Empty church sanctuary with rows of blue chairs facing a stage that has a pulpit, a maroon chair, a piano, and a keyboard. There are two wall-mounted televisions and an emblem of the United Methodist Church on the wall behind the stage.

WHERE IT ALL BEGAN

In December 1994 God anointed Pastor Thigpen and his wife, Joyce to begin a church in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. Bishop Franklin Cornelius Showell of First Apostolic Faith Church of Baltimore, Maryland who is affiliated with the Bible Way Church Worldwide organization, commissioned Pastor Thigpen to start the work in Rocky Mount.

The first church home was acquired the latter part of January 1995. The location was Sunset Avenue in Rocky Mount. The congregation began to grow and needed more space. God gave Pastor Thigpen favor with a banker to assist Pastor and First Lady Thigpen in acquiring the loan for the new church on Tarboro Street. The congregation moved into their second church home, 1020 Tarboro Street in March of 1995, and the property was purchased October 1995. Through Bishop Showell and the Bible Way Church Worldwide organization, God elevated Elder Thigpen to District Elder.

In December of 1999, the church became incorporated and received its non-profit status in March of 2000. Also formed out of the church was a non-profit entity, E.K.T. Community Development Corporation that serves the community through education and training programs. The church at that time became affiliated with the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, Inc., and a part of the North Carolina State Council. Under the leadership of Bishop Marion E. Wright, Sr., Pastor Thigpen was promoted to District Elder in the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, Inc.

The ministry began to grow and eventually outgrew the church on Tarboro Street. With the expansion of programs and the growth of the Sunday School/Christian Education department, additional room was needed. Once again, God gave Pastor Thigpen favor with the pastor of the Church of God in Christ along with the vice president of First Carolina State Bank and assisted Pastor Thigpen and First Lady Thigpen in purchasing the church on Anderson Street.

God began to deal with District Elder Thigpen concerning a ministry in Greenville, North Carolina. In January of 2009, the ministry in Greenville held its first Sunday service. The church began in a small store-front building that held approximately 25 seats. Immediately the ministry began to grow, and was relocated to 669 S. Memorial Drive in Greenville.

After several years of growing the congregation, God led Pastor Thigpen to purchase a church building in Winterville, North Carolina, which is the current church home of Greater Works Church of the Apostolic Faith.