Shining Light Baptist Church was founded in September of 1981 when a small group of believers began meeting in a small building on highway 89. Over the next several years the church grew under the direction of Pastor Junior Howlett. After a few years of service, Pastor Howlett resigned. Brother Elmo Hiatt, was then installed as the Pastor of Shining Light Baptist Church on August 11th, 1985.
Shortly after Pastor Elmo took over the ministry at Shining Light, God blessed this local assembly greatly, and they began to build a new church building at our current location on Piper’s Gap Road. With about forty members and only forty dollars in the building fund, the church set out to build a new church building. God blessed the congregation for the faith and commitment that they had shown to His work, and on September 27th, 1987 Shining Light held its first service in its new building. Three years later, they began construction on a fellowship building to accompany the sanctuary building, and despite the fact that they had began with only $40, the church finished paying for the building in June of 1992.
In May of 2019, Pastor Elmo resigned after nearly 34 years of Pastoral leadership, and on July 14, 2019, Brother Johnathan Bass was installed as the Pastor of Shining Light.
We are excited to see what the Lord has in store for this new era of leadership and the future of Shining Light Baptist Church.
Since the construction of the building, the congregation at Shining Light has continued to be faithful to the service of the Lord. We are still located at the same location, and we have seen several people come to Christ as a result of the ministry, and it is our mission to continue to reach out to the community and lead people to Christ today.
Church History
Shortly after Pastor Elmo took over the ministry at Shining Light, God blessed this local assembly greatly, and they began to build a new church building at our current location on Piper’s Gap Road. With about forty members and only forty dollars in the building fund, the church set out to build a new church building. God blessed the congregation for the faith and commitment that they had shown to His work, and on September 27th, 1987 Shining Light held its first service in its new building. Three years later, they began construction on a fellowship building to accompany the sanctuary building, and despite the fact that they had began with only $40, the church finished paying for the building in June of 1992.
In May of 2019, Pastor Elmo resigned after nearly 34 years of Pastoral leadership, and on July 14, 2019, Brother Johnathan Bass was installed as the Pastor of Shining Light.
We are excited to see what the Lord has in store for this new era of leadership and the future of Shining Light Baptist Church.
Since the construction of the building, the congregation at Shining Light has continued to be faithful to the service of the Lord. We are still located at the same location, and we have seen several people come to Christ as a result of the ministry, and it is our mission to continue to reach out to the community and lead people to Christ today.