Our Lighthouse
Story
Pastor Sam & Angie Mascareno
Lighthouse church was founded in November 1999 by Pastors Sam and Angie Mascareño under the name, Lighthouse Christian Fellowship. Lighthouse began with a desire to reach our community with a Spirit-filled worship experience and to create a strong and loving community of believers that could “do life together.” In the fall of 2002, Lighthouse Church acquired its property in West Chula Vista. There, the congregation continued to grow, reaching the broader South Bay region of San Diego.
In the spring of 2014, it was time for Lighthouse Church to add an additional campus in East Chula Vista. In February 2014, Lighthouse Church started its East Campus at Eastlake High School. In the fall of 2017, after many years of prayer and discussions, Lighthouse Church became an independent congregation (separate from our original denominational organization). This transition gave way to more expansion of the vision of the church. This vision became a reality in the Spring of 2018 as the church leadership agreed to open a campus in the North County.
Pastor Sam & Angie Mascareno
In March 2020, like every church in the nation, Lighthouse Church was faced with the reality that they would need to pause Sunday worship services and move to online worship services. The desire to gather led us to outdoor parking lot worship services and then to Saturday evenings at La Roca Church. During the most tumultuous of times, we trusted God for the impossible and started looking to purchase a building in East Chula Vista. In February of 2022, Lighthouse went into escrow to purchase 2 new empty buildings and an outdoor courtyard.
Pastor Sam knew it was time to reopen church on Sundays. In June of 2022, we met under a canopy on Sundays in our outdoor courtyard for 1.5 years. Immediately after we transitioned to Sundays, our church attendance more than doubled in size. Here we were able to witness the miraculous and ongoing flow of people who came to worship under the tent in the summer heat and rainy days of winter. Nothing could stop Lighthouse Church and visitors from worshipping God.
After our tent permits expired in December of 2023, the construction of our new building began. We transitioned to Mater Dei High School Theater. Here we saw the momentum of Lighthouse Church expand to greater heights and in 2024 alone, we witnessed record breaking baptisms, of 112 people – in Jesus name!
This December 2024 marks a new and exciting time as we open the doors to our newly constructed church that seats 500, where we will continue with two weekly Sunday worship services (and soon to be three) and thriving events and activities 7 days a week. Today, we are here – beholding the completed sanctuary and a lighthouse to our city. It does not stop here; in 2025 we will start the construction of our Children’s and Youth Center.
Here we will do what we do best; love God, love people, and do everything in the spirit of excellence, for God’s glory. Lighthouse will offer jubilant worship, programs for children, youth, young adults, marriages, singles, families, and people of all races and ages. We will continue to reach our community through Celebrate Recovery, Connect Groups and bring hope to the hurting in a place where people far from God can fulfill their potential in Christ. We will THRIVE in 2025!
“…For He is good, for His mercy and lovingkindness endure forever.” 2 Chronicles 7:3