A Mission Born in Wartime Wilmington
Tucked along Lake Branch Drive on the north side of Wilmington, Lake Forest Baptist Church carries a motto its pastor, Rev. Burt Vezina II, often quotes: "We exist to know Jesus and to make Him known." The congregation describes itself as a fellowship of Christians offering a relaxed and refreshing atmosphere where people can experience God's love, and it presents basic biblical truths in a way it believes is relevant to today.
Lake Forest began during the boom of wartime Wilmington, when twelve people who recognized the need for spiritual worship in the area started meeting in 1944 as a Sunday School in the Lake Forest Community building. In 1947 the group became a mission of First Baptist Church, and on January 8, 1950, with 135 members, the mission was organized as a church. The congregation was voted into the Wilmington Baptist Association on April 18, 1950.
A Building Reclaimed from Camp Davis
Long before the church opened its doors, its sanctuary was already a piece of North Carolina history. In 1948, with the help of First Baptist Church, the mission purchased a chapel from Camp Davis at Holly Ridge and moved it onto lots bought from Veterans Homes, Inc. The chapel was reconstructed on the present site and dedicated on September 2, 1951, and it is still in use today.
A new education building followed on June 12, 1960, housing the church offices, Sunday School rooms, a nursery, and a fellowship hall. Recent work has modernized the kitchen in that fellowship hall, and the congregation continues to keep pace with computers taking a larger role in records keeping and communication. Lake Forest describes itself as a center of worship for the surrounding community, ready to meet the spiritual needs of those who walk through its doors.
Southern Baptist Beliefs
Lake Forest Baptist Church is a cooperating church of the Southern Baptist Convention. Its statement of faith follows the Baptist Faith and Message, beginning with the conviction that the Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired and is God's revelation of Himself to man, a perfect treasure of divine instruction.
The church teaches one God who is infinite in holiness, all powerful and all knowing, and who reigns with providential care over His universe. It confesses God the Father, God the Son (conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary), and God the Holy Spirit, who exalts Christ, convicts of sin, and empowers the believer and the church in worship, evangelism, and service.
Salvation is offered freely to all who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour and includes regeneration, sanctification, and glorification. The church practices baptism by immersion of a believer in water as an act of obedience symbolizing faith in a crucified, buried, and risen Saviour, and observes the Lord's Supper as a symbolic act remembering the Redeemer's death and anticipating His second coming. The church also affirms the personal and visible return of Jesus Christ, the resurrection of the dead, and final judgment, and holds that God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of human society, with marriage as the lifelong covenant of one man and one woman.
Sunday Mornings at Lake Forest
Worship at Lake Forest follows a steady weekly rhythm. The Praise Team gathers for rehearsal at 8:45 a.m., followed by the Sunday Bible Study Fellowship at 9:30 a.m., when classes meet for every age. Morning Worship begins at 10:30 a.m. and is led musically by pianist Lisa Taylor and Worship Leader Jay Taylor. The services are designed to be an uplifting and meaningful experience that encourages a closer relationship with Jesus Christ.
Children are welcome in their own program during the 10:30 a.m. hour, and a nursery is available for the youngest children, giving parents a chance to focus on the message.
Wednesday Nights Around the Word
Midweek programming centers on The Word on Wednesday, a Bible study that meets at 6:30 p.m. and is also posted to the church's YouTube channel so members and friends can follow along at home. The Praise Team rehearses again at 7:30 p.m., rounding out a night of teaching and music. Rev. Vezina also contributes a written reflection series called From the Pastor's Heart, an online discussion that has included a four-part walk through "What's So Good About Good Friday?"
Ministries for Every Season of Life
Beyond Sunday worship, Lake Forest organizes its people around five ongoing ministries. The Sunday Bible Study Fellowship, with classes for all ages, is the entry point for many in the church. The Senior Adult Ministry, known affectionately as "The Three G's" or "God's Golden Group," gathers for fellowship, additional Bible studies, day trips, and the Cape Fear Network of Baptist Churches' Senior Adult Rally held every quarter.
Women's Ministry exists to inform and inspire women to be influences for Christ, with fellowship events and activities throughout the year. Children's Ministry meets at 10:30 a.m. on Sundays, with a nursery provided for the littlest ones, and teaches the Word of God through activities and lessons such as Children's Church. Men's Ministry brings men of all ages together to grow in their Christian walk and strengthen their relationships with one another and with God's Word.
The HOPE Ministry and the Streets of Wilmington
Lake Forest's outreach to its neighbors runs through the HOPE Ministry, a clothes closet that provides clothing at no cost to women, men, children, toddlers, and babies in need. Located on the street level of the sanctuary building, the Clothes Closet is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and on the second and fourth Saturdays of the month from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Donations of hygiene items and men's clothing are especially welcome and can be dropped off during normal church hours.
The church also cooperates with Vigilant Hope to assist with urban outreach missions, and it hosts and provides housing for Vigilant Hope's Cape Fear Project Groups. A reference guide known as the Street Sheet, produced by the Tri-County Homeless Interagency Council, is available through the church to help connect individuals with community resources and services.
Joining the Congregation
The church office, staffed by Secretary Brenda Russ, is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at 1626 Lake Branch Drive, Wilmington, North Carolina 28401. Anyone interested in learning more, scheduling a donation, or supporting the work of the HOPE Ministry can reach out by phone at 910.763.4078 or by email. Sermon recordings and the Wednesday Bible study are available on the church's YouTube channel, and a livestream of the worship service is accessible there as well.