Over the years, the Assemblies of God has been frequently referred to as a “small church” fellowship. Notably, in Alabama, approximately 40% of our AG churches have Sunday morning aEendance that falls below 50 individuals. Furthermore, it is worth menHoning that around 100 Alabama AG churches are situated in rural areas, as defined by the Assemblies of God as communiHes with a populaHon of 10,000 or less. I like to think of these churches in “rural areas” as Dollar General stores, which are commonly found in many rural areas of Alabama and open their doors to rural communiHes to provide them with the common necessiHes of life. DG’s vision is to “Serve Others…” Our 100 Alabama AG churches located in the rural communiHes of Alabama are their to serve their communiHes. They opened their doors to provide the common spiritual necessiHes of their communiHes.
One of my passions, both during my tenure as the Alabama Ministry Network’s Mission Director and since, has been for the rural pastor and church. During my service in that capacity, we successfully established numerous churches in rural communiHes. As Superintendent, I conHnue to offer my prayers and firmly believe that we are empowering rural pastors and churches to effecHvely serve as ambassadors of the Kingdom of God. I commenced my pastoral ministry in a community with a populaHon of less than 10,000 and a congregaHon of 35 individuals. Notably, one-third of Assemblies of God churches in the United States have less than 50 aEendees. Furthermore, 80% of churches in the United States have less than 100 aEendees. So, small churches are a fact.
Here is some posiHve news: churches can be small and sHll be effecHve—they can thrive. Another fact is that churches do not necessarily have to remain small churches. Church growth isn’t simply about numbers—it can be about vision and mission. Small churches, by definiHon, would be churches from under 25 to 350, as defined by Karl Vater in “The Grasshopper Myth,” chapter 3.
I am not indicaHng that God has ordained your church to remain small. During my two-decade tenure as a pastor, I oversaw the growth of our congregaHon to over a thousand in aEendance. However, I am not implying that this is God’s ulHmate aspiraHon for your church. The imperaHve is for every pastor to receive divine guidance and lead their congregaHon toward fulfilling God’s intended purpose within their community.
Undoubtedly, Jesus Christ holds the promise of salvaHon for the world. The paramount objecHve of the church is to disseminate this hope and love to their communiHes. This purpose is not a personal choice but a divine mandate bestowed upon us by Jesus Christ. As He proclaimed, “I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (MaEhew 16:18).
I really sense God calling me back to that passion for the small or rural church in Alabama. I hope to lead us in a Rural Pastor’s Advance in Alabama believing for a supernatural impartaHon of the Great Commission passion for Alabama from border to border and community to community. I believe we can witness a New Testament revival among our churches located in smaller communiHes. I believe this will impact families and individuals resulHng in a Spiritual Awakening. Please join me in prayer as we seek the direcHon of the Holy Spirit leading us into a revival that impacts “every” community in Alabama. Can you believe with me for that?
Joel 2:28, “And it shall come to pass agerward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions….” Can we even fathom the profound impact if more than 100 rural churches were engulfed in flames fueled by divine passion? Let us unite in fervent prayer for an unprecedented outpouring of God’s grace during these tumultuous Hmes. It is not the size of a church that determines its desHny, but rather the magnitude of the vision and dreams of its leaders. Let us collecHvely strive to advance Alabama and bring about posiHve change.
Dream with me!
MICHAEL D. SHARP, D.MIN.
NETWORK SECRETARY-TREASURER
He Gave Pastors
“For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. 28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. 29 I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. 31 So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.” – The Apostle Paul, Acts 20:27-31
Pastor. In many segments of today’s Church, it has become a plastic word that you can shape as you will. Between our self-centered consumerist culture and our belief that we can redefine all things as we please, we simply evacuate a word of its true meaning and fill it with a meaning more conducive to our desires. We redefine it, reorient it, replace it in a text or context, and declare that it means whatever we say it means. The American church has done this with the word “pastor.”
This word has been redefined too many ways to count … “My pastor is the guy on my favorite podcast, but I’ve never met him. … Our pastor is the lady we hired to visit the sick so that we don’t have to … Our pastor makes his appearance, his delivery, and his people skills his top priorities. He’s great at snappy clichés and short sermons. … She uses a nugget of Scripture and tells lots of funny stories. … He’s a great pastor: Never offends anyone. We always leave feeling better about ourselves!”
