Our Story

In 1935, a Pentecostal evangelist found her way to Wanchese, North Carolina. Preaching under the anointing of the Holy Spirit, Deanie Bateman introduced the people of Wanchese not only to salvation through Jesus Christ, but also to the believers’ infilling of the Holy Spirit, with the evidence of speaking in other tongues as recorded in Acts 2:4. As Wanchese locals opened their doors to gather and hear this message, the Holy Spirit -- true to His nature -- met them in humble and unconventional spaces: “Tink” Tillett’s fish house, Gage Williams’ store, and the Wanchese Schoolhouse.

As the Gospel message spread and numbers grew, plans for building a church began. In 1938, George and Eta Daniels generously donated a parcel of land, and a small white church was erected with the suggestion that it be made portable. When a larger tract of land was purchased, the building was rolled down the road and deposited on the new church property. In 1941, the Full Gospel Church of Wanchese was born!

On November 15, 1944, the church of twenty-eight charter members applied to the General Council of the Assemblies of God in Springfield, Missouri, for recognition as a local assembly; acceptance into the Assemblies of God was granted just two months later.

In 1955, the church adopted the name Wanchese Assembly of God, under which it has continued to grow and develop ministries to share what it knows to be true: that the same gospel of Jesus Christ and the same Holy Spirit that transformed lives in a fish house in 1935 is still transforming lives today.