Dallas’ Bishop Robert Nichols, Jr. enjoying historic River of Life Church’s continuous growth with God, his Helper, leading the way

DESOTO, Texas — At 2:42 p.m. on Wednesday, a little less than five hours before his congregation’s midweek worship service, Bishop Robert Nichols, Jr. made his way to his office, exemplifying a rather spirited, cheerful disposition.

Never mind that during his brief commute, he endured a flat tire in the wake of a cloudburst, accompanied by nearly sub-freezing temperatures.

All things considered, there was Nichols, Jr., entering his office adjacent to his church’s newly renovated sanctuary, displaying his customary signature smile, that same grin that’s seen and embraced and admired by a gallery of his members virtually every time the doors of his church are open.

How to explain his resolute temperament on what was an otherwise gloomy, overcast Hump Day afternoon?

“The bad can’t be that bad if it’s all going to work out for my good,” said Nichols, Jr., following such a dauntless declaration by reciting the words to Romans 8:28. “It doesn’t matter what goes on in my life, I know it’s going to work out for my good.”

By and large, staying positive and assessing unfavorable situations and circumstances from God’s perspective have seemingly served as a featured theme, of sorts, throughout the flourishing pastoral tenure of Nichols, Jr., the Founder and Senior Pastor of River of Life Church in DeSoto, Texas.

From the day he effectively sold out to Almighty God at the age of 17, to when he appropriately solicited the blessings of his father and answered his divine calling by establishing his church nearly two decades ago, Nichols, Jr. can greatly attest that when submitting solely unto God — or stepping into the River, if you will — one will surely enter Canaan, as he eloquently acknowledged during an exclusive interview with Making Headline News.

“The Lord said, ‘If I promised you Canaan, you can’t die in the wilderness,’” said Nichols, Jr., recalling the tumultuous, potentially life-threatening events surrounding his cancer diagnosis in July 2008.

Long before he discovered his sudden illness, Nichols knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that his steps were strategically ordered by the Lord.

For starters, preaching the Gospel was practically in his DNA, considering he was born to Bishop Robert and Carolyn Nichols, Sr. and was raised as a product of the historic Church of God In Christ.

Add to the fact that even when he accepted his much-anticipated calling that required him to leave his beloved local church, Dallas’ Christ Holy Temple COGIC, and establish River of Life Church in December 1998, and it’s no wonder the enemy customarily was commanded to flee amid his occasional attacks upon a thriving pastor who has become a fixture to Dallas/Fort Worth and the surrounding areas.

“I’ve been given this second chance and I have this new perspective (on life),” said Nichols, Jr., explaining a tear-jerking dream he encountered while recovering from his 1998 surgery in which doctors removed his left kidney after discovering a seven centimeter mass of cancer. “I’ve got my fire back…that passion. Had it not been for those kidney stones, I never would have discovered that cancer.”

Most importantly, had it not been for Nichols, Jr. having obeyed the voice of God, particularly when even the harshest of critics and naysayers predicted his ministry would be short-lived, chances are a plethora of souls would have been lost, possibly destined for an eternal hell.

And so it came to pass the long-awaited birthing of River of Life Church, a continuous, rapidly growing institution that has become the beacon of light for which God predestined it to be.

Located at 335 South Parks Drive in the heart of DeSoto — and roughly 25 minutes from downtown Dallas — River of Life relocated from its nearby Hampton Road establishment to its current location in December, just weeks after purchasing what is now a 35,000-plus square feet, newly-renovated campus.

“I can’t think of anything else that was the biggest highlight of 2016,” said Nichols, Jr., whose church’s new location was dedicated by his father, the recently installed and consecrated Prelate of the Texas East Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction of COGIC.

More than anything else, Nichols, Jr. acknowledged, his father’s unyielding guidance, wisdom, and occasional tough love approach have benefited him mightily since the inception of his ministry.

STEP INTO THE RIVER BY LOGGING ON: https://www.stepintotheriver.org/.

“He inspired me to remain faithful and committed to God, because I’ve watched his stability to stay true to God,” Nichols, Jr. said. “And it was also an honor to have my father to dedicate our church to preach on that day. Since I was seven years old, he’s been a mentor and a spiritual father.”

To Nichols, Jr.’s credit, coupled with the divine calling upon his life, River of Life Church has grown immensely from approximately 10 members when it was founded to currently more than 400-plus worshippers.

