Pastor: Archbishop Dr. Everett Caldwell
Pastor: Metropolitan bishop Dr. Kristen Caldwell
Executive Pastor: Rev. Dr. Tomeka Boles
Minister: Reverend Kevin Hutchinson
Biography of Archbishop Dr. Everett Caldwell
Everett Lee Caldwell is the President and founding Archbishop of the Worldwide Fellowship of Independent Christian Churches. As the youngest of a large fam
ily of nine children who grew up in poverty in Arkansas, he learned quickly how to begin making a living. Though his parents could not read or write, Everett was determined to go to church where he learned how to read by reading scripture. Within the nourishing care of the black church, he came to the Lord at the tender age of 9. Despite his continued economic struggle, a bishop prophesied that a “mighty call” was on this young man. At age 19, he joined the Marine Corps and was stationed in Japan for a year. He received his Combat Training Certification of the Infantry school and Legal Service Specialist Certification from the Legal Service Support School. He was awarded include the Navy and Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, and the Army Reserve Service Medal. During this time, he earned an A.A. in Arts with Phi Theta Kappa (Honors) at Coastal Carolina Community College. He earned the Phi Theta Kappa Award of the International Scholastic Society President List (CCCC). Afterwards, he attended University of North Carolina where he received his B.A. in Philosophy and Religion with Omicron Delta Kappa (Honors) and Cum Lade. The president was surprised when he discovered that in the first time in the history of the school one student was simultaneously and independently nominated to receive the academic award in two different departments. He received the Philosophy and Religion Minority Academic and Leadership Award (UNCW) and also received the College and Arts & Sciences Award (UNCW). Other awards he received include the Campus Diversity Minority Student Leadership and Academic Award (UNCW), Omicron Delta Kappa Award of the National Honor Scholar Society (UNCW), Non-Traditional Student of the Month Award (UNCW), Senior Sankofa honored graduating Black students Award (UNCW), and the National Chancellor List Award. In 2009 he was commissioned as a U.S. Army Reserve Chaplain for 256th Combat Support Hospital. He obtained the Army Combat Medical Pastoral Care Expert Skill Identifier, the Hospital Ministry Skill Identifier, and the Su***de Prevention Skill Identifier (ASSIST). He also obtained the LINKS Instructor Certification, Family Wellness Instructor Certification and Military Chaplaincy Diploma from the U.S. Army Chaplain Center and School. in Religion and Philosophy with Honors from Ashland Theological Seminary (Ashland, OH). During this time, he received the Minority Student Leadership Award. He also completed his Doctor of Ministry degree from Ashland Theological Seminary under the leadership of Rev. Dr. William H. Myers at ATS. His doctoral dissertation is called “Discovering how African American male soldier’s self-esteem is diminished through the perspective of African American male chaplains and how African America male chaplains help to restore it in the 80th Medical Command of the U.S. Army Reserve.” It is in seminary where he also met his wife, Kristen Caldwell. He completed 4 units of Clinical Pastoral Education at the ACPE site of St. Vincent Medical Center. In discovering he also had a counseling skill for helping chaplains with their own pastoral care self-awareness, he also served as a CPE Supervisor for The Institute for Clinical Pastoral Training. On September 23rd 2012, he was consecrated as the U.S. national bishop with the WCICC. He was also awarded an Honorary Doctor of Divinity degree for exemplary organizational leadership. During the week of this event, God gave him a dream regarding how he would serve him in the future, though his plans extended beyond his current context of the WCICC.
