By Ashley Benkarski
NASHVILLE, TN — Bishop George Adebanjo is celebrating 36 wonderful years of pastoral service with The Living Word International Church on July 31.
Expressing excitement over this new milestone, Bishop Adebanjo said, “It feels great. I am honored to have served this great church for 36 years.”
The Bishop’s anniversary event will include speakers, a guest choir and Living Word’s choir. “I’m looking forward to the Word of God and all the friends who’ll be coming to celebrate with us,” he said.
Under Bishop Adebanjo and First Lady Dr. Jennifer Adebanjo, the Church has expanded to three continents (the United States, Africa and Asia) and is constantly adapting to an ever-changing global society.
“The Lord has allowed me to connect with pastors of different denominations,” Bishop Adebanjo said, pointing specifically to his work pioneering the Racial Reconciliation Task Force with other pastors, crossing denominational lines to work together.
Bishop Adebanjo’s work in the community includes creating fellowship across racial and economic lines through the lens of faith; he founded Evangelistic Ministries to provide housing to the homeless in the Nashville area and members can be found passing out water to people running the greenway near the church.
The Adebanjos are two halves of a whole carrying out the Lord’s vision. First Lady Adebanjo oversees the Women’s Ministries of Living Word and serves as Assistant Pastor in her husband’s stead when he travels. Dr. Adebanjo is also an associate professor of political science and history at Fisk University.
“I’m married to the most beautiful lady in the whole wide world,” Bishop Adebanjo intimated.
What we now know as the Living Word International Church started out in the Wesley Foundation building on Tennessee State University’s campus. A lot of prayers and Fatherly guidance and a few locations later, Bishop Adebanjo and First Lady Dr. Adebanjo secured their current spot located at 5100 Wyoming Avenue in Nashville.
He’s had the amazing opportunity to travel internationally, including Pakistan, China, Turkey, India, Europe and many other countries. Bishop Adebanjo has maintained his connections from these visits, a testament to his warm and trustworthy nature.
Though some of his travels have presented him with the challenge of unbelief, Bishop Adebanjo did not waver in his faith and continued the work of spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Bishop Adebanjo said the mission he wants the Church to carry out comes by way of an acronym: P.L.E.D.G.E.: Pray for the members of Living Word and affiliate churches; Love them unconditionally; Encourage them; Develop leadership in them; Give them God’s Word; Endeavor to communicate to them the vision the Lord has given them.
Bishop Adebanjo added that one of those visions is to have an interracial church in Nashville, and he feels Living Word embodies that.
You can find the Living Word International Church on all major social media platforms, or you can visit the church website for more information on its illustrious history and various ministries at thelivingwordcogic.com.