Our Beginnings

How The Lighthouse Began

- as told by her first elder, Bob Johnson

     As I was on my way to an elder meeting at Calvary Evangelical Free Church up in Walker, I sensed God saying, "Why are you leaving your own town when there is so much work to do right here?" I had been wrestling with the idea of a church in Hackensack for several years. That day I asked the Calvary pastors to pray with me concerning God's leading.
     The Calvary elders began to talk and pray. Larry Overcash and I were given the task of 'spying out the land' to find out how many were interested in being part of a church plant. We were to come back with a plan.
     There were about 20 family units from Calvary living in the Hackensack area. At first there was doubt and concern as to whether a church plant was God's will. Little by little God began to call people to step forward. A core team of 11 people was formed and began meeting weekly.
     God was also working in California - Pastor Brian Swedburg and his family lived there but while vacationing spoke with the Evangelical Free Church
planting office about plans for Hackensack. Pastor Brian met with Calvary pastors and elders, and like so many others, God began to call the Swedburgs to Hackensack.
     The Lighthouse opened its doors officially in May of 2004, and has been so blessed with wonderful people whom God has brought together to build His church. He is the Great Provider!
     We are so thankful to our mother church, Calvary. Pastors Mark and John were such an important part of encouraging their people to step out in faith and become leaders in the Lighthouse project. The leaders of Calvary believed their mission to be larger than their local church. The Calvary family gave their people, their money, and their love to see The Lighthouse born.

Update - Summer 2006

- by Julie Swedburg

We took this picture at Itasca State Park. As

I’ve looked at it, it seems the perfect time to

update you on our planting in Minnesota for the

past 2 ½ years.

We have gone from a core of 5 families and a

single, to the single being a full time missionary,

and our family gathering in a newly built movie

theater in town, averaging 90 people on any given

Sunday.

Like these Lady Slippers, much of the beauty is

unseen by those who travel through Itasca, or

through the town of Hackensack, but the Lord is

still glorified by His beauty and shining where we

are planted.

The Lighthouse Evangelical Free Church of

America is the official title of our faithful gathering

and we have created, refined and determined to

keep forth the following mission:
To follow Jesus together!

And vision:
To make and grow disciples- children and adults - whose identity and life purpose is to follow Jesus

together by faith - - -
+ rooted in the Word of God and empowered by

                 the Spirit of God
             + in absolutely all our relationships and activities
             + going to the lost of our community and beyond

with the gospel
+ being Jesus’ hands and feet of compassion in

our community and world
+ regularly gathered to vibrant, Christ-focused

worship
+ for the glory of God and lives transformed by

grace

If you’d like more information, we’d love to

hear from you.

The Lighthouse EFCA

All Lighthouse Ministry is about… - Seeing people born again to life in Jesus - Discipling believers to grow in their life through Jesus