Our History
Word of Faith Christian Center is a satellite church of Word of Faith International Christian Center in Southfield, Michigan. Founded by Bishop Keith A. Butler, Word of Faith International Christian Center has a membership of over 18,000. There are over 15 other satellite churches which include locations in Smyrna, GA, Birmingham, AL, Grand Rapids, MI, Jackson, MS, Jacksonville, FL, Orlando, FL, Tampa, FL, Miami, FL, Nashville, TN, Phoenix, AZ, Saginaw, MI, San Antonio, TX, Round Rock, TX, San Francisco, CA, and St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands. Internationally there are 200 churches in Africa; 3 in Bulgaria, 1 in London, England and Toronto, Canada.
Rev. Keith Echols, Pastor of Word of Faith Christian Center, served as Senior Assistant Pastor under Bishop Butler from 1986 to 1993. He is a graduate of Rhema Bible Training Center in Tulsa, OK and has been in full-time ministry for over 24 years.
Word of Faith Christian Center began in 1993, meeting at the Holiday Inn on City Avenue in Philadelphia. After two years, the church moved first to Germantown Avenue. Then, with a congregation of approximately 350 members, it relocated to the Frankford section of the city. In 2001 Pastor Echols began a weekly bible study in the state of Delaware which grew into regular Sunday morning services with 20 members at the Wyndham Hotel in Wilmington. As the Delaware congregation continued to thrive, Word of Faith moved to Newark, DE.
In January of 2010, Word of Faith purchased its current location at 4150 Market Street in Aston, PA. The merger of both congregations from Philadelphia and Delaware produced over twenty-five departments that meet the needs of the ministry, congregation and community.
Pastor Echols and his lovely wife, Min. Riena Echols, have been faithfully married for over thirty-three years. They have four beautiful children, one daughter-in-law, two son-in-laws and seven grandchildren.
What We Believe & Teach
- The Bible is the divinely inspired Word of God.
- The Trinity of God:
The Father
The Son
The Holy Spirit - All have sinned and come short of the glory of God and are in need of salvation. Salvation has been provided through Jesus Christ for all men.
- Healing is provided in the redemptive work of Christ and is available to every believer.
- The Church consists of all those who have received Jesus Christ as their personal Savior.
- There shall be a bodily resurrection of the just and unjust.
- The personal, visible, imminent, return of Jesus Christ.
- Water Baptism and the observation of the Lord’s Supper.
Statement of Purpose
This circle represents what W.O.F.C.C does and the different levels of commitment and maturity in our church. Our goal is to transition people with little or no commitment to Christ, to deeper levels of commitment and spiritual maturity. (Ephesians 4:11-16)
The 5 levels of Commitment & Maturity which correlate to the 5 purposes of Word of Faith
The Five-Fold Purpose of WOFCC
Evangelize
To bring lives into harmony through salvation and rededication (Community/Unchurched & Backslider)
Fellowship
To bring lives into harmony with one another through regular church attendance, membership and church programs. (Crowd/Regular church attendees)
Spiritual Growth/Lifestyle Transformation
Through teaching and preaching God’s Word and practicing prayer, worship, giving, loving one another, and honoring God through obedience. (Congregation/The Godly & Growing)
Discipleship
Serving God with our talents, gifts and abilities, anointed by the Holy Spirit. (Committed/Spiritually Mature and serving)
Ministry
Lay ministers and mature leadership-those who serve by leading – those who are committed to ministry. (Core group/Examples for other believers)
Programs That Fulfill WOFCC’s Purpose
Evangelism
SWAT; Youth Detention Ministry; Nursing Home Ministry; Halfway House Ministry; Prison Ministry; Operation HOPE; Harvest Festival; Community Fair; A Work of Faith Community Development Corporation programs.
Fellowship
Women of Virtue; Men of Valor; Singles Ministry; Covenant Partners; Church Picnic; Youth Camps; Worker’s Appreciation Celebration; Health & Healing Ministry; sporting event fellowships.
Spiritual Growth/Lifestyle Transformation
Worship Services; Membership Class; New Believers Class; Holy Spirit Class; Dominating Money Class; Road To Maturity Discipleship Program; SWAT Training, Layperson’s Bible School and various seminars.
Discipleship/Training To Serve
Road To Maturity Discipleship Ministry; training in Children’s Ministry,Youth Ministry, Ushers/Hostesses, Nursery Ministry, Evangelizing, Worship/Praise Ministry, TV Ministry, Church Administration, Bookstore, Hospitality, etc.
Ministry
M.I.T. (Ministers In Training); training/opportunity/development for placement; pastoral mentoring; hospital visits; funerals; weddings; leading prayer services.