History

Family Life Church originated in July 1997. Evangelist Rita Womack inspired me to launch out into the deep. Several nights the phone would ring and the voice of Evangelist Womack would say, ‘What are you afraid of? Surely you're not afraid of their faces’. I see a mighty move of God in you and you must begin the work that God has called you to. God confirmed the vision through Prophet Todd Hall, ‘God said to move on’. ‘Brother, you been baby-sitting something that is not from your womb’. I later consulted God for a name and while meditating the spirit of God said Word of Deliverance Outreach Ministry, ‘A Place of Refuge’ because I’ve sent my word to heal them and deliver them from their destructions. Later, I shared my heart and the vision God had spoken to me with my wife, Kimberly and dear friends. Later in July the first meeting was held in the home of Willie & Lisa Jones, Jr. Present at this meeting were my wife and I, Willie & Lisa Jones, Jr., and Eunice Johnson, Sr. I again expressed that God had spoken to my heart to start a ministry as a church and to comply with the Church Of God In Christ in Memphis Tennessee. After conversing, we secured attorney fees for a retainer and we became the incorporation.

During a meeting at the home of Willie and Lisa, Willie expressed to the Board that the need was great for a facility to work the ministry. With that in mind, Willie offered the house he owned behind his home to the ministry as office space to be used without charge, as long as it was needed, to facilitate the business of the ministry. With overwhelming gratitude, the Board accepted.

The next week Kimberly and I drove through the city of Bossier in search of a place to worship, because God said this is the land that I have given thee to be fruitful and multiply. On November 2, 1997 Word of Deliverance Outreach Ministry held its first service in the Holiday Inn on Old Minden Road in Bossier City, Louisiana, the place where God led them. On that Sunday, 17 souls were added to the church as such as should be saved.

Because of the growth of the ministry the Holiday Inn on Old Minden Road in Bossier City, Louisiana could not facilitate and the church was relocated to the Holiday Inn on Spring Street, in Shreveport, Louisiana. For six months, the church worshiped there, but because of the kind of ministry, a foot stomping, hand clapping, tongue speaking, Pentecostal church; we were no longer welcomed and the hotel could not renew the contract. The church relocated for one week to the Pelican Inn, Monkhouse Drive, in Shreveport, Louisiana and for six months the church increased in membership.

The church was rapidly growing and needed facilities to accommodate the ministry; the church relocated to the Huntington Plaza, 7619 Pines Road, Shreveport, Louisiana and remained in the shopping center for 3 years.

Again, the shopping center became too small to facilitate the ministry and in the month of November a few days before Thanksgiving, the Lord provided an avenue to relocate to 6889 Bert Kouns, Shreveport, Louisiana. The contract was signed November 28, 2001 and we moved into our new facility on New Year's Eve.

Two years later, God challenged and stretched the vision again. I met with Pastor Lee Jenkins and discussed relocating to Bossier City. God gave Pastor Nard favor and again miraculously, our church took a quantum leap of faith. On November 1, 2003, the church motorcaded and moved to 1714 Jimmie Davis Hwy., Bossier City, Louisiana. Our church encountered transition and we moved and shared facilities at the Shreveport Community Church with Pastor Denny Duron. We begin to seek God for directions and purchased five acres of land. After several months of struggle, Pastor Nard resigned January 2010 from the Church of God in Christ and changed the church to an Interdenominational church. The church was renamed, Word of Deliverance Family Life Church and now Family Life Church of Shreveport. The ministry is growing and we are making preparation to build our million dollar superstructure. We are encouraged and believing God to open the path He has prepared for us!