Word of Life Fellowship

Word of Life Fellowship, Inc. is an international evangelistic Christian ministry headquartered in Schroon Lake, in the Adirondack Mountains region of New York in the United States. It was founded on Long Island in the 1930s by John Von Casper "Jack" Wyrtzen and Harry Bollback. By 1940, Word of Life owned a camp and a conference center in Schroon Lake, and the first Bible Institute was founded in 1970. Today, Word of Life has active ministry operations in over 70 countries and is involved in a wide variety of activities such as youth camps, Bible clubs, evangelistic campaigns, and radio ministry. It also operates several Bible institutes, including two located in Schroon Lake, New York, and Hudson, Florida, in the United States. The current executive director of Word of Life Fellowship is Don Lough, Jr.[1]

This article is about a U.S.-based youth ministry. For the Pentecostal church in New Hartford, NY or the death of Lucas Leonard, see Word of Life Christian Church. For the Sweden based church, see Livets Ord.

Jack Wyrtzen

Jack Wyrtzen began as a street preacher on Long Island and began Word Of Life as a radio ministry targeted at Christian youth. Like Billy Graham, Word of Life was an out branch of Youth for Christ. Wyrtzen's career included many pioneering achievements, including his work on WHN television and radio. His preaching filled Madison Square Garden and Yankee Stadium.[2]

He was offered the first presidency of Youth for Christ, and he led prayer breakfasts for the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon. Wyrtzen's life and work, including his interactions with Billy Graham, Dawson Trotman, Harry A. Ironside and other evangelical ministers of the twentieth century, are documented in an extensive collection of papers and recordings that are archived at the Billy Graham Center at Wheaton College.[3]

Jack Wyrtzen died in 1996. Although he and Billy Graham eventually parted ways theologically, they remained in contact throughout Wyrtzen's life. After Wyrtzen's death, Graham said of him, "Jack was a faithful proclaimer of the Gospel. He never gave up and he never compromised. He has had a glorious welcome in heaven! The last time I saw him we hugged each other and had a brief prayer together. I was deeply moved. I loved him very much in the Lord."[4]

Teachings

According to their "Statement of Faith", Word of Life adheres to the teachings of biblical inerrancy, scriptural authority, the Deity of Christ, the bodily Resurrection of Christ, the triunity of God, the total depravity of man, and salvation by grace through faith alone.[5] Word of Life also adheres largely with dispensational theology.

Camps

Word Of Life operates 45 camps in 70 countries.

International ministries

Word Of Life has branches around the world. In North America, the largest branch outside the United States is in Canada. In South America, the two largest branches are located in Brazil and Argentina. In Europe, the largest branch is in Portugal, and in the Asia-Pacific region, the largest is in Australia. Africa also has five smaller branches.

Canada

Word of Life Canada was incorporated in 1961. Today, over 20 full-time missionaries work to minister to French- and English-speaking Canadians. Word of Life Canada also operates summer camps and "snow camps",[6] as well as Bible Institutes[7] from their properties in Owen Sound, Ontario, and Sherbrooke, Quebec.

Word of Life Local Church Ministries in Canada offers Bible study for children and teens in over 30 Bible Clubs in the provinces of Quebec and Ontario.[8] Conferences and training seminars for leaders are held throughout the year, and sporting events are used as evangelistic opportunities. All Canadian ministries are available in both English and French, known as Parole de Vie Québec.[9]

Brazil

Word of Life Brazil (known in Brazil as Palavra da Vida Brasil), founded in 1957, was the first international outreach of Word of Life Fellowship. The first youth camp was held in Atibaia the following year. The ministry is based near São Paulo, but also has several other locations throughout the country. A center in Paudalho consists of a youth camping program, a two-years Bible Institute, and various evangelistic outreaches. A youth camp has been established in Curitiba. The Porto Alegre team recently initiated the Word of Life Bible Club program in local churches, regularly ministers in public schools, and is developing a youth camp property. A center opened in Belém in 1989 and includes a Christian Day School, a camp and retreat facility, and a Missionary Training Institute where students are trained to minister to the Amazon people who are accessible only by boat. A sixth ministry location has opened in the Goiás area with a conference center complex and plans to develop a youth camp.

Argentina

Word of Life Argentina began in 1971 when Joe and Melva Jordan went there as missionaries. In 1972, 30 acres (0.12 km2) of land was purchased in San Miguel del Monte, a small rural town about 62 miles (100 km) from Buenos Aires, and the ministry leaders built a camp there. Word of Life Argentina (known in Argentina as Palabra de Vida Argentina) serves as the hub for Word of Life's Spanish-speaking ministries in Latin America and the Caribbean. A Bible Institute campus serves students from all over the world and doubles as a youth camp in the summer. The current director of Word of Life Argentina is Sergio Martinez.

Portugal

Word of Life Portugal (Palavra da Vida Portugal) began in 1976. The organization has a property near the town of Ericeira, in the municipality of Mafra, about 35 km (22 mi) northwest of Lisbon. Word of Life Portugal dedicates itself to church and outreach ministries and uses its property for annual summer camps.

Australia

Word of Life purchased a property of approximately 150 acres (0.61 km2) north of Sydney

Started in the 1970s Word of Life ministries travels across the east coast of Australia yearly to places to run youth events, places like Tamworth, Newcastle, port Macquarie, Sydney, Melbourne and surrounding areas, they minister to thousands of youth each year in both their kick off events and school seminars working with local churches and supporting youth ministry. The current director of Word of life Australia is Martin García.

Other international ministries

Word of Life currently has over 1,500 missionaries working around the world in over 75 countries.[10] In addition to the countries listed above, the ministry is also active in:

Notable people

People who were employees of Word of Life, alumni of the Bible Institute, or otherwise closely associated with Word of Life Fellowship include:

References
  1. "Leadership - Word of Life Fellowship". Word of Life Fellowship. Retrieved 2018-06-20.
  2. Forbes, Forrest, God Hath Chosen: The Story Of Jack Wyrtzen And The Word Of Life Hour, Zondervan, 1948, p. 58
  3. Wyrtzen archive at Wheaton College's Billy Graham Center
  4. Bollback, Harry The House that Jack God Built, Word of Life Press, 1998, p. 149.
  5. "Statement of Faith" (PDF). Word of Life Fellowship, Inc. August 2015. Retrieved October 24, 2016.
  6. Word of Life Canada website
  7. Word of Life Canada Bible Institutes
  8. Word of Life Canada Local Church Ministries
  9. Parole de Vie
  10. Word Of Life official website
  11. "Dr. Benjamin Laird". School of Divinity. Retrieved 2020-03-27.
  12. www.amazon.com https://www.amazon.com/Wrights-Testament-People-Macat-Library-ebook/dp/B07D6CRKGG/ref=sr_1_6?dchild=1&qid=1585272980&refinements=p_27:Benjamin+Laird&s=books&sr=1-6&text=Benjamin+Laird. Retrieved 2020-03-27. Missing or empty |title= (help)
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