A MIRACLE IN PROGRESS
OUR HISTORY
​
On January 1, 1995, after 25 years of pastoring in places like Carbondale and Shippensburg, Rev. Abraham (Abe) Oliver felt God leading him to start a ministry in Philadelphia with a mandate to preach the Gospel. At that time, he was working for Cardone Industries and he began almost immediately holding Sunday prayer meetings using one of the Cardone chapels at D & Erie.
​
For Mother’s Day that year, Pastor and his family invited people from around the neighborhood to join them for a special Mother’s Day service. To their disappointment, no one came. So they decided to take the flowers they had purchased for the mothers to the neighborhood and hand deliver them. They met 5 year old Luis Camilo who took one for himself, his brother, his sister, and then came back for more for his friends to give to their moms. It was through that group of kids that the breakthrough came!
​
In July 1995, with the help of Christian Life Center (Bensalem), they began holding Saturday morning street outreaches for kids, called “Power Place”. Luis and his friends attended faithfully, usually coming early to help cut grass or pick up trash on the lot before the program. Through this, relationships were formed with families in the neighborhood. In the Fall, the ministry moved inside to an Arcade at Cardone Industries, which was affectionately known as "57 games". Each week, they'd shuttle 20-35 kids between the neighborhood and the arcade.
​
In September 1995, Dennis Winton joined the team as full time youth pastor, which resulted in deeper relationships within the community and consistent youth meetings. They continued using Cardone Chapels for Sunday services and the Arcade for mid-week outreaches from '95-'99 as Pastor Oliver worked on the growing the ministry and looking for a permanent location closer to the neighborhood.
​
In September '98, Pastor Oliver and some of the children stood in front of the church building at 3405 N Front Street, which was Immanuel Baptist Church at that time, agreeing in prayer for God to give them the building. That December, the pastor of Immanuel Baptist contacted Pastor Oliver to let him know that the building was for sale and asked if he was interested! "Of course!", Abe replied. They discussed details and agreed on a price. However, LFC had no money in the bank at the time and the other mandate that the Lord gave Pastor Oliver was, "don't put the people in debt."
​
In January '99, Pastor and his wife went on a retreat to
seek God’s direction about this opportunity. They left the
retreat believing that God telling them to buy the building
and in 52 days, they would be having services there.
​
So with a complete step of faith, they agreed to the sale
and began raising money, all the while believing that God
will provide. Even the kids contributed spare change and
bottle caps towards the vision.
​
Through an 11th hour miracle of God, every penny came in
enough to buy the building in cash, fully furnished, and on
Palm Sunday, 1999, exactly 52 days after God spoke to
Pastor Oliver at the retreat, Lighthouse held its first service
at 3405 N Front Street.
​
In September 2000, Pastor Oliver resigned from his employment at Cardone to focus all his energy on ministry to the neighborhood. An Advisory Board was formed in January 2001. In July 2002, we purchased 104 West Ontario Street, the home of John and Louise Olinger. They had attended church at Front Street when it was Immanuel Baptist and then continued when it became Lighthouse and had passed away the previous year. This was another step of faith and God did another miracle so that we were able to make the purchase without assuming any debt. Renovations began on this building immediately and for it's first year of use, it was the home for a team from Mission Year who were part of our ministry. At the same time, the first floor, though unfinished, was utilized as the youth ministry space. This building was dedicated in June 2004 as the "Olinger Youth Center".
​
In January 2003, after a two year battle to secure the permits, renovations of what would become the Children’s Center began. The space was dedicated on December 18, 2005 and added much needed bathrooms, two classrooms, a nursery basement storage space.
Lighthouse had been operating as a home missions church but on May 4, 2003, we became
a sovereign church and held our first business meeting with the charter members.
​
​
In April of 2014, our founding pastor Abraham Oliver was called home to be with the Lord, but Lighthouse continues to preach the Gospel, worship God and make passionate disciples of Christ. Our heart is to be a beacon of hope in Kensington and around the world. We invite you to consider becoming an active part of what God is doing through this his people in Kensington!
​
​
FOUNDING PASTOR
ABRAHAM
OLIVER
LFC church picnic, Valley Forge Park, 2000
LFC CHURCH PICNIC, VALLEY FORGE PARK, SUMMER 2000
OUR MISSION
To create an environment where the worship of God, the discipleship of believers, and the anointed message of salvation and hope are dynamically presented in our community.
