Long Branch Covenant Church was founded in 1983 with a vision to serve Monmouth County by producing fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ. Our journey began in the living room of one of our member’s homes then quickly moved to a larger back room of a different member’s home. From there we graduated to a local elementary school gym and settled there for a few years setting up all the furniture and audio visual equipment each Sunday, then breaking it all down at the end of each meeting.
Setting up and breaking down was our routine for the next 17 years. During those years, we moved from the school to a day camp (with an indoor pool behind the pulpit) to the basement of another school, then upstairs into the auditorium. In 2000, an opportunity arose for us to purchase property in Long Branch where we could begin to build a church!
During this transient period, we didn’t have a church building, but the Lord was teaching us perseverance and building our character (Romans 5:1-6). We also learned to receive our identity as Christ’s body rather than receiving our identity from a building structure.
The day soon came for us to purchase the property at 355 Joline Avenue in Long Branch. We were thrilled to be landowners, but our journey still was not over. Our next move while we built the new church was not only in location but also included a new day to worship. The Lutheran Church of the Reformation graciously welcomed our “wagon-train” and allowed us to use their sanctuary on Saturday evenings. We only expected to stay for 2 years, but after many unexpected construction delays and delayed approvals, it turned out to be 7 years total until we were finally ready to move into the new church building!
LBCC is a non-denominational church that is independently founded and rooted in the truth of the Bible. We believe that following the Lord Jesus Christ is our primary calling in life. Through our relationship with Jesus we have come to know God as our Father and to rely on his Holy Spirit to give us power to meet each new day. Our experience in church is directly based on this relationship, and our way forward is dependent on His guidance and power.