About thetabernaclewc.org
Apostle Charley Johnson
Apostle Dr. Charley Levern Johnson, Sr. is the Founder and Pastor Emeritus of Tabernacle Worship Center in Darlington, South Carolina. On August 25, 2019, he retired after faithfully serving as Senior Pastor for fifty-one years. He now continues to serve as a Pastoral Counselor, ministering at his leisure while remaining deeply committed to the spiritual well-being of others.
Apostle Johnson attributes the success and longevity of his ministry not to personal achievements, but to his unwavering love for people and his hands-on approach to service. For over five decades, he has devoted himself as a servant of God to the religious, educational, and humanitarian advancement of the Darlington community and beyond.
In addition to his pastoral leadership, he has made significant contributions in civic and public service. He served as President of the Darlington County NAACP, spent eight years in the United States Army, and dedicated eighteen years to law enforcement.
As a man of God, Apostle Johnson is known for preaching a powerful, authentic, and transformative gospel. His ministry has been a source of healing and restoration—like a balm in Gilead—to those experiencing brokenness and hardship. Through the power of God, lives have been changed, with many experiencing salvation, deliverance, and spiritual renewal. His ministry transcends cultural and ethnic boundaries, reaching people from all walks of life. A defining hallmark of his service has been the laying on of hands for the infilling of the Holy Ghost.
He is also the Founder and Presiding Prelate/Chief Apostle of the Omega True Vine Pentecostal Holiness Churches of God, Inc., and the founder of Omega True Vine Pentecostal Holiness Church in Atlanta, Georgia. His leadership extends to roles such as President and Vice President of the Second Sunday Fellowship Association—where he was affectionately known as the “Son of the Fellowship”—as well as Vice President of the Darlington Ministerial Alliance.
A lifelong learner and dedicated scholar, Apostle Johnson earned a Bachelor of Theology degree and received an Honorary Doctorate from Cathedral Bible College. He has also completed advanced training in Waste Water Management and the Criminal Justice Academy.
Reflecting on over fifty-two years of pastoral ministry, Apostle Johnson considers his greatest accomplishment to be the people he has mentored and impacted—not the buildings. He believes that true ministry is rooted in loving, caring for, and nurturing others, which cultivates the heart of a true shepherd. His life’s journey has earned him widespread respect, admiration, and countless blessings across the nation.
Firm in his faith, Apostle Johnson remains confident in his salvation and unwavering in his belief in a risen Savior. His obedience to God and reliance on the Holy Spirit have enabled him to preach, teach, and minister effectively for more than five decades.
Apostle Johnson has been married to his beloved wife, Lorene “Honey” Gattison, for sixty years. Together, they are blessed with five children, twelve grandchildren, twenty-nine great-grandchildren, and the cherished memory of one grandchild who has passed.