Lifepointe Baptist Church launches GoFundMe fund-raiser after tragic fire in Buderim, Sunshine Coast

After a blaze tore through its building, a well-known church is now seeking funds to get back on its feet. Find out how you can give them a hand.

A beloved Sunshine Coast church needs $50,000 to get back on its feet after a building was destroyed by a fire two days ago.

Lifepointe Baptist Church, along Wises Rd, Buderim, was engulfed in flames late Friday night.

The blaze destroyed most of its building and has left the congregation and the community in heartache and shock.

Lifepointe Baptist Church created a GoFundMe with a target of $50,000 and has already reached more than $17,000 from 101 donations, including a $1000 donation from Maroochydore MP Fiona Simpson.

Lifepointe Baptist Church senior pastor Phil Greenbury said the community asked how they could help and he was grateful for the amount already raised. “It really touches our heart,” he said.

A massive fire engulfed Lifepointe Baptist Church near Maroochydore.

Mr Greenbury said the target amount would be invested in buying gear, such as sound and music equipment, for church services at a new location, ideally near his existing church.

He said he would also invest in hiring a new venue to host various ministries such as children’s programs, young adult programs, and craft groups, among others.

A post on the church’s fund-raiser page said it would look to start the “difficult process” of rebuilding the church given the building would likely be condemned following the “tragic fire”.

The damage inside the Lifepointe Baptist Church.

“We are committed to getting back on our feet,” the post said.

Mr Greenbury said it has been “really special” to receive support from the community.

The church, famous for its spectacular Christmas lights display, was attended to by 11 firefighting crews and senior officers shortly after emergency services received calls about the blaze at 11.15pm on Friday.

On Saturday, emergency services continued to monitor the scene with fire investigators and police looking into the cause of the fire while congregation members gathered outside the church in disbelief.

Mr Greenbury said the fire has created “millions and millions” of dollars worth of damage, with 75 to 80 per cent of the $15m building now “destroyed”.

Mr Greenbury, who has been pastoring the church for 23 years, said a small section with a hall and meeting rooms was potentially unscathed, but would need to be assessed for any fire or water damage.