AGFinancial Celebrates 25th Anniversary

Serving more than 66,000 individuals and 4,000 ministries across the United States, AGFinancial is celebrating its 25th year of supporting churches, ministers, and individuals.

Established in 1998, its original purpose was to integrate the stewardship and financial service ministries of the Assemblies of God. A quarter century later, AGFinancial is now an industry-leading financial institution that helps connect faith and finances for individuals, families, churches, and other ministries.

Wayne Blackburn, pastor of Victory Church in Lakeland, Florida, was a founding board member of AGFinancial and continues to faithfully serve. Recalling the earliest days of AGFinancial, he remarks “Some didn’t understand the concept; however, [then General Superintendent] Tom Trask got approval from the executive presbyters to move forward and AGFinancial was born.”

That “concept” was to consolidate the three main financial service organizations of the AG under one professional management organization that could leverage the strengths of each while better serving the constituency. AG leadership had the foresight to recruit financial professionals with a calling to faith-based business. Their aim? To manage the newly formed organization, maximizing God-given resources toward God-given goals.

“It has been a joy and a thrill to see what has come together under the Lord’s direction,” reflects former General Superintendent Thomas Trask.

Quite a bit has come together since the company’s earnest beginning. AGFinancial has grown its assets under management from $700 million to $10.2 billion, and has loaned over $8.1 billion in resources to more than 12,000 ministry partners, according to recent communication from Gerald Hindy, CEO. He states, “I count it an honor and privilege to serve thousands of ministers, ministries and support the National Office in all they do to expand the Kingdom.”

“As a result of staying true to the original vision, it has become one of the finest financial institutions in the nation,” continues Blackburn.

At the heart of that vision is the mission of operating as a resource to fuel Kindgom growth. Those resources have evolved over time to include church loans, investments, retirement, planned giving, and insurance. AGFinancial’s aim is to operate as a crossroads of business and ministry. This intersection is what General Superintendent Doug Clay says has led thousands to choose AGFinancial.

Ryan Visconti, lead pastor at Generation Church, co-founded the church in 2014 with his father, Randy Visconti. The church has grown into a multi-site congregation, earning the title of Fastest Growing Church in Arizona in 2018 and 2020 by Outreach magazine.

Visconti believes this growth would have been stifled had it not been for the support received from AGFinancial. “They were able to recognize that we were in a unique stage of rapid growth, and came up with a plan that worked for us.”

Multi-site Chapelhill Church in northwest Georgia began with a big vision. A key component of that vision was to find a partner who would commit to the long-haul. “We needed [someone] willing to meet with us, believe in us, and to build a long-term relationship with us,” remembers Dave Divine, Senior Pastor. “AGFinancial leadership sat down with us in those early days, and they continue to be our friends and partner today.”

“God has blessed this organization,” observes Jeremy Johnson, Lead Pastor of North Point Church in Springfield, Missouri, “and it has in turn been a blessing to different ministries.”

‘Connect your faith & finances,’ prominent in a variety of AGFinancial information, is perhaps the simplest way to describe the company’s ambition. Displaying a dollar bill, founding AGFinancial board member, Dr. Richard Hammar indicates two words in Latin. “On the obverse side appears the phrase, ‘Annuit coeptis,’ which means ‘He favors our undertaking.’ I think of AGFinancial every time I see that. It’s a constant reminder.”

“AGFinancial has helped the Assemblies of God grow into a thriving network of churches,” concludes Superintendent Clay. “My prayer is that the Lord would continue to grow His kingdom as the AGFinancial team continues to be obedient and faithful to Him.”