A Word to the Fellowship

“The Sons of Issachar Understood the Times and Knew What Israel Ought to Do.” (1 Chron 12:32)

To my Pentecostal Assemblies of the World brothers and sisters,

Giving all honor to God, I greet you in the matchless, mighty, and saving name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

The world we live in has changed forever. COVID altered our congregations. Generations have drifted. Churches have closed. Attendance at our national conventions has waned, and some who once called this fellowship “home” are now looking elsewhere.

We stand at a defining crossroads. A world that once looked to us for direction is now asking whether we still have the voice that once changed nations. How do we re-engage a post-pandemic world, disciple new generations, and finance mission in a digital economy? The culture is shifting. The church is bleeding. Our youth are searching. Our communities are crying.

And yet, God still has a remnant that understands the times, and knows what the Church ought to do.

I believe the same God who founded this great movement is calling us to rise again. This is not the moment for retreat. It is the Kairos moment for rebuilding. Like the sons of Issachar, we must discern the time -- the political, cultural, generational, and spiritual tides -- and align our response with divine insight.

“Our heritage is not a museum -- it is a launching pad.”

We are the first Apostolic Pentecostal organization in the world -- not merely the oldest, but the first. The one that set the precedent, the pattern, and the purpose for global Apostolic witness. We must reclaim the weight and responsibility of that mantle.

We cannot stay where we are. We must rebuild. We must reimagine. We must reengage the world. Our next era demands more than preservation -- it demands prophetic innovation.

My vision is this: to build upon the rich legacy the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World has established, and to grow it as a unified, relevant, and globally visible Apostolic movement that transforms lives through spiritual power, social impact, and strategic innovation.

I hear you. I am ready. And with God’s help, I am asking you to build this with me.

Sincerely,
Bishop Richard D. Howell, Jr.
Candidate for Presiding Bishop
Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, Inc.