Word of Life church, originally founded in 1980, is expanding into Madison County with the launch of its Highland Colony Parkway campus. Caitlin Lucas, communications director, said the church is merging with Christ Life Church of the Highlands. Christ Life donated their building, located near Costco in Ridgeland, to Word of Life.
“That was a really big blessing to us at this time,” Lucas said. “We believe it has the potential to reach thousands. We aren’t quite sure right now how many members currently attend.”
When the new campus opens, Word of Life will launch three services, as they do at the Lakeland campus. Each service could hold a few hundred people at a time. Pastor Joel Sims will split his time between the facilities, preaching at one each Sunday and livestreaming at the other depending where he is that morning. Each campus will have its own worship team, so worship will be live at each service.
“It needed some updated paint and flooring,” Lucas said of the needed upgrades, which also included pressure washing and landscaping. “Eventually we will be adding an LED screen to be able to livestream services.”
Whenever the restrictions are lifted and church services can meet again, Word of Life will launch the second campus.
The church was initially founded by Pastors Ronnie and Paige Sims. In 1991, they built and moved into a 42,000 square foot building on Highway 18 West in Jackson. Later, a 65-acre tract on Highway 25 in Flowood was provided. The land and parking lot stood vacant for 10 years on Lakeland Drive, but the Flowood location opened in April 2011.
