Introduction
In May 1978 Bishop Keith and Mrs. Deborah Butler graduated from Rhema Bible Training Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma with a mandate from God and a burning desire to obey that mandate - to fight the good fight of faith. Bishop Butler founded Word of Faith Christian Center (WOFCC) in a teaching center located on W. McNichols in Detroit, Michigan. Sixty people attended the first Sunday service on January 14, 1979. The very next day, WMUZ, a local Christian radio station, broadcast Bishop’s first daily radio program, The Word of Faith.
The Vision Revealed
Very shortly thereafter, the vision of
Word of faith began to unfold as God made it plain what He desired, revealing
Word of Faith’s 13-point Master Plan. In 1997, a fourteenth point would be added to the Master Plan – to develop multicultural churches across the nation. Habakkuk 2:2-3 lays out the vision process: “And the Lord answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon the tables, that he may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak and not lie: through it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.” And that’s
what WOFCC has done. The vision has always been before the congregation via
the bulletin and various other publications. Our mandate from God is as follows:
To build a new 5,000 seat sanctuary
To build an education complex, K-12
To build a gym & fitness complex
To expand into TV and radio
To send ministers to every continent, especially Africa and the Caribbean
To open a catechism program for laymen
To open a minister’s training center
To open an Operation Blessing center, providing food and clothing services to the poor
To build a senior citizens housing complex
To open a center for runaways and unwed mothers
To establish 24-hour crisis telephone counseling
To establish Word-based ministries in urban cities
To develop multi-cultural churches around the nation
To provide alcohol and drug rehabilitation services
Before moving into its first official church building in 1979, WOFCC services were also held at the temporary locations of Marygrove College, and the Northwest Activity Center, both located in Detroit. WOFCC’s first church building was located at 15121 W. Eight Mile Rd., a small storefront in Detroit that comfortably held 150 folding chairs. The air condition rarely worked, but people continued to hear this young minister preach the Word of God with boldness, courage, and conviction.
By 1980, Bishop Butler was teaching two services with Sunday School classes sandwiched in between. Lines to two very small restrooms formed to the right of the hallway book table where “Faith Food” books and tapes were sold. There were just enough space for a nursery, ministry room, and a match-box size office for Bishop, which, at many times, doubled for whatever space was needed to meet congregational needs.
Hundreds began to come to hear the Word of God at WOFCC. This tremendous growth, in such a short period of time, forced WOFCC to hold its Sunday morning services at McCauley Auditorium on the campus of Mercy College in Detroit. But soon, McCauley Auditorium was not large enough to see the growing numbers of people who came to hear God’s Word - to learn how to walk in divine health and prosperity; and to learn of the other manifold blessings of God. Bishop Butler knew it was time to move again. He persisted in his efforts to buy a closed Southfield school to house worship services and the soon-to-be education complex, Faith Christian Academy (FCA). But God had other plans for Word of Faith.
Word of Faith Marches On
Bishop Butler found another building that would become the next home of WOFCC. Members marched around the property on 928 E. Ten Mile Rd., in Ferndale, MI, singing We’ve Come This Far by Faith. And indeed we had. On July 5, 1981, a victorious church marched into their newly purchased building where the sanctuary seated 500 people. The Faith Food Store (bookstore), Laymen’s Bible School, faith Christian Academy, and WOFCC’s elementary and middle school opened at this location. In the same year, Word of Faith’s TV broadcast was taped on location and shown weekly on WGPR, a local TV station in Detroit.
The 1200 seat sanctuary was totally renovated in time for the first Sunday service. As Word of Faith grew in size and scope, the Manderson building served us well with numerous rooms and offices, two fellowship halls, a commercial kitchen, a stage with dressing rooms, and audio-visual rooms. Needless to say, three Sunday morning services were necessary by November, 1986. In 1987, offices for church staff had to move to a professional office building located in Southfield, MI, due to WOFCC’s phenomenal growth.
On July 15, 1988, Word of Faith moved to 7616 E. Nevada in Detroit. This location had a school building that was perfect for Faith Christian Academy. All administrative and ministerial personnel could be housed in one building. With seating for 2,300, Word of Faith had to hold two Sunday services upon moving in. Attendance continued to grow, producing the need for Bishop to hold three Sunday services, two in the morning, and one in the afternoon.
After only five years at the E. Nevada location, WOFCC “burned the note” - the mortgage on the property had been paid in full. It became apparent that WOFCC needed more parking spaces for those coming in droves to hear the Word. So, additional property in the surrounding neighborhood was purchased. While at the E. Nevada location, 1994 would usher in a new phase of Bishop Butler’s outreach ministry - The Living Word TV and radio broadcast. Through these medias, Bishop Butler was able to touch the cities with the Word of God, reaching out to various cities around the country such as Philadelphia, PA, Atlanta, GA, Jackson, MS, Jacksonville, FL, St. Thomas, USVI, and Detroit, MI.
Inevitable Increase
1994 also brought another prophecy to Bishop and Mrs. Butler and WOFCC. The prophecy, delivered by Dr. Kenneth Hagin, Sr., said, in part:
“You’ve seen a little move here and a little move there and have rejoice in it. But prepare your hearts for a greater move. Prepare your lives for a greater manifestation. For where there has been one saved, there will be ten saved. Where there has been ten saved, there will be 100 saved. Where there has been a handful filled with the Holy Ghost, there will be dozens filled with the Holy Ghost. And, where there’s been a healing here and there, this will become a common occurrence.
You’ll be glad. Your hearts will rejoice. The building will not be able to hold the people that will come. Be glad and rejoice and prepare yourself. Now don’t sit and wait and say, “Well now, the Lord says He’ll do it so He’ll do it,’ because He will do nothing until you remind Him and walk in the light of it. Amen, amen, amen. Thank you Lord Jesus.”
In keeping with the international component of the vision to send ministers to every continent, especially Africa and the Caribbean, Word of Faith Christian Center became Word of Faith International Christian Center (WOFICC) in 1994. Word of Faith has always been a church that has supported missions programs and the sponsorship of sending other ministers to various places of the world. Time would illustrate the international emphasis of Word of Faith by WOFICC opening eight churches in Uganda, 15 churches in Pakistan, and 150 churches in Kenya. Bishop Butler serves as pastor and spiritual advisor over these international ministers and pastors.
The church’s growth continued to soar with membership rapidly increasing from 6,000 upon moving to the E. Nevada location to 11,000 upon moving out in 1995. On December 12, 1995, to accommodate its 11,000 plus membership, Word of faith moved into a much larger facility located at 23800 W. Chicago in Redford, MI.
The first Sunday service in the 4,000 seat Redford location was held December 31, 1995. To add to the miracle of this move, Word of Faith, a predominantly African-American church was involved with a Joint Operating Agreement with the former owners, Temple Baptist, a predominantly Caucasian church. This loving and tremendously blessed union continued until March, 1997, when Temple Baptist moved into its newly built church. And, some people said it couldn’t be done, but they didn’t know our God! To God be the glory! Reaching membership numbers of 14,000 it was time for Bishop and Mrs. Butler and the Word of Faith congregation to pray about another church home. At least 30 acres of land was needed upon to build the 5000-seat sanctuary and to accommodate all the other ministry operations.
Ephesians 3:20-21, Amplified Bible, says, “Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [actions of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams] – To Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen.” That’s exactly what God did by blessing us with the jewel property located in Southfield, MI.