The beginning
When W. C. Hunter was a young man with a wife and children, the spirit of God dealt with him and burned His words into his heart. God chose him, poured His spirit into him, and taught him what to teach according to His word in the Holy Bible.
The ministry began in 1964, quite humbly, with the Holy Spirit inspiring Pastor Hunter to teach children on his front porch. He taught them about Jesus and His love. He also taught them to honor and to obey their parents. Noting the change in their children’s behavior, the parents themselves, interested in knowing just what their children were being taught, came and heard of Jesus and His love, explanations of the scriptures, and the revealing of the mysteries of God in His word.
For about two years, the little fellowship of the children and their parents grew. They met from house to house to hear the word of God. Eventually, the houses were too small to hold the growing congregation. With Jesus leading him, Pastor Hunter was directed to a storefront building on Blackford Street. The space was small and the seating was limited (one half of the building), but God provided. Someone called to ask Pastor Hunter if he could use more chairs. Of course, his response was yes.
Church services were held here three times a week: on Sunday morning and evening, Wednesday evening, and Friday evening. Church service was never cancelled due to any form of weather. The teaching of the word of God opened the hearts and eyes of many. The congregation grew with God’s anointing of faith and love. God filled those seats. Because of Jesus’ blessings, the church soon acquired the whole building, which had to be enlarged. During that time, church service was held in a tent… and the weather never interrupted service there either. After several months the renovations were complete, and the congregation returned to the building on Blackford Street for several more years.
The message of Jesus Christ began to spread as Pastor Hunter’s voice was heard on the radio,
“Good morning, friends and listeners. I come to you by the way of radio. I have a very, very, very, important message for you today. Open your Bible, and let us go into the word of God.”
To many, this was the first time that they had ever heard a preacher say, “Open your Bible and go into the word of God.” Not only was the word of God and the gospel of Jesus Christ being preached by Pastor Hunter on the radio but on television, too.
The church was named Church of the Living God. The name was taken from the scripture in I Timothy 3:15 “But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.” However, another church had the same name; thus, the name of the church changed to The World’s Church of the Living God. The reason is because the word of God is to be preached to the entire world.
The grace of God and His anointing taught Pastor Hunter as he grew and matured in the word of God. God led him in everything through the scriptures.
In 1968, the women of the church covered their heads with scarves (I Corinthians 11:2-16). Pastor Hunter had a vision which let him design the scarf. The scarf was white with a red cross on the forehead. The sisters wore the scarves in humility and humbleness of heart, signifying their love for Jesus and obedience to God’s word.
Moved again by God, Pastor Hunter designed a flag, which hangs in the W.C.L.G. ministries.
- The background of the flag is white, which represents the righteousness of the saints (Revelation 19:8).
- The name JESUS is in red letters in the center (Acts 4:12).
- There are 24 red drops that represent the blood of Jesus (Revelation 12:11) and twenty-four elders (Revelation 4:4).
- A symbol of 3 in 1 is royal blue, representing the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost (1 John 5:7-8).
- The twelve waves of water in royal blue represent the 12 tribes of Israel (Genesis 49:28).
- The gold fringe trimming represents the trials of faith of the saints (1 Peter 1:17).
After Pastor Hunter had designed the flag, God led him to Psalms 60:4.
Blessings and growth
In 1970, the church was incorporated, thus becoming The World’s Church of the Living God. During this time, sister/satellite churches were being established throughout the southeast. Ministers, having the same teaching that Pastor Hunter had taught since the beginning, were sent from the home church here in Chattanooga to other cities to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ.
In 1976, the church moved to Citico Avenue, to a property the church had acquired earlier. Yes, bigger, but still a storefront. The congregation worshipped there for only three years… quickly outgrowing that building. Again, the spirit of God through Jesus led Pastor Hunter to an actual church building that was for sale. Pastor Hunter asked God to bless us with that building, and He did. In November 1979, the congregation moved to its present church location at 2110 Glass Street.
Through the years, God blessed us to venture into many different avenues, and God has proven to us and this city that God IS FOR US. Though we may stumble and fall, we are more than conquerors through Jesus Christ who loves us.
The fact that souls are still being saved and that we are still together as one church under the living God is in itself a powerful and an irrefutable testimony of the power of God through Jesus Christ and our pastor and bishop whose zeal, love, dedication and steadfastness has been an inspiration to us all.
“Thank you, Jesus.”