and become part of our Messiah family! Get involved where God can bless you, and where He can work through you to bless others.
John Kunze
Senior Pastor
Who we are
Our Mission at Messiah is to Love God, Love Others, & Share Christ.
This really is the mission of all of God's people on earth. These actions drive all that we do at Messiah.
LOVE GOD
We encourage people to worship weekly, read their Bible daily, and put God first in their lives.
LOVE OTHERS
We actively work in our community to help meet people’s physical needs, in order to earn the right to meet their spiritual needs.
SHARE CHRIST
We are all missionaries, so we invite everyone that is a part of the Messiah family to openly share their love for Christ in their day-to-day lives.
More than a church – We're a family.
Messiah is a place where we come together to worship, study God’s Word, and grow in faith—whether online or in person. We support each other in Bible study and mentoring, nurture our children through preschool and elementary education, and share in life’s ups and downs as a caring community. Together, we give to help those in need locally and globally. If you’re seeking a church family, know you’re always welcome here—we’d love for you to be part of our family.
Open, honest, and true to God’s Word.
At Messiah, you don’t need to put on a brave face—just come as you are. Life has its ups and downs, and we’re here to walk through it all together, grounded in God’s Word. Join us in the café after worship, or swing by after dropping off the kids. Through personal study, small groups, and worship, we’re committed to growing in faith and supporting each other every day.
The faith and foundation of others.
In 1930, Calvary Lutheran Church committed to sharing God’s Word, sacraments, and Christian education in Lincoln. In the 1970s, they expanded by building an elementary school at our current site, known as “Calvary East.” By 1988, this site became Messiah Lutheran Church and School, fulfilling Calvary’s original mission.
Over the years, Messiah has grown, adding a worship sanctuary and expanded educational spaces in 1996. In 2020, a major addition brought new classrooms, a music room, library, café, and more to support our church, school, and preschool ministries.
We remain dedicated to our mission: sharing Christ’s love and teachings with Lincoln and beyond. To God be the glory!
What to Expect
Want a glimpse of what it’s like at Messiah?
Getting Here
You’ll find us at 1800 S 84th Street, between South and A Streets, with easy parking access right off 84th. Just head to our “Main Entrance,” which faces north. On Sunday mornings, a helpful Lincoln police officer is there to safely get you in and out smoothly, making your visit as easy as possible!
For your convenience, there’s a wheelchair-accessible restroom between the sanctuary and Great Hall—just exit the back of the sanctuary, turn left into the Family Room, and head around to the right. You’ll find the main restrooms down the hall from the Great Hall, right under the stained glass window, with changing tables available in both the Family Room and main restrooms. We kindly ask that you accompany children if they need to step out of the sanctuary.
No need to worry about what to wear at Messiah—come as you are! You’ll see everything from dress clothes to jeans and t-shirts. Our announcements are relaxed and sprinkled with humor to help you feel at home. Join us for a welcoming time of worship!
Worship Options
Join us for worship on Sundays at 8:00, 9:30, and 11:00 a.m., where all ages gather together! Bring a Bible, use one of ours, or follow along on a Bible app as we explore entire books in our sermon series. If you need a Bible, please take one as our gift. Each week, you’ll hear scripture-based, real-life messages from our pastor, along with a blend of new and classic songs led by our worship team. Every service includes confession, prayer, and Communion for those who share our beliefs. We’d love to know you were here! Please sign our Friendship Pad, and if you’d like us to contact you, just let us know.
We believe our online worship is just as meaningful as in-person services, and we’re glad you’re joining us! Worship with us live at 9:30 a.m. Central Time on Sundays, or catch up with past services anytime. Whether you’re in Lincoln, across the globe, or worshiping from the International Space Station, you’re part of our Messiah family. If you’d like to make that official, attend our Discover Messiah Church class as your next steps.
Family & Kids
We love having children in worship with the whole family—it’s a gift to God’s church and a sign that our family is growing! Don’t worry about the wiggles—God made them part of who they are. We have Bibles for both kids and adults to use during the service. If you need a quiet space, our Family Room at the back of the sanctuary is equipped with rocking chairs, a changing table, and a wheelchair-accessible restroom, plus the service is broadcast so you can still be part of worship. If you need to step out, the café is a great spot to relax and let your little ones stretch, with the service broadcast there too.
We offer three Sunday morning worship services and encourage families to worship together. Instead of Sunday School during services, we have Bible classes for all ages (3 and up) on Wednesday nights, with childcare available for kids 0-35 months in the nursery. We love providing time for families to worship together on Sundays and study God’s Word on Wednesdays. Check out our Wednesday Nights here.
Support & Information
If you have any questions, stop by our Welcome Center in the Great Hall—we’d love to chat! You’ll also find Guest Info cards in the pews for answers to common questions. Our ushers, deacons, elders, staff, and volunteers are here to help—just look for our name tags! After the service, one of our Pastors, elders, or deacons will be at the front of the sanctuary to visit and pray with you. You can also call the church office Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., if you need assistance.