Affirming Pentecostal Church International

Affirming Pentecostal Church International (APCI) is a Pentecostal denomination. It was founded December 5, 2010 in Indianapolis, Indiana.[1][2] APCI has established congregations in the US, Albania, Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, Portugal, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Ecuador, Nigeria, Ghana, Argentina, South Africa, United Kingdom, Cuba and Guatemala, and is working toward establishing churches in Montenegro, Ethiopia,Cameroon, Madagascar,Taiwan and Trinidad. APCI also has extensive ministries in Nigeria, through their Chicago church, High Praises International Ministries.[1][2] The church holds General Conference each year, usually in July.[2]

Leadership

Bishop Erik D. Swope-Wise is the Presiding Bishop, and Bishop Alfredo Pena is Associate Bishop. Temporal authority, however, is vested in the General Board, which includes Bishop Jabowa Whitehead (Overseer General), Ref. Jessica Jackson (treasurer) and Rev. Kelsey Swope-Wise (General secretary).[1][2]

Beliefs

APCI is a fully affirming church open to all persons. Unlike most Pentecostal churches, APCI is LGBT-affirming. Their anti-discrimination policy includes numerous categories, including race, sexual orientation, and gender identity.[1][2]

In matters of doctrine, their beliefs are similar to those of most Pentecostal churches: the deity of Christ, water baptism by full immersion in the name of the father and the son and the Holy Spirit which is Jesus Christ for forgiveness of sins, the baptism of the Holy Ghost, and holiness of life and heart. APCI adheres firmly to these teachings, and does not give ministerial credentials to those holding other beliefs.

Unlike most other Pentecostal churches, APCI does not believe that being homosexual, bisexual or transgender is sinful. They base this view on their understanding of the Hebrew and Greek texts of scripture, as do other LGBT Affirming Apostolic organizations.

Newsletter

APCI publishes a quarterly newsletter in PDF format, The Apostolic Voice, which is distributed free of charge via email and online.

Churches

APCI churches in the US include:

  • Radical Hope Ministries, Birmingham, AL
  • New Foundation Christian Fellowship, Phoenix, AZ
  • The Rock Outreach, Phoenix, AZ
  • Affirming Pentecostal Church, Bakersfield, CA (cell group)
  • Rivers of Life, Tifton, GA
  • High Praises International Ministries, Chicago, IL
  • The Effective Church, Indianapolis, IN
  • The Meeting Place, LaPorte, IN
  • Greater Love Ministries, New Orleans, LA
  • The EDGE Church, Jackson, MS
  • New Sanctuary Worship Center, Las Vegas, NV
  • Affirming Pentecostal Church, Albuquerque, NM
  • Redefined Ministries, Columbus, OH
  • The Citadel, East Orange, NJ
  • Mi Fortaleza es Dios, San Juan, Puerto Rico
  • The Eclectic Worship Center, Austin, TX (cell group)
  • Corpus Christi APC, Corpus Christi, TX
  • New Beginnings Christian Community Church, San Antonio, TX
  • Family of God Church, San Antonio, TX
  • Nuevo Comenzar Iglesia de la Comunidad Cristiana, San Antonio, TX
  • HOPE Ministries, Milwaukee, WI (cell group)

Some APCI churches outside the US include:

  • Iglesia Abagta Shalom, Mexico City, Mexico
  • Vasos De Honra, Puebla, Chiapas, Mexico
  • Affirming Pentecostal Church, Mérida, Mexico
  • Affirming Pentecostal Church, Guerrero, Mexico
  • Affirming Pentecostal Church, Mexicali, Mexico
  • Iglesia Alfa y Omega, Mexico City, Mexico
  • Puertas Abiertas, Mexico City, Mexico
  • Affirming Pentecostal Church, Pachuca, Mexico
  • Affirming Pentecostal Church, Querétaro, Mexico
  • Shalom Affirming Pentecostal Church, Tuxtla, Mexico
  • Affirming Pentecostal Church, Veracruz, Mexico
  • Affirming Pentecostal Church, Bogota, Colombia
  • Comunidad Viva, Bogata, Columbia
  • Affirming Pentecostal Church, Villa Vincencio, Colombia
  • Affirming Pentecostal Church, Lisbon, Portugal
  • Affirming Pentecostal Church, São Paulo, Brazil
  • Iglesia Pentecostal Mision de Conquista, Guatemala City, Guatemala
  • Affirming Pentecostal Church, Villanueva, Guatemala
  • Affirming Pentecostal Church, Santo Domingo, Dominica Republic
  • Ministerios "Del Mismo Padre", Guayaquil, Ecuador
  • APC, Bungoma, Kenya*
  • APC, Eldoret, Kenya *
  • APC, Nairobi, Kenya *
  • APC, Ruiru, Kenya *
  • APC, Mombasa, Kenya *
  • APC, Akabo, Nigeria *
  • APC, Lagos, Nigeria *
  • Affirming Pentecostal Church, Lagos, Nigeria
  • APC, Onitsha, Nigeria *
  • Pakistan Holy Fire Church, Punjab, Pakistan
  • Christ Church, Punjab, Pakistan
  • Affirming Pentecostal Church, Lima, Peru
  • Affirming Pentecostal Church, Johannesburg, South Africa
  • Affirming Pentecostal Church, Ficksburg, South Africa
  • APC, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania *
  • APC, Kampala, Uganda *
  • APC, Kawempe, Uganda *
  • APC, Wobulezi, Uganda *
  • Hope APC, Montevideo, Uruguay
  • Affirming Pentecostal Church, Caracas, Venezuela
  • Affirming Pentecostal Church, Polamar, Venezuela
  • APC, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe *
  • APC, Aburi, Ghana *
  • APC, Accra, Ghana *
  • APC, Akrofo, Ghana *
  • APC, Akwadum, Ghana *
  • APC, Amyima, Ghana *
  • APC, Amyinasin, Ghana *
  • APC, Asamankese, Ghana *
  • APC, Bomah, Ghana *
  • APC, Chuchiliga, Ghana *
  • APC, Fumbisi, Ghaha *
  • APC, Gbedemah Ghana *
  • APC, Ho, Ghana *
  • APC, Hohoe, Ghana *
  • APC, Kadema, Ghana *
  • APC, Koforidua-Agbogri, Ghana *
  • APC, Koforidua-Central, Ghana*
  • APC, Kute, Ghana *
  • APC, Kwabeng, Ghana *
  • APC, Moseaso, Ghana *
  • APC, Mwaluarinsa, Ghana *
  • APC, Nankese, Ghana *
  • APC, Navorongo, Ghana *
  • APC, Nkurakan, Ghana *
  • APC, Nkwanta, Ghana *
  • APC, Nwasi, Ghana *
  • APC, Sandema, Ghana *
  • APC, Sehwi-Dwenese, Ghana *
  • APC, Sehwi-Wiawso, Ghana *
  • APC, Shum, Ghana *
  • APC, Yepaala, Ghana *
  • APC, Weaisa, Ghana *
  • APC, Wiaga Cho, Ghana *
  • APC, Wiaga Tisogso, Ghana *
  • APC, Alley, Ghana *
  • Those churches indicated with an (*) are unnamed specifically due to the security issues in their countries.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 ">> social sciences >> Apostolic Pentecostals". glbtq. Archived from the original on 2012-07-30. Retrieved 2011-06-10.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 http://www.myapci.org
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