A Spark for Revival

In 1975, at the age of 3, Marsha Mofid Mansour immigrated with her parents from Egypt to Brooklyn, New York. As Christians, it had been difficult to find work and the family believed their little girl would have more opportunities to thrive in the United States.

Mansour began attending International Christian Center, accepted Christ, and enjoyed the preaching of Ben Crandall (later president of Zion Bible Institute and pastor at Times Square Church).

“I saw miracles as a young child and was sold out on the belief that God wants to heal us — body, mind, and soul,” says Mansour, who says she sensed a call to ministry at age 9.

Baptized in the Holy Spirit at 11, she then went on street outreaches where she led converts to Jesus. By 15, she taught Sunday School, spoke to youth groups, and directed prayer meetings.

At 12, Mansour gained acceptance into the High School of Performing Arts in New York City, a public alternative high school featured in the 1980 movie Fame. She honed her speaking skills at the school, where she interacted with students from a multitude of nationalities. She attended Zion Bible Institute (now Northpoint Bible College).

After graduation, she obtained Assemblies of God ministerial credentials and returned to work in her home church for two years. She learned of the need at an Arabic church in Bayonne, New Jersey, for a children’s and youth worker, due to the lack of female leaders in the Arabic world. While Mansour understood Arabic well, speaking it proved challenging. Nevertheless, the youth group soon grew to 200 attendees during her time there.

In 2005, Mansour became children’s pastor at Evangel Church in Scotch Plains, New Jersey. This assignment led her to the role of family life pastor and counseling pastor, which opened doors for her to advance to a broader preaching ministry. Her leadership developed further by leading 13 missions teams to Tanzania, Kenya, Southern Asia, and Mexico. She also recruited a team of 300 volunteers to provide a traveling vacation Bible school to other churches that lacked resources. Last September, Mansour spoke to a gathering of Christians at the United Nations. More than 200 international workers experienced her Pentecostal preaching.

Mansour has written two books, The Courage to Live in 2015 and The Courage to Lead in 2019. Mansour has felt called to respond to a gnawing question she first had as a child: Why do people walk in to church and walk out the very same? Consequently, last year she stepped out in faith to become a full-time itinerant revivalist and Assemblies of God evangelist.

Evangel Church commissioned her to this new assignment after her 15 years of pastoral service there.

“Her deep sensitivity to the Holy Spirit connects with people,” says pastor Chris Morante. “God has taken all of her life experience to prepare her for this moment. While we didn’t want to release her, she has found her ‘sweet spot.’ She is a spark for the fire of revival.”

Ruthie Edgerly Oberg

Ruthie Edgerly Oberg is an ordained Assemblies of God minister and fourth generation Pentecostal. She served in senior and associate pastoral roles for 25 years. Oberg speaks at national conferences and local churches.