Overview
A team of full-timers from Columbia and Charlotte with the churches in the Carolinas are laboring to reestablish the Lord’s testimony in Charleston. The churches in Columbia and Charlotte received strong migrations while designated as GTCA target cities in 2021, affirming the Lord’s burden for the Carolinas.
I feel that we need to raise up a strong testimony of the Lord’s recovery in the southeastern and south-central regions of the United States, which compose the Bible Belt. In particular, we should spread the recovery in the following states: Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. If a thousand saints are gained by the Lord for His testimony in those states, it will be a significant advance of His move in this country. I believe that the Bible Belt may be the most crucial region in the United States. Certain regions in the United States in which the liberal culture is very prevailing may not be as strategic as the Bible Belt.
CWWL 1981 vol. 1, Carrying Out the New Testament Ministry, ch. 3, p. 37
In response to this, a prior migration to Charleston in the 1980s resulted in the establishment of the church in Charleston, which grew to about 25 saints until job relocations dispersed most of this initial group of saints. Today, there are 5-10 saints regularly meeting and ~20 warm door contacts. In addition, there are two sisters currently serving part-time in Charleston that are laboring in coordination with the full-timers from Columbia and Charlotte.
With its strong and growing economy, multitude of schools and colleges, and status as a cultural and touristic destination, Charleston is a crucial city in the Southeast for the Lord to have His testimony. Our burden for migration is to re-establish the Lord’s testimony as the church in Charleston through the addition of families and saints of all ages, particularly experienced brothers who can shepherd and oversee the growing church life here. Through migration, we pray the Lord could build together and vitalize the saints of all ages to bear fruit and labor as “one piece” among the local communities, colleges, and schools.
We are full of hope that through this 2026 GTCA designation the Lord will reestablish a strong local church as His testimony in this major metropolitan area in South Carolina!
Strategic Location
The saints in Charleston are very much strengthened and supported by the recent strong migrations to the Carolinas. There is regular in-person traffic and visitation, as well as much fellowship via Zoom, between the saints in Charleston and the saints in Columbia, where the church recently grew from 20 to 80 saints with a full-time team of eight as a result of Columbia’s 2022 GTCA designation. The work in Charleston is also supported by the churches in the Carolinas, with regular fellowship and involvement with full-timers from both Columbia and Charlotte.
| Drive Time | Localities |
|---|---|
| 2 hrs | South Carolina: Columbia |
| 3 hrs | South Carolina: Simpsonville North Carolina: Charlotte |
| 4 hrs | North Carolina: Raleigh, Chapel Hill Georgia: Athens Florida: Jacksonville |
| 5 hrs | Georgia: Atlanta |
Current Church Life
Today, there are 5-10 saints regularly gathering in Charleston and ~20 warm door contacts. Though the church life here is currently small in number, we have greatly enjoyed the Lord’s blessing as we pursue Him in a day-by-day and house-to-house way, enjoying Him together in the Word, ministry, and prayer for one another and gospel contacts. The saints gather most days of the week, meeting in the homes for Lord’s Day meetings and lunches, Wednesday sisters fellowships, and Saturday small group meetings. We also frequently meet for meals and appointments in 2s and 3s and outings with our young people and children.
Carolinas Blending Conference
In support of this GTCA designation, the churches in the Carolinas will host a Carolinas Blending Conference in Charleston January 16-18 which coincides with the FTTA gospel trip, which will begin in Charleston. We would like to warmly welcome any saints that would like to visit Charleston during this time to register for the conference and also stay for a BfA distribution, which will begin on the Martin Luther King holiday on January 19th and conclude the next day on the 20th. Information to register can be found on this page.
GTCA House and Blending Trips
In preparation for visitors and migrations to Charleston, a home in the Charleston area is also being prepared for hospitality. When combined with hospitality given by the local saints, this will boost the receiving capacity in Charleston to four to five families that can all visit at once. This will allow entire small groups to visit Charleston as a blending trip.
In addition to receiving saints for visitation and blending, we are also preparing materials and venues for the visiting saints to participate in the gospel and BfA distributions during their visit. This home can also be used for migrating saints to use during the house hunting process. You can register for a blending trip according to your availability at this form.
The City of Charleston
Overview
Founded in 1670, Charleston, South Carolina is a beautiful seaport city located approximately 2 hours from Columbia, South Carolina and Savannah, Georgia. According to U-Haul statistics released in 2025, South Carolina became for the first time the #1 most moved-to state in the U.S., surpassing Texas, Florida, and North Carolina. Charleston specifically has been ranked as a top migration city nationwide, thanks to its growing job market, affordable cost of living, and pleasant coastal climate. The Charleston area is in the top 10% fastest growing metropolitan areas in the country, and Travel + Leisure Magazine named Charleston the #1 Best City in the U.S. for twelve consecutive years.
