About Us

Whether you are brand new to the church thing or you've been around church for a while; we want to say welcome! Our goal at World Harvest Community Church is to create environments and experiences where you can encounter God in the midst of your life. When you come to World Harvest Community Church on a weekend, our aim is that you would be inspired by the music, encouraged by the message, welcomed by our amazing community of people & be reminded that God's grace is here!

- Our Mission

  • Love our God
  • Serve our Community
  • Reach our World

- Our Beliefs

We understand that it is difficult to learn "everything" that a church believes at one time, that is why we offer discipleship classes and small groups for anyone seeking a deeper relationship with God.

 

- What we believe…
 

…About God

We believe in one, eternal God. He is God alone and there are no other (g)ods. God has manifested Himself to us as the Father (in creation), through his SON (in redemption), and as the Holy Spirit (which dwells in us).

I Timothy 3:16, Ephesians 4:4-6, Colossians 2:9, I John 1:17

 

…About the Bible

We believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God to us, his creation. We believe it is true and infallible. We accept the Scriptures as the final authority in all matters of faith and conduct. As the food that sustains us in all circumstances.

John1:14, II Timothy 3:16-17, Hebrews 4:12, II Peter 1:20-21

 

…About Salvation

We believe that all men have sinned, therefore separating themselves from a holy God. Reconciliation with God happens through a 'new birth' by faith in Jesus Christ. We repent of our sins and are "born again" and become children of God.

Ephesians 2:8-10, Hebrews 11:6, John 3:1-7, Ephesians 1:13, I John 1:8-9

 

…About Baptisms

We believe that believers will follow the scripture and be water baptized, by immersion, in the Name of Jesus Christ. This is a spiritual 'surgery' on the heart of man. In water baptism we become identified with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Romans 6:3-6, Colossians 2:11-14, Acts 2:38

We believe in the baptism of the Holy Spirit with the sign of speaking in other tongues. The Holy Spirit remains active in the world today and the infilling of the Holy Spirit, with the accompanying gifts, is the privilege of all believers.

Acts 2:4, Romans 8:9-11, Acts 10:46, Acts 19:1-6

 

…About the Gifts of the Spirit

We believe in the manifestation of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. God ministers to His people through tongues, interpretation of tongues, prophecy; words of knowledge and wisdom, discerning of spirits, faith working of miracles and healing. We believe these gifts should mature under the authority of the church leaders.

Acts 5:16, I Corinthians 12:1-11


…About the Fruit of the Spirit

We believe that every believer will bear the fruit of the Spirit. God's gifts are sometimes easier to develop than His fruit. We believe everyone should observe the fruit of the Spirit in a believer's life.

John 13:35, Galatians 5:22-23

 

…About the Church

We believe the church is the believers, not a building. We believe the church represents the body of Christ on the earth. We believe the church is one body made up of many members, with different gifts and callings in the Holy Spirit. We believe the church should offer hope to all man-kind.
 
Mark 16:15, Hebrews 10:24-25, Romans 12:4-8, Ephesians 4:11-16

 

…About Praise & Worship

We believe in praising God in song, music, dance and the raising of our hands. We believe we worship God by learning of Him and interaction. We believe our daily lives are service, and so worship, involves our whole being.

Psalms 150:1-6, John 4:24, Matthew 4:10, I Corinthians 14:26

 

…About the Greatest Commandment

We believe the greatest commandment is to love Jesus Christ with our whole being AND love the people of our city as He loves us.

Matthew 22:36-40, Galatians 5:14, James 1:27, Deuteronomy 6:4-5

 

- Our History

World Harvest Community Church was founded in August of 1965 when Rev. W.L. Clayton conducted the first service with 13 people in attendance. The small congregation met in a 1,250 square foot block building located on Goodrich Road in Charleston Heights. (Goodrich Road later became West Montague Avenue.

In 1968 the 1,250 square foot block building, along with the 75' X 200' property was donated to the congregation for One Dollar. In September of that year a duplex apartment next to the church was purchased for classrooms. The Pastor and his family lived in one side of the duplex and the other side was used for Sunday School classrooms. This new building increased the overall building size to a total of 2,750 square feet and property size to 150' X 200'.

The summer of 1970 brought about the turning point in the church. After five years of struggling to get a new church established, a nine week revival was started with Rev. Chester Wright and his wife. On July 4, 1970 after weeks of consistent prayer, fasting and door knocking, 15 people were baptized in the Ashley River and this was said to be the beginning of a lasting revival that is still being felt in the church today. The foundation of the church was now laid with new members.

On October 18, 1970 the church broke the one hundred mark by having 113 in Sunday School. 0n August 19, 1973 a new record was set with 182 in Sunday School, and on December 22, 1974 the two hundred mark was almost conquered with 199, but it wasn't until March 30, 1975 that it was conquered with 254. On Easter Sunday 1975 the highest attendance was recorded with 307.

In February, 1975 a lot that joined the existing property on the back side facing Seiberling Road was purchased. Attendance records were being broken, property was being purchased and people were being born into the kingdom.

On February 8, 1976 a new Sunday School attendance record was set, with 366. In September of 1976, the church purchased three lots expanding the existing property on the Seiberling Road side. One lot with a trailer park was left to be conquered before the four lots on Seiberling Road could be joined together.

In July 1979, the church purchased the last lot in the center of the church property, giving us a solid block of five lots on Seiberling Road and two lots on Montague Avenue. With the new property, the church now owned approximately three acres of land.

In 1980, the name of the church was changed to World of Evangelism.

On April 10, 1982, Easter Sunday, the attendance in church was 455, setting a new record. The church was now full, the 25' X 50' building could not hold the people, so children's church was conducted every service to help with the crowded conditions. The church began plans to build, only to be stopped by the city due to incomplete sewage access in the area.

In 1983 the church came up with and alternative plan and the city approved it. A 2,508 square foot modular building was purchased and moved in to be used for a sanctuary with seating for 250 people. This now gave the church several buildings with over 5,000 square feet of space.

The Easter of 1985 again saw record breaking attendance, with 733 in Sunday School that day. The church continued to grow and was anticipating the day that new facilities could be built.

In November 1988, ground was broken for a new 10,800 square foot sanctuary and in September 1989 the first service was held in this 400 seat sanctuary with offices and classes. Another modular building was also purchased giving us two modular buildings. Each modular building was modified to make additional class rooms. The balcony was later finished increasing seating capacity to 600.

On Easter 1993 we started an Easter Drama entitled "No Greater Love". The following Easter 1994 we broke all records with 974 in attendance and now each Easter we have over 3,000 in attendance and new people brought into the church.

In 1995 Thomas Clayton assumed the role of full-time pastor, elevating W. L. Clayton to Senior Pastor and affording him the time and freedom to travel the state helping other churches.

In April 1997 the church incorporated under the name of World Harvest Ministries of Charleston, Inc. The church now operates numerous ministries within this corporation.

In November 1999 the church began a building project that would bring our sanctuary, classrooms, and offices under one roof. We are now nearing the completion of an additional 10,000 square feet to the existing building. The church complex now has over 20,000 square feet of space.

Bishop W.L. Clayton preached his last sermon on May 3, 2015, a sermon he loved to preach entitled "On the Other Side Of Faith". He went to be with the Lord a few weeks later on June 8, the vision is still alive and World Harvest Community Church is still growing.