Friends, it’s bad enough to redefine words and concepts in general. To do this with the truths of Scripture is a sin! For, when we do this we are rejecting what God has said, substituting our own words and definitions, and telling people, “This is what God meant.” We are putting our meanings in God’s mouth and claiming He meant them. We make God a liar. We become servants of the enemy and enemies of God’s Truth.
God gave pastors as the key leadership ministry gifts in the local church. In Ephesians 4:11 Paul calls them “pastors-and-teachers” which is best translated as Teaching Shepherds. Elsewhere they’re called pastors, elders, overseers, leaders, and teachers. Their focus was to be on prayer, study, preaching and teaching God’s Word, making disciples, and raising up leaders. With servants’ hearts they were to exercise the authority of undershepherds over God’s flock, warning, correcting, encouraging the flock. They were to be mature, watching their own lives and doctrine closely and guarding the flock, driving out savage wolves, false teachers, and false prophets. The words related to authority and rule are only used of the Twelve Apostles and the pastors/elders, and never with prophets, evangelists, deacons, or any other ministry. Pastors were to personally know their flock and be personally known by them. God exalted the ministry of these Teaching Shepherds and taught us to highly esteem them, imitate their faith, and to follow them as they follow Christ. This is what God calls a pastor. This is what God says a pastor – any kind of pastor anywhere on the pastoral team – will be and do.
Pastors, make much of your ministry. Such biblical, healthy pastoral ministry is the key to healthy local churches, and such churches are the indispensable base for every other ministry in the Kingdom of God. It was God who defined and gave real pastors. Let us never create, or receive, a counterfeit. Let us never reject God’s words because they’re no longer culturally cool. Don’t cooperate with the enemy’s plan to twist, deceive, and destroy. Believe what God’s Word says about you and about the ministry God has given you. Be and do what God calls “Pastor.”
DAVID STRAHAN, D. MIN.
Network Missions & Men's Director
Tuesday, April 29, at 9:30 am
Special Guest
Rev. Larry Henderson
Regional Director - Europe
Guest Speaker
Rev David Riley
Founder of Green & Raley Ministry Advancement Group
Monday, April 28, at 5:00 pm
Cost $25 per person
MAN UP! CONFERENCE SOUTH REGION
Man Up Conference - South Region, March 22nd, Fountain of Life, Saraland 4-7 pm. The cost is $10 per man. Join us for a time of food, games, worship and fellowship with guest speaker Brent Sparks, Lead Pastor of Encounter Church, Grove, TX.
Register at: www.almensministry.com under upcoming events.
GLOBAL IMPACT TRAINING
How do you challenge your church to engage the world with the gospel?
How do you lead your church to make an impact locally, regionally, nationally, and globally?
How do you lead your church to cultivate a generous heart?
How do you create a budget that reflects your missional goals?
How do you create a vision team to lead your church towards global impact?
Answers to these questions and more will be shared by incredible leaders who have led their churches and ministries through levels of growth to make an eternal global impact It is for pastors, pastoral staff, church leaders, and anyone who has a heart for missions Bring your team with you
It is FREE! But we need you to register For registration information, visit: www amnag org under events
DIRECTOR: CYNDI DRAUGHON
Gulf Coast Women’s Conference RECAP
Our hearts our full after the Gulf Coast Women’s Conference at Celebration Church in Fairhope. Thank you to everyone who attended, and especially to Pastors Johnny and April Hunt for welcoming us to Celebration Church. Jessica Bryan did an incredible job inspiring women with the Word of God. It is evident her heart for the Kingdom and God is using her ministry in a powerful way!
AMN CONFERENCE
Ladies
Join us Tuesday, April 29 at Evangel Church in Montgomery for our annual Ladies Luncheon. This is for all women in ministry! This year, our dear friend and evangelist, Rese Moore, will be our guest speaker. She has been a pastor’s wife, Women’s Director, Superintendent’s wife and so much more. I know she will be an encouragement to our women in ministry! We will also be celebrating the churches who gave in 2024 towards our Life Rally goal. We can’t wait to see you in Montgomery for the AMN Conference and especially at the Ladies Luncheon!
