Headquartered in Nashville, TN, The Living Word International Church is a multi-ethnic body of believers that love the lord and are taught the unadulterated Word of God.
Dr. George O. Adebanjo
The pastor and founder of The Living Word International Church, is a native of Lagos, Nigeria. There, he completed his high school education. After this, he traveled to Europe, Canada, and, finally, to the United States. He received a Stationary Engineer’s License from George Brown College in Toronto Canada and a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Tennessee State University in Nashville, TN.
In 1994, after 8 years of pastoral ministry, Dr. Adebanjo took a giant step of faith and walked away from a professional career in engineering to passionately pursue the call of God in a life of full-time ministry.
Our Nashville campus was the definition of humble beginnings that began in a small building. As a visionary, however, Bishop Adebanjo anticipated growth and greater impact for the ministry. In 2005, The Lord honored Bishop Adebanjo’s faith and miraculously moved the church from its previous location of 2080 12th Avenue South to its new spacious sanctuary at 5100 Wyoming Avenue, Nashville, TN 37209. To God be the glory!
Who We Are And The Church History
In 1985, The Highway to Heaven Church was officially established. The name was based on Isaiah 35:8 which says “a highway shall be there and away, and it shall be called the way of holiness….” The first floor of the Wesley Foundation building, located on the campus of Tennessee State University, served as our meeting place. Souls were saved and filled with the Holy Spirit under the anointed teaching and preaching of Pastor Adebanjo. God confirmed His word with signs and wonders following. Many were drawn to the church because of the love and compassion of Pastor Adebanjo and because of the healing anointing that rested and continues to rest on the ministry.
Within a very short time span, this small congregation would relocate to the Jurisdictional Headquarters located on the corner of Meharry Blvd and 12th Avenue North. Pastor Adebanjo and his small congregation were committed to doing the Lord’s will. Efforts immediately commenced to clean and renovate the newly vacated building. Meals were prepared by church members as a form of outreach and ministry to the student population of the surrounding area. However, time at this location was to be short-lived. God had other plans.
How The Lord Leads….
Psalms 37:23 says “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord.” As divine providence would have it, Pastor Adebanjo had been sent occasionally by his Bishop, the late H. Jenkins Bell, to minister in his stead at the Cane Memorial Church of God in Christ. Little did Pastor Adebanjo know that God was calling and preparing him to Pastor that church.
In 1986, again by divine providence, the late Bishop H. Jenkins Bell asked Pastor Adebanjo to come and serve as the permanent pastor of the Cane Memorial Church of God In Christ, located at 2080 12th Avenue South. Pastor Adebanjo was somewhat apprehensive to accept the position because he had already started a new work and did not know how his new wife would react to the move. But little did he know that God had already spoken to his wife, First Lady Jennifer Adebanjo concerning this momentous move. Pastor Adebanjo prayerfully accepted.
So, in the spring of 1986, Pastor Adebanjo merged the Highway to Heaven Church congregation with the Cane Memorial congregation. To say the least, these were very turbulent years. But with the help and strength of God, the congregation continued on, through immense adversities and oppositions, determined to do the work of the Lord.
How The Name of The Church Came About
After several years of seeking God, Pastor Adebanjo changed the name of the church to The Living Word International Church to better reflect the vision God had given him concerning the direction of the ministry. Flags representing the various nations were positioned around the church to emphasize Pastor Adebanjo’s call to the nations and the international fervor of the ministry.
Being the man of faith that he is, chairs were placed down the middle aisle of the church to testify of the faith he had in God to fill the church and of the expectation of greater things to come. During this time, various outreaches and in-reach programs were established.
Renovations were made, including some structural changes, new carpeting, new kitchen appliances, the installation of a handicapped ramp, the launching and establishment of a successful Day Care. The radio and television ministry went to a new level. It was from this location that Pastor Adebanjo pioneered the Racial Reconciliation Task Force, and founded the Evangelistic Ministries which provided housing for the homeless families here in the Nashville area. Many wonderful things happened at the 12th Avenue location. Most importantly, souls were saved and reclaimed, bodies healed and many miracles were wrought. There were mighty visitations from the Lord. The 12th Avenue location was to be the place of worship for 19 years.
What We Believe
- We believe the Bible to be the only inspired and infallible word of God.
- We believe there is one God externally exist in three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
- We believe that salvation for the lost and sinful man by the regeneration of the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential.
- We believe that salvation is received through faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and not good works.
- We believe in the Deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, his virgin birth, sinless life, and his miracles; his ascension to the right hand of the Father and his personal return to the earth in power and glory.
- We believe in the resurrection of the saved and unsaved, those who are saved are bestowed with eternal life, and those unsaved and lost are condemned to eternal damnation.
- We believe that through the present ministry of the Holy Spirit and his indwelling power the Christian is enabled to live Holy and perform good works in this present life.
- We believe in the Spiritual unity of believer’s in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Leadership Team:
Bishop George and Dr. (Mrs.) Jennifer Adebanjo are the Pastors at The Living Word International Church. They have been married since 1984. Their desires are for people around the world to be saved, healed and delivered through the saving power of Jesus Christ.
Children Ministry Leader: Ms. Shanta Williams
Young Adult Ministry: Pastor Yvonka Lyons
Women’s Ministry: Dr. Jennifer Adebanjo, Assistant Pastor
Choir Director: Lekia Byrd
Usher Board: Samela Hawkins
Pastoral Care: Mother Jacqueline Brown
Food Pantry: Missionary Linda Ashley and Pastor Mazis McIntyre
Video Ministry: Yvonne Murphy
Dance Ministry: Ms. Renee Rucker
Kitchen: Evangelist Deborah Neal
Security: Minister Barry Gordon and Chuck Brown
Special Assistant to the Bishop: Evangelist Deborah Neal and Sister Cintara Bradley
Event Coordinator: Cintara Bradley
Next Level Academy Co-coordinators: Chuck Brown and Cintara Bradley
Chief of Staff: Ms. Cheryl Harleston