As an Assemblies of God church,
we hold to the 16 Fundamentals of Faith of the Assemblies of God.
FIND US IN NORTH PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA
OUR HISTORY
​​
On January 1, 1995, after 25 years of pastoring in places like Carbondale and Shippensburg, Rev. Abraham (Abe) Oliver felt God leading him to start a ministry in Philadelphia with a mandate to preach the Gospel. At that time, he was working for Cardone Industries and he began almost immediately holding Sunday prayer meetings using one of the Cardone chapels at D & Erie.
For Mother’s Day that year, Pastor and his family invited people from around the neighborhood to join them for a special Mother’s Day service. To their disappointment, no one came. So they decided to take the flowers they had purchased for the mothers to the neighborhood and hand deliver them. They met 5 year old Luis Camilo who took one for himself, his brother, his sister, and then came back for more for his friends to give to their moms. It was through that group of kids that the breakthrough came!
​
In July 1995, with the help of Christian Life Center (Bensalem), they began holding Saturday morning street outreaches for kids, called “Power Place”. Luis and his friends attended faithfully, usually coming early to help cut grass or pick up trash on the lot before the program. Through this, relationships were formed with families in the neighborhood. In the Fall, the ministry moved inside to an Arcade at Cardone Industries, which was affectionately known as "57 games". Each week, they'd shuttle 20-35 kids between the neighborhood and the arcade.
​
In September 1995, Dennis Winton joined the team as full time youth pastor, which resulted in deeper relationships within the community and consistent youth meetings. They continued using Cardone Chapels for Sunday services and the Arcade for mid-week outreaches from '95-'99 as Pastor Oliver worked on the growing the ministry and looking for a permanent location closer to the neighborhood.
​
In September '98, Pastor Oliver and some of the children stood in front of the church building at 3405 N Front Street, which was Immanuel Baptist Church at that time, agreeing in prayer for God to give them the building. That December, the pastor of Immanuel Baptist contacted Pastor Oliver to let him know that the building was for sale and asked if he was interested! "Of course!", Abe replied. They discussed details and agreed on a price. However, LFC had no money in the bank at the time and the other mandate that the Lord gave Pastor Oliver was, "don't put the people in debt."
​
In January '99, Pastor and his wife went on a retreat to seek God’s direction about this opportunity. They left the
retreat believing that God telling them to buy the building and in 52 days, they would be having services there.
​​
So with a complete step of faith, they agreed to the sale and began raising money, all the while believing that God will provide. Even the kids contributed spare change and
bottle caps towards the vision.
​
Through an 11th hour miracle of God, every penny came in enough to buy the building in cash, fully furnished, and on Palm Sunday, 1999, exactly 52 days after God spoke to Pastor Oliver at the retreat, Lighthouse held its first service at 3405 N Front Street.
​​
In September 2000, Pastor Oliver resigned from his employment at Cardone to focus all his energy on ministry to the neighborhood. An Advisory Board was formed in January 2001. In July 2002, we purchased 104 West Ontario Street, the home of John and Louise Olinger. They had attended church at Front Street when it was Immanuel Baptist and then continued when it became Lighthouse and had passed away the previous year. This was another step of faith and God did another miracle so that we were able to make the purchase without assuming any debt. Renovations began on this building immediately and for it's first year of use, it was the home for a team from Mission Year who were part of our ministry. At the same time, the first floor, though unfinished, was utilized as the youth ministry space. This building was dedicated in June 2004 as the "Olinger Youth Center".
​
In January 2003, after a two year battle to secure the permits, renovations of what would become the Children’s Center began. The space was dedicated on December 18, 2005 and added much needed bathrooms, two classrooms, a nursery basement storage space.
Lighthouse had been operating as a home missions church but on May 4, 2003, we became
a sovereign church and held our first business meeting with the charter members.
​
​
In April of 2014, our founding pastor Abraham Oliver was called home to be with the Lord, but Lighthouse continues to preach the Gospel, worship God and make passionate disciples of Christ. Our heart is to be a beacon of hope in Kensington and around the world. We invite you to consider becoming an active part of what God is doing through this his people in Kensington!