Apostle Latanya Ruffin

Dynamic Senior Pastor with a proven track record of congregational growth and community service at The Word Church. Expert in spiritual leadership and pastoral counseling, demonstrated through successful church planting and engagement initiatives. Skilled in sermon preparation and public speaking, increased church membership significantly. Passionate about fostering spiritual guidance and leadership development within the community. Mission-drive leader with more than 10 years of experience in all elements of organizational leadership and success in creating inspirational environment. Successful in overseeing community services, men's and women's ministries, student ministry, children's ministry and worship ministry. Highly welcoming and accomplished in developing and shepherding new and existing church members. Focused Pastor with more than 10 years of experience in providing spiritual leadership to growing communities and promoting values and purpose of church. Accomplished in driving spiritual foundation of congregation when growing church ministry. Seasoned leader offering 13 years of experience in pastoral care and spiritual leadership to growing church. Committed to creating thriving community and guiding individuals transformed by gospel. Successful background in organizational leadership, ministry program development and mission-oriented strategic planning.

Latanya Dinese Gerald was born on June 16, 1978
Born & Raised In Chapel Hill, North Carolina

From the Great Phyllis Ann Lewis (Louisville, KY) & Elder James
Gerald, Dunn, NC (deceased) and the oldest of 5 siblings.
She Graduated High School from: Triton High in 1997
Latanya Birthed Her 1 st Baby Girl on October 1, 1996
Soon after came 5 precious Grandchildren, and a Son in Love.
She Moved to Spring Lake, NC in 2000 and Gave Her Life To
Christ on March 14, 2005. From 2005-2007 she served under the
Leadership of Chief Apostle C.S. Taylor (Fayetteville, NC). She

accepted the call to ministry in 2006.

She accepted the call of a Prophet in 2010 and was ordained the
Prophetess of the House of Greater Deliverance Tabernacle of
Praise; Founder/Bishop O’Brian McCrae (Raleigh, NC).
In 2010 the Lord spoke to her concerning her ministry and it was
launched on June 18, 2012 under the leadership of Apostle Stanley
and Prophetess June Douglas (Dunn NC). Three years later, she
moved to Louisville, Ky and reopened the ministry under a new
name “New Destiny & Deliverance Apostolic Church Int.
March 2017 Prophetess Latanya was affirmed Apostle under the
leadership of Apostle Libby Bell from (Bradenton,Florida). Some
time after, the Lord lead her to serve under the covering.
Then, she served under Archbishop Brian T. Long and
Transformation Ministries Int. and was concentrated as Bishop in
December 2018. Latanya Gerald was presented her Doctrine
Degree in Christian Counseling under the Leadership of

Archbishops Long and Archbishop Darrel Chase of the Louisville

Metropolitan College.

Chief Apostle Ruffin married the love of her life Pastor/Prophet

Gregory Ruffin on July 10, 2020.

*She is the Founder of New Destiny & Deliverance Apostolic
Church International in 2016 and Unchurch Ministry in 2020, and
relaunched her ministry The Word Church in February 2024.
She is a loving, kind, God-fearing, strong mother of many, mighty
Woman of God and her congregation is very glad to call her our

Pastor!!

Throughout all of Chief Apostle’s hard work, dedication, trials
and tribulations, she decided to deny herself and take up her own
cross to follow Jesus. If Chief Apostle Ruffin had any encouraging
words to give the body of Christ it would be “ If You Wait On The
Lord, The Lord Will See You Through All Of Your Trials and
Tribulations, If You Just Wait On The Lord.
****Please if Everyone can rest their seats, and Help Me
Introduce this Mighty Great Woman of God with a Hearty

hallelujah

• Ministerial License -2010
• Pastoral license - 2012
• Affirmation of Apostleship license- 2017
• Bishopric License 2018
• Honorable Doctrine Degree - 2018