Climate
Charleston enjoys a humid subtropical climate, with mild winters and warm to hot summers. Winter lows reach the 40s, while summers can peak in the low 90s, but the average temperature for the majority of the year remains in the pleasant range of 65-80 degrees, with an ocean breeze. Annually, Charleston receives 230-300 days of sunshine and rainfall of ~50 inches; snow and hurricanes are rare. Apart from occasional thunderstorms and hot days, Charleston’s climate allows for year-round outdoor life.
Economy and Major Employers
Charleston consistently ranks among the fastest growing cities in the U.S., enjoying steady population and job growth and significant investment from major employers looking to expand their Charleston presence. From 2020-2024, Charleston was ranked in the top 10% fastest-growing metro areas in the U.S. and in 2023 was ranked #1 fastest-growing metro economy for job growth.
Charleston’s diverse economy includes the industries of healthcare, military/defense, aerospace/aviation, manufacturing, hospitality/tourism, and construction. Major employers include Boeing, Joint Base Charleston (military), Bosch, Mercedes Benz, the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), and Roper St. Francis Healthcare. Several companies, including Boeing and MUSC, have recently invested hundreds of millions into expanding their Charleston operations, creating hundreds of jobs and driving the average annual 2.4% job growth rate.
College Campuses
The greater Charleston area is home to 10+ universities and colleges of varying size and specialty. The main schools include:
The College of Charleston: a public four-year university, ranked #4 Public University in the South. Enrollment: ~12,000 students
The Medical University of South Carolina: nationally ranked medical school also offering bachelor’s and master’s programs in nursing, physical therapy, pharmacy, public health, and more. Enrollment: ~3,200 students
The Citadel: public military college of South Carolina with bachelor’s and master’s programs. Ranked #1 Public School in the South. ~67% graduates do not enter the military and enter civilian careers. Enrollment: ~3,800 students
Trident Technical College: public community and technical college with five campuses, offering free technical courses to Charleston residents. Enrollment: ~12,000 students
The University of South Carolina (Columbia, SC): the largest university in South Carolina by enrollment, only two hours from Charleston. With the church in Columbia (~80 saints), full-time team of eight, and established campus work, USC is a great option for SC families/young people looking forward to college. Enrollment: ~56,000.
Schools
There are 120-140 elementary, middle, and high schools in the Charleston area, including public, magnet, charter, private, and specialized schools. Several, such as Academic Magnet High School and the Charleston School of the Arts, are ranked on the national and state level. There are also more than 20 active homeschool co-ops and support groups in the area.
Housing
The greater Charleston area offers a variety of housing types at a range of price points and is more affordable than many places in the country. The main areas of residence are downtown Charleston, West Ashley, and Summerville.
| Charleston | $2,070 | $645,000 |
| West Ashely | $1,451 | $499,000 |
| Summerville | $1,325 | $380,000 |
Relative to other urban metropolitan areas in the U.S., Charleston housing costs (renting & buying) are typically significantly lower:
| Charleston is: | 26% cheaper | 16% cheaper | 61% cheaper | 25% cheaper |
Comparisons of Cost of Living
While overall cost of living in Charleston is around the national average, it is notably more affordable than similar urban cities throughout the U.S. Housing prices in Charleston can vary depending on neighborhood, but other costs of living (groceries, utilities, transportation) tend to be lower than the national average.
Demographics
The city of Charleston has a population of ~165,000, making it the largest city by population in the state of South Carolina. The larger Charleston area (including North Charleston, Mount Pleasant, and Summerville) has a population of ~870,000. The largest ethnic groups are White (non-Hispanic) at 70.6% and Black/African-American at 17.3%.
Percentage that are Christians
South Carolina is a heavily Christian state, with ~76% of its population identifying as some form of Christian. Charleston County has the highest concentration of religiously unaffiliated citizens in the state, with about 24% claiming no religious affiliation. Nevertheless, Charleston has long been nicknamed “The Holy City,” due to centuries-old laws that promoted religious tolerance and encouraged a proliferation of Christian groups that historically were persecuted in other countries. We surely believe the Lord would like to bring the reality of this nickname to Charleston!
Heathcare
Charleston's healthcare landscape is strong relative to many U.S. cities, thanks to the presence of the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) and other leading hospitals and health systems. MUSC ranks among the top 13% of hospitals nationally and has been ranked South Carolina’s #1 hospital for the last eleven years.
Transportation
The greater Charleston area is connected by an extensive series of highways and is easily traveled by car. Nearby cities (Columbia, Savannah, etc.) are also easily accessible via highway and intercity traffic at non-peak hours is generally light.
The downtown area of Charleston is walkable and serviced by buses and shuttles from the Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA). The local Charleston International Airport (CHS) offers a variety of flight options across the country and beyond.
Contact Information
John Peng
(408) 310 0714
pengjc@gmail.com
Bobby Wood
(770) 855-1760
robertwood04@gmail.com