COST: $25
EMAIL TERRA RUSSELL FOR MORE INFO TRUSSELL@AMNAG.ORG
Luncheon
SPEAKER Rese Moore
LIFE RALLY TOUR
Women joining together to give our best for Missions
Saturday, March 1 10:30 AM TN Valley River Valley Church, Madison
Thursday, March 6 6:30 PM Montgomery Safe Harbor, Prattville
Tuesday, March 11 6:30 PM Sylacauga River of Life, Alex City
Thursday, March 13 6:30 PM Mobile Refuge Church, Mobile
Saturday, March 15 10:30 AM Demopolis Magnolia AG, Grove Hill
Tuesday, March 18 6:30 PM Monroeville East Brewton AG
Thursday, March 20 6:30 PM Tuscaloosa Tuscaloosa First AG
Friday, March 21 6:30 PM CST Phenix City Eufaula First AG
Saturday, March 22 10:30 AM Andalusia Sanford AG
Tuesday, March 25 4:00 PM Anniston Fellowship Church, Oxford
Thursday, March 27 6:30 PM Dothan Harpers Joy AG, Dothan
Friday, March 28 6:30 PM Cullman Life Springs AG, Jasper
Saturday, March 29 10:30 AM Baldwin County New Life AG, Spanish Fort
Tuesday, April 1 6:30 PM Enterprise Elba First AG
Saturday, April 5 11:00 AM Birmingham Pleasant Grove AG
2025 CHURCHES Grand Club
DIAMOND AWARD CHURCHES
Montgomery First AG
Vincent Revival Center
Phenix City First AG
New Life Assembly, Westover
Dothan First AG
River Valley Church, Madison
Newton First AG
Ozark First AG
($25,000+)
$100,377.16
$88,516.49
$74,744.23
$43,835.08
$39,605.70
$32,000.00
$30,676.00
$27,436.94
PLATINUM AWARD CHURCHES ($10,000-$24,999)
Ashland First AG
$21,753.95
The Island Church, Orange Beach $21,000.00
Harper's Joy AG, Dothan
Burns AG, Slocomb
CenterPointe AG, Mobile
El Bethel AG, New Brockton
Celebration Church of Fairhope
Jackson First AG
Crossroads AG, Albertsville
$17,000.00
$17,000.00
$16,035.65
$15,614.82
$15,000.00
$14,099.26
$13,790.83
Gospel Lighthouse AG, Semmes $13,228.36
Hartselle First AG
The Bridge Church, Cusseta
Fellowship Church, Oxford
Bethel Worship Center, Wetumpka
Weatherly Road AG, Huntsville
GOLD AWARD CHURCHES
Range AG, Repton
Lomax AG, Clanton
Anchors Church, Oneonta
Tuscaloosa First AG
Robertsdale First AG
Free Life Church, Creola
Foley Assembly of God
New Life AG, Athens
Refuge Church of Mobile
Enterprise First AG
Georgetown Assembly of God
Haw Hill AG, Brundidge
Pinedale AG, Clanton
Appleton First AG, Brewton
Lifechurch Birmingham
$13,020.38
$12,347.30
$11,230.00
$10,816.49
$10,064.06
($5,000-$9,999)
$9,930.46
$9,886.26
$9,753.05
$8,267.45
$8,120.00
$7,850.95
$7,692.29
$7,500.00
$7,000.00
$6,834.80
$6,564.90
$6,000.00
$6,000.00
$5,699.57
$5,422.25
Shady Grove AG, Samson $5,000.00
YOUTH MINISTRIES Alabama
SILVER AWARD CHURCHES
Thompson Chapel AG, Jemison
Calvary Temple AG, Saraland
Calvary AG, Mobile
Sunshine AG, Clanton
Florence First AG
($2,500-$4,999)
$4,790.00
$4,500.00
$4,298.46
$4,170.00
$4,167.05
Legacy Church, Gadsden $4,044.40
Coleman AG, Frisco City
$4,029.77
Agape AG, Eclectic $3,818.75
Mount Vernon AG, Elba $3,757.00
Lake City Assembly of God, Guntersville $3,595.38
Temple Assembly of God, Clanton $3,462.00
of Life Church, Saraland $3,416.68
Assembly of God, Bay Minette $3,374.86
Chapel AG, Coffee Springs $3,300.00 Knollwood Assembly of God, Mobile $3,275.00
First
Assembly of God, Montgomery $1,860.00 New Beginnings AG, Warrior $1,820.00 Elba First Assembly of God $1,772.95
Assembly of God, Mobile $1,679.33 Risen Life Church, Columbiana $1,600.00 Parkway Assembly of God, Mobile $1,500.00 Bethel Assembly of God, Ariton $1,494.00 Hanceville Assembly of God $1,283.00 Bayside Church, Mobile $1,200.00
Wooten Chapel, New Brockton $1,200.00
