OUR STORY
A little about Pastors/Senior Leaders Lawrence & Jaye Jaye
While voluntarily serving his country during the Vietnam War, Pastor Lawrence was miraculously saved and filled with the Holy Spirit. Knowing nothing about prophetic experiences, God interrupted his life with an encounter that forever changed him. When he returned to civilian life, he earned a degree in Economics, and for 35 years pursued his career as a licensed Financial Planner and Mortgage Broker, all the while serving in many positions of leadership within various churches and ministries. In 2005 he received his first ordination, and on 10/10/10 (at 10am!) was commissioned as pastor of Spoken Word Fellowship.
Jaye Jaye committed her life to the Lord at 15 and became involved in Campus Crusade for Christ (now CRU) during high school and InterVarsity Christian Fellowship in college, where she earned a degree in Psychology and Social Work. She went on to earn her Master’s degree in Library and Information Science, and for 20 years served in knowledge-based healthcare information management for a large healthcare system in Milwaukee.
Both Pastors Lawrence and Jaye Jaye are gifted with keen minds and the ability to teach and preach with a revelatory anointing. They operate in the Gift of Hospitality and minister in the Joy of the Lord. This helps them to impart the Father’s heart of compassion when they flow together in prophetic and healing ministry. They are also called to facilitate unity within the regional Church and host large regional events. The believ the Midwest is destined to impact the nations with the Glory of God as we become One in Christ!
The beginnings of their ministry together
Pastors Lawrence & Jaye Jaye began “official” ministry together in 1988 as co-founders and leaders of "International Friendship Ministry", a thriving weekly ministry outreach to International Students attending the University of WI-Milwaukee, at times seeing very large gatherings! With God's sustaing love, they continued to co-shepherd this ministry until 1994, touching many for Christ who were to become leaders in their native countries!
From 1995-1998 the Chovanecs traveled many times to Morning Star Ministries, Charlotte, NC, to receive advanced training in the prophetic & healing ministries. They also attended weekly “School of The Spirit” classes at a local Morning Star affiliated church. In 1996 they began teaching weekly Prophetic and Healing classes, training a number of “hungry ones” from their Eastside Milwaukee home. In 2000 they moved to Grafton, WI and continued their weekly Friday night home meetings.
The birth of Spoken Word Fellowship
Functioning more as a church body, Spoken Word Fellowship incorporated in 2010. SWF began to host Regional Conferences at local hotels, as the Chovanecs' home could no longer accommodate the large number of attendees for these events.
In June of 2012 Spoken Word Fellowship started weekly Sunday morning services, along with a bi-monthly Praise, Prayer & Prophetic Decree Gathering known as the “Burning Company." After a lengthy search, the Lord led SWF to a facility in Mequon, WI. Our 1st service at the Mequon location was on Mother’s Day 2014. The Lord BIRTHED something VERY SPECIAL in the SPIRIT that day for our region! ... SWF is currently meeting in a temporary location until a new permanent facility is found. We continue our search for our new building, and praise God in advance, as we trust Him to meet all our needs!
We are very thankful for all the Lord has already accomplished through SWF.
We are confident God has GREAT things ahead for us! . . .
