The Foursquare Church has announced events honoring the life of Pastor Jack W. Hayford. As CBN News reported, Hayford passed away on January 8 at the age of 88. According to a statement from The King’s University, “His family stated he died quietly in his sleep in the early hours of the morning, having eaten dinner with his wife, Valarie, and having spoken to one of his granddaughters the evening before.”
A memorial service will be held at 1:00 pm (Pacific Time) today, Feb. 18 at the Shepherd Church located at 19700 Rinaldi Street in Porter Ranch, CA. This event is open to the public and is also available to watch online.
Cards and condolences for Hayford’s family can be mailed to The Church on the Way. Letters, notes, and cards should be addressed to:
Pastor Jack Hayford
The Church on the Way
14300 Sherman Way
Van Nuys, CA 91405
A Man of Many Talents: Prolific Author, Worship Music Writer, Church Founder, Preacher, University Founder
Hayford was popularly referred to as “Pastor Jack,” CBN News stated. He served as the senior pastor of The Church On The Way in Van Nuys, California, for more than three decades. He was the church’s founding pastor. By the time he turned over the senior pastorate in 1999, the church had expanded from 18 members to more than 12,000 people.
Hayford’s perceptive Biblical teaching allowed him to have a global impact. Hayford was a prolific and best-selling author who wrote (or co-wrote) more than 50 books in addition to 500 hymns and choruses, including the well-known and frequently performed worship tune “Majesty.”
He served as the General Editor of the Spirit-Filled Life® Bible and the Spirit-Filled Life® Commentaries in addition to being a prominent figure in the charismatic movement.
Hayford started The King’s University (formerly The King’s College and Seminary) in 1997 in his later years. Prior to handing up the presidency to Pastor Robert Morris, the senior pastor of Gateway Church, he served as chancellor for the charismatic, evangelical university.
He had been a significant contributor to the Promise Keepers men’s movement and, from 2004 to 2009, he presided over The International Church of the Foursquare Gospel.
Brian Bird, co-creator of the popular TV series When Calls the Heart and a veteran film and TV writer, told CBN’s Faithwire about his family’s meaningful relationship with Hayford. Bird’s grandfather, Pastor Vincent Bird, was a spiritual father of sorts to Hayford. Bird said his grandpa, a lifelong preacher, even ended up working for Hayford after his retirement.
“When {my grandpa} retired … Jack Hayford invited him to come on staff at Church on the Way as the pastor to seniors,” Bird said. “Because my grandpa was a mentor to Jack when Jack was … first coming up through Life Bible College.”
There was a “genuine sense of brotherhood,” especially in light of the familial ties, according to Bird, whose father, Robert, was a student at Life Bible College at the same time as Hayford. And over time, that friendship got even stronger.
I used to play in the sandbox with his kids when I was a kid, and we adored the Hayfords, he remarked. “We adored Church on the Way’s ministry. I adored every aspect about them.” The preacher inspired Bird, a former newspaper reporter who has achieved enormous success in Hollywood, to follow in his footsteps.
“I went to journalism school and was a newspaper and magazine reporter for a number of years before I sort of morphed into film and television,” Bird said. “But when I did … Jack took an interest in that. Many times, he would always ask me what was happening.”
The filmmaker recalled Hayford giving him a piece of advice that has persisted throughout his life and career — a mantra Bird also passes on to others he now mentors: “Don’t just get good enough to be in the rock band. Get good enough to be in the symphony.”
Bird never forgot the advice about working hard and being committed. “Jack constantly advised me to avoid jumping into my work too quickly. He added that Hayford had coached “tens of thousands” of people, encouraging them “to really strive for excellence.” “over the course of his life and ministry.
He was truly that important, according to Bird. “He was really a Billy Graham’s kind of person in our environment.” “There are many people in heaven because of Jack and all the books and songs he wrote throughout the years.”
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