A little more than one month removed since its latest move, River of Life is still expanding, considering its 600-seat sanctuary is nearly filled to capacity during its two Sunday power-packed morning worship services that are customarily highlighted by Nichols, Jr.’s extravagant, unorthodox style of preaching.

It all started at 10103 Garland Road in Dallas, where a young Nichols, Jr. paid witness to his ministry’s much-anticipated inception by way of his responding to God’s voice with a simple “Yes, Lord!”

Two years had passed. Still, God kept the dialogue going with His man servant.

In actuality, it was a rather intimate, heart-to-heart conversation that continued at a shopping center in nearby Mesquite, Texas, during which River of Life held worship services for the next three years.

As usual, Nichols Jr. was all ears.

Heck, he had no choice but to listen and pay attention. Plus, he knew better.

“God asked me a question: ‘Why did the brook dry up with Elijah?’ Nichols, Jr., a Dallas Justin F. Kimball High School alum and a divorced father of three, explained. “And I said, ‘You commanded a widow to sustain him.’”

And just like that, Nichols, Jr. sensed his ministerial stint in Mesquite had come to an apparent unceremonious end.

“At that point, (God) let me know that the brook had dried up and it was time to move,” Nichols, Jr. recalled while reciting the words to Ephesians 3:20, his favorite Biblical verse. “I knew that it would be a challenge. But we had become stagnant. We were stabilized, but we weren’t growing.”

Upon relocating to their Hampton venue, Nichols, Jr. and his congregation sensed another move essentially was a foregone conclusion, given the church’s constant growth.

Then in November 2016, River of Life acquired the property at 335 South Parks, where the necessary renovations and upgrades had immediately begun.

“The vision will be able to be fulfilled (here),” Nichols, Jr., exhibiting his customary smile, said of his church’s latest transition.

A move that has appropriately come to pass, in large part because he deemed it essential nearly two decades ago to obey the voice of God by — you guessed it — stepping into The River.

A move that considering how he has pressed and navigated and risen above life’s toughest of circumstances during his notable pastoral tenure, his ability to defy the odds is valid proof that Nichols, Jr. didn’t merely squander his God-mandated vision of spreading the gospel.

Talk about having a Texas-size impact in the Body of Christ — this after his Creator orchestrated on his behalf a dramatic comeback for the ages.

“That was my epiphany moment,” said Nichols, Jr., reminiscing on how he emphatically beat cancer. “That was a moment my whole life flashed before my eyes in that season. It gave my life perspective and purpose.”

That life-altering moment was also accompanied by a memorable dream, one Nichols, Jr. doesn’t shy away from sharing.

He brought it up again this week, telling of what sounded like a real life experience.

“While recovering from surgery, I dreamed I was walking through a cemetery and I saw this tombstone,” Nichols, Jr., sitting on the edge of his chair, explained. “And it had two words on it and I was hoping it didn’t say Robert Nichols. And when I got close to it, it read: WASTED POTENTIAL. Don’t ever go to the grave with wasted potential. Don’t go to the grave without fulfilling your potential.”

Fortunately for him, he has managed to steadfastly fulfill his potential, in large part because never has he allowed the figurative flat tires of life to spiritually deflate the purpose for which God created him.

“RIVER OF LIFE CHURCH’S VISION”

It is the dream … 

Of a place where the hurting, depressed, frustrated and confused can find love, acceptance, help, hope, forgiveness, guidance, and encouragement.

It is the dream …

Of sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ with the thousands of residents of DeSoto, Texas and the surrounding communities.

It is the dream …

Of welcoming more than 1,000 members in the following of our church family – loving, learning, laughing and living together in harmony.

It is the dream …

Of equipping every believer for a significant ministry by helping them discover the gifts and talents God gave them.

It is the dream …

Of global outreach by sending and supporting career missionaries through the world, and through a global television ministry.

It is the dream …

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Andre Johnson is founder and publisher of Making Headline News. A 2000 graduate of the University of Memphis School of Journalism and former sports reporter for the Memphis Commercial Appeal newspaper, Johnson is the former chief adjutant to Elder Andrew Jackson, Sr. of Faith Temple Ministries Church of God In Christ. Based in Dallas, Texas, Johnson covers the NBA Southwest Division. To reach Johnson, call him at 901-690-6587 or send email to [email protected]. Also, follow him on Twitter @AJ_Journalist.