Fountain of Life International Fellowship came into being as the Greater Pittsburgh Fountain of Life Church in July, 1990, under the direction of its founder, Pastor Gerald G. Loyd. Before this time, Dr. Loyd had planted churches in several central Pennsylvania cities, including State College, PA. the community surrounding Penn State University. He was directed by the Lord to return to his native Pittsburgh and commence a work there.

As the church grew, the congregation purchased a church building, which was renovated for worship and social purposes. In 1993, under Dr. Loyd’s direction, a Foster Care program was implemented in cooperation with the church’s social service arm, Pittsburgh Community Helps for 13 years, that organization, the first African American foster care agency in Allegheny County, served the community by recruiting, training and overseeing families for children who needed out-of-home care.

As the Holy Spirit pressed on his heart to continue planting other assemblies, Dr. Loyd began outreach in Lakeland, Florida during the summer of 1998. The Fountain of Life Church of Central Florida was the result of two crusades in the area. At that time, The Greater Pittsburgh Fountain of Life Church recognized its global calling and changed its name to Fountain of Life Ministries International. It became the overseeing organization for several churches. A new corporation was formed for the Pittsburgh church and it was renamed Fountain of Life Church of Pittsburgh in 1999, under the charter of FOLMI.

In 2004, Dr. Loyd felt a leading to move to Lakeland to strengthen the church there. He and his family labored there for 7 years until, being led of the Lord, they returned to Pittsburgh in January, 2012. The assembly in Florida was assimilated into another local church, E3 Empowerment Church under Pastor Kelvin McCree. Bishop McCree now serves as First Assistant Presiding Bishop of the Fellowship.

With a growing number of spiritual sons and daughters from around the country and in other places in the world looking to him for covering, Bishop Loyd felt an urgency to provide a fellowship to strengthen and affirm leaders in their callings. Several gatherings had occurred over the years that had brought together leaders from all parts of the country. The Spirit of God began to show that there was a message of healing that needed to be brought to church leaders. With that in mind, Bishop Loyd was led to formalize the ministry and give it a new name: Fountain of Life International Fellowship. Organization meetings were held in 2012 and FOLIF’s first international Convocation convened in Pittsburgh, PA in June, 2013. Bishops were consecrated and placed in position to carry out the vision of the Fellowship. In addition, it was during convocation 2013 that our international choir, under the direction of our Presiding Bishop, did a live recorded concert. The project, entitled “In Your Presence,” is in the final stages of production and will be released soon. We are excited about what the Lord is doing and in great anticipation for the future.

As a forward-looking organization, committed to ministry that is first rate, FOLIF launched our school of ministry in 2013. Under the capable direction of our Assistant Presiding Bishop, Kelvin McCree, the school of Purpose, Excellence and Ministry offers a certificate in Biblical Studies. We anticipate that the school soon be accredited and envision that the coursed offered will be requisite to credentialing with the Fellowship.

The general headquarters for Fountain of Life International is in Pittsburgh, PA, with Administrative offices in Lakeland, Florida. In addition to its work here in the United States, Fountain of Life International Fellowship oversees ministries in Africa. Fountain of Life Ministries International of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, oversees a school and has planted a church in Lubumbashi. Fountain of Life Ministries International of Cote D’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) oversees one church in the city of Abidjan.