Southview Assembly, Opelika $1,200.00 Summerdale Assembly of God $1,130.00 Liberty Assembly of God, Millport $1,101.00 Daleville Assembly of God $1,069.79 Holloway Tabernacle, Coffee Springs $1,000.00
Tribes Native American Indian AG $1,000.00
First AG $1,000.00 Lighthouse AG, Union Springs $1,000.00
The Pentecostal – charismatic movement has been a prolific source for aberrant, heretical teachings and practices for over a century. One of the more successful misguided movements calls itself the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR). Originating in the 1940’s New Order of the Latter Rain, the NAR has many extreme or heretical doctrines and practices. These include the restoration of apostles and prophets equal to the Twelve, the necessity of submitting to NAR apostles and prophets for greatest anointing, obeying directive personal prophecy as essential for doing God’s will, the rise of an elite end-time generation who will do greater miracles than Jesus and the Twelve and conquer the world for God, the impartation of spiritual gifts at will by apostles and prophets, the importance of dreams, visions, and prophetic words as “present truth” equal to the Bible, and the list continually grows.
The Assemblies of God in 1949 officially rejected the Latter Rain movement as heterodox, unbiblical, and dangerous. For years the Latter Rain movement largely disappeared from view It resurfaced in the form of the NAR in the 1980’s. Promising end-time revival, greater spiritual power, and more spectacular supernatural experiences, the NAR has grown into an influential movement. It’s pervasive errors and excesses have hurt tens of thousands of people. This includes the heretical Seven Mountain Mandate movement which teaches that Christians should conquer and control the “seven mountains” of culture, including government. Many Christian scholars have condemned this movement.
Two recent books provide the most balanced, detailed analysis of the NAR ever done. These outstanding works are endorsed by such prominent Pentecostal scholars and leaders as Craig Keener, Amos Yong, Vinson Synan, Michael Clarensau, and others They present an in-depth evaluation of all NAR doctrines and practices, revealing NAR’s repeated misinterpretation of Scripture, and correctly explaining what all of the relevant biblical passages really mean.
The authors, R. Douglas Geivett and Holly Pivec, are Christian leaders active in ministry and apologetics. They believe in the continuing supernatural ministry of the Spirit. They accept NAR followers as fellow Christians trapped in serious doctrinal errors. Their evaluation is very fair, and therefore very devastating to the NAR. As you read you will encounter the leaders, language, teachings, and practices of the NAR. You will realize how deeply these erroneous beliefs have penetrated many Pentecostal churches and ministries. You will recognize the names of prominent ministers and ministries that are a part of the NAR. You will realize how unbiblical and how dangerous the NAR is for genuine, biblical Pentecostal life and practice. Every Pentecostal / charismatic minister and lay leader should read these books. If you are a discerning Pastor, teacher, or leader, then you love God, His Word, and His People, and you want to know the truth. These books tell the truth, truth that some Pentecostals / charismatics will not want to hear. I urge you to order them today.
God’s Super-Apostles: Encountering the Worldwide Prophets and Apostles Movement, R. Douglas Geivett and Holly Pivec, Wooster, OH: Weaver Book Company, 2014, 159 pages.
