Humble beginnings
God has truly guided Covenant Life Fellowship. While the seed of this great church was planted many years ago, it broke ground beginning with the marriage ceremony of Merrick and Diana Hopkins at the home of Pastor Ken and First Lady Bev Porter on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 28, 2013.
During a wedding reception, our Heavenly Father pricked the heart of Bev, as she shared with Bridgette Bean how Pastor Ken served as her personal Pastor for nearly three years. Her testimony touched the heart of Bridgette, who shared their conversation with her husband, Bruce Bean. Invisible to the natural eye, the roots of Covenant Life Fellowship Church deepened that day.
Months passed as that seed germinated in fertile ground. Soon after and at the urging of the Holy Spirit, Pastor Ken and First Lady Bev Porter resigned their long-standing memberships at the Body of Christ Church in Raleigh. While they were uncertain about their next steps, it was clear that God was leading them to walk by faith and not by sight.
On Tuesday, December 30, 2013, at the request of Bruce and Bridgette Bean, the Porters and the Beans met to discuss the burden to fulfil the Great Commission by planting a new church. They trusted God as Jehovah Jireh and scheduled their first Sunday Worship Service on January 19, 2014. On that glorious day, people who loved the precious truth of the Gospel, met for Worship Service in the home of Bruce and Bridget Bean in Raleigh, North Carolina. Pastor Ken’s sermon was titled, “You Don’t Look Like What You’ve Been Through”. (Genesis 37:1-18)
The members of this initial service included seventeen faithful servants: Pastor Ken and First Lady Bev Porter; First Daughter, Jordan Porter, First Son Ken Porter, Jr., Bruce and Bridget Bean, along with Bridgette’s beloved mother, Pearlie Nicks, Michelle Biggs, Stephanie Bryant, Hollis Morrissette, Leigh Peck, Willie and Marva Richey; Deacon Thurman and Deaconess Mildred Ross, Shiron Vick and Marketia Walker.
The Word of God continued to permeate the hearts and minds of God’s people. Covenant Life Fellowship soon outgrew its intimate location and the need for a larger facility became evident. Pastor Ken commissioned a “Launch Team”to assist him and First Lady Bev as they formed the infrastructure of the church. The Launch Team consisted of Pastor Ken and First Lady Bev Porter, Bruce Bean, Deacon Thurman Ross, Deacon Alan and Deaconess Jacqueline Underwood, Michelle Biggs, Stephanie Bryant and Shiron Vick.
Once again, the Lord poured out His blessings and led the congregation to its next location at 3209 Gresham Lake Road, Suite #146, Raleigh, North Carolina 27615. Covenant Life Fellowship celebrated its first Worship Service at this location on Sunday, March 16, 2014 and shortly after held the installation service and dedication of the church on Sunday, April 13, 2014. As our ministry continues to grow, we realized that we needed to be at a different location so that we could have flexibility with our meeting times and days. Our prayers were answered and on March 1, we were blessed yet again and had our first service at our current worship center located at 247 Friendship Chapel Road, Wake Forest, NC.
During a wedding reception, our Heavenly Father pricked the heart of Bev, as she shared with Bridgette Bean how Pastor Ken served as her personal Pastor for nearly three years. Her testimony touched the heart of Bridgette, who shared their conversation with her husband, Bruce Bean. Invisible to the natural eye, the roots of Covenant Life Fellowship Church deepened that day.
Months passed as that seed germinated in fertile ground. Soon after and at the urging of the Holy Spirit, Pastor Ken and First Lady Bev Porter resigned their long-standing memberships at the Body of Christ Church in Raleigh. While they were uncertain about their next steps, it was clear that God was leading them to walk by faith and not by sight.
On Tuesday, December 30, 2013, at the request of Bruce and Bridgette Bean, the Porters and the Beans met to discuss the burden to fulfil the Great Commission by planting a new church. They trusted God as Jehovah Jireh and scheduled their first Sunday Worship Service on January 19, 2014. On that glorious day, people who loved the precious truth of the Gospel, met for Worship Service in the home of Bruce and Bridget Bean in Raleigh, North Carolina. Pastor Ken’s sermon was titled, “You Don’t Look Like What You’ve Been Through”. (Genesis 37:1-18)
The members of this initial service included seventeen faithful servants: Pastor Ken and First Lady Bev Porter; First Daughter, Jordan Porter, First Son Ken Porter, Jr., Bruce and Bridget Bean, along with Bridgette’s beloved mother, Pearlie Nicks, Michelle Biggs, Stephanie Bryant, Hollis Morrissette, Leigh Peck, Willie and Marva Richey; Deacon Thurman and Deaconess Mildred Ross, Shiron Vick and Marketia Walker.
The Word of God continued to permeate the hearts and minds of God’s people. Covenant Life Fellowship soon outgrew its intimate location and the need for a larger facility became evident. Pastor Ken commissioned a “Launch Team”to assist him and First Lady Bev as they formed the infrastructure of the church. The Launch Team consisted of Pastor Ken and First Lady Bev Porter, Bruce Bean, Deacon Thurman Ross, Deacon Alan and Deaconess Jacqueline Underwood, Michelle Biggs, Stephanie Bryant and Shiron Vick.
Once again, the Lord poured out His blessings and led the congregation to its next location at 3209 Gresham Lake Road, Suite #146, Raleigh, North Carolina 27615. Covenant Life Fellowship celebrated its first Worship Service at this location on Sunday, March 16, 2014 and shortly after held the installation service and dedication of the church on Sunday, April 13, 2014. As our ministry continues to grow, we realized that we needed to be at a different location so that we could have flexibility with our meeting times and days. Our prayers were answered and on March 1, we were blessed yet again and had our first service at our current worship center located at 247 Friendship Chapel Road, Wake Forest, NC.