About Us
Welcome to 1st Light Ministries where a group of ordinary Christian folks got together through the guidance of the Holy Spirit to start a ministry in the Sarasota/Bradenton, FL area telling people the Good News about Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God. This ministry is also going into the highways and byways proclaiming the gospel through healing, deliverance and of course salvation. Pastor Jeff Bowman got the call for this ministry in 2012 while serving as Associate Pastor at Vineyard Church of Jackson in Flowood, MS. Originally the name was "Equipping the Saints", however Jeff was actively preaching and teaching at the church and was in fact "Equipping the Saints". Fast forward to 2024, where not only has Jeff relocated to SW Florida but the vision that God gave him has been refined by time, covid and of course by God himself. God has not changed, he is still the great I Am, I Was and I Will Be! The change has been redirected from inside the church to a more evangelistic mode outside the church! God brought two old friends back into Jeff's life, Stan Wood and Oliver Ellis and the three of them have now formed 1st Light Ministries through a powerful connection by the Holy Spirit. It is an honor to have God, the creator of all things, work through miracles, signs and wonders in putting this ministry together when we as ordinary Christian folks had all but given up. Now, the vision is clear, "tell people everywhere about the Kingdom of God". How do we do this you might ask... by allowing our heavenly Father to use us as tools to help him build his Kingdom. We would love to have you partner along with us in this new venture in SW Florida! Our main need is prayer. Prayer for the laborers to gather the harvest. We would also welcome any and all believers to join us as we follow the Holy Spirit's direction in building this ministry to reach the sick, broken and of course the lost. Lastly, if you feel led by God to donate to the ministry, we are a licensed 501c3 organization, which means your gifts and contributions are tax deductible and of course, these contributions will be used to spread the message that Jesus Christ is Lord! Thank you for visiting our page and may God bless you!
Invite us to come to your church for powerful preaching and teaching about Jesus and the Kingdom of God!
God has given us the gift of Jesus Christ as our savior to redeem us back to the righteousness of God. We as humans can’t enter into eternal life on our good deeds, only through Jesus can we qualify as redeemed sinners. I like to call it, “we are beggars that know where the bread is at”. As Jesus ascended to heaven, he told his disciples that they would be filled with the Holy Spirit and do the same things that Jesus did and Greater things! We are filled with the Holy Spirit, that qualifies us too!
Community Outreach
If you have a need at a hospital, nursing home or just in yours or a loved one home; we actively pray for the Lord to heal the sick, deliver the oppressed and save the lost. In the Lord’s prayer we ask God to “let your kingdom come!” We believe this can happen anytime we ask for it so we are constantly working to help God bring the kingdom of God into dark situations!
Weddings, Funerals and other events that you need a Pastor for!
Are you getting married? As a Christian Pastor, Pastor Jeff can perform weddings in a Christian fashion. Whether on the beach, in a park, in a church or in your home… Weddings are a celebration that 1st Light Ministries can help make your special day a day to remember. Of course, our pastor will want to have a consultation with the couple to make sure that the union is not being done by a complete stranger.
Funerals are sometimes held by pastors of a relative that are just “doing a funeral”. Our ministry will be able to make this event as painless and personal as it possibly can be. Get in touch with us through the “Get in touch” button below or call us at 601-953-3118 so we can help you and your family in this time of grieving and loss. We understand the pain and grief associated with this experience and we will do everything possible to help your loved ones cope with your loss.
Also, if you have an event where you need pastoral assistance, we can help in most any situation.
Our Uniqueness
What sets 1st Light Ministries apart from other churches in the area is the "dunamis" power of the Holy Spirit, which the bible says will be evident through miracles, signs and wonders. We believe in the gifts of the spirit and we see and experience them in our ministry as we live our lives "naturally supernatural". We welcome all prayer requests and our Pastor will make hospital visits any time!
Join Us Today
Experience the transformative power of faith, compassion, and God’s love at 1st Light Ministries in our prayer and worship, community outreach, and spiritual counseling. We are just beginning this ministry but we know that God ordained this ministry from the beginning of time! Just click one of the blue buttons on this site and we will "Get in Touch".