Lighthouse Baptist Temple of Charlottesville

Our Story

Lighthouse Baptist Temple of Charlottesville (also called "Africa Lighthouse Baptist Church" or "ALBT") was founded in 2011.  Our Pastor and founder Peter N Chege is from Kenya Africa and a graduate of a Baptist College in the USA.   The church provides practical and spiritual support for African refugees and immigrants, and it welcomes worshipers of all nations.  Chege grew up in poverty in Kenya and came to the United States seeking a better life for his family. In 2013, the church found a permanent home when they purchased a small country church near Stony Point, north of Charlottesville.  

Our Beliefs

Lighthouse Baptist Temple is an Assembly of Believers existing for two goals:  to Glorify God and to Evangelize the World.  We bring the Word beginning in Jerusalem (Home Base Charlottesville), into all Judea (Greater Region-USA), Samaria (Unwanted, forgotten, neglected in all corners of the Earth) and Unto the Uttermost Parts of the Earth (Acts 1:8). We believe Our God is a God of love, Grace and Mercy, who is infinite in Wisdom and Power. He is also Holy and Righteous. We say that our Church is a church where everybody is somebody and Jesus Christ is Lord. 

Our Local Ministries

Pastor Chege’s ministry focuses on meeting the spiritual, practical and social needs of African refugees and immigrants who settle in the Charlottesville area.  “Our families have many needs, but God is so good to us and we are so grateful to be here in America where there is opportunity,” said Chege.  “Where we all come from, in Africa, there is so much violence and poverty…and there is not potential like there is in America.  But our families need mentoring, practical support and encouragement, because it takes 3 to 5 years at least to become adjusted to the way of life here.”

Practical assistance includes:

• coaching on filling out job applications,
• job referrals, 
• driving instruction, and
• help in obtaining housing, furniture and household items

Our Ministries in Mahianyu, Kenya

Our hearts ache for people who are living in extreme poverty.  In the past 6 years, God has made miracles happen in Pastor Peter's home village, Mahianyu Kenya.

• 2021:  $ 65,000 to purchase land and drill a community well serving 500+ families (over 2,000 people). Over 3 million liters provided for free through June 2025.
• 2023:  $140,000 to build the 1st floor (3,600 sf) of a 3-story Ministry Center,
• 2024:  $300,000 to build the 2nd and 3rd floors
• 2025:  $ 50,000 to buy a bus, 2 more acres of land, modern outdoor lavatories, and 2 dairy cows
• 2026: $72,000 to add 4th grade class, second cook, start a water bottling business, maintain building, technical training and church.  And shipped a 40-foot container filled with furniture, equipment, bibles, clothing.
• 2027: $65,000 to expand water bottling, start classes in hairdressing, nursing and auto mechanics

The Ministry Center now is home to:

• Faith Baptist Church, with attendance of over 300 on average each Sunday
• Imani (Faith) Christian School, educating 90 children grades pre-K to 4th grade
• Faith School of Fashion and Design, with a full-time tailor who apprentices widows
• Myrtle Clary Jones Technical Training Institute, which currently offers accredited courses in Information Technology and Communications, catering, electrical, plumbing, and hairdressing. https://myrtleclaryjonesinstitute.com/academics/

Our Partners in advancing the Kingdom

• Faith Baptist Church Charlottesville:  https://faithbaptistchurchcharlottesville.com/
• Aldersgate United Methodist Church Charlottesville:  https://cvaumc.org/
• Operation GO International:  https://operationgointernational.com/kenya/

Needs (2027 and beyond): Visit our Mahianyu Ministry Center campaign page 5th Annual "A Taste of Kenya" | Mightycause  

and our MOVING FORWARD Capital Campaign page  MOVING FORWARD

 

Bible Study at 10:00 AM and Worship Services at 11:00 AM are held every Sunday on site at 3468 Gilbert Station Road, Charlottesville/Barboursville, VA 22911. Worship with us online at: http://www.facebook.com/AFRICALIGHTHOUSEBAPTISTTEMPLE.  Services are multilingual in English, Swahili and French and feature African spiritual music.

The Request 

Gifts of any amount are greatly appreciated.  You may give online, by clicking the "DONATE" button or send your check payable to "Lighthouse Baptist Temple" to:  PO Box 7201, Charlottesville, VA  22906.  For gifts to Mahianyu, put "Kenya" in the memo line.

God bless you!

“There is nothing too hard for The Lord” (Jeremiah 32:17)