Zarephath (pronounced ZARRA-fath) is an unincorporated area of Franklin Township in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. It was the communal home to the Pillar of Fire Church, and was the worldwide headquarters of Pillar of Fire International and housed the church’s college, Somerset Christian College, and radio station WAWZ-FM (Farm and Publishing facilities have not been in operation since the late 70’s). It is named after Zarephath, the place in the Bible where the “widow woman” sustained the prophet Elijah. Zarephath was a group of buildings located between the Delaware and Raritan Canal and the Millstone River. Following the 2011 flood, the College and all Pillar of Fire ministires were ordered to move, and the entire campus is slated for demoliton.
The site was originally a farm owned by Peter Workman Garretson in Franklin Township. Peter married Caroline Van Neste Field and she became a follower of Alma Bridwell White and donated the land to the church after meeting her. The church assumed all debts associated with the mortgage on the property, which were considerable, and in return it was agreed the church would take title to the land upon repayment of the mortgage. Zarephath takes its name from a phrase in 1Kings17, because White saw a parallel with the moving to a farm and the story of Elijah and a widow.