History

Holy City Church began as a story of two different congregations united around one gospel:

Holy City Church was a church planting effort aimed at Charleston, SC, and birthed out of Immanuel Baptist Church. Holy City Church Pastors Brian Powell and Drew McFarland were members of Immanuel Baptist and students of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY. The Holy City Church plant began as an idea in December 2014 and became a reality after Immanuel sent the Holy City Church plant team after many months of counsel and prayer from the Immanuel congregation and elders.

Harbor Light Baptist Church was a dying James Island congregation seeking greater health and gospel influence in the Charleston community. Harbor Light had a building and resources, but lacked pastoral leadership and church health. The lay leadership of Harbor Light Baptist recognized their need for a new vision and new direction, which caused them to reach out to the South Carolina Baptist Convention for help in accomplishing those needs.

In the summer of 2016, the South Carolina Baptist Convention asked the Holy City Church planters to “replant” into the Harbor Light Baptist congregation. In October 2016, Immanuel Baptist began sending elder-qualified men and their team to Charleston to plant Holy City Church on James Island.

Harbor Light Baptist and Holy City Church agreed to a rebirth covenant agreement and the corresponding replant merger was approved by both congregations in December 2016.

Holy City Church launched January 1, 2017 on James Island.