About Us

Our vision for the last great revival is to see all Christians become "ministers and ambassadors"- John 14:12 - "Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto My Father."
With this in mind, Word of Life Ministries is committed to bringing the presence, character, and power of Jesus into local churches in America (this is sometimes referred to as "revival"). We equip Christians by teaching the Word and providing a place to practice walking in the presence of God.

Word of Life is located in the north central part of West Virginia in the town of Weston, which is about one hour south of Morgantown on Interstate 79. 

Word of Life Church is pastored by Phil and Kathy Strauss. They have been pastoring Word of Life since 1985. Kathy Strauss is head administrator of Lewis County Christian School.

1.       We believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God, revealing the three persons of the one eternally existent God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

 2.       We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, His incarnation as true God and true man, His virgin birth, His sinless life, His miracles, His vicarious and atoning death, His bodily resurrection, His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and His personal return in power and glory.

 3.       We believe that humanity was created in the image of God, but is separated from God by sin, and must be redeemed by grace through faith in Christ’s vicarious atonement for sins, His death on the Cross.  “For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast.”  Eph. 2:8-9

 4.       We believe that the gift of eternal life is available to all, and that those who receive Christ by faith are regenerated by the Holy Spirit and thereby become children of God.

 5.       We believe the redemptive work of Christ on the Cross provides healing for body, mind, and spirit in answer to believing prayer.

 6.       We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit who indwells every believer, thus uniting all believers in the spiritual Body of Christ.  We believe the baptism of the Holy Spirit is a gift from God promised by the Lord Jesus Christ to every believer, is received subsequent to the new birth, and is accompanied by the initial sign of speaking in other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance.  We believe the Holy Spirit operates in all believers in the power and gifts of the Spirit, manifesting them as He wills.

 7.       We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost – those that are saved to the resurrection of life and those that are lost to the resurrection of damnation.

 8.       We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ, and seek community with them, “speaking the truth in love, [that we] may grow up in all things into Him who is the Head – Christ.”  (Ephesians 4:15)

Because you may have never visited a church like us before, here are some common questions and answers about what we do and why we do it. If you still have questions, fill out the Contact Form and we'd be delighted to answer.

How come you don't have lots of ministries for people to get involved?

Unlike many churches that stress large ministries, we stress that each member is to take the gospel to where he or she lives and works. We provide a scriptural plan for reaching your neighborhood and workplace, and support and encouragement as you go and minister. We desire to meet needs in the name of Jesus, not in the name of Word of Life. If you need help or support in ministering, we are here to help you help others!

Why are there so many scriptures in the service?

Nehemiah 8:8 reads, “So they read distinctly from the book, in the law of God; and they gave the sense, and helped them to understand  the reading.” We do the same thing in our services today. In the New Testament, Paul told Timothy, “Preach the Word! Be instant in season and out of season”  (I Timothy 4:2). The great commission by Jesus is not only to baptize people in water, but also “teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:20). While stories and poems are nice, this church is called Word of Life for a purpose - to hold forth the Word of Life. God's Words are spirit and life. God's Word is what we need to see change, growth and revival in our community.

What is the “Baptism of the Holy Ghost”?

John the Baptist said, “I indeed baptize you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Ghost” (Mark 1:8). After His resurrection, Jesus reminded his disciples of this promise and told them they would be baptized with the Holy Ghost after a few days. Jesus also said that when the Holy Ghost came upon them they would be endued with power from on high (Acts 1:4,5,8; Luke 24:49). The promise was fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost. Jesus’ disciples were filled with the Holy
Ghost and began to speak in other tongues. Peter told the people of Jerusalem that this promise was for all who believe on Jesus.  And throughout the book of Acts we read about people being filled with the Holy Ghost and speaking in tongues. (Acts 2:4,38,39; Acts 10:45,46; Acts 19:1-6)

Why do we speak in tongues?

Speaking in tongues is speaking in a supernatural language given by the Holy Ghost. It is one of the signs that Jesus said would follow believers (Mark 16:17). After we are baptized with the Holy Ghost we can speak in tongues as an act of our will. When we pray in tongues we are speaking to God in a language inspired by the
Holy Ghost. Praying in tongues allows us to pray beyond the limitations of our understanding and to edify ourselves. (I Corinthians 14:2,4;14-15)

What can I wear to church?

You'll see everything from suits and dresses to jeans and khakis. We believe that it is not what we wear, but how we come into the service that makes the  difference. When you come to church (this or any church), prepare your heart to minister to God and your brothers and sisters in Christ. Reverence the presence of God. Know that this time is set apart for God. From the moment we come through the doors of the building, we should be ready and expecting to hear from God. God wants us to come ready. Our corporate worship and level of anointing is dependent upon the personal worship and relationship with God of each person.