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Jack Hayford
Jack Hayford (June 25, 1934 – January 8, 2023) was an American preacher, author, and Pentecostal leader whose calling from God transformed worship and ministry within the Church of the Foursquare Gospel and beyond for over six decades. Born in Los Angeles, California, to Jack Hayford Sr., a former military officer turned switchman, and Anita Dolores Farnsworth, a Bible teacher, he faced life-threatening illness as an infant and polio at age four, both miraculously healed through prayer, igniting his lifelong passion for God’s power. He graduated from L.I.F.E. Bible College in 1956 and earned a second bachelor’s degree from Azusa Pacific University in 1970, grounding his ministry in practical theology. Hayford’s calling from God was affirmed in 1969 when he became pastor of First Foursquare Church of Van Nuys—later The Church on the Way—growing it from 18 members to over 10,000 by the 1980s, serving until 1999 with a brief return after his successor’s death in 2003. Ordained in 1956, he preached a balanced gospel, emphasizing the Holy Spirit’s vitality, notably through his hymn “Majesty” (1978) and over 600 songs, alongside founding The King’s University in 1997 and serving as Foursquare president (2004–2009). His sermons and over 50 books, like Worship His Majesty, called believers to Spirit-filled living and unity across denominations. Married twice—first to Anna Marie Smith in 1954, with four children (Rebecca, Jack III, Mark, Christa), until her death in 2017, then to Valerie Lemire in 2018—he passed away at age 88 in Los Angeles, California.
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Jack Hayford reflects on the significance of carrying a Bible as a symbol of faith and identity, tracing back to childhood influences and societal expectations. He shares personal experiences of how carrying a Bible was ingrained as a sign of commitment and courage in various settings, from church to school to public speaking engagements. The sermon delves into the internal struggle between outward appearances and genuine faith, questioning whether maturity or fear drives our actions when it comes to openly displaying our beliefs.
A Test of Commitment
Maybe it was a legalistic pressure point imposed upon me by some churchiness to which I was exposed in my upbringing, but carrying one’s Bible always was important. We had Sunday school awards and point systems that scored you higher if you had your own Bible with you. In church, a Bible in the hymnal rack was the sign of a rather “backslidden” church ... I mean, why didn’t the people bring their own, anyway? At school, the “gutsy Christians” were the ones who carried their Bible along with their books. It was a kind of declaration of where you stood. Carrying your Bible on the way church, was “good style.” Don’t be caught without your sword, we were taught. And it stuck. I carry my Bible with me a lot of the time. Just to have it handy. “Never know when you’ll need it,” you know. Having your Bible around was kind of like being unafraid to bow your head in a restaurant. You weren’t like you “used to be,” when you scratched your eyebrows as you prayed over the food. You know, in case someone was watching, you wouldn’t look “weird.” Well, years come and go, and sometimes I wonder what progress really is. I’ve grown a lot in the Lord, and I think I’m unafraid to stand up for Him when the chips are down. But the other day, I left my Bible in the car when I was going into a restaurant. Wait a minute. Hear the whole thing. I was going in there to the banquet room to speak to a group of people about Jesus. Right. I was the speaker … on a Bible theme … uhhuh. And I left my Bible in the car. Now, there’s more to it than that. They had printed outlines with the entire text I was going to speak from already in hand. I knew they would. So I didn’t really need my Bible. What bothers me is how comfortable I felt about that. The convenient sense of a somewhat carnal ease which I felt when I got out of the car. The fact is, I was slightly relieved. Well, anyway, I guess it’s a mark of maturity to not want to appear too religious. Or is it cowardice? All I know is I’m carrying my Bible a little more openly nowadays. I mean, if you’re truly filled with the power of the Dove, you certainly shouldn’t grow older and find yourself chicken.
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Jack Hayford (June 25, 1934 – January 8, 2023) was an American preacher, author, and Pentecostal leader whose calling from God transformed worship and ministry within the Church of the Foursquare Gospel and beyond for over six decades. Born in Los Angeles, California, to Jack Hayford Sr., a former military officer turned switchman, and Anita Dolores Farnsworth, a Bible teacher, he faced life-threatening illness as an infant and polio at age four, both miraculously healed through prayer, igniting his lifelong passion for God’s power. He graduated from L.I.F.E. Bible College in 1956 and earned a second bachelor’s degree from Azusa Pacific University in 1970, grounding his ministry in practical theology. Hayford’s calling from God was affirmed in 1969 when he became pastor of First Foursquare Church of Van Nuys—later The Church on the Way—growing it from 18 members to over 10,000 by the 1980s, serving until 1999 with a brief return after his successor’s death in 2003. Ordained in 1956, he preached a balanced gospel, emphasizing the Holy Spirit’s vitality, notably through his hymn “Majesty” (1978) and over 600 songs, alongside founding The King’s University in 1997 and serving as Foursquare president (2004–2009). His sermons and over 50 books, like Worship His Majesty, called believers to Spirit-filled living and unity across denominations. Married twice—first to Anna Marie Smith in 1954, with four children (Rebecca, Jack III, Mark, Christa), until her death in 2017, then to Valerie Lemire in 2018—he passed away at age 88 in Los Angeles, California.