Life Church

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The Life Church, formerly known as Word of Life Christian Center, is a nondenominational Christian church located at 5000 Grantswood Road in Irondale.

Word of Life was founded in December 1982 by pastor Scott Webb. Webb held the church's first meetings next door to a Krystal hamburger stand on the back of a Center Point strip mall. His message of worldly redemption and healing attracted new members. As the church grew it leased space on the front of the same shopping center, then, in 1987, it purchased the former Huffman Assembly of God at 9533 Parkway East, a 1,000-seat sanctuary which it quickly grew to fill.

The church constructed a new 56,000 square-foot building on a 172-acre campus at 100 Derby Parkway in 2006. The main assembly space accommodated 1,500 worshippers and sophisticated multimedia presentation equipment. The expansive lobby sheltered a bookstore and "He-Brews" coffee shop. An adjoining educational building provided children's classroom space. The $14 million facility was designed by Gresham Smith and Partners and constructed by Myrick, Gurosky & Associates.

In 2009, church executive and youth pastor David Webb pled guilty to charges of transporting a minor across state lines for sex. The membership began to dwindle after his conviction. David's father, Scott Webb, stepped down as pastor in 2013. The Derby Parkway campus was purchased that year by Worship Center Christian Church from Regions Bank for $6 million. Word of Life soon changed its name to The Life Church, and named Brandon Ball as pastor, and began holding worship services in space at the AGC building in Irondale.

References

  • Garrison, Greg (September 10, 2006) "Church moves to 174-acre campus." The Birmingham News
  • Gordon, Robert K. (May 5, 2009) "Former Birmingham youth minister William David Webb pleads guilty to federal sex charge involving minor." The Birmingham News
  • Garrison, Greg (June 7, 2013) "Word of Life changes name, leaves $14 million campus after youth pastor's sex conviction." The Birmingham News

External links