James River Church discontinues Assemblies of God affiliation

James River Church, which has four southwest Missouri campuses, is discontinuing its affiliation with the Assemblies of God.

A statement issued by James River Church indicates its board of trustees made a recent decision regarding its relationship with the Assemblies of God, the national office of which is based in Springfield.

"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," the statement reads. "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."

A reason was not cited in the statement, and a James River Church spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment by deadline.

The Assemblies of God has nearly 13,000 U.S. churches with around 3 million members and adherents, and the denomination has 86 million global adherents, according to its website.

An Assemblies of God spokesperson this morning provided a statement to Springfield Business Journal.

"We are aware of the intentions announced at James River Church. James River has a rich legacy of ministry and service. Our prayers for God’s blessing and continued effective ministry remain with them," the statement reads.

Asked about potential impacts on funding to Assemblies of God, the spokesperson said that "churches in the Assemblies of God are not required to provide offerings or dues to the national office."

It's unclear if any voluntary donations would cease. The Assemblies of God spokesperson deferred further comment on the matter to James River Church.

James River Church's affiliation decision is not expected to impact James River College, a partnership between James River Church and Evangel University. That's according to Michael Kolstad, chief of staff and executive vice president at Evangel, which is affiliated with the Assemblies of God.

"We remain committed to continuing our collaboration with the church, and we do not foresee any impact on students currently enrolled in the leadership college," Kolstad said via email.

James River College's website indicates its accreditation comes through Evangel. Kolstad said James River College’s funding, which includes tuition and fees, government funds, scholarships and private donations, also is not expected to be impacted.

James River Church, led by John and Debbie Lindell for over three decades, has more than 16,000 in weekly attendance, according to its website.