Wind of the Spirit Worship Center, known around Riverside simply as "The Wind," meets on Streeter Avenue in Riverside, California. The church, affiliated with the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel, has earned a reputation for expressive, Spirit-filled worship and for being a place where friendships form across generations. Members describe the church as "young at heart" and invite visitors to come worship and experience "The Wind" for themselves.
From Merger to Mission
The story behind the church begins in 1989, when Dr. Michael Edwards and his wife Lady Sherrie Edwards started a Foursquare congregation called A New and Living Way Foursquare Church. After eight years of pastoral ministry, the Lord directed the couple to mobilize their congregation to Riverside and facilitate a merger with another church. Out of that merger, Wind of the Spirit Worship Center was born, and two congregations became one.
Under the Edwards' tenure, the church grew into a ministry known for Bible-based teaching, leadership training, discipleship, local outreach, evangelism, and church planting. The congregation also became revered as a community partner, and the freedom of expression in worship that defined the early days remains a hallmark of the church today.
Pastor Alaric Singletary and His Family
On January 6, 2019, Pastor Alaric Singletary was installed as the Senior Pastor of Wind of the Spirit, an appointment affirmed by Founding Pastor Dr. Michael Edwards. Singletary had served under Edwards for 18 years in many capacities - Associate Minister, Youth Pastor, Young Adult Facilitator, Children's Church team member, Church Council Chairperson, Elder, and Assistant Pastor - before taking the pulpit as pastor.
He recommitted his life to Jesus Christ on June 26, 1998 and married his wife Amber in 2000. The couple has three children and serves in ministry together. Singletary was licensed as a minister in the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel in 2016 and ordained in October 2018. He is also a bi-vocational pastor with a bachelor's degree and three master's degrees, and is pursuing a Doctor of Ministry.
His borrowed mantra - "We are a BATTLESHIP, not a CRUISESHIP!" - is a Sunday morning reminder that believers are called to serve and advance God's Kingdom, not to be served. Described as more of a teacher with a little preacher mixed in, Singletary aims to make messages practical and relevant so that everyone receives a word from the Lord. He is supported by an Executive Team that includes Pastor and Lady Valdovinos and Pastor and Lady Thompson.
A Foursquare Faith
Wind of the Spirit holds to the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel's statement of faith. The congregation believes the Bible is God-inspired, that God exists eternally as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and that humanity fell from perfection through voluntary disobedience.
Salvation is received through repentance and faith in Christ, not through any human righteousness. The church practices baptism by immersion as an outward sign of an inward work and observes the Lord's Supper with bread and the juice of the vine. Believers are also taught to seek the baptism with the Holy Spirit, to walk in the Spirit daily, and to demonstrate the fruit and gifts of the Spirit.
Other tenets include belief in divine healing, the personal and imminent return of Christ, the final judgment, heaven as the eternal home of the redeemed, and hell as the place of eternal torment for those who reject Christ. Members are encouraged to identify with the visible Body of Christ through church relationship and to support civil government except where it contradicts the will of God. The teaching also urges moderation, warning against extremes of fanaticism.
Sunday Worship and the Midweek Gathering
Sunday morning worship begins at 9:30 am at 6476 Streeter Avenue. Services are also streamed online through the church's media page, and additional midweek online gatherings are held on Thursday evenings at 6:00 pm. On the first Wednesday of each month, the church gathers for a 7:00 pm service that offers another touchpoint for the body throughout the month.
The office is open Monday through Thursday from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, and the phone line at 951-359-0203 is answered during those hours. Prayer requests can be submitted through a form on the church's prayer page, and the congregation is active on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram for those who want to follow along online.
Children's Church and Judah the Lion
Children ages 3 to 11 are welcomed into a Children's Church that has been recently revitalized with fresh, colorful décor. As children arrive in the foyer, they are greeted by a lion mascot named Judah before being registered and led into a children's sanctuary for worship at their level. After worship, kids move into age-grouped classrooms for Bible drills, games, art and crafts, playtime, and an age-appropriate Bible lesson.
The department also includes a Children's Choir, children's evangelism opportunities, and special events. The stated mission of the children's ministry is "to reach our world through prepared children," and the goal is to develop character, respect, and integrity in the next generation through biblically based teaching.
Daughters of the King and the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen
The women's ministry, called Daughters of the King (DOK), meets on the first Saturday of every other month for fellowship, with times varying by venue. Its vision is "reaching our world through prepared women," and its mission is to preach, practice, and propagate the will of God through biblical principles. Goals include helping every woman mature through devotion to God's Word, modeling the Proverbs 31 woman, and pairing older women with younger women for mentoring.
The men's ministry, the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (LXG), meets the first Saturday of each month at 9:00 am. Its mission is to transform ordinary men into extraordinary gentlemen whose lives reflect Christlike character and power, with a focus on recovering God-given identity, authority, and purpose. The ministry recruits, builds, trains, and equips men to model biblical manhood in their families, at church, and in the community.
One Accord Marriage Ministry
Married couples find community through One Accord, a ministry whose name speaks to the unity it aims to build. The mission is to make marriages stronger through transparency and good communication, and the vision is to strengthen the wider church by helping husbands and wives understand their roles through biblical principles. Time spent with other married couples is presented as iron sharpening iron.
New Members and The Wind Experience
Prospective members follow five basic steps: receive Jesus as Lord and Savior, be baptized in water in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, complete a Gift Assessment Survey to identify God-given gifts, attend Bible study, and connect with a ministry group. New members are also invited to The Wind Experience, an orientation that covers the pastor, executive team, and church purpose, expectations, organization, a church tour, and how to get connected.
Salvation, Giving, and Prayer
For anyone exploring faith, the church's statement on salvation walks readers through four diagnostic questions and offers a prayer of salvation. The teaching emphasizes that salvation is a free gift through Christ and that feelings have nothing to do with it; what matters is trusting God's Word.
Giving is presented as an act of worship rooted in Proverbs 3:9. Donations can be made online through Pushpay or mailed to the church address. The church's vision - "Reaching our World through Prepared People" - frames the call to give, and the leaders thank supporters for partnering in the work.