2001 – 2006, Youth Leader (Jacksonville, NC)
2004 – 2005, Deacon and Minister at the Military Base (Iwakuni, Japan)
2006 – 2007 Associate Pastor (Rock of Snead Ferry, NC)
2008 – 2009 Adjunct Elder for the Apostolic Church (Mansfield, OH) and Adjunct Minister for the First Apostolic Church of Christ (Nankin, OH)
2009 – 2011 Senior Pastor of Faith Christian Fellowship (Ashland, OH)
2009 – 2011 Ohio State Director for the WCICC
2012- 2014 U.S. National Bishop for the WCICC
2011 – 2013 Part-time Hospital Chaplain (Mansfield, OH)
2009 – 2014 Senior Reserve Hospital Chaplain (Combat Medical Pastoral Care Specialist)
2014- present President and founding Archbishop of the Worldwide Fellowship of Independent Christian Churches
Biography of Metropolitan bishop Dr. Kristen Caldwell
Kristen Nicole Caldwell serves as the resident theologian and Metropolitan bishop of the Worldwide Fellowship of Independent Christian Churches. At the tender age of 4, after hearing her mother share the Easter story, she accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior. She lived in Hong Kong in her childhood and moved to Beijing at 13. As a young teen, she grew spiritually at Beijing International Christian Fellowship (BICF), where her parents Jon and Cyndi Davis served in leadership for many years. At age 12, she received the baptism of the Holy Spirit at an Assemblies of God youth camp in Oregon. One particular Sunday while a church was praying for the Davis family, a woman said she saw a “fire” hovering directly over her head and indicated it related to her “preaching.” At age 17, she pioneered a small youth group church plant in Oregon. In 2002, she moved from Beijing to Springfield, Missouri to attend Central Bible College (CBC) where she developed an avid thirst for biblical scholarship. While taking a course called Women in Ministry, she began to experience a burning sensation as she heard about the women in church history. In seeking to find clarity on its meaning, she committed it to prayer alone in the forest of the Cascades. On July 27th 2005 God answered her prayer in the parking lot of Allison Park Church where Chad Lang prophesied over her future. From this day forward, she knew God was calling her to preach and she changed her degree program from counseling to preaching. In 2007, she earned a B.A. in Bible and Preaching. From 2007-2008 she attended Assemblies of God Theological Seminary (AGTS) where she also engaged in a weekly street evangelism, co-planted a youth group, and conducted weekly bible studies at a nursing home setting. Having obtained a full scholarship from the Kern Family Foundation, she moved from Springfield, Missouri to attend Ashland Theological Seminary (ATS) in Ashland, Ohio. In September of 2008, she met her husband Everett Lee Caldwell. She served as Assistant Pastor at Faith Christian Fellowship together with him in Ashland, Ohio. She was ordained on October 25th of 2010 and served as the Ohio State Director for the WCICC. She authored the organization ecclesial handbooks and organized events for the spiritual edification and oversight of ministers within Ohio. She also served as a pulpit supply preacher in various churches. In 2011, she earned a Master of Divinity in Biblical Studies. Having studied biblical Hebrew and Greek, she became a member of the National Honor Society of Students of Hebrew Language and Culture. In May of 2014, she received her Doctor of Ministry degree from Ashland Theological Seminary. Her dissertation called “Discovering the Primary Hindrances Women Face in Fulfilling their Call to Ministry” entailed an analysis of hindrances expressed by 75 women clergy in 18 various denominations. Her article publications include: “The Historical Fallacy of an Inconsistent Ethical Evaluation,” “Reversing the Great Commission for Women,” “Translation Differences Every Woman Minister Should Know Part 1 and 2,” and “When Phoebe, Pricilla and Junia Arrive at Ephesus: Three Women who Defied Three Prohibitions.”
In September of 2014, she was consecrated to serve as the Ohio diocesan bishop for the Worldwide Fellowship of Independent Christians Churches. At the event of her consecration, she was also appointed as the resident theologian for the WFICC and the general secretary on the board of directors. Since the founding of the organization, she has written the foundational documents utilized by the WFICC community. She is the co-author of the first edition of the Canon Law Book. Since 2015, she has organized the conferences held in the Ohio district where ministers gather for spiritual edification and community. In February of 2017, Dr. Kristen Caldwell was promoted to serve the organization as its first Metropolitan bishop. The scope of this office relates to the similar responsibilities of a chief operating officer (COO), in which she seeks to build cohesion, analyze the efficiency of operations, identify needed areas of improvement and create solutions and strategies for the implementation of the mission of the WFICC. Since 2015, she has served as the chief organizer for the national conferences held by the organization. Classes taught include: The Book of Revelation, Exploring the Text Under the Text: An Introduction to Biblical Greek, The Spiritual Landscape of Prayer and The Untold Story of Women in Church History. Lectures taught include: “Enriching the Preaching Task: Case Studies and Resources for Studies in Biblical Greek,” “Corporate Ethical Blind Spots: Examining Sociological Patterns of Women Clergy,” “A Second Look at the Biblical Foundations for Establishing a Prophetic Ministry,” “Covid Stimulated Reflections on ‘Signs’ of the End: Clarifying our Expectation with an Introduction to Prewrath Theology,” and “Assessing and Defeating Demonic Powers: Taking a Second Look at Our Conceptions of Spiritual Warfare.”
Influenced by an Assemblies of God background, she remains a Pentecostal who believes that the Holy Spirit is active in powerful ways. Her bishop name is Brigid.
