Living Word Church sits at 4101 Martin Luther King Jr Avenue SW on the edge of Washington's far southwest, where the District meets Anacostia and the neighborhoods carry decades of history. Founded in 1991 by Rev. Eugene Sheppard and his wife Patrice, the church describes itself as a nondenominational spirit-filled assembly with a prophetic vision and an apostolic doctrine. Its motto - Reach, Resource, Reform - shows up on every page and points to three intertwined commitments: reaching people far from God, resourcing leaders, and reforming communities through the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The building that houses the congregation is described by the church itself as well-planned and fully functional, and the church's weekly rhythm is built around a single Sunday gathering at 10:30 AM. Services are livestreamed on YouTube, and midweek teaching happens online through a Wednesday night Zoom Bible study. Living Word walks in covenant with a wider network of apostolic ministries under the GATE family and the oversight of Thamo Naidoo, which shapes how the church understands its own calling.
Founding on the Far Southwest in 1991
Living Word's story begins in 1991, when poverty, homelessness, unemployment, and blight were rampant across the District's far southwest and southeast neighborhoods. Eugene Sheppard had been working in a shelter for homeless families, and the daily weight of those needs drove him and Patrice to fast and pray for the Lord to show Himself strong in a city the couple sensed was bound by what they described as the spirit of Babylon.
God answered with two scriptures that became the church's charter: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (John 1:1), and the Word became flesh and dwelt among them (John 1:14). The Sheppards read the answer as a commission to plant a church - a Word-centered, Christ-centered community in a part of the city where, in their words, government programs might feed the natural man, but the poor in spirit still needed Jesus Christ to gain eternal life.
Living Word's stated vision grew out of that conviction. The church commits to strengthening families, growing children, and changing neighborhoods - a three-part mission that shows up in sermons, partnerships, and the ministry of the Sheppards' own family.
Rev. Eugene and Patrice Sheppard
Rev. Eugene Sheppard has been ministering to the body of Christ for more than thirty years. As a pastor, teacher, and evangelist, he has traveled across the United States and done foreign mission work in Haiti, India, South Africa, and England. His biblical training spans Trinity Bible College, Beth Messiah Bible College, and Washington Bible College. He and Patrice have five children, thirteen grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
Patrice Sheppard serves as Executive Pastor of Living Word Church. Before co-founding Lydia's House, a community-focused ministry that the family runs alongside the church, she worked as Deputy Executive Director for the National Association of Minority Contractors and held positions in the Office of the Secretary and the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development in the District of Columbia. She holds a business management degree from Southeastern University in Washington and a marketing degree from the University of the District of Columbia. She also serves on the boards of Lydia's House and the Far Southwest-Southeast Community Development Corporation (CDC).
Lead Elders Cliff and Sherry Beckford
Living Word's lead elders are Pastors Cliff and Sherry Beckford, who joined the church in 2015 after nine years as founders and pastors of Laurel Lakes Christian Center in Laurel, Maryland. Both bring substantial secular résumés alongside their ministry calling. Before entering vocational ministry in 2006, they built careers as entrepreneurs and in government and corporate roles. Pastor Cliff is a graduate of Logos Bible College and Washington Saturday College and is described by the church as a profound teacher of the Word who has embraced the present Apostolic season as the way back to the original intent of Scripture.
Together, Pastors Cliff and Sherry have embraced the vision given to Apostle Eugene and Patrice Sheppard. The Beckfords are known for a strong business acumen and organizational skill, and their ministry at Living Word centers on strengthening families, growing children, and changing neighborhoods - the same triad that defines the church's mission.
Sundays at 10:30 AM: What to Expect
Living Word holds one weekly worship gathering, Sundays at 10:30 AM, in the auditorium at 4101 Martin Luther King Jr Avenue SW. Visitors who arrive for the first time are met at the front door, introduced around the room, given a tour of the building, and saved a seat in the auditorium. The church calls this a hassle-free weekend experience designed to be warm, welcoming, and full of opportunities for connection and growth.
