Vision & Mission
Our Mission is to equip Christians with Timeless Wisdom for Modern Life.
We believe that Christian wisdom in today’s world requires focusing on three key emphases:
01
Biblical and Theological Imagination
02
Faith and Work Integration
03
Personal and Cultural Formation
Imagination.
Integration.
Formation.
Integration.
Formation.
Biblical and Theological Imagination
Your imagination is like glasses through which you perceive the world around you. Thoughtful Christians imagine the world as it is envisioned in the Biblical story and illuminated by Christian doctrine.
Faith and Work Integration
The default settings of our day push faith to a Sunday activity, with extra credit to those who wake up early for a time of devotions. Faith becomes compartmentalized. The normal work week operates with a different set of rules unless we deliberately integrate faith into ordinary aspects of life. This core emphasis stems from the belief that Jesus not only created all there is and holds it together, but stands above it as the king. This truth invites us to integrate faith into our working lives, paid and unpaid work.
Personal and Cultural Formation
We shape culture and it shapes us. Wise Christians apply the gospel to their current moment and resist the siren song of false cultural narratives. They’re formed by Christian practices. Lakelight hopes to form sturdy Christians who can offer redemptive solutions to contemporary challenges.
How was Lakelight formed?
Lakelight Institute was founded in 2022 by Christ Church.
Christ Church leadership sensed the need to respond to three emerging trends:
01
Sharp declines in biblical literacy
02
Rapid cultural change in a post-Christian society
03
Truncated views of the gospel, which sequesters faith to Sunday morning
Countering those trends required a new endeavor that could provide robust biblical training for the church and community, a thoughtful public witness, and resources to integrate faith and work. Lakelight launched classes, talks, fellows, events, tours, and online content to support these efforts.
OUR STORY
What’s the story behind the name Lakelight?
Christ Church was founded by a small group of people seeking God and living by faith. They sensed God’s leading to start a church in Lake Forest, IL, and be a light to Lake County. Lakelight captures that original charter and extends the vision in the form of an Institute.
Lakes don’t create light; they reflect it. Lakelight reminds us that we are not the source of light – God is. Jesus tells his followers not to hide the light, but to let it shine so others can see their good deeds and praise their Father in heaven. Our hope is to provide resources that allow you to reflect and refract the beauty of God through the work you do.
Like the Apostle Paul, we pray that you would be filled with the knowledge of God’s will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, bearing fruit in every good endeavor (Col 1:10).
Lakes don’t create light; they reflect it. Lakelight reminds us that we are not the source of light – God is. Jesus tells his followers not to hide the light, but to let it shine so others can see their good deeds and praise their Father in heaven. Our hope is to provide resources that allow you to reflect and refract the beauty of God through the work you do.
Like the Apostle Paul, we pray that you would be filled with the knowledge of God’s will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, bearing fruit in every good endeavor (Col 1:10).
Our team
The people doing the work
Ben Dockery
Executive Director
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Ben Dockery is the Executive Director at Lakelight. He previously served as Campus Pastor at the Christ Church Lake Forest. Prior to that, he worked at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and Southern Seminary. He also served as the pastor of Vine Street Baptist Church.
Glenn Wishnew
Associate Director
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Glenn Wishnew serves as the Associate Director. He holds degrees from Wheaton College (BA) and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (MDiv). In addition to his work at Lakelight, Glenn teaches at North Star Classical Christian School.
If you’re mad about our articles or our GoodReads— really anything on our website — you can direct your frustration toward Ben for allowing Glenn to make that mistake.
Lexie Conley
Communications and Social Media Specialist
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Lexie Conley is the Communications and Social Media Specialist at Lakelight. She graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a BFA in Modern Dance Performance and a BA in Psychology.
Kei-Lynn Wheaton
Administrative Assistant
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Kei-Lynn Wheaton is the Administrative Assistant and editor at Lakelight. She holds an MA in Science and Religion from Biola University and an MA in Church History from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.
Board
The people governing the work
Mike Woodruff serves as the chairman of the board
Mike Woodruff serves as the chairman of the board
Roger Christoph
Founder and CEO, Keystone Solutions
Tom Tropp
Chief Ethics Officer, Gallagher
Kendall Mills
Head of Ethics and Compliance Americas, JLL
Harold Smith
Retired CEO and President, Christianity Today
