INTERNATIONAL

CIRCLE OF FAITH

VISION 100,000

 
INTERNATIONAL CIRCLE OF FAITH

1598 Gills Ridge Rd.
Bedford, Kentucky 40006

Stand fast in Liberty
Jesus Christ has set you free!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Licensing
&
Ordination

Consider Donating money or goods to VF. For a representative in your area contact us today!

 

European Headquarters
Osterblick 5
25721 Eggstedt Germany
011.49.4830.901566

esther1@foni.net

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Greetings in the name of Jesus Christ! At the turn of the last century a mighty Revival Shook the Church!  It became known as the Azusa Street Revival!  The Impact of this Revival on that century is immeasurable! God has not quit trying to revive His people! God is still moving in His body.

At the beginning of the current century another movement began!  Men began to recognize the need for a united front against the enemies of the Gospel. This culminated in a coming together for the sake of UNITY! The International Circle of Faith (ICOF) is part of that moving. The ICOF is a fellowship of the Church. Not just preachers or pulpit ministries but bringing together Christians who are ministering in all walks of life.

ICOF is the culmination of the effort began by a small group of men who desired to have a fellowship to encourage and uplift each other. A fellowship that leaves ministers free from traditional trappings and authoritarian dominance. International Circle of Faith (ICOF) is the New Testament Church in action. We are positioned to 'minister to the ministers'. This anointed network of ministers and ministries -- both Church oriented and unchurched targeted -- encompasses the entire globe and includes every city, town, county, township, etc. We use this network to petition heaven for His will, direction, favor and anointing.

How it began:

Our first International Bishop was Bishop Osvaldo Arroyo. Bishop Arroyo joined with Bishop Wade in the mid-1990’s when Bishop Wade planted Church in the Warehouse in Cleveland Ohio. From 11 people in an abandoned warehouse, those churches grew to 2 campuses, Russian church, Hispanic churches, outreach centers, foreign missions, and thousands of people coming to a saving knowledge or Jesus Christ.

Bishop Wade then joined with the Christian Brotherhood, took the pastorate of The Chapel on Taylor Road (formerly BRM) and operational control of the drug and alcohol rehab hospital, senior center, homeless shelter, etc. Together these groups had over 150 ministers. In 2000 these ministers joined with groups in Texas and North Carolina organized by Bishop J. D. Charlot (Churches of Faith). From this came the core of the group that organized in 2000 as the International Circle of Faith. Over the next two years the group would grow to 400 churches touching 5 continents.

Then in 2002 the LOJACI (Lion of Judah Apostolic Churches) headquartered in Germany culminated six months of conversation and joined with ICOF. In an unprecedented move the LOJACI did not merge rather they simply identified with and joined! The larger group joined the smaller! Unheard of! The inclusion of LOJACI tripled the size of ICOF. The visionary behind this merger was Bishop Hans Jürgen Brandt the Presiding Bishop of the LOJACI – now 2nd Presiding Bishop and Administrator of the ICOF. The influx of LOJACI (Several Bishops on 5 Continents representing some 900 churches) became part of the catalyst that brought the ensuing growth. Since then, many Apostolic ministers who are kingdom minded have joined forces. LOJACI remains a vital arm of ICOF.

 

Today:

Currently, International Circle of Faith has some 40,000 churches representing over 10 million people! We have been called the fastest growing movement in church history. We have ministers in almost every country on the earth! Glory to God! United under the ICOF banner are hundreds of groups: LOJACI, I AM, AMW, Africa for Christ, BOTR, Greater Kingdom International, Apostolic Faith Ministers, Horns of the Altar, Woman on Fire, and many others.

We have a network of Bishops for administrative purposes. We have not created a hierarchy but rather a network of servants to help each other, encourage each other, network with each other, come together to minister to each other and to train and equip the saints for the work of God.

The ICOF annually holds 4 International meetings called Gathering of Eagles Conferences. The first Gathering of Eagles was in Cleveland, Ohio. People from 5 continents were in attendance. The anointing was tremendous. http://www.vfweb.org/eagles2002_1.htm

 

Leadership: http://www.vfweb.org/icofleadernew2.htm

The Congress of Bishops governs ICOF. This is comprised of every Bishop in ICOF. The will of this group is enacted by the College of Bishops. We operate on a ‘first among equals’ basis. Our Presiding Bishop is Dr. Bernie L. Wade Sr.

