The leadership of the Assemblies of God Church has directed its pastors to refrain from marrying women who are not members of the Assemblies of God denomination.
According to reports, the directive was announced by the General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God, Rev. Abel Amadi, during the 2026 Leaders’ Retreat held at Evangel Camp, Okpoto, Ebonyi State.
Addressing leaders at the retreat, Rev. Amadi instructed district presbyteries to strictly enforce the policy, stressing that no approval should be granted to any pastor who intends to marry outside the church.
“No pastor should be allowed to marry outside the Assemblies of God. Presbytery, you must take note of this and ensure it is not allowed,” he stated.
The General Superintendent further encouraged pastors seeking marriage partners to search within the denomination across different states, rather than looking outside the church.
“If you have gone to Rivers State and you didn’t find one, go to Umuahia. If you don’t find one in Umuahia, go to Enugu. If you don’t find one in Enugu, go to Lagos.
“As you continue, God will provide you with a woman who will support you in ministry,” Amadi said.
The church leadership clarified that the directive applies strictly to pastors and does not extend to regular church members.
The announcement has since generated conversations within Christian circles, especially on issues of doctrine, unity, and pastoral discipline within the denomination.
