How it all started...
A need for a church was evident for Holly Ridge in 1981, and a faithful few arose to address that need.
Five families sought the assistance of a local church to help them start a new work. Pastor Harold Spake and Assistant Pastor Philip Jones of Ocean Highway Baptist Church in Wilmington oversaw the formation of Liberty Baptist Church.
On April 24th, 1981 the church was formed and constituted with its first families.
Barry Ottaway, who is still our song leader, suggested the name "Liberty Baptist" by citing 2 Corinthians 3:17, "where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty."
The name was enthusiastically accepted!
For over 40 years, God's people at Liberty Baptist have maintained a burden and a vision to be faithful to God, his Word, and his Work.
Five families sought the assistance of a local church to help them start a new work. Pastor Harold Spake and Assistant Pastor Philip Jones of Ocean Highway Baptist Church in Wilmington oversaw the formation of Liberty Baptist Church.
On April 24th, 1981 the church was formed and constituted with its first families.
Barry Ottaway, who is still our song leader, suggested the name "Liberty Baptist" by citing 2 Corinthians 3:17, "where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty."
The name was enthusiastically accepted!
For over 40 years, God's people at Liberty Baptist have maintained a burden and a vision to be faithful to God, his Word, and his Work.
This is the front-facing perspective of LBC, what churchgoers would first see as they drove on the property in the 1980s. The expansion of the building to its current state occurred in 1993, pictured at the top of this page.
Expanding the vision...
At Liberty we believe that God gives us a vision for helping
one another and our community.
We are a Christian community of friends who go through life together by faith. At Liberty, our motto is “Set Free to Serve”. This motto comes from Galatians 5:13, "For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another."
We exist to demonstrate the reality of Jesus Christ through our passionate commitment to him and through selfless service to others.
We strive to equip Christians for influential works of loving service to families within the church and in our community as well as peoples around the world.
Since our beginnings, we've had a passion to see lives changed through a relationship with Christ.
Nothing changes a life or a community like the grace of God through Jesus Christ.
We strive to meet other needs within the community.
We host blood drives, which have helped hundreds of people.
We invite the community to us so we have an opportunity to serve and to give with no expectation of anything in return.
We do this, and we want your help so we can provide more service and ministry to the community around us.
We would love for you to join us as we set out to accomplish more for the glory of God and the good of his world!
one another and our community.
We are a Christian community of friends who go through life together by faith. At Liberty, our motto is “Set Free to Serve”. This motto comes from Galatians 5:13, "For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another."
We exist to demonstrate the reality of Jesus Christ through our passionate commitment to him and through selfless service to others.
We strive to equip Christians for influential works of loving service to families within the church and in our community as well as peoples around the world.
Since our beginnings, we've had a passion to see lives changed through a relationship with Christ.
Nothing changes a life or a community like the grace of God through Jesus Christ.
We strive to meet other needs within the community.
We host blood drives, which have helped hundreds of people.
We invite the community to us so we have an opportunity to serve and to give with no expectation of anything in return.
We do this, and we want your help so we can provide more service and ministry to the community around us.
We would love for you to join us as we set out to accomplish more for the glory of God and the good of his world!
Where we are headed...
Exciting things are happening!
Strategically placed between Jacksonville and Wilmington,
we are poised to reach our town of Holly Ridge
as well as the surrounding communities in Surf City, Hampstead, and Sneads Ferry.
We have purchased 11 acres of property adjacent to our church,
and we are clearing the wooded property to prepare our campus
to be a center for teaching and training
for future vocational ministers to be "church planters."
Church planting requires a pastor and his family
to train and relocate to a new town to begin a new church.
Liberty Baptist is postured for growth and reproduction
to support our town, community, and beyond in the years to come!
Will you join us on our mission to reach, to help, and to minister to our community?
Strategically placed between Jacksonville and Wilmington,
we are poised to reach our town of Holly Ridge
as well as the surrounding communities in Surf City, Hampstead, and Sneads Ferry.
We have purchased 11 acres of property adjacent to our church,
and we are clearing the wooded property to prepare our campus
to be a center for teaching and training
for future vocational ministers to be "church planters."
Church planting requires a pastor and his family
to train and relocate to a new town to begin a new church.
Liberty Baptist is postured for growth and reproduction
to support our town, community, and beyond in the years to come!
Will you join us on our mission to reach, to help, and to minister to our community?
