On the east side of Indianapolis, just off Raymond Street, Lighthouse Baptist Church has built its identity around the word "still." In a city full of newer churches chasing trends, this Independent Baptist congregation leans the other way - into Bible preaching, hymns, reverence, and a clear view of the family. The building at 6950 East Raymond Street is the place where that conviction is put on display every week.
Still Preaching, Still Hymns, Still Reverent
The church describes itself with a short, pointed list of "stills." It still preaches - dynamic, expository sermons straight from the Bible rather than comedy routines, drama, or motivational talks. It still sings hymns, believing that the older songs produce an attitude toward God that newer worship music cannot manufacture. It still values reverence, holding that God deserves more than the casual tone of much of American life, while welcoming newcomers without a judgmental spirit. It still teaches the biblical roles for the family, and it still believes a Christ-exalting service can be genuinely exciting without strobe lights or top-40 music.
Sunday Schedule and What to Expect
Sunday at Lighthouse follows a rhythm that has been a Baptist trademark for generations. The day opens at 10:00 a.m. with Bible classes for every age - children, teens, and adults meet in separate groups for teaching and discussion. The main worship service begins at 11:00 a.m., with children's classes running alongside it so families can attend together. A smaller evening service gathers at 6:00 p.m. for those who want a second helping of preaching and hymn singing in the same day. A Plan a Visit page provides directions and service details.
Midweek Bible Study and Thursday Night Youth
Wednesday nights at 7:00 p.m. draw the congregation back to the auditorium for a midweek Bible study and prayer meeting. Members share requests, pray together, and work through Scripture in an unhurried setting that complements Sunday's larger gatherings. On Thursday at 6:30 p.m., the calendar flips to teenagers. Thursday Night Youth is a weekly time of fellowship and preaching for Christian young people, distinct from the Sunday morning teen Bible class so that students get two structured touchpoints each week.
Children, Teens, and AWANA
The children's ministry runs on two rails: Sunday morning children's classes during the 11:00 a.m. worship hour, and AWANA, the international Scripture-memory club that meets through the week. The teens' ministry mirrors that setup, with a Sunday morning Bible class and the Thursday Night Youth service. Together they give the next generation a steady diet of teaching, games, and friendship grounded in the same King James Bible the adults hear from the pulpit.
Adult Classes: Crossroads, Couples, Seniors, and Young Professionals
Lighthouse calls its adult Bible classes "smaller families within the family." Four of them are listed by name, each aimed at a stage of life. Crossroads is for college students and young career adults. Couple Classes serve married adults at any stage. Seniors gathers the church's older members, and Young Professionals reaches men and women building their working lives. Every class is open and has a seat waiting, and the church invites visitors to try the one that fits best.
Outreach, Bus Ministry, and the Rescue Mission
Mission work at Lighthouse runs in three directions. Outreach covers the broad effort to share the gospel in the Indianapolis area. The Bus Ministry picks up children and families who would not otherwise have a way to church, a practice with deep roots in Baptist history. The Rescue Mission partnership extends that compassion to people experiencing homelessness and addiction in the city. Together these ministries reflect the church's conviction that the gospel is something to be carried outward, not kept inside the building.
World Missions
Lighthouse also supports missionaries beyond Indianapolis. Its World Missions ministry connects the congregation to believers and church-planting efforts in other countries, giving members a way to pray for and financially underwrite gospel work far from the Eastside neighborhood they call home.
What the Church Believes
Lighthouse Baptist Church is identified explicitly as an Independent Baptist church, meaning it governs itself under the authority of the Bible rather than a denominational hierarchy. The congregation holds that the King James Bible is the preserved Word of God for English-speaking people and that all Scripture is divinely inspired. The doctrinal statement affirms one God eternally existing in three Persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - and that Jesus Christ is fully God and fully Man, born of the virgin Mary. Salvation is by grace through faith alone in the finished work of Christ on the cross, and those who believe are eternally kept by God. The church teaches the imminent, personal, premillennial, and pretribulational return of Jesus Christ, the bodily resurrection of both the saved and the lost, and the everlasting blessedness of believers alongside the everlasting punishment of the lost.
Baptism is reserved for believers and is performed by immersion. The Lord's Supper is observed periodically as a remembrance of Christ's death. Members are expected, by God's grace, to live a consistent Christian life that does not become a stumbling block to others.
Staff and Leadership
Andy Folger serves as Senior Pastor and leads the congregation alongside Executive Associate Pastor Aaron Conner, Music Pastor Tyler McGath, Youth Pastor Travis Montgomery, and Pastoral Intern Phillip O'Dell. The team is intentionally pastoral in shape, with pastors assigned to preaching, music, and youth work in a pattern that reflects the church's emphasis on the centrality of the pulpit.
Getting Connected
Visitors and regulars alike are invited to fill out a connect card, request prayer, or get in touch through the church's phone line and social channels on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and X. The calendar is updated regularly so newcomers can see the current rhythm of services and special events. Whether someone arrives looking for a Sunday home, a midweek Bible study, a place for their children, or simply a friendly voice on the other end of the line, the church keeps the same answer it has given for years: come as you are, and meet the God who does not change.