In this book the authors provide an introduction and overview of the NAR. All of the NAR’s major teachings and practices are examined and compared with Scripture. A glossary of NAR terminology equips the reader to recognize such terms as evidence of NAR influence. Lists of NAR teachers and organizations are provided. This book is excellent for pastoral teaching or for a small group study (under good leaders!). “If you have a loved one who has been drawn into this movement, or you want a brief and accurate introduction to it, or if you … simply want a brief introduction for yourself, this book is for you.”
A New Apostolic Reformation?: A Biblical Response to a Worldwide Movement, R. Douglas Geivett and Holly Pivec, Wooster, OH: Weaver Book Company, 2014, 254 pages.
In this book the authors go into greater depth. They examine the historical-theological origins of the NAR, its growth, its attempts to gain influence in politics and among other churches. They explore all unique NAR doctrines and practices including apostles, prophets, apostolic unity through church government, strategic level spiritual warfare, an elite end-time miracle working army of God, spectacular spiritual experiences, dominionism, and so forth. In every instance the authors exhaustively examine what the Bible actually teaches about all of these things, compare this to NAR teaching, and demonstrate the aberrant, dangerous, often heretical nature of the NAR. Every Pentecostal / charismatic pastor should read this book.
Michael D. Sharp, D.Min. Network Secretary-Treasurer ALSOM Director
Divorce and Remarriage as it Relates
to Credentialing
When applying for credentials, if either you or your current spouse have a previous spouse still living, the divorce(s) will have to be approved by the Executive Presbytery of the General Council before credentials can be granted. This would also apply if you remarry while credentialed after a divorce and/or if a new spouse has previously been divorced.
Five Areas of Divorce Recognition
Recognition Application
Preconversion Divorce
Abandonment of the Believer by the Unbeliever
Spousal Infidelity
Ecclesiastical Annulment
Domestic Violence
Description of Circumstances
This applies if the divorce occurred prior to your salvation.
For this to apply, all three of the following criteria must be met .
The applicant was a believer when the marriage ended. The former spouse was not a believer when the marriage ended.
The former spouse abandoned the marriage (This category does not allow for abandonment of the believer by a believer.)
This applies if your prior spouse was sexually unfaithful during the time of your marriage.
For this to apply, there must be clear evidence of deception, fraud, or other conditions which had a profound impact preventing the creation of a valid marriage union, unknown at the time of marriage by the applicant .
This would apply if your divorce was a result of your prior spouse being physically abusive toward you and/or a child (This category does not allow for emotional or verbal abuse.)
Our o ce is very willing to answer any questions you may have about the circumstances of your divorce and advise you on which path best matches your experience. Please reach out to our credentialing specialist , Jennifer Harris, with any questions you may have. jharris@amnag.org or 334-279-717 2 ext 103
Our new schedule layout is below. ALSOM students may take any cou rses needed during each quarter.
Quarter 1
January – March
Courses Open for Purchase: January 1
Last Day to Purchase: March 10th
Tests Must be Submitted by March 31st
Quarter 2
April – June
Courses Open for Purchase: April 1
Last Day to Purchase: June 10th
Tests Must be Submitted by June 30th
Quarter 3
July – September
Courses Open for Purchase: July 1
Last Day to Purchase: September 10 th
Tests Must be Submitted by September 30 th
Quarter 4
October – December
Courses Open for Purchase: October 1
Last Day to Purchase: December 10th
Tests Must be Submitted by December 31 st
Each quarter, we will post our entire ALSOM catalog for purchase. The courses required for each level of credentialing are listed below.
