Lighthouse Church

Lighthouse was first established in 1969 as Lighthouse Christian Centre. Pastor Bill and Joan Beard founded the church in a Port Kembla home. Pastor Bill and Joan had a passion to: See Spirit-filled believers raised up Establish a church that emphasised and experienced the power of God through the Holy Spirit Build a magnificent house for the Lord... After a series of different locations around Wollongong, Lighthouse Christian Centre was finally established in its current location next to Wollongong train station. In the 1980's Lighthouse Community Care was established. Lighthouse Community Care included youth housing and meal programs. Throughout their 31 years as Senior Pastors, Bill and Joan literally led thousands to the Lord, not just in Wollongong, but also around the nation and the world. In 2000 Pastor Bill and Joan passed the leadership of the church onto their daughter and son-in-law, Paul and Annette Bartlett. Paul's father, Ted Bartlett, founded Wollongong City Mission in Wollongong out of a desire to demonstrate the love of God through meeting the practical needs of the community. Between 1983 -1997 Wollongong City Mission grew into a large organisation that employed 300 staff and 200 volunteers across NSW. It provided a wide assortment of programs including: welfare services, financial counselling and training and employment assistance programs. Paul and Annette's vision for Lighthouse Christian Centre was to move beyond a traditional Sunday church format and create an organisation that cared for the community while inviting them to experience the power of God 24/7. In early 2005, an opportunity to take on the leadership of Shellharbour City Church was presented to the Lighthouse Christian Centre. Lighthouse Christian Centre became Lighthouse Church as way of establishing the one church in two locations (Wollongong and Shellharbour). In 2012 Lighthouse was established as the organisation head over Lighthouse Church and Lighthouse Community Care.Read More