About WHC Elkhart

The history of many prominent Christian ministries begins humbly, and Rod Parsley’s is no exception.

He first taught the Bible to a congregation in 1977 in his parents’ back yard; 17 people attended the first service. Initially, there was no thought that the meetings would lead to the formation of a church. But the fledgling church family soon moved into rented facilities in a local warehouse, and within two years, property outside Pickerington, Ohio, was purchased for a permanent church site (the property was later used for many years as the campus of what is now Valor Christian College).

In 1986 the congregation – then known as Word of Life Church – purchased 57 acres in southeast Columbus. When the church moved into its current facilities, it was re-named World Harvest Church in honor of Pastor Parsley’s mentor and pastor, Dr. Lester Sumrall (who had been based in South Bend, Indiana, since 1963). Today it is the church home to more than 10,000 people.

World Harvest Church Elkhart was formed amidst much of the same excitement that surrounded the early years of World Harvest Church Columbus. The difference, of course, is that Pastor Parsley is no longer an action-oriented, energetic pastor in his 20s – he’s an action-oriented, energetic pastor in his early 60s, with more than 40 years of experience guiding people into a closer relationship with the living God.

The mission of World Harvest Church Elkhart stems from Pastor Parsley’s heart – to address and meet the specific needs of individual families. With a church family representing every age and ethnicity, we are eager to serve your family, provide you with opportunities to serve others and help you understand the living power of Jesus Christ.