About Us
Pastor
Jose & Carol Esquibel

Dr. and Mrs. Esquibel came to know the Lord as teenagers under the ministry of Lanakila’s founding pastor, Dr. Robert Knutson, through the church’s bus ministry. They were both saved, baptized, and called into the ministry at Lanakila and they both graduated from Lanakila Baptist High School (Pastor in 1978 and Carol in 1980). Together they have served the Lord for 38 years, serving as an assistant pastor in two churches, pastoring 5 churches, and spending 20 years as Baptist Bible Fellowship missionaries to England. In September of 2018, Dr. Esquibel was called to become Lanakila’s 6th pastor.

Associate Pastor
James Leverett
Pastor James and Ohana

Pastor James and Mrs. Leverett both re-dedicated their lives to Christ, and became members of Lanakila Baptist Church in 2014. Pastor James was called into ministry in 2019, and now serves as the assistant pastor at Lanakila. Mrs. Leverett (Choo Choo) serves as the Director of Education of Lanakila’s K-12 school ministry. Together they have adopted a son (Murphy), are licensed foster parents in Hawaii and have two biological
children (Keala & Napua) who attend Lanakila Baptist Schools.

Statement of Faith

Our Mission is to Love God, Serve People, & Reach the World.

What We Believe

  • We believe the Holy Bible was written by men supernaturally inspired by God.
  • We believe there is one, and only one, living and true God.
  • We believe the Holy Spirit is a divine person; equal with God the Father and God the Son and of the same nature.
  • We believe Satan was once holy and enjoyed heavenly honors, but he fell and after him a host of angels.
  • We believe in the Genesis account of creation, and that it is to be accepted literally, and not allegorically or figuratively.
  • We believe man was created in innocence, but by voluntary transgression fell from his sinless and happy state.
  • We believe Jesus Christ was born of the Holy Spirit, in a miraculous manner of Mary, a virgin.
  • We believe that the salvation of sinners is by grace through Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
  • We believe that in order to be saved, sinners must be born again; that the new birth is a new creation in Christ Jesus.
  • We believe that Christ rose bodily the third day.
  • We believe in the imminent return of Christ for His Church and the second coming of Christ with His Church.
  • The command to give the Gospel to the world is clear and unmistakable and this Commission was given to the churches.
  • Scriptural giving is one of the fundamentals of the faith, and we believe tithing is for today.
  • This is a summary of beliefs; if interested in a full doctrinal statement, please contact us.