The leadership of the Assemblies of God Church in Nigeria has issued a directive barring its pastors from marrying women who are not members of the denomination.
The instruction was announced by the church’s General Superintendent, the Reverend Dr Abel Amadi, at the 2026 Leaders’ Retreat held at Evangel Camp in Okpoto, Ebonyi State.
Addressing senior clergy and church leaders, Dr Amadi said district presbyteries had been directed to enforce the policy strictly, stressing that approval would no longer be granted for pastors to marry outside the Assemblies of God.
“No pastor should be allowed to marry outside the Assemblies of God,” he said, calling on church authorities to ensure compliance.
He encouraged pastors seeking marriage partners to do so within the church, even if it required looking beyond their immediate location.
According to him, pastors should be willing to search across different states until they find a suitable partner within the denomination, adding that such a spouse would be better positioned to support them in ministry.
The Assemblies of God Church is one of Nigeria’s largest Pentecostal denominations, with congregations across the country. The latest directive is expected to generate discussion among members about pastoral conduct, marriage, and denominational identity.
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