Our History
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Our Founder
Willie Cornelius Vaughn entered this life on October 17, 1918 in Vernon, Alabama. It was in this place that Dad Vaughn, as a young boy, went to his mother and asked, "How do I get to know about this God they are preaching about?" His mother told him, "You just gotta pray!" Not long afterwards, Dad was in a cotton field in Arkansas and he told God, "If you are up there, my momma said that if I would pray and ask you to come into my heart, you would." He continued, "I want you to come into my heart." Dad said, "HE did!" And immediately, he felt the presence of the Lord at that cotton field. And from that day forth he has always had a yearning to know the Lord "in a real way!" He would often remind the Church that "if God can be real in the cotton field, he can be real anywhere!"
Dad Vaughn's thirst for righteousness and the holiness of God remained a constant "plumb line" for steering the family.
Dad Vaughn accepted his call to preaching the Gospel while serving in the military. Not long after returning home, he attended the Baptist church before joining the Church of God in Christ, Inc., under the leadership of Elder E. D. Wilson at Mount Carmel Church of God in Christ in Kansas City, Kansas. He labored with Elder Wilson for three decades.
Ultimately, he became president of the Evangelist Board of the Kansas East Church of God in Christ. This work grew through many crusades and conventions that drew historic crowds.
Dad's faithful and fruitful work led the foundation for what is the present Evangelistic Center International Ministries...
The call to the pastorate would become the inevitable outcome of Dad's impact in ministry. He, Mother Legusta Vaughn and their ten children established the Evangelist Temple Church of God in Christ in Kansas City, Kansas in 1965. The church immediately impacted the surrounding community by the Church's outreach to the hungry, and the economically deprived and a special outreach to children and youth.
Furthermore, Dad's outreach and ministry for children in the community is still a key element of the Evangelistic Center Church...
Dad was a living testimony of "Now Faith!" In May of 1976, the Lord impressed upon Dad to expand his work in Topeka, KS and Evangelistic Center West was founded. Twenty-seven years later the church was thriving and growing with Mother Legusta Vaughn playing a key role in its development and Arnold Vaughn, Dad's fourth eldest son, was appointed pastor.
Dad Vaughn, along with sons Elder Willie, III and Bishop Jack Vaughn, current pastor of Evangelistic Center International Ministries, shared in radio ministry on KCLO, KPRT and KGGN for a total 43 years. That outreach ministry continues today on KPRT with Bishop Jack Vaughn.
This historical evidence of our rich heritage and tradition of Kingdom building shows us the apostolic spirit of this servant. Dad's labors of love reflected the many years of dedicated service. He has shared with thousands through various mediums of ministry.
An unknown poet once said, "Here and there, and now and then God makes a giant among men." Dad Vaughn as he was affectionately called by all who knew him was such a giant. Dad Vaughn was a giant of knowledge, of faith, of testimony, of compassion, of great vision. As we think upon his life and legacy that he has left even today our tears have now turned to sweet tears of joy. As we are reminded of the many sons and daughters that have been birthed through his life and ministry across this great world, he shall forever live in the hearts of many. The generations to come shall be told of this "great giant of a man" who once walked this earth telling the world "that without faith it is impossible to please Him." Constantly reminded his flock that "love makes the difference" and that our prayer in the body of Christ should be as Jesus prayed to his Father, "Lord make us one."
