What Is Charter Oak Lighthouse?
What Is Charter Oak Lighthouse?Charter Oak Lighthouse is a non-denominational Christian Church that is grounded on a firm commitment to the truth that is found in the pages of the Bible. We believe that the Bible is the revealed Word of God and holds the answers to the human dilemma. Therefore, we proclaim the truth found in Scripture without apology and seek to apply its unchanging principles to the pressing problems of modern life.
At the center of biblical revelation is the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible reveals Him to be the very brightness of God’s glory and the express image of His person — He is our Savior, our Master, our Lord. Our ministry is dedicated to making sure that Jesus Christ is given the preeminence in all things.
Why Are We Here?
Every organization exists for a purpose. The mission of Charter Oak Lighthouse is expressed in this simple statement of purpose:
“The purpose of Charter Oak Lighthouse is to make fully devoted disciples of Jesus Christ by seeking the lost, leading them into a saving relationship with a holy God, developing them to Christlike maturity, and sending them out as witnesses of Jesus Christ in the world, in order to bring glory to God.” (See Matt. 28:18-20; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:44-48; John 20:21; Acts 1:8; Ps. 19:1-6; Rev. 5:11-14; Rev. 7:9-12)
This purpose statement emphasizes the twofold nature of the ministry to which the church has been called: (1) We are to bring the good news of the Gospel to those who haven’t heard it; and (2) we are to build people up into spiritual maturity. Thus, we desire there to be a balance between evangelism and discipleship. These two pursuits are to compliment each other.
What Do We Value?
We value God.
As the Creator of the universe and the giver of life, who can esteem God highly enough? Therefore, we place the greatest value on God and coming into a personal relationship with Him through the person and work of Jesus Christ.
We value the leading of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit has been given to us to both lead us and guide us in life. Therefore, we seek His will and leading in everything we do.
We value people.
We see each person as a unique and highly valuable gift from God. The Bible places the highest value on human life and therefore we strive to treat all people with the greatest respect and dignity.
We value children.
From the Book of Genesis forward, the Bible stresses the tremendous importance of children. We believe that our children represent a living testimony and that through our children we can touch the face of tomorrow.
We value integrity.
Integrity evidences itself in ministry through ethical soundness, intellectual truthfulness, moral excellence, honesty at all cost, and a rock-like character that will not crack when standing alone or crumble when pressure mounts.
We value love.
The mark of true Christian fellowship is found in the love of God that flows through the individual members toward one another.
We value servanthood.
The Lord Jesus Christ said that whoever would be greatest, let him become the servant of all. We believe that the Christian life is to be a life that is characterized by the willingness to serve others.
How Are We Organized?
In the pages of the New Testament you will find that the 1st century churches were supervised by a group of overseeing elders who sought to do the will of the Lord through the leading of the Holy Spirit (see Acts 11:27-30, 14:21-23, 15:1-6, 20:17-38; 1 Tim. 5:17-21; Titus 1:5-11; 1 Pet. 5:1-7). The organizational structure of Charter Oak Lighthouse is based on this biblical model and has a group of overseeing elders who are responsible for the oversight of the ministries of the church. These overseers are in turn accountable to the voting congregation which has the right to approve their appointment. The overseers are nominated to their position by the senior pastor in consultation with the overseers. Our overseers are appointed to a three year term with at least one year of rest required between terms.
The voting congregation, as mentioned earlier, has the right to ratify the senior pastor’s choice of overseers. We encourage all people who are seriously committed to our church and ministry to become members of the voting congregation. Toward this end we offer periodic membership classes in which the vision, direction, and doctrine of our church is thoroughly explained. If you desire to become a voting member, sign-up for one of these classes.
About Our Pastor
Pastor Larry was born in 1961 in Boston, Mass. He has lived in the local area since 1971 and is dedicated to reaching southern California for the cause of Christ. Pastor Larry’s ministry is characterized by the sound, systematic exposition of Scripture as well as a heart to share the riches of our Lord Jesus Christ with others. As one who needed to have his own questions answered, Pastor Larry is devoted to helping others to find their way in a world full of false philosophies, false claims, and false beliefs. He is passionate about apologetics (the defense of the Christian faith) and is committed to offering a powerful defense of the Bible and Christianity to those who are open to discussion. Pastor Larry’s education underscores his commitment to excellence and to the serious study of God’s Word. He holds a B.S. degree in Business Administration from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona and a Master of Divinity degree from Talbot School of Theology at Biola University in La Mirada, CA. In March of 2007 he earned a Ph.D. degree in Theology from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, CA. His mentor in his Ph.D. program was Dr. Colin Brown. His Ph.D. dissertation was honored by being selected for publication in 2015 by Paternoster Press in their Theological Monographs series under the title, Will All Be Saved? An Assessment of Universalism in Western Theology. Pastor Larry resides in the city of La Verne, CA with his wife Melody. They have been happily married since 1982. Pastor Larry and Melody have two adult children – Justin and Bethany. They have adopted their granddaughter Lily Belle and are raising her. They have been blessed with another precious grandchild named Hudson.