John Robert Stevens
Encyclopedia
John Robert Stevens founded The Living Word Fellowship
in the 1950s and was the movement's leader until his death.
Stevens was born August 7, 1919, in Story County
, Iowa
. His parents, Eva Katherine and William J. Stevens, moved the family to California
in 1929, during the Great Depression
. In Los Angeles
they attended the Angelus Temple
, founded by Aimee Semple McPherson
. In 1933 they returned to Washington
, Iowa
, where William Stevens founded the Christian Tabernacle church, in which young John Stevens taught children's Bible
study and helped his father prepare sermon
s. John Stevens began preaching on his own in Gladwin, Iowa in 1935, before his sixteenth birthday, under the auspices of the Four Square Gospel denomination. After his high school graduation in 1937 he also traveled locally and regionally as an evangelist
and was ordained in the Assembly of God in September 1937. Stevens was first married in 1939 and had two daughters by this marriage, which ended in divorce
.
Stevens moved to the Los Angeles area in 1946 and later became pastor of an Assemblies of God church in Lynwood, California
. Around 1950 he was dismissed from that position and the Four Square Gospel and Assemblies of God denominations after propounding unorthodox beliefs, which he said were based on divine revelations. In 1951 he established his own church in South Gate, California
, and by 1955 he had expanded his ministry into a new movement, initially called the Church of the Living Word and later called The Living Word Fellowship. For the remainder of his life he was the group's spiritual leader, expanding it in the United States
and into several other countries.
After Stevens' death, his widow, the former Marilyn Holbrook, led the Living Word Fellowship together with Gary Hargrave, who married Marilyn Stevens in 1984. Stevens' writings and recordings of his sermons continue to be disseminated by Living Word Publications, a branch of Living Word Fellowship.
The Living Word Fellowship
The Living Word Fellowship is a group of nondenominational Christian churches located in the United States, Canada, Brazil, and Mexico, often described as a new religious movement or cult. The group was founded in South Gate, California, by John Robert Stevens in 1951...
in the 1950s and was the movement's leader until his death.
Stevens was born August 7, 1919, in Story County
Story County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 89,542 in the county, with a population density of . There were 36,789 housing units, of which 34,736 were occupied.-2000 census:...
, Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
. His parents, Eva Katherine and William J. Stevens, moved the family to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
in 1929, during the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
. In Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
they attended the Angelus Temple
Angelus Temple
Angelus Temple was the central house of worship of the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel in the Echo Park district of Los Angeles, California....
, founded by Aimee Semple McPherson
Aimee Semple McPherson
Aimee Semple McPherson , also known as Sister Aimee, was a Canadian-American Los Angeles, California evangelist and media celebrity in the 1920s and 1930s. She founded the Foursquare Church...
. In 1933 they returned to Washington
Washington, Iowa
Washington is a city in and the county seat of Washington County, Iowa, United States. It is part of the Iowa City, Iowa Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 7,047 at the 2000 census.-History:...
, Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
, where William Stevens founded the Christian Tabernacle church, in which young John Stevens taught children's Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
study and helped his father prepare sermon
Sermon
A sermon is an oration by a prophet or member of the clergy. Sermons address a Biblical, theological, religious, or moral topic, usually expounding on a type of belief, law or behavior within both past and present contexts...
s. John Stevens began preaching on his own in Gladwin, Iowa in 1935, before his sixteenth birthday, under the auspices of the Four Square Gospel denomination. After his high school graduation in 1937 he also traveled locally and regionally as an evangelist
Evangelism
Evangelism refers to the practice of relaying information about a particular set of beliefs to others who do not hold those beliefs. The term is often used in reference to Christianity....
and was ordained in the Assembly of God in September 1937. Stevens was first married in 1939 and had two daughters by this marriage, which ended in divorce
Divorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
.
Stevens moved to the Los Angeles area in 1946 and later became pastor of an Assemblies of God church in Lynwood, California
Lynwood, California
Lynwood is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States of America. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 69,772, down from 69,845 at the 2000 census. Lynwood is located near South Gate and Compton in the southern portion of the Los Angeles Basin. Incorporated in...
. Around 1950 he was dismissed from that position and the Four Square Gospel and Assemblies of God denominations after propounding unorthodox beliefs, which he said were based on divine revelations. In 1951 he established his own church in South Gate, California
South Gate, California
South Gate is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The sixteenth largest city in Los Angeles County, it encompasses . South Gate is located just southeast of downtown Los Angeles It is part of the Gateway Cities region of southeastern Los Angeles County...
, and by 1955 he had expanded his ministry into a new movement, initially called the Church of the Living Word and later called The Living Word Fellowship. For the remainder of his life he was the group's spiritual leader, expanding it in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and into several other countries.
After Stevens' death, his widow, the former Marilyn Holbrook, led the Living Word Fellowship together with Gary Hargrave, who married Marilyn Stevens in 1984. Stevens' writings and recordings of his sermons continue to be disseminated by Living Word Publications, a branch of Living Word Fellowship.
Books by Stevens
- The First Principles, The Living Word Publications, ISBN 1891787012, ISBN 978-1891787010
- Sparks from the Altar, The Living Word Publications, ISBN 1891787004, ISBN 978-1891787003