Greater Life Ministries

The Clover Church of God was organized in October 1938 at the home of Mrs. Ruby Clinton on McConnell Street. Seven members united with the church that day. Rev. R.V. Dillingham was appointed as the first Pastor. This small group of worshippers held services in homes of the congregation members until January of 1939 when the use of the Hampton Mill's Community House was secured and used until a church could be built. The former property on Hampshire Lane was purchased and the first church building was completed in 1942.

The first parsonage was a three room house built in 1943 and two more rooms were added in 1944. With every year that passed, more and more progress was made. Souls were saved and added to the church. While Rev. Ben T. Sprouse was the Pastor, we had two great revivals that doubled the church membership. With such growth, a Youth Center Building was erected under the leadership of Rev. Ned Owens in 1957. The brick parsonage was built and remodeling of the church building was done in 1963 while Rev. H.G. Gray was the Pastor. The church membership reached 95 with more than 170 attending Sunday School. In 1971, Rev. James Goude came to Pastor at Clover. During his 19 years at Clover great things began to happen. Revivals and Outreach grew the congregation to over 200. A new Sanctuary was needed, this time with Central heating and Air Conditioning. The Church got to work selling everything from used goods at yard sales, to the never ending Chicken plates that most remember so much.

A design was completed, and in 1975 ground was broken on the new building. It was located in the parking lot of the 1942 building. In 1976 building was completed and while the church moved over to the new building, the old was torn down to make room for more parking. Also during this time, Pastor Goude remodeled the Parsonage, adding twice the square footage and doing most of the work himself. In less than ten years, the church burnt the note on the new building and was debt free! In 1990, Rev. Bobby Duncan came to Clover and immediately remodeled the church and helped us build the Family Life Center, purchased a van, and build a Youth Parsonage.

In 1994 when Rev. V.M. Hodges came to Clover, we purchased two more adjoining lots for parking and God gave us the vision to build a new church in order to expand our ministry. We purchased and paid off in record time, 8 acres on Filbery Hwy. In 2001 our new property was dedicated. In 2003, Pastor Milton Smith came to Clover. Signs were erected on our new property advertising to the community our intention to move. And then the work began. Realtors began promoting the property that we had occupied since 1942. The Church, Family Life Center, Parsonage, and adjoining lots were listed on the market. We were told it was a long shot. Many believed that we would never sell, but God in his wisdom, had a plan. In May 2005, the ministry staff of now 4 ministers decided along with the Church Council that God desired us to take a step of Faith.

Contractors were commissioned, the designs were drawn and we broke ground on our new property on June 12th, 2005. One month later, God sent the Will of God Ministries Church from Leslie to Clover looking for a place to worship. After two years on the market, and nearly a decade of dreaming, we sold our church property and moved into Clover Middle School Cafeteria. In the Middle School, we experienced unprecedented growth, both spiritually and numerically. Our youth ministry doubled. Our retention rate of first time visitors that eventually joined the church was nearly 70 percent. On October 1st, 2006, one year after our Passage Sunday celebration, we moved into our new ministry campus (phase one) on Filbert Hwy in Clover. Clover Church of God officially became Greater Life Ministries at Clover Church of God.

We are now worshipping weekly at the new facility and God is truly blessing. Dedication Sunday on December 3rd, 2006 saw a capacity house and a great celebration. The first phase building features a large narthex in the front with small office space, a functioning coffee shop, a 300 seat multi-purpose auditorium, an education hallway with complete children's area and a full service nursery, and a kitchen and fellowship area that will seat up to 60 at tables. Initial plans have begun on the second phase of a complete Children's center. Praise God for his faithfulness and favor!