Our Story
The Foundation of Lighthouse Church
Lighthouse Church is built on the foundation of Pastor Bill & Joan Beard and Ted Bartlett. Pastor Bill & Joan founded the Lighthouse Christian Centre out of a passion
to see: spirit-filled believers raised up; a church that emphasized and experienced the power of God through the Holy Spirit; and to build a magnificent house for the
Lord. It began at a home in Port Kembla in 1969, was relocated soon after, to Port Kembla YMCA, then West Wollongong Presbyterian Church in 1970 and the University's
Union Hall in 1973 before settling at the current location. This vision is still unfolding. Bill and Joan have led literally thousands to the Lord, not just in Wollongong, but
also around the nation and the world. Many men and women in full-time ministry today are there as a direct result of Bill and Joan's input into their lives.
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.
Over a 14 year period from 1983 to 1997 this 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. Many poor and disadvantaged people from
Illawarra and regional NSW received vital support and assistance during the operation of this service
Current Leadership
These two visions come together in Paul Bartlett (son of Ted) and Annette Bartlett (daughter of Bill and Joan) who took over the leadership of the church in 2000.
They have a vision for the church to combine Bill and Joan's emphasis on the power of God with Ted's emphasis on demonstrating the love of God in the community
by ministering to people's needs. In this context, Sunday church services are seen as a time of celebration and spiritual equipping for the Christian ministry that
takes place during the week.
In early 2005, an opportunity to take on the leadership of Shellharbour City Church was presented to the Lighthouse Christian Centre. This congregation was
bought under the spiritual leadership of Paul & Annette, and the church formally changed its name to Lighthouse Church to encompass the one church as being
centred in two locations (Wollongong and Shellharbour).
The Church Today
Lighthouse Church continues to be one of the strongest Pentecostal churches in the region. We are passionate about following God and investing in other people to see them walking with Christ. We will continue to build various community-based ministries and are on the journey to becoming a 24 hour, 7 days a week church.