Our Story

Prince of Peace Lutheran Church began under the pastoral leadership of Reverend James R. Haner in a newly remodeled sanctuary in Carrollton, Texas with a 10:00 AM service of dedication and a 4:00 PM service of installation on the first Sunday in Advent, November 27, 1966.

As Reverend Haner would later recall...

"I remember coming to Carrollton for the first time as if it were yesterday. Fresh out of the Seminary.. in a car we weren't quite sure would get us there... a two month old baby to care for... and only $50 cash to our name, and in debt to boot. But in spite of it all Jane and I were so excited when we hit town... only to have our hearts drop to our toes when we saw what awaited us. College Avenue (now Beltline Road) was all torn up - dusty and dirty. The nice little church building we had expected to find had been standing vacant for some time... and looked it! ... paint flaking on the outside, and a pungent odor inside (because heavy rains had flooded the building). What had we gotten ourselves in to!!

We started holding meetings that Summer of 1966... usually about 20 or so of us showed up as we plotted and planned to get this Parish underway. As this building was being refurbished (and when the remodeling got underway, I thought it was one of the most beautiful churches around), we tried to get a nucleus together.... After five months of labor 27 communicants were found to sign the Constitution to become charter members of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church of Carrollton, Texas... the doors were opened... and the people started to come..."

Just how right Reverend Haner was... the people did indeed come to hear and share in God's Word at Prince of Peace! Less than eight years later the Prince of Peace congregation had outgrown the Beltline Road sanctuary and, without enough land to grow or to expand on at that location, decided to purchase land and build a new facility. On August of 1974 on a remote five acre stretch of Texas prairie located on a small, muddy road the ground was broken for this facility and the construction begun.

With hard work and great effort, a beautiful new worship facility was opened just five months later!! On Sunday, January 5, 1975, with a congregation now numbering over 350 members, the Frankford Road facility was dedicated to the Lord and opened with a 10:30 AM dedication service and a 4:00 PM Epiphany Eucharist.

On the fourth Sunday after Easter, May 1, 1977, a Service of Installation was conducted to install Reverend Stephen A. Wagner as pastor of Prince of Peace. Through his dreams and vision, care and guidance, hard work and long hours, Prince of Peace became truly blessed with a growth that was limited time and time again only by the need for additional space.

1980 saw the beginning of the Early Childhood Development Center which was successful and quickly grew. In 1984, the Prince of Peace congregation started Prince of Peace Christian School by voting to expand the school one grade a year every year through sixth grade.

Prince of Peace quickly outgrew the original building at the Frankford Road location. Master plans were developed to expand the facility with the addition of a new office wing and classrooms in 1984. Sunday services were expanded to 8:00 AM, 9:30 AM, and 11:00 AM and were still often overcrowded. Again and again the Frankford Road facility was expanded and improved as the people continued to come...

The story of growth continued in hiring new staff, beginning new ministries like the Student Ministry, Middle School addition and the move to its current location at 4000 Midway road. The purchase of the former Henry Butts Auto Mall included 11 buildings, over 250,000 square feet and then the addition of 12 acres of lighted sports fields.

On May 20, 2005, after 28 years of God filled service, Pastor Wagner was led to accept the Executive Director position at PLI. In December 2005, Prince of Peace extended a call to Reverend Doctor Luther Biggs. On Sunday, February 12, 2006, Pastor Luke was installed as Senior Pastor! Still under the leadership of Pastor Luke today, Prince of Peace Lutheran Church and Christian School exists to EXPAND THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST TO THE NEXT GENERATION!

Our History...

• November 27, 1966 - First service held under the leadership of Reverend James R. Haner at 1407 Belt Line Road, Carrollton.
• January 5, 1975 - Dedicated 5 acre site at 2115 Frankford Road
• October 1976 - Reverend James Haner accepted the Senior Pastor call.
• May 1977 - Reverend Stephen Wagner became Senior Pastor.
• September 1980 - Early Childhood Development Center began.
• August 1984 - Prince of Peace Christian School began.
• September 1984 - Reverend F. Paul Liersemann became Associate Pastor.
• 1984, 1986, 1993 - Multiple remodeling projects and extensive expansions at Frankford Road location.
• October 1994 - Student Ministry launched with mission trips, theater and youth camps under the leadership of Oscar & Jennifer Benavides.
• March 31, 1996 - Relocated and dedicated 4000 Midway Road site.
• POP goes cross-cultural with mission trips to Guatemala, Panama, Botswana, Mexico, Canada, Nicaragua, Peru, Ethiopia, Kenya, Haiti, and Asia.
• October 1999 - Remodeled Building 8 into a Youth and Worship Center.
• September 2000 - Reverend Kenneth Holdorf joins the staff as Director of Adult Education and Senior Ministries.
• Fall 2001 - Prince of Peace Christian School began high school with ninth grade.
• September 2004 -Prince of Peace Christian School was named a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence by the United States Department of Education.
• September 2004 - Reverend Oscar Benavides’ ordination.
• Prince of Peace Christian School’s first graduating class was May 2005 with 14 students!
• May & June 2005
  • Pastor Tom Zehnder is called to be the Transition Pastor.
  • Pastor Wagner is installed as President of Pastoral Leadership Institute after serving Prince of Peace Lutheran Church for 28+ years.
• February 12, 2006 - Pastor Luke Biggs installed as new Senior Pastor.
• June 2007 - Serena Pace, DCE accepts call to be Director of Youth Ministry.
• September 23, 2007 - Dave Rahberg, DCE was installed as Director of Care, Guidance & Recovery.
• January 2008 -Beth Daugherty became the Director of Missions.
• July 27, 2008 - Pastor Landon Ledlow was installed as Associate Pastor.
• September 7, 2008 - Sandi Grupe, DCE was installed as the Director of Children & Family Ministry.
• September, 2010 - Worship Schedule changes to utilize the new Fine Arts Center during the 11am hour.
• June 2010 - Reverend Shaun Daugherty’s ordination and installation as Associate Pastor.