History of Word of Life Church
The Word of Life Church's roots go back to an early month in the year 1975, when there was a great burden
to start a ministry that would feed many spiritually hungry hearts. A living room in a country home in the outskirts of Bicknell
became the place of gathering. Then, after several weeks of cleaning out an old hog barn, the "Glory Barn"
became the place where many people would gather to sing, praise, pray, honor God's Word and welcome the Holy Spirit to minister
to the needs of all who were present. Praise God that the glorious ministry still continues today!
After several years of prayer and planning, the people started meeting at the North Knox Central Elementary
School building on Saturday evenings with 68 in attendance. The fellowship was called "Sheepgate". After a couple
of meetings at the school, they started meeting at the American Legion Hall in Bicknell on Saturday evenings, and then began
meeting on Sunday evenings.
In 1984, the fellowship became an established church
and was then called the Word of Life Church. They moved into a yellow house at the corner of 4st St. and
Washington Ave. for services and continued ministry in Bicknell. Brother Greg Owen, who started traveling to Bicknell from
Morganfield, Kentucky on Sunday evenings to minister at the American Legion Hall, moved to Bicknell and began his full-time
ministry. Brother Greg and family left Bicknell and moved back to Kentucky in June of 1989.
In
September of 1989, Pastor Tim Hacker and family were called to Bicknell to carry on the ministry of the Word of Life Church.
The yellow house was getting small, and so the church purchased and performed a major renovation on the former Church of the
Nazarene building at the corner of Hicks and Indiana Streets.
The first service
in the new building was in August of 1990. The Word of Life Church then became affiliated with and became a member
of Calvary Ministries International (CMI) and are currently still an active part in that fellowship. Pastor Tim and family
left in 1995, returned later in 1996 and left again in September of 1997.
In October
of 1997, Pastor John M. Moreland and family were called to the pastoral ministry and are now in their fithteenth year of ministry
of leading the Word of Life Church. In November of 1999, thirteen acres were purchased along Hwy. 67 in Bicknell,
for future growth and ministry opportunities. After much blessing and favor from God, on Pentecost Sunday, May 15, 2005, we
had our Ground Breaking service on the new property. Almost two months later to the date, workers began pushing dirt for the
first phase of the building project.
In October of 2006, the first phase
of the building project was completed and Word of Life Church began having service at the new site. This phase was
PAID IN FULL in the early fall of 2011. The old building on Hicks and Indiana Streets is still used for offices and
youth services on Wednesday night. We look forward to beginning the next phase of building on the new site and pray that God
continues to bless us as He has done many times in the past.