Level One (Certified)
BIB 214 Old Testament Survey
BIB 212 New Testament Survey
BIB 121 Introduction to Hermeneutics: How to Interpret the Bible
BIB 114 Christ in the Synoptic Gospels
THE 211 Introduction to Theology
THE 114 Introduction to Pentecostal Doctrine
THE 152 Assemblies of God History, Missions, and Governance
MIN 171 A Spirit-Empowered
Church: An Acts 2 Ministry Model
MIN 181 Relationships and Ethics in Ministry
MIN 191 Beginning Ministerial Internship
Level Two (Licensed)
BIB 115 Acts: The Holy Spirit at Work in Believers
BIB 117 Prison Epistles
BIB 215 Romans: Justification by Faith
THE 245 Eschatology: A Study of Things to Come
MIN 123 The Local Church in Evangelism
MIN 223 Introduction to Homiletics
MIN 251 Effective Leadership
MIN 261 Introduction to Assemblies of God Missions
MIN 281 Conflict Management for Church Leaders
MIN 291 Intermediate Ministerial Internship
Level Three (Ordained)
THE 311 Prayer and Worship
BIB 313 The Corinthian Correspondence
BIB 318 The Pentateuch
BIB 322 The Poetic Books
MIN 325 Preaching in the Contemporary World
MIN 327 Church Administration, Finance, and Law
MIN 381 Pastoral Ministry
MIN 391 Advanced Ministerial Internship
To enroll in an ALSOM course, please visit https://alsom.edvance360.com/. Across the top of the page, you will see several tabs. Click on “Store” to purchase a course. Once you add a course to your cart and proceed to check out, you will be prompted to login. If you are a first -time user, you will be asked to enter your email information. After you complete your purchase, an email will be sent to you to create a username and password. When you purchase the course, you will receive access to the course. To access the course, click on the tab “Courses.” This is where you will do all the work for your course. Each course has a pdf textbook. Some courses have additional content such as video lectures, PowerPoint presentations, and additional reading. Your test will come from content from all sources.
In Loving Memory of…
Rev. Marie Clay
Marie Clay, age 93, of Montgomery, Alabama passed away on Thursday, January 2, 2025. A family and friends visitation for Marie was held Thursday, January 9, 2025 at 10:00 AM at Leak Memory Chapel, 945 Lincoln Rd, Montgomery, Alabama 36109. Following the family and friends visitation was a celebration of life graveside at 11:00 AM at Greenwood Serenity Memorial Gardens, officiated by Rev. Jim Ingram.
Rev. Terry Daniel Linholm
Linholm, Rev. Terry, age 82, of Shelby, passed away on January 26, 2025. A visitation was held on Tuesday, January 28, 2025 at Bolton Funeral Home. A funeral service was held on Wednesday, January 29, 2025 also at Bolton Funeral Home. Rev. Ed Wilson is presiding.
Rev. LD Henderson
On Thursday, January 23rd, 2025, at the age of 86, Pastor LD Henderson moved from Mobile, Alabama to his heavenly home to be with the Lord he loved and served. LD was a husband, brother, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, a dear friend and beloved pastor. He was born on November 23, 1938, in Opp, Alabama. LD was the youngest of nine siblings who have all passed before him. He lived a life marked by kindness, service, and a deep love for the Lord and his family. He proudly served his country as a member of the United States Navy, a time he often spoke of with great respect and pride. After serving in the military, LD returned to Opp and married Mabel Jewel Fowler, his wife of 63 years. They established their new life together in Mobile, Alabama and became part of the church family at Parkway Assembly of God. God continued to bless LD and Mabel as they served as laypersons in the church while also both working secular jobs.
When LD was 48 years old, he received the divine call of God to pastoral ministry. He pursued his theological education and received his ordination with the Assemblies of God. LD served for 25 years as a layman teaching Sunday School, as a board member, serving in Royal Rangers and other ministries; then faithfully the last 37 years as pastor at Parkway Assembly of God. Although LD pastored with his wife Mabel within the community of Dauphin Island Parkway, their ministry and the reach of Parkway Assembly has impacted the world. He led the church through building programs while physically doing much of the work alongside sacrificial volunteers. Many have said that there was nothing LD couldn’t fix. Most importantly, there are untold numbers of people who have come to faith in Jesus both through the church and their missions reach around the world. God gave him a pastor’s heart because he truly loved people.
Transferred in: N/A
Deceased: Marie Clay
LD Henderson
Terry Linholm
MINISTERIAL CHANGES
Pastoral Changes: Tuscaloosa First – Brad Gaillard
New/Upgraded CredenHals: Andrew SHnson (C) Aron Rushing (L)
