Living Word Church

In the heart of Forest Park, Illinois, stands the Living Word Christian Center. Don’t let its modern exterior fool you, this place is steeped in a story of faith, perseverance, and extraordinary growth. Living Word Church’s journey began in 1988, not here, but in humble hotel rooms in downtown Chicago. Pastor Bill and Veronica Winston, armed with nothing but $200 and unwavering faith, planted the seeds of their ministry. Imagine those early days, small gatherings, sometimes less than 20 people, hungry for the word of God. Their first church, founded in 1989, was a world away from the grand structure we see today. It was a modest storefront on Chicago’s west side, a neighborhood grappling with high crime rates. Yet, their faith never wavered. They believed in God’s plan. Their trust wasn’t misplaced. The congregation grew, prompting a move to Forest Park in 1990. They renamed themselves Living Word Christian Center, a beacon of hope in their new community. Their new home on Madison Street brought challenges. Membership dwindled, leaving them with a hefty lease and a handful of followers. But Pastor Winston saw this not as a setback, but as a test of faith. He continued preaching, his words resonating with the community, attracting new members, and breathing life back into the church. The Living Word Christian Center continued to expand, outgrowing spaces, holding services in banquet halls, their eyes on a bigger dream. That dream took shape in the form of a declining 33-acre shopping mall, the Forest Park Mall. What many saw as a fading relic, they saw as an opportunity. In 1997, amidst the remnants of a once bustling mall, almost 5,000 people attended the first service in a transformed hardware store. Today, Living Word Church stands as a testament to their unwavering belief. It’s a testament to the power of faith and the unwavering spirit of those who dared to dream big in a small storefront, proving that with God, even the seemingly impossible can be achieved.