In his sermon titled “Then and Now,” Pastor Rob Rotola outlines the history, current state, and future direction of Word of Life and its many outreach church programs. He highlights the importance of sharing this history with all congregation members, since many may not have this knowledge. Pastor Rotola, who has been leading the church since 1989, shares a number of significant milestones and achievements over the years. 

Pastor Rotola’s message also emphasizes the importance of unity, excellence, and financial stewardship while outlining future plans. He additionally calls for increased participation in fasting and prayers for church growth. Read the summarized highlights of the sermon below, or listen to the full sermon here.

Sermon Highlights

Milestone Events in Word of Life History

• Church origins. Pastor Rob and his wife Debbie began serving at Word of Life Church in 1989 with only 12 members, carrying out their vision of “The Church Love Is Building.”
  
  

• Hallelujah night. This tradition began in 1989 and has been held annually for 36 years, leading children to Christ.
  
  

• Word of Life Counseling Center (1990). A partnership with Dr. Reiner and Nancy led to the creation of support groups, a drug and alcohol treatment center, and the Word of Life Institute.

  
  

• Pro-life advocacy. The 1991 "Summer of Mercy" led to the temporary closure of abortion clinics in Wichita, Kansas, 2,000+ arrests, and the permanent closure of two clinics.

  
  

• 1993 prophetic conference. Rob and Debbie convened a four-day worship service with a prophetic voice from Oklahoma and another from the East Coast. They prayed for God to deliver prophetic words to illuminate the Church’s future, and as Pastor Rotola says, “The Lord showed up in a big way.” Key prophecies included establishing schools, cross-cultural leadership, and international ministry programs, all of which were fulfilled in subsequent years.

  
  

• International impact (Vision 2020). This was launched in 2006, resulting in 175+ crusades and 7+ million saved worldwide.

  
  

• Radio outreach. The church established the ZFM radio station with programs like the "Preacher's Wife Morning Show."

• Youth ministry. The teen church has seen significant mission trip success, including 1,100 conversions in Mexico during one trip.

  
  

• Bible colleges. Word of Life has established programs in locations like Tanzania and Liberia.

  
  

• Diverse forms of outreach. As the church has grown, so has its success in reaching more people in more situations. These include street ministry, bus ministry, jail ministry, and other efforts that have collectively led hundreds to Christ.

Notable Ministries and Projects

• Schools. The church opened a preschool, grade school, and international programs in the 1990s, fulfilling prophetic words from the 1993 conference.

  
  

• Life Prep Academy. The academy has achieved state and national championships in sports and witnesses 50-80 student salvations annually.

  
  

• Community support. Comfort Care Homes ministry ensures gospel outreach to terminally ill individuals.

  
  

• Church mergers. In 2009, Spirit 1 Church merged with Word of Life and prevented a new abortion clinic from opening.

  
  

• Property acquisitions. The church purchased a hotel in 2021 for $4.5 million, transforming it into a church facility.

Future Goals

• Upcoming projects. There are plans for a prayer chapel, a digital sign, and a gymnasium.

  
  

• Ministry focus. The church seeks to expand prayer efforts, design worship as an "experience," and raise new leaders with Word of Life DNA.

  
  

• Emphasis on excellence. Encouraging members to serve with diligence and excellence in all ministries.

Other Key Takeaways

• Call to action. Members are urged to participate in fasting, prayer, and serving with excellence in the new year.

  
  

• Biblical foundation. Core verses include Luke 4:19,"heal the brokenhearted"; Mark 16:15, "preach the gospel to every creature"; and Matthew 16:18, "I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it."

  
  

• Inspiration. “Don’t let anything from your past stop your future…you and Jesus can change everything.”

Tune Into the Word With Word of Life Church

Word of Life Church is dedicated to making the world a better place by spreading the Word and love of God. Our mission is to create an authentic, welcoming worship community and to empower Christians to live a life of faith and service in the name of Jesus.

To that end, we have two convenient locations serving both North and South Wichita, and we also offer accessible church services to support you in your journey. If you’re unable to attend in-person church services, you can watch our live stream sermons or listen to our podcast sermons from the comfort of your home or preferred location. If English isn’t your primary language, you can take advantage of our weekly international and Spanish-language services.  

Our church offerings include a variety of worship experiences, LifeGroups, youth programs, and service initiatives for individuals of all ages, all designed to offer community and opportunities to engage with God and enhance a mindset of gratitude. Contact us today to find out how we can serve you!