You Cannot Marry Outside The Denomination, Church Tells Its Pastors
The leadership of the Assemblies of God Church has issued a new directive prohibiting its pastors from marrying women who are not members of the denomination.
The announcement was made by the General Superintendent of the church, Rev. Abel Amadi, during the 2026 Leaders’ Retreat held at Evangel Camp, Okpoto, in Ebonyi State.
While addressing church leaders at the retreat, Rev. Amadi instructed district presbyteries to strictly enforce the policy, stressing that approval must not be granted for any pastor to marry outside the Assemblies of God.
“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 said.
He advised pastors in search of life partners to look within the denomination, encouraging them to explore different branches of the church across the country rather than seeking spouses elsewhere.
“If you go to Rivers State and don’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,” he said.
“As you continue, God will provide you with a woman who will support you in ministry,” Rev. Amadi added.
The directive applies strictly to pastors and does not affect ordinary church members.
Meanwhile, the policy has reportedly received support from some female members of the Assemblies of God Church in Umuahia and Aba. Speaking anonymously, the women expressed surprise that some pastors choose spouses from other
