Ministry History
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Apostolic Ministries began from a vision for ministry which God placed in Elder Alvin J. McCoy in July of 1979. At his kitchen table he shared the vision with Brother Stephen Bennefield and Brother Martin Magee and shared that he needed just two or three brothers to stand with him. Bennefield and Magee made a commitment that night and are still faithful members and leaders in this ministry.
Bible studies were started and the first regular service began July 25th in the home of Pastor and Sister Lisa McCoy. Pastor McCoy named the local church, Apostolic Assembly of Jesus Christ. The group grew quickly and six weeks later we began to worship at the Sandy Lake Borough Building. In just two weeks, on September 17, God provided a second floor apartment on Main Street, Sandy Lake, Pennsylvania for our worship center and later the first floor storefront.
While on an earlier missionary journey to Chiefland, Florida, a northern rural community, Elder McCoy established a mission church, Tabernacle of God. He set Elder James Pate as Pastor and the home church in Sandy Lake began to support the Chiefland ministry.
In February of 1980, the ministry was incorporated with the State of Pennsylvania as a non-profit and named Apostolic Ministries of Sandy Lake, PA, dba Apostolic Ministries, Inc. The ministry grew and purchased 4-1/4 acres of land just outside of Stoneboro, PA for a campground site where an open air pavilion was built and annual camp meeting services were held. During this time Pastor McCoy began biblical training on a collegiate level for six adult members and the Full Gospel Bible Institute was birthed.
Pastor A. J. McCoy heard from God through prophesy to begin ministry in his home town of Farrell, PA in 1981. In May of 1981, New and Living Way Center of Truth was birthed and had its start in a storefront at 519 Idaho Street. A year later, Pastor McCoy combined the Sandy Lake and Farrell churches in Farrell. We moved the church to a larger storefront at 404 Idaho keeping the 519 building for fellowship hall and other ministries. In 1986, we were blessed to purchase the Marks Music building at 705 Idaho St. and this became the new home of New & Living Way Center of Truth.
God continued to bless the ministry with growth and God blessed Bishop’s desire to acquire a church building for our ministry. In the fall of 1992, we purchased the Church building from Triumph the Church of the New Age on 927 Lee Avenue and the local church name was changed to New and Living Way Apostolic Church of Jesus Christ. A few years later the building was enlarged with a thirty foot extension to enlarge the sanctuary and add offices.
In the years following, God began to cause the vision for national ministry to unfold. In late 1999, Brother James Wardrop came and received the truth, was water baptized in Jesus’ name, became a part of Apostolic Ministries (AMI). Elder Wardrop then obeyed the voice of God through Bishop McCoy to begin New Heights Ministries in York, PA in early 2000. A short time later, Apostle Audrey Aikens of Raven Ministries, Swissvale, PA asked to be covered under Bishop McCoy and AMI. Pastor Ed Daily, connected with AMI through a personal friendship and prayer partnership with Bishop McCoy. He pastor’s Beth Emmanuel Fellowship in Sharon, PA and they have been financial supporters of AMI.
Pastor Pam Schnelzer and Shiloh Intrusion Ministries of Grove City, PA began fellowshiping with New and Living Way Church and were next to become a part of AMI. Pastor Allen Broom, Voice of Hope Ministries, of Virginia Beach, Virginia came to Farrell and was water baptized in Jesus’ name after he had received the truth through Bishop McCoy and he and his ministry became a part of AMI. In 2004, Breath of Life Ministries, New Castle, PA was founded by Pastor Jennifer Campbell and became a part of AMI. In November of 2004, Elder Anthony and Evangelist Janise Brown were ordained and licensed under AMI and began Shekinah Apostolic Worship Center in York, PA in 2005. Pastor Iva Sanford called Bishop McCoy in 2008 from Lawton, Oklahoma to ask him to provide a spiritual covering for Sure Faith Foundation Ministries which she pastored.
In mid 2009, Elder Sonja and Elder Jason Theodore, from headquarters heard the voice of God through Bishop McCoy and founded Re-digging the Foundation Ministries in Durham, NC. Pastor Rick Sprague, Solomon’s Porch Apostolic Assembly, Erie, PA, became a part of AMI in late 2009 after a God ordained reconnection with Bishop McCoy that began renewed fellowship. Also in late 2009, Pastor Walter Gillespie, embracing the apostolic truth, left the Baptist church, joined AMI, and began Word Church of Faith in Youngstown, Ohio. In early 2010, Elder Mark Neddeau started a ministry under AMI called Shepherd’s Flock Apostolic Church in Bluffton, Ohio.
