Willie George
Encyclopedia
Willie George is the founding and lead pastor of Church on the Move in Tulsa, Oklahoma
.
Born and raised in Texas
, George converted to Christianity
while in high school. He and his wife, Deleva, have been married over 30 years. In addition to a teenage daughter, they have three adult children and seven grandchildren.
Willie George became a Christian in 1972 and began work in the Children's Ministry as a youth pastor of a church of 200 in Plainview, Texas
. George believes that God spoke to him during a significant and intense time of prayer and instructed him to found a church in Tulsa. George and his wife Deleva moved to Tulsa and he accepted a position with Faith Christian Fellowship in a children's ministry position. He decided to resign from the church in 1980 and travel — he formed his own ministry later on in that year. Willie George is well known for his role as "Gospel Bill" in his evangelism TV shows. He also performed in the Gospel Bill role in one episode of The Wichita Slim Trilogy alongside Kenneth Copeland
as Wichita Slim (a Sheriff). Willie George was also instrumental in producing Fire By Nite
, a televised Christian program aimed at reaching a youthful audience. It aired on the Trinity Broadcasting Network
and other local broadcast networks across America in the early to mid 1990s.
Willie George Ministries purchased land in rural Mayes County, Oklahoma
in order to build a Christian camping and retreat center called Dry Gulch, U.S.A.. The park opened in July 1986 on 154 acre (0.62321644 km²). WGeorge started Church on the Move on the outskirts of Tulsa in 1987 with 163 people in attendance. Church on the Move has a conservative church membership numbering well over 10,000+ as of 2009. It is a single-campus location and classified as being a Mega-church in the Tulsa area.
As of January 2010, Church on the Move was reported to be the largest church in Tulsa, with an average Sunday attendance of 9,000 to 11,000.
In 1996 George also started "The Christmas Train" at the Dry Gulch location. The train ride takes its riders through a biblical re-telling of the birth of Jesus Christ.
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
.
Born and raised in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, George converted to Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
while in high school. He and his wife, Deleva, have been married over 30 years. In addition to a teenage daughter, they have three adult children and seven grandchildren.
Willie George became a Christian in 1972 and began work in the Children's Ministry as a youth pastor of a church of 200 in Plainview, Texas
Plainview, Texas
Plainview is a city in and the county seat of Hale County, Texas, United States. The population was 22,336 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Plainview is located at ....
. George believes that God spoke to him during a significant and intense time of prayer and instructed him to found a church in Tulsa. George and his wife Deleva moved to Tulsa and he accepted a position with Faith Christian Fellowship in a children's ministry position. He decided to resign from the church in 1980 and travel — he formed his own ministry later on in that year. Willie George is well known for his role as "Gospel Bill" in his evangelism TV shows. He also performed in the Gospel Bill role in one episode of The Wichita Slim Trilogy alongside Kenneth Copeland
Kenneth Copeland
Kenneth Copeland is an American author, public speaker, and televangelist. He is the founder of Kenneth Copeland Ministries, which preaches a “prosperity gospel”: "Prosperity gospel assures followers that the more they give including in the form of tithes to the church, the more they will receive...
as Wichita Slim (a Sheriff). Willie George was also instrumental in producing Fire By Nite
Fire By Nite
Fire by Night was a Christian variety show produced by Willie George Ministries and Church on the Move in Tulsa, Oklahoma. FBN was hosted by Blaine Bartel for most of its production and marketed primarily to Christian youth...
, a televised Christian program aimed at reaching a youthful audience. It aired on the Trinity Broadcasting Network
Trinity Broadcasting Network
The Trinity Broadcasting Network is a major American Christian television network. TBN is based in Costa Mesa, California, with auxiliary studio facilities in Irving, Texas; Hendersonville, Tennessee; Gadsden, Alabama; Decatur, Georgia; Miami, Florida; Tulsa, Oklahoma; Orlando, Florida; and New...
and other local broadcast networks across America in the early to mid 1990s.
Willie George Ministries purchased land in rural Mayes County, Oklahoma
Mayes County, Oklahoma
Mayes County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. It was named for Samuel Houston Mayes, Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation from 1895 to 1899. According to the 2010 census the population was 41,259, a 7.5 percent increase from 2000, when the population was 38,369...
in order to build a Christian camping and retreat center called Dry Gulch, U.S.A.. The park opened in July 1986 on 154 acre (0.62321644 km²). WGeorge started Church on the Move on the outskirts of Tulsa in 1987 with 163 people in attendance. Church on the Move has a conservative church membership numbering well over 10,000+ as of 2009. It is a single-campus location and classified as being a Mega-church in the Tulsa area.
As of January 2010, Church on the Move was reported to be the largest church in Tulsa, with an average Sunday attendance of 9,000 to 11,000.
In 1996 George also started "The Christmas Train" at the Dry Gulch location. The train ride takes its riders through a biblical re-telling of the birth of Jesus Christ.