The congregation describes itself as culturally diverse, and the preaching is practical and relevant. Living Word teaches in an apostolic and prophetic key: the church's stated motto is An Awesome Ministry with a Prophetic Vision, Proclaiming the Apostolic Doctrine, JESUS SAVES!!! Worship carries a spirit-filled, expressive flavor. Services run programs for all ages and backgrounds, with the auditorium as the central gathering place for the main service.
Those who want to plan ahead can fill out the Plan Your Visit form, and the team will follow up before Sunday morning. The church also lists worship and past sermons on its YouTube channel and livestreams the 10:30 AM service there for those unable to attend in person.
Wednesdays on Zoom: Spiritual Enrichment and Bible Study
Midweek teaching happens online. Living Word's Spiritual Enrichment and Bible Study meets on Wednesdays from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM (UTC+0) via Zoom. The format is open to anyone who wants to dig into the Word during the week, and it runs as a recurring weekly rhythm rather than a one-off series. Connection details are posted on the Upcoming Events page along with a direct Zoom link.
LWLIFE: Living Word Leadership Institute and Fellowship Entity
Beyond Sunday worship, Living Word runs LWLIFE, the Living Word Leadership Institute and Fellowship Entity. LWLIFE is designed for leaders who feel compelled by the Holy Spirit to be connected to a grace, spiritually, to the oversight and guidance of the organization. The institute's purpose is to establish a fellowship of like-minded leaders committed to excellence, integrity, and purpose - a place where ministers and emerging ministers can grow under apostolic covering. LWLIFE functions as both a leadership development track and a relational network, and it sits alongside the church's regular Sunday and Wednesday rhythms.
What the Church Believes
Living Word Church holds to the Apostolic doctrine and centers its teaching on the person of Jesus Christ. The church's published Articles of Faith come through its partnership with the GATE family and are compiled in We Believe: Gate Articles of Faith, a document by apostolic teacher Thamo Naidoo that articulates the core principles of faith shared across the network. The Articles of Faith are available as a downloadable PDF from the church's resources page.
The church's blog reflects the same apostolic and pastoral convictions. Recent teaching posts walk through topics such as prayer when words run out, the relationship between Christianity and science, the problem of evil and suffering, the biblical role of women, anxiety and peace, the End Times, forgiveness, doubt, and mental health. Throughout these posts, the church holds to a high view of Scripture, the centrality of Christ, and the present-day work of the Holy Spirit - hallmarks of its apostolic and prophetic identity.
The church's working motto - Reach, Resource, Reform - is a kind of doctrinal statement in three words. Reach names the evangelistic impulse that gave the church its name and its founding call to a hurting part of the District. Resource names the investment in leaders through LWLIFE and through partnerships with apostolic ministers. Reform names the church's commitment to seeing lives and neighborhoods transformed by the gospel and the power of God.
Apostolic Leadership Summit 2026
Living Word hosts leadership gatherings for pastors, ministers, and church workers from across the country. The Apostolic Leadership Summit 2026 is scheduled for March 25 to March 29, 2026, with evening sessions running from 7:00 PM to midnight at the church building on Martin Luther King Jr Avenue SW. The summit carries the same apostolic DNA as LWLIFE and is designed for leaders who want to be refreshed, equipped, and aligned with the apostolic vision that shapes the church.
Women's Summit
Each year Living Word holds a Women's Summit - a two-day gathering designed to empower, uplift, and ignite the spirit of every woman in attendance. The summit's theme rotates, but the format is consistent: a Saturday of full programming from 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM, followed by a Sunday morning worship experience at 10:30 AM, all held at the church on Martin Luther King Jr Avenue SW. Guest speakers have included Pastor Sandra Henry, Dr. Yolanda Powell, and Lady Valary Alston, and registration carries a modest per-person cost that is published with each summit. The Women's Summit has become a flagship event for the women of the church and the wider community.
Partners in Covenant: GATE Ministries and the Apostolic Network
Living Word does not see itself as standing alone. The church walks in covenant with a network of apostolic ministries that share a vision for advancing God's Kingdom by restoring the Church to ancient biblical patterns of building and by raising up the corporate son of God in the earth. These partnerships shape the church's teaching, leadership culture, and global horizon.
