Free Gospel Sundays Pastor Smokie Norful

Pastor Smokie Norful is a world-renowned pastor, award-winning recording artist, educator, author and visionary who has a strong passion for saving souls and transforming the lives of others. He has reached the heights of success in both ministry and music, with over 25 years of preaching and 17 years of pastoring, and his music career spans over two decades.

As an internationally known musician, music composer, producer and singer, Norful’s 2002 solo debut, I NEED YOU NOW, catapulted him to worldwide recognition.

Since that time, he has found commercial success with five No. 1 Billboard albums and over 3 million albums sold. He has earned two Grammy Awards, 11 Stellar Awards, five Dove Awards, one Soul Train Music Award, two NAACP Image Award nominations and three BET Award nominations.

In addition to his countless awards and honors, he is also an accomplished author with his first book, Take the Lid Off, an extraordinarily empowering compilation of his life stories and anecdotes as well as biblical and practical insights to help every individual maximize their potential.

Pastor Norful is an educator at heart. Having received his bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, he also pursued a Master of Divinity from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in his ongoing pursuit of growth and development in leadership. In May 2018, he received a master’s degree in Organizational Leadership from Trinity International University. Pastor Norful is currently enrolled at Concordia University in pursuit of a PhD in Organizational Leadership.

Seventeen years ago, Pastor Smokie Norful and his wife, First Lady Carla Norful, officially launched Victory Cathedral Worship Center, in Bolingbrook, Illinois, where he serves as senior pastor. Over the past 17 years, Pastor Norful and the Victory Cathedral Church Family have experienced extraordinary and unprecedented growth in the far-western suburbs of Chicago. Victory Cathedral has connected with over 1.5 million worshipers, led 15,000 souls to Christ and physically and spiritually assisted countless thousands of families.

Victory is now a multicampus ministry, with thousands attending weekly by way of the online Global Campus. The South Chicago campus was launched in 2007 and is known as Victory City Chicago. Victory City Birmingham was launched under the leadership of Pastor Brandon Knight, and Victory City Atlanta was launched in the spring of 2022!

With more campuses launching in the near future, the ministry continues by focusing on reaching the community and encouraging its members to live to be missed, not just remembered. Victory accomplishes this by adopting a heart of volunteerism, charity, philanthropy and a priority toward evangelism and social engagement. These initiatives are an extension and reflection of the heart of Pastor Norful.

Pastor Norful is married to his beautiful wife of 24 years, Carla Norful, and they have three amazingly gifted and accomplished adult children: Ashley (graduate Northern Illinois University, a Fortune 500 logistics director); Tre’ (2^nd year at Junior Morehouse College / finance and Spanish) and Ashton (high school senior with 4.4 GPA).

Rev. Melvin Dawson & The Genesis Fellowship Delegation (formerly known as Genesis Ensemble) was established in December 1987 in Fort Lauderdale. 

Signing their first national recording deal in 1991, with Tyscot Records (Indianapolis), Genesis Fellowship Delegation have recorded four projects: Signs of the Time (1992), Messages of Hope(1994), Rooted and Grounded (1996, *Marlee Records) and Stand Still (2000, *M’Aryelle Records).

In addition to their own recordings, The Genesis Fellowship Delegation members have also assisted Rev. Dawson in six recording projects produced on his record label, KMA Records, between 2006 and 2016.

The GFD have performed throughout the United States and in the Bahamas. They have appeared onstage and in concert with the likes of Kirk Franklin, John P. Kee, Donald Lawrence & Tri-City Singers, Dottie Peoples, Shirley Caesar, Bobby Jones, The Williams Brothers, The Bolton Brothers, Mighty Clouds of Joy and Hezekiah Walker.  

Rev. Melvin Dawson and The Genesis Fellowship Delegation recently released their fifth recording, “The Manifest Project,” on their K’MAJ Record Label. Three singles from the album — “Yet While I Live,” “Found a Friend” and “O Zion” — are already in national radio rotation. The GFD are preparing to get back on the national touring circuit in the near future.