Faith Walk Ministries, Inc. anchors the west side of College Park, Georgia, in a 300-seat sanctuary built in 1999 along Riverdale Road. The nondenominational Pentecostal church was founded by Bishop Dianne R. Collins on January 26, 1992, and its name still carries the verse she says God placed on her heart at the start: "For we walk by faith, not by sight" (2 Corinthians 5:7). Three decades later, the church is known throughout Clayton County for its L.O.T. Food Pantry and a deep bench of ministries for every age.
A Walk Begun in College Park in 1992
Bishop Collins organized Faith Walk as a Church of God in Christ congregation in College Park in January 1992, and the church first met in the educational wing of the Riverdale Church of God in Christ on West Fayetteville Road. In October 1992 the young body moved to Highway 85 in Riverdale, then to Garden Walk Boulevard in College Park in October 1994. In October 1996 the membership voted unanimously to leave the Church of God in Christ and reorganize as a nondenominational Pentecostal church with its own ecclesiastical government; the legal name Faith Walk Ministries, Inc. was adopted on December 6, 1996.
Three years later, in November 1999, the church acquired 3.68 acres on Riverdale Road and built the 8,000-square-foot edifice that still serves as its home. A 3.1-acre parcel was deeded to the church across the street in May 2008, set aside for a planned Family Life Dream Center and gymnasium, and a smaller adjacent lot with a vacant building was added in May 2011 for youth and community outreach use. Faith Walk's stated mission is to "EMPOWER the Believer, WIN the Lost, MEND the Brokenhearted, and LIBERATE the Oppressed," and its vision is a climate where saints and seekers can encounter the love of God through worship and grow into their God-given potential.
Sunday in Two Parts: Cultivation Hour and Worship
The Sunday rhythm begins at 8:30 a.m. with the Cultivation Hour, the church's Sunday school, followed by the main Sunday Worship Service at 10:00 a.m. Both meet in the Sanctuary at 6084 Riverdale Road. The Cultivation Hour feeds the church's Christian Education ministry, which also includes Bible Enrichment, New Members Assimilation Classes, a Scholarship Committee for high school graduates, and Leadership and Teacher Training. New Members Assimilation Classes sit under the same Christian Education umbrella.
Wednesday Nights Around Prayer and Bible Study
On Wednesdays the Sanctuary hosts a two-part midweek gathering. Intercessory Prayer begins at 6:15 p.m. and is followed by Bible Enrichment (Bible Study) at 7:00 p.m. These sessions feed the Gap Standers Intercessory Prayer Team and the Pastoral Care ministry, which also covers premarital coaching, family counseling referrals, and home and hospital visitation.
Children, Youth, and the NexGen Pipeline
Faith Walk builds its next generation from the nursery up. Children and youth ages 2 through 17 are reached through Nursery Services for ages 2 to 4, Children's Church for ages 5 to 12, and a Junior Discipleship Class for ages 12 to 17. The NexGen Ministry carries older students into young adulthood, while the Daughters of Judah Dance Ministry gives young women a creative avenue for worship and leadership. Associate Pastor Vicki Collins oversees Youth Development alongside Associate Pastor Debra Davis in Christian Education.
Music, Dance, and the Voices of Inspiration
Music is woven into everything Faith Walk does. The Music Ministry, led by Music Director Brother Michael Williams, includes the Voices of Inspiration Choir, the Praise Team, Youth and Young Adult Choirs, and a roster of musicians. Worship is shaped by a Pentecostal, expressive style that pairs choir-led worship with the praise team and the Daughters of Judah Dance Ministry. Media support comes through Executive Director of Media Ministry Apostle Kay Thompson, who oversees audio and visual personnel, advertising and promotions, social media, graphics, and worship media.
The L.O.T. Food Pantry and a Mission That Reaches Three Continents
The L.O.T. Community Resource Center is Faith Walk's flagship outreach and one of the clearest expressions of its name. Housed at 6109 Riverdale Road, the food and clothing pantry serves residents of Clayton County only, every Tuesday and Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. A valid photo ID is required, and no appointment is needed. The center's staff and volunteers often quote Matthew 25:40 as their working verse: "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these, ye have done it unto me."
Global Missions and Outreach, overseen by Associate Pastor Devaughn Rolle, connects the church to three covenant partners: Friends for Missions' Trinity Nutrition Center in Haiti, Freedom House Ministries in Kenya, and the Calvary Refuge Center in Forest Park, Georgia. Locally, the Ministry of Helps operates Ushers, Greeters, Transportation and Security, Building and Grounds, Hospitality and Bereavement, Pulpit Aides, and the I DO CREW Couples Ministry. There are also defined groups for men (Men of Valor), women (W.O.W. - Women of Worship), and seniors (Jewels for Jesus Senior Ministry).
A Leadership Team Shaped by Pentecostal Roots
Bishop Dianne R. Collins, M.Div., remains the founder and senior pastor. She accepted Christ at 13 at Prince of Peace Baptist Church in Memphis, earned a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and Communication Arts from the University of Memphis, and a Master of Divinity from the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta. She was licensed to preach in 1979, ordained in 1991 under Bishop Jonathan Greer, II, and consecrated to the office of Bishop in September 2006. Her husband, Deacon Lawrence L. Collins, serves as Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Trustees. The associate team includes Pastor Debra Davis (Christian Education), Pastor Vicki Collins (Youth Development), Pastor Devaughn Rolle (Missions and Outreach), Pastor Jackie Solomon (Helps), and Pastor Anna Belcher (Lay Pastor of Community Life), with Deacon Kai Hight leading the Diaconate Board.
Giving and the Next Phase of the Building
Gifts to Faith Walk are organized into five categories: Tithe (10 percent of income), Offering, Expansion Fund (the church's building fund), Benevolence for those in need, and Missions for global and local outreach. Online donations are accepted by major credit card through the Giving page and are nonrefundable. Income from the Expansion Fund is expected to support the eventual Family Life Dream Center and gymnasium planned for the parcel across Riverdale Road. Video content is shared online through the church's Facebook page and YouTube channel.