Pastor J. R. Peterson, III was born in Washington, DC.  At the tender age of twelve, by the leading of the Holy Spirit, and with tears in his eyes, Pastor Peterson accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.  It was at that time also, that his unquenchable passion for Praise and Worship was born.  You could often find him hanging around the church with his grandmother just to be around the choirs and the band.  Pastor Peterson also sang in the youth choir where he lead a few songs.

Pastor Peterson attended Tuskegee University, in Alabama, for undergraduate studies.  In May of 1994, he received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting.  After graduation, Pastor Peterson returned home to Washington, DC where he became an active member of the Ebenezer AME Church family.  Singing on the 300+ voice male choir, affectionately known as "The King's Men", truly awakened his passion for praising and worshiping God.  It was during this timeframe (1994-1996), under the leadership of the Reverend Drs. Grainger and JoAnn Browning that the Holy Spirit began to work on Pastor Peterson.  He felt the calling of the Lord to preach the Gospel of Jesus early in 1996.  However, like Jonah, Pastor Peterson had other plans for how he wanted to spend the rest of his life.  So instead of yielding to the call, he went in the complete opposite direction.  After years of failure, heartbreaks, disappointments and setbacks, Pastor Peterson willfully submitted himself completely to God and the call on his life.

In the summer of 2006, God planted the vision for the Abundant Life Worship Center in Pastor Peterson's heart.  Pastor Peterson understood one thing, he was not going to be disobedient to the Holy Spirit a second time.  So he began to write the vision as the Holy Spirit was leading.  The Abundant Life Worship Center will be a global church that will first meet the needs of its community.  Our desire is to see God's Kingdom come and His will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.

Pastor Peterson has a heart to reach men for the Kingdom of God.  He understands that if the man is lined up with the will of God, the family, the community, and the world will soon follow.  Pastor Peterson looks forward to speaking into the lives of men, young and old, to encourage them to be men of integrity.

Leading Lady, NaTasha Peterson, was born in Detroit, MI as NaTasha Taylor.  She accepted Christ at an early age.  After matriculating through high school, Miss Taylor went on to pursue her degree in Early Childhood Education at Tuskegee University in Alabama.  Tuskegee University is where she and Pastor Peterson would meet and seven years later get married. 

Lady Peterson has had many life experiences that have given her a heart for women.  She longs to see women empowered and moving in their purpose.  Lady Peterson's ministry gift is speaking into the lives of men, women and children to encourage them in the things of God.  She has been called, by those who know her well, a prayer warrior.

Be prepared to be loved and embraced by this woman of God.