After having fruitfully served in different ministries, Pastor Scheidbach received a unique invitation to take a young church of six months in April of 1995. After much prayer and consultation, it became evident the Spirit was calling Pastor Scheidbach to accept this opportunity. In May of 1995, Jerry W. Scheidbach became the pastor of what was then called the Santa Maria Valley Baptist Church.

After some of the unique challenges of the new church were met and the Santa Maria Valley Baptist Church proved itself truly committed to the biblical principles that motivated the founders to begin the church, Santa Maria Valley’s LIGHTHOUSE Baptist Church emerged with a clear sense of identity and focused purpose. At this time, Pastor Scheidbach announced it was his belief God would soon provide a facility for the new church.

We were meeting in a storefront in Orcutt. Soon after our Pastor arrived in Santa Maria, he began scouting Orcutt and Santa Maria for a facility for the congregation. Every facility large enough to house the congregation that was affordable was unavailable, and what was available was not affordable, or the location was unacceptable. After much prayer, Pastor was driving along Betteravia, west of Blosser, and felt impressed of the Lord that this would be the right area for the Church to locate. He began praying for a facility to become available on Betteravia, and announced to the congregation that he felt God would soon provide a facility for the church. The story of how God brought us to our current location is a wonderful testimony to the hand of the Lord directing the LIGHTHOUSE Baptist Church.

There are many blessings the Lord has already given the Pastor’s ministry here. Among them, we rejoice in the Lord’s provision of our facility, right on Betteravia, where the Spirit told Pastor we would be located; and the good number of souls that have been saved and baptized, even during our “wandering years”. Also, we are pleased the Lord has granted that we should have five young men of our congregation called into ministry by the Spirit. The story of Pastor Scheidbach’s ministry here is still being written; perhaps you will join us in prayer for God’s marvelous blessing upon the LIGHTHOUSE Baptist Church under his anointed ministry.