BREAKING: Dominion Energy Gifts 8 Acres to Word of God Church in Historic Father’s Day Ceremony
- CUBNSC
- Jun 15
- 3 min read
Columbia, SC – June 15, 2025
CUBNSC/New Progressive Journal
In an unprecedented act of faith-based corporate partnership, Dominion Energy South Carolina gifted 8.2 acres of prime commercial land to Word of God Church and Ministries International during its 2025 Father’s Day worship service. The property—located directly across from the church’s Diamond Lane campus along Broad River Road—represents the largest single land contribution received by the Word of God Community Development Corporation.
Bishop Eric Warren Davis, Senior Pastor of Word of God Church, reflected on the moment with deep emotion and clarity of purpose.
“People once told me to bulldoze this property on Broad River They couldn’t see the value, but we did,” Davis said. “We saw value in this community and in the lives of the people here, and we’ve continued to invest millions—not with grants or outside help, but through what the Lord provided to us.”
Word of God Church’s transformation of the property at 110 Diamond Lane into a thriving hub for worship, athletics, and economic outreach has been nothing short of remarkable. During the pandemic, while many institutions shuttered, the church was building.
“We built knowing that our youth would need somewhere to go when this was all over,” Davis told the congregation. Today, the church hosts over 30 athletic tournaments annually in the only private NCAA-certified facility in the city.
The land gift originated from a meeting with Broad River Business Alliance (BRBA) President Javar Juarez, who informed church leadership of a worsening homelessness issue on the vacant property behind Lizard’s Thicket. The site had become a commune with growing concerns of drug use and environmental hazards. Once alerted, Dominion Energy promptly cleared the land and began conversations that would later lead to the historic transfer.
Bishop Davis shared that after standing on the cleared land, “The Lord gave me a vision.” He then instructed his team to reach out to Dominion Energy. “My spiritual and corporate senses kicked in,” he said. “I believed that God wanted Dominion to give us that land. The Bible says, ‘You have not because you ask not.’ So we asked.”
W. Keller Kissam, President of Dominion Energy South Carolina, recounted that initial meeting with Bishop Davis in vivid detail.
“When I met the Bishop, it was an amazing day. What a gift from God he is,” Kissam said. “I did my research. I watched the sermons. I saw a man of God and a congregation that lifted up the name of Jesus Christ. That’s when I knew—we had to do something different.”
Speaking before the congregation, Kissam described the spiritual significance of the gesture, likening the land to the rocky soil upon which Jesus said he would build his church.
“Some might assess the land in worldly terms, but when the Lord sees it, he sees rocky land ready to be used as a foundation,” he said.
In recognition of Dominion’s contribution, Word of God Church and Ministries’ Community Development Corporation awarded the company the 1st Annual SCEPTER Award—Strategic Community and Economic Partnership Recognition. The citation praised Dominion for its
“unwavering commitment to impactful community development” and its “transformative investment in the future of the Broad River District.”
The new acreage, positioned along one of Columbia’s most vital commercial corridors, comes at a pivotal moment. Despite limited public investment in the 29210 area code from Richland County, Word of God has emerged as a beacon of hope—demonstrating how faith, vision, and community resolve can drive real transformation.
Bishop Davis emphasized that this expansion is not simply about growing the church’s footprint, but about restoring dignity to the region.
"God has given us Dominion." - Bishop Eric Davis
With Dominion Energy’s deed in hand and a growing coalition of strategic partners, Word of God Church is poised to lead a new era of development in Columbia’s Broad River District—an era defined not by demolition, but by divine reconstruction.
Watch the Full Service Here: Dominion Energy Land Gift – Word of God Church (YouTube)
CUBNSC ARCHIVE OF WACH FOX 57 ORIGINAL STORY ABOUT THE HOMELESS CAMP ON BROAD RIVER ROAD 29210 NOW LAND DONATED BY DOMINION ENERGY.
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