OUR STORY

OUR VISION IS A WORLD WHERE NO ONE LIVES OR DIES WITHOUT CHRIST!

Harvest Intercontinental Church-Olney (formerly Bethel World Outreach Church—City of Hope) is a Christian church made up of families from more than 50 nations, committed to helping people discover God’s love, explore their purpose, and impact their community. We believe that every person is loved by God, and that God desires a personal relationship with them through Jesus. We’re on a mission to bring the message of Jesus to the whole world. Imperfect people are welcome here, because we’re imperfect ourselves. It’s a place where you can experience God’s move in your life, and watch Him move through your life.

MISSION

To win the lost at all cost, and make as many disciples for Christ as we possibly can in our generation!

OUR HISTORY


In 1990, a young Dr. Darlingston and Chrys Johnson were attending a pastor’s conference in the United States, from their native country Liberia. Shortly before their return to Liberia, a brutal civil war escalated in Liberia, closing all airports. Stranded, the Johnsons asked God for guidance, and he told them “Don’t be refugees, be missionaries.” With that, Harvest Intercontinental Ministries Unlimited (formerly Bethel World Outreach Ministries International) was founded in August 1990, in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area by Bishop Darlingston and Pastor Chrys Johnson. The first service of Harvest Intercontinental Church was held at Howard University’s Blackburn Center, with 17 persons present. A few months later, the church relocated to the Armory Place in Silver Spring, Maryland, and then in 1992, it moved to 8242-52 Georgia Avenue.

 

Our growth has been steady and significant. In 2007, we opened a new location in Clarksburg, Maryland meeting at Clarksburg High School, to meet the needs of the community in upper Montgomery County. Then in 2009, we acquired and renovated a YMCA building in the heart of the Montgomery Village Shopping Center in Gaithersburg, Maryland, and moved our Clarksburg services there. That facility was called Harvest North.

 

Today, God has blessed Harvest with its current location on 60 Acres of land in Olney, Maryland, complete with a 68,000 Square Foot educational building and a gymnasium. Harvest is a rich place to learn about other people and cultures. Today, more than 2000 members from over 50 countries around the world gather weekly. 

Through our focus on missions and church-planting initiatives, we are making an impact around the world with more than 350 churches planted in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, and South America.

 

In July 2020, we sensed the need to rebrand, clarify our vision, and renew our commitment to our mission. Thus, our name was changed from Bethel World Outreach Church—The City of Hope to Harvest Intercontinental Church-Olney.

 

We’re passionate about showing the love of Christ by establishing local churches in needy areas, conducting evangelistic and revival meetings, building schools, training centers, and clinics, providing humanitarian services to the needy, investing in economic empowerment projects, and developing capable leaders!