Living Word Christian Fellowship

Living Word Christian Fellowship
Country United Kingdom
Denomination Word of Faith
Website http://www.lwcf.co.uk
History
Founder(s) Rev Dr Curdell McLeod
Clergy
Senior pastor(s) Rev Dr Curdell McLeod

Living Word Christian Fellowship is a church in Lee Green, South East London, England. It was founded by Rev Dr Curdell McLeod in 2000 as an independent church and then launched in 2001. It is one of many of Britain’s thriving new black-majority churches, an increasing phenomenon in the 21st century.[1]

Pastors

The pastors of the church are a seasoned couple, Rev Dr Curdell McLeod and Pastor Herby McLeod. Originally from Jamaica, both came to Britain in the 1950s. They have four children and five grandchildren.

In the 1970s they pioneered a Homework Study Centre, facilitating after-school supplementary teaching for local underachieving and underprivileged children to help them reach their goals.

Curdell has worked in the Civil Service and in Education for many years, seeking change on issues of race and gender. In 1992 Curdell left her job as Deputy Principal of a Further Education College in order to enter full-time Christian ministry. She has been involved in Pastoral Ministry since 1988, Radio Ministry through London’s Premier Christian Radio, a TV series called The Living Word on Sky TV Channel 173 – HCN, and teaching in both Hampstead Bible College and South London Christian College. She has a valid international ministry and an apostolic mandate to reach the world. In recent years, she has a regular magazine feature called Living Faith in Keep the Faith magazine, Britain's leading publication for black faith.[2]

Herby has devoted his working life as a highly skilled motor mechanic, and served London Transport for 20 years. He has been very actively involved in every aspect of the ministry alongside his wife since 1988.

Connections

The church has a number of affiliations with other churches and organisations. The church has links with the ministry of Dr Bill Hammon and Christian International, a ministry that emphasises the continuing ministry of Apostles and Prophets today.[3] They also have a close relationship with Prophets Ron and Jane Jolliff of Northside Community Church, Columbus, Ohio.[4]

There are also strong links and involvement with Ellel Ministries.[5]

LWCF is a member of The Evangelical Alliance of Great Britain,[6] The African and Caribbean Evangelical Alliance[7] and Churches in Communities International under the leadership of Rev Hugh Osgood.[8]

Mission

LWCF believes that they have a mission to minister the Word of God and pray for the sick. They minister the Word with a particular emphasis on walking in faith, a doctrine of the Word of Faith Movement.

In addition to prophetic seminars, the church runs a School of Ministry that is open to all Believers.[9]

The church has a ministry to the local community, as well as an international ministry reaching out globally to the unsaved across the world.

Critics and controversy

The Word of Faith emphasis adhered to by LWCF is widespread within Pentecostal and Charismatic churches. It has been criticised and has created controversy in theological circles of academia. One of the earliest critics of the teaching was Oral Roberts University professor Charles Farah, who published From the Pinnacle of the Temple in 1979. In the book, Farah expressed his disillusionment with the teachings, which he argued were more about presumption than faith.[10]

In 1982, one of Farah's students, Daniel Ray McConnell, submitted a thesis to the faculty at Oral Roberts University arguing against E W Kenyon, Kenneth Hagin and the doctrines of the Word of Faith.

Other critics have included Hank Hanegraaff, Norman Geisler, Dave Hunt and Roger Oakland.

There is support for the Word of Faith teaching in similar circles, and the doctrine appears sound, so long as the teaching is balanced and does not take Scriptures out of their proper context. For instance, Dr Frederick K. C. Price of Crenshaw Christian Center, one of the notable Word of Faith proponents wrote a popular title called Faith, Foolishness and Presumption in an endeavour to redress the balance on the genre teaching.[11]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Black UK Christian Directory". Retrieved 2008-03-05.
  2. ↑ "Keep the Faith magazine". Retrieved 2008-03-05.
  3. ↑ "Christian International". Retrieved 2008-03-05.
  4. ↑ "Northside Community Church". Retrieved 2008-03-05.
  5. ↑ "Ellel Ministries". Retrieved 2013-04-02.
  6. ↑ "The Evangelical Alliance of Great Britain". Retrieved 2008-03-05.
  7. ↑ "The African and Caribbean Evangelical Alliance". Retrieved 2008-03-05.
  8. ↑ "Churches in Communities International". Retrieved 2008-03-05.
  9. ↑ "International School of Ministry". Retrieved 2013-04-16.
  10. ↑ Charles Farah, From the Pinnacle of the Temple, (Logos, 1979)
  11. ↑ "Crenshaw Christian Center". Retrieved 2008-03-07.
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