I was Sunday School Superintendent at Faith Temple Church for approximately eight years. At the end of that eighth year, I became very dissatisfied with what I was doing at that time. I knew God had called me to teach his people his ways and how to find their place in the Body of Christ. He gave me a scripture in Luke 9:62, “And Jesus said unto him, No man having put his hand to the plow and looking back is fit for the Kingdom of God.” So, the Lord began dealing with me about going to another church to help a friend of mine who was the pastor of Faith Christian Center. I taught there for two (2) years.
In 1985, the Lord instructed me to establish a non-denominational, non-sectarian, non-racial church in the Birmingham, Alabama area. We found a new church home that was for rent at 1236 Tuscaloosa Avenue Southwest, Birmingham, Alabama 35211 with approximately thirteen people. We became a non-profit corporation to teach and promote the teaching of the Holy Bible.
At that time, we were having two services each Sunday at 11:00 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. and one service each Thursday night at 7:30 p.m. Our services now are much of the same, with an exception to the service days and time. We still have two services each Sunday; Morning worship at 8:00 am and again at 11:00 am. Our mid-week bible study is held on Wednesday beginning at 7:30 pm.
As a result of coming into knowledge of the baptism with the Holy Spirit and the word of faith, we started teaching the believers: how to minister the new birth; the gift of the Holy Spirit. The people began to minister to the lost, and they started to come in the church to receive salvation and the teaching of the word of God. We also reached out in the surrounding community and began to feed and clothe those that were in need. We also reached out and gave school supplies to the children in the community.
In 1985, the Lord began dealing with us about going on radio. He told me to teach his word. He told me to reach out to the greater Birmingham area and the municipalities and Jefferson County areas. The word of faith and power that he shared with me: the word of health and healing, the word spiritual, social and financial prosperity; thereby, setting us free at the Rivers of Living Water Faith Church.
In December of 1986, the Rivers of Living Water Faith Church as the initial underwriter aired our first radio program. Seven years later, we have been on three Christian radio stations in the city and Jefferson County areas. We are now aired nationally on WINB weekly radio broadcast, located out of Red Lion Pennsylvania. Because of the people’s faithful response to the radio ministry, every need is met. Now, we own all of our radio equipment.
In 1987, God sent a lady to our church that had a heart to establish a Word School. We have productive programs that teach biblical principles. We have a growing Word School with classes ranging from nursery to adults.
In 1991, God began to show us how to develop our music department. He sent us two gifted psalmists. Usually, every worship service presented special music: a psalmist, group from our congregation, or a guest music ministry. This provided an opportunity for exposure and ministry to those performing and added to the effectiveness of the music ministry at our church, radio-audience, and television outreach ministry.
Our psalmists sing all over the city of Birmingham in various churches, auditoriums, etc. One of them has been on national television. We have an anointed song leader who leads us into the presence of God through praise and worship. The Lord has added a choir ministry and a male choir ministry and sent us gifted piano, organ, and drum players.
In May 1991, as another one of our outreach ministries of the Rivers of Living Water Faith Church, our first television program was aired on Birmingham Cable.
The Lord began to deal with my wife and I about reaching out to the Birmingham urban community with the “Message of Faith and Power.” Then and even now, a few renown White ministries emphasized “the message of faith,” but very few blacks were teaching this message.
The Apostle Paul, though a Jew and definitely called of God to minister to the Gentiles, never lost sight of the need for the Jews to come into accurate knowledge of the things of God through Jesus Christ. He made a statement one time to the effect that his heart’s desire and prayer for Israel was that they might be saved. Like the Apostle Paul, I had a burden for my people. I had that kind of burden for the Black American. I saw the Black American as an untapped mission field, relative to the word of faith message.
I saw how our people were responding to the message, how it was setting them free; therefore, I wanted to share it. I knew that television was a medium in which many people could be reached. Our nation is very picture oriented, and would look at a television faster than they would listen to a radio. Our ministry is to reach the Birmingham community as well as the world.
No one person can reach everybody. Knowing the psychological mind and behavior of the Black community are relative to the history in this nation – the Civil Rights Movement. Many, many Blacks would not listen to the White race or anyone of any other ethnic background. But to see a Black face on television – other than a few comedians or movie stars – they might say, out of curiosity, “Well, let’s see what this guy has to say.” I knew that the power and the light that was in the message would get them into the net, because Jesus has definitely made us fishers of men.
We have gotten more results out of this outreach than any other. People call for prayer weekly and this has been a blessing to the people of Birmingham. This has caused people to come to the church and become a part of this ministry.
Now, we are on Bright House Cable Channel 4 and WOTM that has a cable coverage that reaches not only the city of Birmingham and Bessemer but thirty-eight other municipalities around Alabama; with a total household in A.D.I – 521,600.
Because of the people’s faithful responses to the television ministry, every need is met. Now we own all of our television equipment and are in the process of purchasing a new television camera and editing equipment. Our future vision is to be seen all over the United States and the Word Satellite Network.
We have a Ministerial Training College to equip people for the ministry, who has a genuine call to full-time ministry. The curriculum is designed in such as manner to graduate students who will be able to take full charge of their ministry in presenting the gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit. In doing this, we are confident that we will see men, women, and children come to know Christ as Lord and Savior of their lives.
In addition, we have John B. Norman Sr., Christian Academy to assist parents in fulfilling their responsibility to train their children to obey God’s Word. Students learn and achieve mastery of basic skills at or above grade level, regardless of their previous academic performance, family background, and socioeconomic status, race or gender.
In providing an environment that is both Christian and intellectual we have chosen to use the A-BEKA curriculum, which is widely used among Christian School Educators. It provides a basic program of study for students designed to result in students having an increased level in their self-esteem and self-awareness, high levels of competence in the use of communication skills: reading, writing, speaking, listening, development of study habits that can lead to success, test taking skills that enable students to perform well on standardized tests. We also offer the best in educational materials and resources. Most important, students taught through the A-BEKA Curriculum can always see the power of God throughout this course of study. Mrs. Deloris G. Norman is the principal of this academy. She has taught in the Birmingham Public School System for sixteen years and has a degree in early childhood education.
Rivers of Living Water Faith Church is a member of the National Fellowship of Inner City Word of Faith Ministries. Presently, we are located at 309 20th Street S.W. Birmingham, Alabama 35211. Our services now are much of the same, with an exception to the service days and time. We still have two services each Sunday; Morning Worship begins at 8:00 am and then again at 11:00 am. Our mid-week bible study is held on Wednesday, beginning at 7:30 pm. Because of the rapid growth in our membership, we now believe God in Faith for directions to where to plant an additional church home.
In Service of the King,
Pastor John B. Norman, Jr.
First Lady Mrs. Deloris G. Norman
Rivers of Living Water Faith Church
