James River Church Announces Sudden Exit from AOG, Stunning Denominational Leaders
One of the world’s largest Assemblies of God churches has announced they are leaving the denomination, blindsiding the national office with the news and leaving officials reeling at their departure.
James River Church in Springfield, Missouri, is a 16,000-member multisite led by John Lindell. During the church’s weekly Wednesday evening service, Lindell told congregants they were formally cutting ties after the Board of Trustees unanimously voted to leave.
Notably, the board is comprised of only four people: Lindell and three others he appointed. They told KY3 in a statement:
“Recently, the James River Church Board of Trustees reached the decision to discontinue our formal denominational affiliation with the Assemblies of God. We are thankful for the Assemblies of God, and we intend to continue partnering with the Assemblies of God in a variety of ways – including our continued support of missionaries and missions efforts to take the Gospel around the world.
James River Church is not changing its doctrine, and the church remains committed to preaching the Bible and impacting the local community and the world for the cause of Christ.”
According to the Christian Post, an associate in the AOG’s national office who wasn’t authorized to speak revealed they were blindsided by the news.
“They informed everyone, public and AOG alike, at their Wednesday evening service,” the official said.
There was also no indication from the Missouri megachurch that they were planning to leave the denomination, the official said.
“There is no kind of dispute. There was no kind of ongoing situation. They just announced it, and that was it,” the representative said.
Likewise, an official who we’ve granted anonymity told Protestia, “We never saw it coming.”
James River has been the center of several national controversies, including Lindell lying about a woman’s toes being regrown at a healing event at their church, being rebuked onstage by Mark Driscoll over some shirtless sword swallowers they brought in for conference entertainment, and their infamous Stronger Men’s Conferences, which have featured monster truck rallies, bull-riding, a strongman show, motocross, dunk contests, and cage fighting, with some of their past highlights seen below.
There's a Christian conference "for men" in Missouri and it's just as cringe as you'd imagine. Tickets for the "Stronger Men's Conference" are $119 and Josh Hawley is one of the guest speakers. pic.twitter.com/VtQCUCo3e5
— Fifty Shades of Whey (@davenewworld_2) April 30, 2022
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