Humble Beginnings and Divine Guidance
The history of Lighthouse Church traces back to humble beginnings as prayer meetings and small worship gatherings in Caritas, predominantly attended by Indonesians and lacking a pastor. However, in December 1994, a significant event catalyzed a surge of attendees, including Germans, prompting Pastor Asien to receive a vision to open doors for other nationalities based on biblical passages from Isaiah 49:6, which says: “…I will also make You a light to the nations…“. Despite challenges such as language barriers, particularly transitioning from Indonesian to English and German, and the difficulty of managing established individuals, the community, guided by the Holy Spirit, overcame these hurdles.
Resilience Amidst Adversity
In 1995, spirited students organized a revival service on Indonesia’s 50th Independence Day, demonstrating remarkable faith by pooling their meager earnings to rent a hall for the event. Despite facing hardships like the lack of heating in their subsequent location in the basement of a building on Zollamtstraße, the community persisted, overcoming challenges such as false leadership claims and the arduous process of registering as a nonprofit organization. Through perseverance and divine intervention, Lighthouse Church officially became recognized as a church by the end of 2001.
Pursuing Vision Through Sacrifice
Despite impending demolition of their basement location, Pastor Asien’s vision propelled the congregation towards purchasing their own building, launching the “Haggai Project” fundraising campaign. Overcoming reluctance to leave their comfort zone, they rented the ICF GospelHaus building in Ponttor for two years, symbolized by contributions of “stones” worth 60€ each. Miraculously, generous donations, including 500 “stones” from an Indonesian businessman, exemplified divine provision throughout this period.
Faithfulness Rewarded: A New Chapter Begins
God’s faithfulness culminated in the acquisition of a new church building in 2007, fulfilling Pastor Asien’s vision. Since November 2007, this site has remained the enduring location of Lighthouse Church, a testament to the community’s unwavering faith and perseverance amidst trials and triumphs.