- Assemblies of God pastors are now restricted to marrying within the church.
- Rev. Abel Amadi announced the directive at the 2026 leaders’ retreat in Ebonyi.
- District presbyteries were ordered to enforce the rule strictly.
- Female members say the decision is long overdue and justified.
The Assemblies of God Church has introduced a new marriage policy barring its pastors from marrying women outside the denomination, a move that has sparked conversations within the Christian community across Nigeria.
The directive was announced by the General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God Church, Rev. Abel Amadi, during the 2026 Leaders’ Retreat held at Evangel Camp, Okpoto, Ebonyi State.
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Speaking before church leaders, Rev. Amadi made it clear that the policy must be taken seriously, directing district presbyteries to ensure full compliance.
“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 further encouraged pastors who are yet to find marriage partners not to look beyond the denomination but to widen their search across different Assemblies of God locations nationwide.
“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,” Amadi stated.
“As you continue, God will provide you with a woman who will support you in ministry.”
The church leadership clarified that the directive applies strictly to pastors and does not affect regular church members.
Meanwhile, the decision has reportedly received support from some female members of the Assemblies of God Church, particularly in Umuahia and Aba.
The women, who spoke anonymously, expressed surprise that some pastors still seek spouses from other denominations despite the presence of many eligible women within the church.
According to them, the policy would help strengthen unity, shared beliefs, and understanding within pastoral families.
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