In 1991 Freddie, Mary Gaye and Kaitlind Steel made their first visit to Chicago-land to hold a week long convocation at Stone Church Assembly of God Christian Academy by an invitation from the founding principal and long-time friends Ken and Christine Darnell.They would continue to minister in Chicago-land at convocations and revivals for the next eight years, holding three successful revivals here in 1998.
In the summer of 2000, the Steels were invited to teach a weekly Bible study in the home of Bob and Ann Bettinardi who were, at the same time, seeking a church home in Chicago’s western suburbs.A few families met regularly and attended weekly studies at Bob and Ann's home and sensed a special touch from the Holy Spirit on this small gathering.
Bob encouraged the Steels to pray about planting a church.Being convinced that their next assignment did not include the planting of a church, the Steels continued to hold the weekly Bible studies.During a short visit back to their families in West Virginia, the Lord spoke to their hearts about holding a worship service in a setting other than a home.
A Trial Run That Is Still Running
On Sunday morning September 9, 2001, 170 attended the first service held at the Holiday Inn in the Chicago suburb of Oak Lawn.The small group moved quickly and secured the Holiday Inn for the next week and then moved to the Stagg High School for the next year.For the first several months, it seemed to Pastor Steel that this was a week-by-week venture that would eventually die down and end.Obviously, that was not the case.
Since that time Life Church has met in and rented two schools, two churches, a recreation center and leased office.Shortly after our third anniversary and in partnership with John Maxwell’s Injoy Stewardship Services, God’s goodness and His people’s generosity permitted us to purchase our own facilities valued at that time for two point two million dollars.
While renting space in the facility that was on the market, the local Moslem community made a cash offer for its purchase.The Village stepped in and blocked the sale.September 2009 marked our ninth anniversary.
We later learned that, and by Divine design, on the same day and at nearly the same hour, the nearest Pentecostal church (one block away) that had been serving our local area for nearly forty years finalized the sale of their property and facilities while we were finalizing the purchase of our new property and facilities.
Father God knew that a Pentecostal presence should continue in our area uninterrupted.If we waited until our sister church made their move from Palos Heights into the southwestern suburbs and then begin a strategy to plant a church or purchase a facility, the opportunity to have a Pentecostal church and adequate facility would have, more than likely, been lost.
Our Founding Pastors
Appalachian Roots
Freddie and Mary Gaye were born and raised in West Virginia (Mary Gaye in White Sulphur Springs in the beautiful Greenbrier Valley, Freddie in the coal field plateau in Mount Hope).
Freddie's late father, Evangelist/Pastor Freddie Steel, Sr., came from Virginia Beach where he had also been a church planter and a pastor to conduct revivals in West Virginia during the times of the healing revival in the early 1940's.There appears to be some probability that the church he planted in Virginia Beach (which is still vibrant and growing) was possibly the first Pentecostal church established in that Tidewater area of Virginia.It is located at 15th and Baltic in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
Tent Meetings and the Healing Revival-era
In those days, revivals could last for several weeks and Reverend Steel’s were no exception.He began to bring his message to Appalachia using radio, tv, tent meetings, street meetings, etc.
Rev. Freddie Steel, Sr. - Pastor, Evangelist, Church Planter,
Author, Humanitarian, Musician and Songwriter
It was during Rev Steeel’s revivals that Mary Gaye’s Mother and Father came to faith in Christ before they had met each other.Mary Gaye’s Mother, Thelma Williamson, began singing in Reverend Steel’s revivals and on his radio and tv programs while a teenage girl.
After Joe and Thelma married and had children, their family, who had been given a unique grace for music, would also sing and minister in these revivals.At about age ten, Mary Gaye remembers being present and singing for the taping of one of the tv programs.Near the end of the taping, Reverend Steel walked past Mary Gaye, placed his hand on her head and spoke a blessing over her life never realizing that he had just given a paternal and pastoral blessing to his future daughter-in-law.
Almost Five Hundred Years
Just recently Pastor Steel discovered what a rich heritage he has while doing research on his genealogy, one of his hobbies.
Pastor Steel discovered that his earliest American ancestors came to the Colonies in 1732 to plant churches and to train young men in the ministry.Rev. Captain John Steel, Pastor's 8th Great Grandfather, came to the Colonies from Londonderry, Ireland and also came from a rich, spiritual line.His ancestors of the seventeenth century were main figures in the establishment of what became the Reformed Presbyterian Church in Scotland in the mid 1600’s – prominent leaders and martyrs in the Second Scottish Reformation.
Pastor Steel's earliest ancestor who was a clergy was Rev. William Delaune (early 1500’s), son of Revs Gideon Delaune Sr. and Jr.Gideon Delaune, Sr. was co-founder of the Society of Apothecaries with Sir Francis Bacon – becoming the science of pharmacology.He was the head apothecary to Queen Anne of Denmark, King James I wife.
After arriving in the Colonies, Rev. Captain Steel was sent by Governor Penn on diplomatic missions and was so successful that he came to the attention of General George Washington.Rev. Steel participated in the French and Indian War and was appointed chaplain and captain in the Colonial Militia.
