Headwaters Baptist Church of Gallatin County

Headwaters Baptist Church ~ Pastor Mike Lemmon

Due to a suggestion from a dear friend of ours, we have added this page to the website. Who are we? That's a good question. We are a family of six who love Montana and the people who call this great state home. We had a real burden to start a church in the Northwest. After a survey trip and meeting with pastors all over the state, we felt lead to move from Pennsylvania to Montana. When we were first here we spent a lot of time just getting to know people and building friendships. Montana has become a playground for the rich in many ways. With very little industry in the state, much revenue relies on tourism. From fly fishing to hunting, skiing to seasonal homes, the residents have grown accustomed to out of state people not staying for very long. That 'out of state' stigma that all people are labeled with, takes a long time to dissipate. We served at Whitehall Baptist Church with Pastor Tracy Jones and later Pastor Kevin Turman until God lead us to begin a work. We treasure our time there and our opportunity to serve in music, children's and teen ministries, filling the pulpit, and remodeling (I think Whitehall Baptist could write the book about remodeling.)

After praying about several towns, God lead us in the fall of 2008 to Manhattan. This was to be the town to start a work. We have a love for people and a great desire to see souls saved and people's lives impacted for the Lord. This town is home and in 20 years we'll still be here doing the work of the Lord. And someday you'll probably find us buried in some cemetery here in the Valley. This is home and this is where we plan to stay. Stop by or give us a call. We'd love to meet you and share the vision God has given us, the Lemmons, for Manhattan and surrounding areas. We only have one life to live and we are living day by day for our Lord.  ~Mike and Sue Lemmon

Mike Lemmon

Born in Pennsylvania, my parents moved to Florida when I was 5. Shortly after arriving there my parents were saved. Each going forward in an invitation at the end of a Sunday Morning Service at an Independent Baptist Church Florida, they were both saved the same morning, unbeknownst to each other until the end of the service. Shortly afterwards my father, Tom Lemmon, felt called to preach. Over the next several years I watched as he worked full time and attended Bible College.

After Bible College we moved all over the South helping in Bus ministries, VBS, and Assistant Pastor work. When I was 9 I was saved and baptized. As a teenager, Dad began to pastor his first church in Ohio. After a few years he eventually planted a church in Brewster, Ohio. In an old bar, God's lighthouse was illuminated for the small town. After a few years we were able to build a new building that still houses the church today. 

After attending Bible College for Music Ministry and Bible, I had a strong desire to begin working in a small church and see it grow. In 1997, in a move that could have only been orchestrated by the Lord, I moved back to Pennsylvania and met my future wife, Suzanne. In the fall of 1998 we were married. Over the next several years we served in many capacities at a small church in central Pennsylvania.

But still I felt that this was not to be the finale for us. The longing for the West and the still small voice of the Lord began to speak once again to explore the Northwestern United States. So with our two children, Ruth only a lady of 6 weeks old, we flew to Montana. During our trip we knew clearly that this was were we were being called. God spoke directly to Sue and I through one pastor in particular on that trip, and we knew that this was were we were to be.

In the fall we moved here. What can we say... This is home and this is the first time in my life that I have felt that the road has finally ended. Sue always says that she is not a good potted plant, and here we have felt the Lord finally telling us we are home.

RUTH, ELIZABETH, ANDREW, DANIEL, AND "PAP' TOM LEMMON

Sue Lemmon

I too was saved at the young age of six. Raised in a Christian home and being homeschooled for Junior High and High School helped me to avoid many things that many young people face. Even as a child I always enjoyed begin around the church. In the spring of 1997 we began attending Friendship Baptist Church in Irwin, PA. Mike's brother was the Assistant Pastor at the time. A month or so later Mike moved back from Tennessee and we met. It wasn't long before we began courting, got engaged, and married shortly after in 1998. That is a whole other story...

In 1999 we moved to Central PA and served in a small Independent Baptist Church for the next serveral years. I really felt that was going to be our permanent home. We built our house and moved in, but Mike kept saying he thought God had more for us. How little I knew how much longer our road was to be. After only a few short years in our new home we came to Montana on our survey trip. "Yes", God told our hearts, "This is where you are to be." We went back, sold our construction business and our home and moved here that fall. Serving with Whitehall Baptist was a good time for us to get to know Montana and to further explore the towns. We wanted to not just jump into an area because there was a need. We had to be convinced that there was also a calling for us. Indelibly God had to show us the town we were to begin a work in. And in September of 2008 Manhattan was confirmed in both of our hearts. I could go on and on, but I'll save that for when you come for a visit!