Living Faith AME Church of Schaumburg, IL, which began with a vision, was founded on October 8, 2000. Today we are known as Living Faith Cathedral Worship Center (LFCWC) Church, a full Gospel, nondenominational, holistic, and multicultural community of believers.

Rev. Larry S. Bullock, the Founder, Senior Pastor and Teacher of LFCWC, received a revelation while still the Assistant Pastor of Ebenezer AMEC, in Evanston, IL under the leadership of Rev. James C. Wade, its Senior Pastor and Teacher. The Revelation was that there were multitudes of “unchurched” souls in the northwestern portion of Cook County. These were souls that needed a place where they could and would find refuge. A place where they would be challenged to grow in Christ and to live a life of faith in Jesus Christ. Rev. Bullock received his second Masters Degree (MDiv) in June of 2000 from McCormick Theological Seminar in Chicago. Prior to that, on Jan 10, 2000, Rev. Bullock submitted his “Request for Permission to Organize and Start a New Church”. On Jan 22, 2000, he received approval from Rev. Dr. William D. Davis, Jr., Presiding Elder of the St. Paul-Milwaukee District of the Chicago Annual Conference of the 4^th Episcopal District of the AMEC. Thereafter, Rev. Bullock submitted the application for Articles of Incorporation of LFAMEC to the Secretary of State, which was approved on May 8, 2000.

Rev. Bullock had, and continues to possess, the passion to win souls for Christ. This was his impetus - the driving force of his mission, which was to “identify the lost”. Once identified, these souls would be nurtured and be challenged to live fruitful lives to the glory of God. Rev. Bullock proceeded with the development of a basic plan for new millennium suburban church planting and growth.

He embraced the model of the First Century Church, which was one of ecclesiastical (bottom-up) and Episcopal excellence, and most importantly, one of personal obedience to the Word of God. The thrust of this great apostolic work depended upon the power of the Holy Spirit leading, nurturing, and sustaining the first century church planters at all times. The essence of this first century church-planting model is seen in how viable the new faith communities became. It was truly the time for prophetic outreach in the Fourth Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church.  Rev. Bullock is quoted as saying, “The church must be seen as the hospital “ER” for those who hurt. It must be a place where the people of God not only survive their bruises and hurts with the outside world, but also are dependent upon the inerrant Word of God.”

Rev. Bullock continued to seek the Lord’s guidance and direction, now regarding the location of the new church. God miraculously answered his prayers. Rev. Bullock was asked to preach at a funeral and to perform an infant baptism of an unchurched family living in the Hoffman Estates-Schaumburg area. They simply asked and Rev. Bullock, in compassion, said yes to these “seekers”. Rev. Bullock made himself available to meet the needs of this family. They, along with Rev. Bullock’s wife, Dr. Gloria E. Bullock, and daughter, April, became the first members of LFCWC.

Rev. Bullock was even more determined to craft a worship experience [driven by the Laity] that aggressively welcomed such seekers into the local worship experience. Another innovative concept of the “Value Added Church (VAC)” was implemented at LFAMEC that recognizes that every soul won represents added value to the community. He relied upon the approach posed by Rev. Dr. Rick Warren as articulated systematically in a book entitled “The Purpose Driven Church: Growth without Compromising Your Message and Mission”. In it he suggests, “One of the major barriers to church growth is “people blindness” – being unaware of social and cultural differences between people. Rev. Bullock agreed that this type of inculturation theology could help guide him in new church planting. Rev. Bullock believes that a new pastor must be aware of the cultural perspectives of a given community in order to be able to effectively present his vision of holistic ministry. It would allow new members to be quickly assimilated and to be spiritually nurtured thereby embracing the new vision as set forth in the LFCWC Mission Statement that,