It was the Penns who donated the property for the erection of his church, First Presbyterian Church of Carlisle, Pennsylvania.It was this church that the colonists decided on and made their declaration for independence July 12, 1774.
Pastors Freddie and Mary Gaye grew up under what could be called rural or Appalachian Pentecostalism, wonderfully unique and quite similar to African American pentecostalism.Both of these faith traditions were born out of great need and great dependency on God's Word.
Early Influences
While growing up and while being exposed for years to revival-like church and ministry, Freddie and Mary Gaye enjoyed and participated in regular tent revivals hosted by Evangelist Steel.They also learned their parents' appreciation for such pentecostal / charismatic forerunners such Oral Roberts (he prayed for Freddie on two occasions), Jack Coe, A. A. Allen (he also anointed and prayed for Pastor Freddie), William Branham, and others.That era continues to bear an influence on their ministry today.
Later on, the Steels were influenced by the Charismatic Revival and drew from anointed Bible teachers such as Derek Prince, Jack Hayford, Kenneth Hagin while serving as Youth and Associate Pastors to Reverend Rudell and Audrey Bloomfield in Oak Hill, West Virginia.
Freddie started his evangelistic ministry as a teenager and has witnessed great moves of the Spirit in his revivals.Many of Freddie's revivals lasted up to seven weeks in length and were reported by pastors to be some of the most impacting their churches had experienced.
Early Years at Mountain View and the Church of God
The years Freddie and Mary Gaye spent under the ministry of Rudell and Audrey Bloomfield influenced and shaped their present-day ministry greater than any other.Pastor Bloomfield performed Freddie and Mary Gaye's wedding ceremony and, following their honeymoon, became Youth Pastors at the Mountain View Church of God.
Pastor Bloomfield's commitment to hermeneutic excellence as well as his commitment to true Spirit-anointed ministry set a high bar and high standards for the Steels to follow.During this same period of ministry and service with the Bloomfields at the Mountain View Church of God, Mrs. Edith Honaker, a gifted Bible scholar and teacher, personally mentored and invested in Freddie and Mary Gaye's life and ministry in profound ways.
Move to Charlotte
In 1984 Freddie and Mary Gaye moved to Charlotte, North Carolina and enrolled in East Coast Bible College, now a part of Lee University of Cleveland, Tennessee.Shortly after moving to Charlotte, Freddie and Mary Gaye became Youth Pastors at the Eastway Drive Church of God serving under the tremendous and anointed pastoral leadership and preaching ministry of Dr. Bobby G. Ross.
Following his ministry at Eastway Drive, Freddie joined the staff of East Coast Bible College, first as Bookkeeper, then as Director of Campus Affairs, and finally as Dean of Men.Working under the leadership of President Dr. Ron Martin proved to be as valuable a learning experience to Freddie as his academic studies.Ron and Linda Martin were the finest of leaders, second-to-none, and were great examples of faith, integrity, and servant leadership.
Freddie graduated earning a degree in Biblical Studies.They continued living in Charlotte, North Carolina grateful to be a part of the Central Church of God family sitting under the ministry of Pastor Loran Livingston.
Return to West Virginia
The Steels moved back to West Virginia several years later, Mary Gaye continued her education at Appalachian Bible College and Freddie pursued a masters program at the Church of God Theological Seminary in Cleveland, Tennessee.
Throughout their ministry, Mary Gaye has touched and blessed thousands through unusually powerful voice, dynamic range, and anointed singing.All eleven siblings in the Kirk Family are wonderfully gifted with music composition and performance ability, vocal and instrumental.Their children and their grandchildren have also been given the similar grace.
Mary Gaye was blessed to be guest soloist for the first Charlotte Mayor's Prayer Breakfast, at the invitation of the Honorable Sue Myrick (now U. S. Senator Myrick).Mary Gaye also won the PTL talent contest and was a regular guest at campmeetings, various denominational and ministry leadership and training events, and civic gatherings.Mary Gaye was also entered in another talent contest by a local radio station and won the contest along with the prize and privilege to sing duet with the fabulous Larnelle Harris in concert.
Wherever Mary Gaye has served, she set out to establish or enhance the music and choir ministries.Her choirs have achieved acclaim for the similar unique qualities her personal talen resonates:quality, power, and anointing.Her choirs have regulary received invitations that extended beyond their local home church ministry and have also enjoying partnering with the likes of the Charleston Symphony Orchestra.
Pastor Freddie and Mary Gaye are the grateful and proud parents of one child, Kaitlind, at home. Kaitlind has been blessed with the same musical abilities as her mother and her maternal and paternal grandparents.She works in the youth, drama, and media departments at Life Church and is 'the beloved daughter' to so many of her proud Life Church family.
Pastors Freddie and Mary Gaye and Kaitlind invite you to scroll down and enjoy the pictorial montage of their Appalachian heritage.
Before you leave our site, Pastor Freddie invites you to use the Footnote widget below to view more photos and read more stories about his ancestors in ministry.
