About Us
The race is not given to the swift nor to the strong, but to those who endure to the end. Truly God has been with us on our journey to establish a district in North Carolina. He has tested our faith and we’ve grown in Him. Our faith is strong for we know without it, it’s impossible to please the Lord. North Carolina is continuously expanding and has high prospects of becoming a district within the next year.
Elder James D. Woodard III and First Lady Stephaine Woodard started a Church of God by Faith in Gastonia on September 14, 2008 at the Wedding Chapel. We faithfully rented out and took care of that facility for nine months. After having to move out quickly, we moved to having services at Agape Bible College on May 17, 2009. We shared that building with two other churches; so we held services between their services. But this taught us how to be more organized and to schedule events ahead of time.
We had to move out abruptly after October 18, 2009, but God still provided a place for us to go, literally by our next day of service. We had made plans to renovate. This was an awesome experience because we all got on one accord and worked together. We cleaned, built, and donated necessary items. But as soon as we met each item on the city’s list to get the building up to code, there always seemed to be an added item yet to be done. So, after a month of trying to get the building approved by the city, we decided to move into another building because it was becoming too costly and they required more for us to do at each visit. We have been in that building ever since. We have resided at 1030 Gaston Avenue in Gastonia, North Carolina 28052 since December 13, 2009. We have learned to just let go and let God have His way. And God has truly looked out for us. As He provided a ram in the bush for Abraham, so He has done the same for us. We are blessed to be a part of the “By Faith” family.
We have a total of 65 members and counting. We have been reaching out to the community and plan to continue to grow spiritually as well as in number. We recently had our first Summer Enrichment Program in 2010 and offered it to the church and community at no cost. God saw us through the entire summer. Anytime we were running low, He blessed someone to bless us. We had more than enough volunteers working there. We also recently had a free spaghetti dinner and have a list of other outreaches scheduled. As of January 16, 2011, we started our second church located in Charlotte. One of our ministers is now pastoring the church. We trust Pastor Barnes will keep the faith and work diligently at this church as we also help him along the way. Furthermore, we are looking to start another church within the next year.
Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” By faith, we have established two churches in North Carolina. By faith, we intend on building more churches that will stretch throughout this entire state. The best is yet to come!
Our Leaders
Elder James D. Woodard & Lady Stephaine Woodard
Elder James D. Woodard III was born on May 6, 1967 to the late James D. Woodard Jr. and Frances R. Woodard. He is the oldest of three children. Elder James Woodard III has been married to one wife, Stephanie F. Woodard, for over twenty years. He is the proud father of three children, Jhaneese S. Jackson (Gregory Jackson), Dwight J. Simmons, and James D. Woodard IV (Alicia E. Woodard). He is also a proud grandfather of four.
Although Elder Woodard was born in North Carolina, he grew up in Rochester NY. He attended Greater Adams St. COGBF under the teachings of Elder Dr. David Rourk and Lady Ruth Rourk. As a young man, Elder Woodard was taught to fear God and love his fellow man. Because of this, he developed a heart for God. His prayer is for the people of God to walk by faith, stand on His promises, and live in deliverance and total victory by the Word through the blood of Jesus. Through the power of the Holy Ghost, Elder Woodard is determined to redeem the time to build and strengthen families one link at a time.
Elder Woodard started what is now Greater Gastonia COGBF in the year 2008 where he has been faithfully serving the body of Christ. By the favor of God, the vision of Elder Woodard was blessed by the opening of a second COGBF in North Carolina. New Deliverance COGBF, Elder Edward Barnes and Lady Sandie Barnes, was started on January 16, 2011.
Elder Woodard believes that God has established and given our Bishop, Bishop James McKnight Jr., and ruling Elders the vision that will take the church forward.
Lady Stephaine F. Woodard is the wife of twenty+ years to Elder James D. Woodard III, mother of three beautiful children: Jhaneese Jackson (Gregory Jackson), Dwight Simmons, and James D. Woodard IV (Alicia E. Woodard) and the grandmother of four. She is the daughter of the late Pastor Ernest and Lady Ernestine Fewell. She has a wonderful mother-in-law she considers her other mother, Frances Woodard. One of ten children, she is the ninth child. Lady Woodard grew up in North Carolina and is currently employed by Cabarrus County Schools-SNP. She loves the Lord with all her heart, knows it is the power of God that makes it possible for her to live today, and she doesn’t take any opportunity lightly that gives her the open door to tell of God’s goodness. She thanks God every day for the church family at Greater Gastonia COGBF and the whole Church of God by Faith family.
Lady Woodard was born February 27, 1964. On June 14, 1974, she gave her life to Christ. As years passed, she found herself turned away from God but is so glad God never turned away from her. Through many dangers, toils, and snares, God was and has always been faithful. On June 12, 1997, God intervened and rebuked the enemy long enough for Stephaine Woodard to make an intelligent decision to choose Him all the way. And she hasn’t looked back. For her, every day with Jesus truly gets sweeter. In the words of Lady Woodard, “If you are with the Lord “stay”, if you are not with the Lord, please let me invite you to the greatest adventure of your life. You will be eternally grateful and will step into life everlasting.” Lady Woodard states that every scripture is her favorite because man cannot live by bread alone but by every word that precedes out of the mouth of God.