Jack W. Hayford

Jack Hayford
Born Jack Williams Hayford
(1934-06-25) June 25, 1934
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Nationality American
Other names Pastor Jack
Education B.A. Life Pacific College
B.A. Azusa Pacific University
Hon.D.D. Oral Roberts University,
D.D. California Graduate School of Theology
Hon.D.Th, Life Pacific College
Alma mater Life Pacific College, 1956
Occupation Minister
Years active 1977–present
Religion Pentecostal
Spouse(s) Anna Smith
Children 4
Parent(s) Anita Dolores Farnsworth
Jack Hayford, Sr.
Website jackhayford.com
Congregations served
 The Church on the Way 1969–1999
Offices held
 (Former) President, International Church of the Foursquare Gospel
(Current) Chancellor, The King's University
Title Doctor (honorary)

Jack Williams Hayford (/ˈdʒæk ˈwɪljəmz ˈheɪfərd/; born June 25, 1934) is an American author, Pentecostal minister, and Chancellor of The King's University (formerly The King's College and Seminary). He is the founding pastor of The Church On The Way in Van Nuys and was the fourth President of the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel from 2004 to 2009.

While working on his second bachelor's degree at Azusa Pacific University, Hayford, on a temporary basis, began pastoring a small congregation, the First Foursquare Church of Van Nuys (the name later was changed to "The Church on the Way"), where he wound up serving as the senior pastor from 1969 to 1999. The church subsequently became numbered among the largest churches in America, and particularly, the Foursquare denomination, at one point reporting membership exceeding 10,000.[1] His dear friend, actor Dean Jones (deceased) was an elder in Hayford's church as was Pat Boone.

Hayford is a graduate of L.I.F.E. Bible College (now Life Pacific College), where he served as dean of students, and Azusa Pacific University. He is widely known for his past involvement in the Promise Keepers movement, his role as founder and chancellor of The King's University, and for being a prolific author and song-writer, with over 600 hymns and choruses in his catalog. He is the author of the popular 1978 hymn "Majesty", which is rated as one of the top 100 contemporary hymns, performed and sung in churches worldwide.[2][3][4] In 1995, he recorded Men in Worship, under the Hosanna! Music label, with 1500 men.

Early life

Jack Williams Hayford was born on June 25, 1934,[5] in Los Angeles, California, to Anita Delores (née Farnsworth) (1916–1997) and Jack Hayford (1911–1979), who had married two years earlier on September 28, 1932.[6] He graduated from Oakland Technical High School in 1952.[7] His father had served in the military as a young man and served as a switchman for the Southern Pacific Railroad. Hayford's mother, Dolores, was a Bible teacher who spoke at interdenominational women's classes and Women's Aglow Fellowship (now Aglow International).[8] Hayford was born with a muscular condition in his neck, however his condition improved.[9] Although Hayford's parents did not always attend church, he has credited them with providing him with a Christian upbringing.[9]

Pastorate

In 1952, Hayford returned to Los Angeles to attend L.I.F.E. Bible College (now known as Life Pacific College).[5] In 1969, during his fifth year as dean of students at L.I.F.E,[5] Hayford was asked to pastor a small congregation, the first Foursquare Church of Van Nuys, California, a struggling congregation of only 18 members, with an average age of 65 years.[5][8]

While Hayford had initially agreed to pastor the church for only a period of six months, he later felt compelled to remain on a permanent basis.[8] Only a few weeks from accepting an offer to pastor another Foursquare church, Hayford met with Foursquare denomination president, Rolf McPherson, stating that he wanted to remain with the Van Nuys congregation. By the early 1980s, The Church on the Way became a pioneer of the megachurch movement.[5]

In 1999, Hayford resigned his role as the senior pastor of The Church on the Way, naming his son-in-law, Scott Bauer as successor.[10] Bauer served as the church's senior pastor until 2003, when he suffered a fatal brain aneurysm.[10] Hayford returned to temporarily serve as the church's senior pastor for a year,[5] eventually installing Jim and Alice Tolle as Senior Pastor on April 4, 2004.[11] Tolle served as senior pastor for six years, resigning in November, 2010. In January, 2012, Ricky Temple was installed as the Senior Pastor of The Church on the Way. Temple resigned in December, 2013. D. Timothy Clark was installed in February, 2014 and is the current Senior Pastor.

On October 4, 2004, Jack Hayford was elected to a four-year term as president of the Foursquare denomination, a position he chose not to pursue after that single term.[5][12]

In March 2014, Hayford was inducted into the Religious Broadcasters' Hall of Fame.[13] He has also won the Gospel Music Association's Dove Award for his part in the album, God With Us[14] and the Salvation Army's William Booth Award.[15]

Personal life

On July 4, 1954, Hayford married his college sweetheart, Anna Marie Smith, who is the former farm girl from Nebraska. Over the years, at The Church on the Way, she has worn many ministry hats. She’s taught classes for children and adults, led songs, overseen women’s ministries and helped do custodial work.[16] They have four children, Rebecca, Jack III, Mark, and Christa, 11 grandchildren and 17 great grandchildren.

References

  1. ↑ http://hirr.hartsem.edu/cgi-bin/mega/db.pl?db=default&uid=default&view_records=1&ID=*&sb=5
  2. ↑ http://www.praisecharts.com/ccli-top-100/
  3. ↑ http://www.worshiparchive.com/song/majesty
  4. ↑ Bessman, Jim. "Words & Music: Brentwood/Benson Gets Songs by Hayford" Billboard, November 10, 2001, Vol. 113, No. 45, page 58. ISSN 0006-2510
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "‘A Pastor’s Pastor’ Church On the Way Founder Jack Hayford is a Quiet Force Among Nation’s Evangelicals". Los Angeles Daily News. 4 January 2007. Retrieved 22 July 2009.
  6. ↑ Jakes, T.D.; Jack Hayford (2006). Mama Made the Difference. G.P. Putnam’s Sons. pp. 157–167. ISBN 0-399-15363-2.
  7. ↑ "Jack Hayford, Class of 1952". School Historical Archive. Retrieved 20 February 2016.
  8. 1 2 3 Stafford, Tim (July 2005). "The Pentecostal Gold Standard". Christianity Today. Retrieved 22 July 2009.
  9. 1 2 "Double Coup for Foursquare". The Seattle Times. July 20, 1996. Retrieved 22 July 2009.
  10. 1 2 "Senior Pastor of The Church on the Way Dies". Charisma (magazine). 30 November 2003. Retrieved 15 July 2009.
  11. ↑ "News Briefs". Charisma (magazine). May 31, 2004. Retrieved 2009-07-22.
  12. ↑ Young, Eric (May 27, 2009). "Foursquare Church President Hayford Will Not Seek 2nd Term". Christian Post. Retrieved 23 July 2009.
  13. ↑ NRB Hall of Fame Award Winner Jack Hayford Calls on Christians to Love One Another
  14. ↑ "Dove Awards History Artist: Jack Hayford". Gospel Music Association. Archived from the original on April 27, 2009. Retrieved 2009-07-22.
  15. ↑ "The Salvation Army Honors Dr. Jack Hayford, Martha Williamson, A.C. Green, Paul J. Orfalea and Esther L. Snyder at the 43rd Annual Sally Awards Gala". Business Wire. 29 November 2001. Retrieved 2009-07-22.
  16. ↑ "Behind Every Good Man". Charisma Magazine. 2011-07-01.

Further reading

External links

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