Word of Life Church, St Joseph, MO

This month’s different-church blog entry involved a six-hour drive to St Joseph, MO, home of Word of Life Church. Pastor Brian Zahnd has been one of the primary voices keeping me on the walk of faith for the last decade. Word of Life is a non-denominational Christian church founded by Zahnd and his wife Peri in 1981. A search describes WOLC as “a Spirit-led,
Bible-based congregation with roots in the Jesus Movement and charismatic renewal, focusing on an authentic expression of the kingdom of God.” I would add that since 2004, this fellowship has also cultivated a strong connection to the more ancient ways of faith as expressed by the church fathers, liturgy, and creeds. “We have rejected certitude and embraced mystery, while being guided by the creeds and ecumenical councils of the church,” says assistant pastor Derek Vreeland. To my way of thinking, values expressed here are a healthy mix of the evangelical and mainline traditions.

The building sits in front of a rolling hillside a couple of miles outside St Joe. Its grand glass entrance includes a very cool 3,000-pound rotating granite sphere. There’s a café, a well-stocked bookstore, a children’s wing and teen auditorium. We saw plenty of kids, teens, young adults, middle age people and seniors. Most impressive to the building is a prayer chapel made with stone imported from Jerusalem and featuring stations of the cross by a Canadian artist. Although the description of this facility sounds mega-churchy, WOLC has only one Sunday service with room to spread out in the 2,000-seat auditorium. We had no trouble afterward getting a few words with Zahnd and his co-pastor wife Peri.

As we entered the sanctuary, screens scrolled through an invitation to request prayer, a way to donate to physical needs in the community (rent, utilities, etc), an opportunity to help at the food bank, a link to invite a friend to church, notice of livestream prayer every Wednesday, and posting of the church website, https://wolc.com/ .

Worship was led by a smiley and talented young, redhead on guitar, further accompanied by piano, drums, lead guitar, bass, and another gifted singer. Come to the Table. Holy Spirit Lead Me On. Come, Holy Spirit. (The volume helped catch the focus of worshipers with no need of ear plugs.) There was a short time to mingle before Vreeland, the Discipleship Pastor, welcomed everyone and drew attention to the big contingent of teenagers (maybe a hundred?) just back from a weekend event together. Offering buckets were passed and announcements made, including notice of Palm Sunday baptisms and Easter Sunday special events.

Pastor Zahnd took the stage to talk about John 3:1-17, the story of Nikodemus coming to Jesus at night. He set the scene and explained that Jesus was inviting Nikodemus to a renewed life, born from above. Of course, as a teaching rabi, Nikodemus would have understood that this was metaphor. What was harder for him to understand was that Jesus spoke of the spiritual life as mystery, like wind. We can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit (v8 NLT). It’s not a formula; it’s more like a song. We’re born from above, born again, and again, and again. We are made in the image of God, but created from the earth. Without being born from above, we’re stuck in the kingdom of the world. War becomes the only way and political power the only real power. “Do not be astonished that I said to you, ‘you must be born from above.’” Amen

Zahnd then stepped down to the Table of the Lord in front of the stage. He led in offering the elements of communion for “those who love him and those who want to love him more.” As every week, reciting the Apostles Creed follows and then a congregational prayer of repentance. "Come you who have much faith and you who have little." Come to the front; take the bread; dip it in the cup. The body of Christ broken for you; the blood of Christ shed for you. Amen.