World Harvest Church
Encyclopedia
World Harvest Church is an international pentecostal megachurch
founded in Columbus, Ohio
that is pastored by Rod Parsley
.
First started in 1977 in Rod Parsley's parent's backyard, the church consisted of 17 people. Two years later Parsley bought property for the church to be built on. 180 people were attending at this point. In 1982 the seating was doubled. The number of people was so large that a second Sunday morning service was added. This influenced Parsley to upgrade the church, and in 1984 1200 more seats were added. Now sitting on Gender Road in Columbus, Ohio, the church seats over 5,200 people and contains an auditorium, a television studio, a children's ministry that includes Sunday school for children newborn to 6th grade, Harvest Preparatory School, and administrative offices. The church sits on 57 acres (230,671 m²) and is 122000 square feet (11,334.2 m²). It was built by Roe Messner
. Parsley's Breakthrough television program is taped at the church. Breakthrough is a program put on by the church.
The church also incorporates Valor Christian College
, a young, co-educational institution located outside Columbus, three miles (5 km) from its parent church.
Breakthrough is carried on 1,400 stations and cable affiliates, including Daystar Television Network
and Trinity Broadcasting Network
. The broadcast is also available internationally on the HotBird6 and Thaicom 3 satellites.
, on property originally built by World Harvest Church.It is accredited by the Association of Independent Christian Colleges & Seminaries which is not recognized by the United States Department of Education
, According to its website it has applicant status with the Association of Biblical Higher Education and is authorized by the Ohio State Board of Career Colleges and Schools to offer Associate of Applied Science degrees and diplomas in Bible and ministry-related studies.
. The IRS does not comment publicly on potential or ongoing investigations, therefore it is not known if anything came of the request.
The Church and the teacher were found liable in a lawsuit brought by the parents of the 2 year old child for causing injury while spanking the child. The jury awarded the family US$5 million in punitive damages, and US$999,100 in compensatory damages, reduced at appeal: "On May 23, 2008, the trial court entered a final judgment of $2,871,431.87 in favor of plaintiffs. WHC is solely liable for $2,789,066.87 of the judgment; Vaughan is primarily liable, and WHC secondarily liable, for the remaining $82,365 in compensatory damages entered against Vaughan.".
39.891454°N 82.828068°W
Megachurch
A megachurch is a church having 2,000 or more in average weekend attendance. The Hartford Institute's database lists more than 1,300 such Protestant churches in the United States. According to that data, approximately 50 churches on the list have attendance ranging from 10,000 to 47,000...
founded in Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
that is pastored by Rod Parsley
Rod Parsley
Rodney Lee Parsley is a prominent American Christian minister, author, television host and evangelist. He is senior pastor of World Harvest Church, a large Pentecostal church in Columbus, Ohio and founder and president of The Center for Moral Clarity, a right-wing Christian grassroots advocacy...
.
First started in 1977 in Rod Parsley's parent's backyard, the church consisted of 17 people. Two years later Parsley bought property for the church to be built on. 180 people were attending at this point. In 1982 the seating was doubled. The number of people was so large that a second Sunday morning service was added. This influenced Parsley to upgrade the church, and in 1984 1200 more seats were added. Now sitting on Gender Road in Columbus, Ohio, the church seats over 5,200 people and contains an auditorium, a television studio, a children's ministry that includes Sunday school for children newborn to 6th grade, Harvest Preparatory School, and administrative offices. The church sits on 57 acres (230,671 m²) and is 122000 square feet (11,334.2 m²). It was built by Roe Messner
Roe Messner
Ronald Roe Messner is an American building contractor who has built more than 1,700 churches, including several megachurches....
. Parsley's Breakthrough television program is taped at the church. Breakthrough is a program put on by the church.
The church also incorporates Valor Christian College
Valor Christian College
Valor Christian College is a private Bible college associated with the World Harvest Church. The campus is located in Canal Winchester, Ohio, approximately southeast of Columbus, Ohio, on property originally built by World Harvest Church...
, a young, co-educational institution located outside Columbus, three miles (5 km) from its parent church.
Breakthrough
Breakthrough is the television ministry of World Harvest Church. It airs twice a day, six days a week, and is available in 97 percent of the United States and in most other nations. The show features Parsley's sermons as well as interviews with guests, often in front of a studio audience. The programs are produced from a studio on the church's Columbus campus that was formally dedicated in August 2008. Its facilities rival those of local network affiliates in the city.Breakthrough is carried on 1,400 stations and cable affiliates, including Daystar Television Network
Daystar Television Network
The Daystar Television Network is an American evangelical Christian television religious broadcasting network headquartered near Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex in Bedford, Texas...
and Trinity Broadcasting Network
Trinity Broadcasting Network
The Trinity Broadcasting Network is a major American Christian television network. TBN is based in Costa Mesa, California, with auxiliary studio facilities in Irving, Texas; Hendersonville, Tennessee; Gadsden, Alabama; Decatur, Georgia; Miami, Florida; Tulsa, Oklahoma; Orlando, Florida; and New...
. The broadcast is also available internationally on the HotBird6 and Thaicom 3 satellites.
Valor Christian College
This is a Bible school and general studies college associated with the World Harvest Church located in Columbus, OhioColumbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
, on property originally built by World Harvest Church.It is accredited by the Association of Independent Christian Colleges & Seminaries which is not recognized by the United States Department of Education
United States Department of Education
The United States Department of Education, also referred to as ED or the ED for Education Department, is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government...
, According to its website it has applicant status with the Association of Biblical Higher Education and is authorized by the Ohio State Board of Career Colleges and Schools to offer Associate of Applied Science degrees and diplomas in Bible and ministry-related studies.
IRS Investigation
A group of churches and synagogues from Columbus requested that the IRS perform an inquiry about the church's political activities. The group accused the church of illegally campaigning on the behalf of former Ohio Gubernatorial candidate Ken BlackwellKen Blackwell
John Kenneth Blackwell is an American politician and activist who served as the mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio from 1979 to 1980 and Ohio Secretary of State from 1999 to 2007. A Republican, he was the first African-American to be the candidate for governor of a major party in Ohio. In 2006, Blackwell...
. The IRS does not comment publicly on potential or ongoing investigations, therefore it is not known if anything came of the request.
An allegation of child abuse
A family noticed injuries on their 2 year old son after attending the on site daycare at the church in January 2006. They believed he was struck with a ruler while under the care of a teacher in the employ of the church. When the parents brought the injuries to the attention of the church, they were banned from the property and threatened with criminal trespassing charges if they ever returned.The Church and the teacher were found liable in a lawsuit brought by the parents of the 2 year old child for causing injury while spanking the child. The jury awarded the family US$5 million in punitive damages, and US$999,100 in compensatory damages, reduced at appeal: "On May 23, 2008, the trial court entered a final judgment of $2,871,431.87 in favor of plaintiffs. WHC is solely liable for $2,789,066.87 of the judgment; Vaughan is primarily liable, and WHC secondarily liable, for the remaining $82,365 in compensatory damages entered against Vaughan.".
External links
39.891454°N 82.828068°W