Thamo Naidoo
Thamo Naidoo provides spiritual oversight to churches both nationally and internationally. He is widely known for addressing church leaders on the call for the restoration of the church to ancient biblical patterns and for the emergence of the corporate son of God in the earth. Naidoo travels extensively and carries out his work through leadership and development forums, and his Articles of Faith form the doctrinal backbone of Living Word's We Believe document.
GATE Ministries Sandton
GATE Ministries Sandton functions as an apostolic household under the leadership of Thamo and Mirolyn Naidoo. The ministry carries a mandate to reform the Church by restoring ancient biblical patterns and calling believers into maturity as the corporate Son of God. Through teaching and relational grace, GATE Sandton serves as a resource center for leaders across nations, raising up a people who manifest divine purpose in every sphere of life.
GATE Ministries Atlanta
GATE Ministries Atlanta is a Christ-centered community devoted to building an apostolic and prophetic culture that reveals the Kingdom of God on earth. Through worship, the Word, and covenantal relationships, the church nurtures sons and daughters into spiritual maturity - equipping believers to influence culture and steward revival within their generations. The ministry stands as a gateway for divine transformation, advancing God's blueprint for His Church in the nations.
Randolph Barnwell
Randolph Barnwell ministers as a prophetic and apostolic voice to the Body of Christ, laboring to bring the Church into maturity and divine alignment. His ministry is marked by a deep love for the Scriptures and an unwavering passion for the manifestation of Christ in His people. Through teaching, mentorship, and creative expression, he equips leaders and saints to live out their eternal design and reveal God's glory in the earth.
Gate Global Family
Gate Global Family is a covenantal network of churches and ministries joined by divine purpose and apostolic grace. United under a shared vision of reaching, resourcing, and reforming - the same three words that anchor Living Word - this family of faith seeks the restoration of the Church to her biblical foundations. Together they labor for the emergence of a mature Body, sons and daughters walking in oneness with Christ and advancing His Kingdom throughout the nations.
Lydia's House
Lydia's House is a beacon of hope and restoration devoted to transforming communities through the power of God's love. Founded by Patrice Sheppard, the ministry equips families to walk in dignity and purpose, raising a generation rooted in faith, wisdom, and wholeness. Through outreach and discipleship, Lydia's House serves as a living testimony of Christ's redemptive work in the earth.
Get Involved
Living Word's Plan Your Visit page is the starting point for newcomers. The team will meet visitors at the front door, give a tour, and save a seat in the auditorium. Members and regular attenders can connect through the calendar, the Wednesday night Zoom Bible study, LWLIFE, the women's ministry, and the annual summits.
Giving
Living Word accepts donations in three ways. Members and supporters can give through the Givelify app, through PayPal, or in person at the church at 4101 Martin Luther King Jr Avenue SW in Washington, DC 20032. Gifts support the overall mission of spreading the good news of the gospel in the District and beyond.
Online and On the Air
Living Word maintains an active online presence. Sunday services and a library of sermons, live-streams, and teaching content are available on the church's YouTube channel. Updates, event announcements, and community life are posted on Facebook and Instagram. The Wednesday night Bible study is the main online gathering during the week, and the church's calendar lists all upcoming events.
Resources and Handbooks
The church publishes its own operational documents for members and leaders. The LWC Handbook explains the committee, ministry team, and officer structure of the church and is available as a downloadable PDF. Alongside it, We Believe: Gate Articles of Faith by Thamo Naidoo lays out the doctrinal principles the church affirms, and the resources page also links to each apostolic partner ministry for further study.
The Place and the People
Living Word Church is rooted in a particular corner of the nation's capital. The far southwest of Washington, where the church stands, has been one of the District's most underserved neighborhoods for decades, and the founding story - Eugene Sheppard in a homeless shelter, a couple fasting and praying for a city bound by what they called the spirit of Babylon - is not abstract theology for this congregation. It is biography. The church's name, its motto, its partnerships, and its preaching all flow from that conviction that the Word who became flesh still dwells, by His Spirit, in a place that needs Him.