To assist Bishop Wade with the administrative load we have two other Bishops: Dr. Hans Jürgen Brandt 2nd Presiding Bishop and Administrator and Dr. John R. Crist 2nd Presiding Bishop of Theology. Our headquarters is in Bedford, KY USA. We have offices in almost every country in the world.

To contact us: ICOF 1598 Gills Ridge Road, Bedford, KY 40006. 502-255-9303. www.vfweb.org/icof.htm

To contact Bishop Wade: www.geocities.com/icofbishop/setfree.html
Phone: 502-523-1168.
To Contact Bishop Brandt: icof@jesus-name.com
Phone: 011-49-4830-901566

Why International Circle of Faith?To quote Dr. John R. Crist:

Before me, behind me, and all around me, stand walls that encircle the free city of God, the Heavenly Jerusalem, the Church of the Living God! These walls are a part of a system of man made, hell inspired, insecurity born, and Jezebelian birthed barriers that cut across our freedom in a gash of spiritual barbed wire, concrete, dog runs, and guard towers. In your particular sectors, there may be no obvious and visible walls, but there remain armed guards, authoritarian pastors, and a myriad of checkpoints all the same, still existent as a restriction on personal freedom to explore the depths of revelation and a relationship with God. Yet I think it is here, in the core of the "Apostolic Movement" the citadel and bastion of conservatism and personal dogma, that the wall emerges most clearly from the fog and miasma of so-called "truth." The "Wall," an instrument imposing upon ordinary men and women the will of a totalitarian ministry.

 Here, where the "wall" emerges most clearly, where reality has imprinted this brutal division of the Army of God, standing before every Gate of so-called "Truth" is a man separated from his fellow compatriot in the Gospel! Every man today in honesty ought to look upon a scar bespeaking of the brutality of unnecessary separation and division! There needs to be repentance before God!

We rail not against your doctrine, dogma, nor creed, but we do fight valiantly and desperately against spiritual starvation, poverty of the Word Incarnate, and the chaos of division. Of these things we have no countenance or toleration. Yet we do not offer the arms of war, we offer the healing of reconciliation to the purposes of God in the earth. We do not proffer the polemic platform of debate, nor do we wish to shed innocent blood in controversy. We just wish to come together in one common goal and purpose, and that is to be the Church of Jesus Christ in the earth, accomplishing His will and way!" (For the rest of his thoughts see: the Magna Carta of the International Circle of Faith). (insert Link)

We are looking for, seeking out and promoting reasons for unity! Tearing down the man-made walls of division. We are not to replace the local church or control the local assembly. Rather our vision is to encourage them. We have laid aside the divisions of men.  We are working to eliminate divisive words and non-Scriptural terms and are not taking great offense at those who don't know better, due to lack of instruction or revelation.  Rather we reach out to them and help them.  If they need greater revelation, we let God use us to bring life and light! For more information see our Statement of Faith: http://www.vfweb.org/statement.htm

Because International Circle of Faith has such a broad base of ministers from a wide variety of backgrounds, cultures, church traditions, etc., we have carefully chosen the words for our Statement of Faith. We are very conscious that there are some words that have been the source of much division in the body of Christ and we have made every effort to explain our doctrinal position only using the word of God. We have not consulted Church counsels, organizational bylaws, church history, the writings of the early church fathers or any other source of contention.

Let God be true and all men be liars.

We have been careful to eliminate or not use words or phrases that are 'Christianeze' and could be misunderstood in translation or tense between our many countries, languages, dialects, and also by those who are un-churched.

Those who join ICOF find their ministry maintains local autonomy. They find Covering, Conferences, Forums, Accessible Leadership, Education, Cyber College, Women’s Leadership, Youth ministries, children ministries, Conferences, Intercessory Prayer network, etc. For more visit: http://www.vfweb.org/benefits.htm


The ICOF is not:

For division. We do not use our pulpits for hammering out differences.

For self-promotion: We do not use our pulpits to build friendships, promote our friends or ourselves.

 

 

The Future:

Our goal is to network 100,000 ministers (then look toward 1,000,000 ministers)

Network 100,000 prayer Intercessors (see www.geocities.com/hornsofthealtar/)

Our goal is to have an administrative Bishop over every political jurisdiction in the world: Country, State, city, etc. To bring the body of Christ to greater unity that it has experienced since the book of Acts. The ongoing task of training and equipping the saints for the work of God Growing our network of Bible Colleges to train up ministers

What also makes us very unique, is that we require men and woman of God not to leave there current fellowship in order to join the ICOF. We are a Vehicle that the Lord is Using for UNITY and not division.

 

 

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