Later in November of 2010, Elder Jeremy Davis, after being commissioned by Bishop McCoy, began a work in Northeast, PA called Eastern Gate Apostolic Assembly. At our 2011 Spring Conference in Erie, PA, Bishop T. L. Murdock, visiting from Michigan, felt directed of the Lord to become a part of AMI with his church, Christian Life Center Ministries of Bay City, Michigan. Pastor James Lewis, close friend of Bishop Murdock, brought some of his congregation, House of Prayer, Saginaw, Michigan, to our 2012 Spring Conference services in Bay City and a few months later joined AMI in December of 2012.
Most recently in 2014, Cathedral of Hope Spiritual of Apostolic Anointing in Youngstown, Ohio became a part of AMI after we met with their board at the request of their pastor, Pastor Paula Lockett-Harris. Due to the growth of Apostolic Ministries, in May of 2010, Bishop McCoy began renting a downtown professional office at 29 Vine Ave., in Sharon, PA to house the headquarters of Apostolic Ministries. This very ample and attractive office served the National Ministry well until March of this year.
Bishop McCoy knowing, through spiritual vision and prophesy, that God had something more for us, sought to renovate the J.A. Farrell school building for ministry. Due to lack of state funding and insurmountable costs to renovate, he redirected our focus to building a new worship center at the 927 Lee Avenue location. Even then, to build an appropriate facility to house our growing conferences was to be a challenge financially as well. Prophesy came to confirm that God would bless us to walk into the new building debt free and without a mortgage.
In February of 2014, God directed his visionary Bishop McCoy to seek a possible purchase of the former Jewish Temple at 840 Highland Road, Sharon, PA valued at over two million dollars. With the offer of what our ministry had raised for a down payment on a new building, the price was accepted. In March we walked in debt free and began services in the Greater New and Living Way Temple of the Apostolic Faith, the new name of our headquarters church and offices for Apostolic Ministries. We can truly say the “THE VISION HAS COME TO PASS BUT THE VISION IS YET SPEAKING”.
Bible studies were started and the first regular service began July 25th in the home of Pastor and Sister Lisa McCoy. Pastor McCoy named the local church, Apostolic Assembly of Jesus Christ. The group grew quickly and six weeks later we began to worship at the Sandy Lake Borough Building. In just two weeks, on September 17, God provided a second floor apartment on Main Street, Sandy Lake, Pennsylvania for our worship center and later the first floor storefront.
While on an earlier missionary journey to Chiefland, Florida, a northern rural community, Elder McCoy established a mission church, Tabernacle of God. He set Elder James Pate as Pastor and the home church in Sandy Lake began to support the Chiefland ministry.
In February of 1980, the ministry was incorporated with the State of Pennsylvania as a non-profit and named Apostolic Ministries of Sandy Lake, PA, dba Apostolic Ministries, Inc. The ministry grew and purchased 4-1/4 acres of land just outside of Stoneboro, PA for a campground site where an open air pavilion was built and annual camp meeting services were held. During this time Pastor McCoy began biblical training on a collegiate level for six adult members and the Full Gospel Bible Institute was birthed.
Pastor A. J. McCoy heard from God through prophesy to begin ministry in his home town of Farrell, PA in 1981. In May of 1981, New and Living Way Center of Truth was birthed and had its start in a storefront at 519 Idaho Street. A year later, Pastor McCoy combined the Sandy Lake and Farrell churches in Farrell. We moved the church to a larger storefront at 404 Idaho keeping the 519 building for fellowship hall and other ministries. In 1986, we were blessed to purchase the Marks Music building at 705 Idaho St. and this became the new home of New & Living Way Center of Truth.
God continued to bless the ministry with growth and God blessed Bishop’s desire to acquire a church building for our ministry. In the fall of 1992, we purchased the Church building from Triumph the Church of the New Age on 927 Lee Avenue and the local church name was changed to New and Living Way Apostolic Church of Jesus Christ. A few years later the building was enlarged with a thirty foot extension to enlarge the sanctuary and add offices.
In the years following, God began to cause the vision for national ministry to unfold. In late 1999, Brother James Wardrop came and received the truth, was water baptized in Jesus’ name, became a part of Apostolic Ministries (AMI). Elder Wardrop then obeyed the voice of God through Bishop McCoy to begin New Heights Ministries in York, PA in early 2000. A short time later, Apostle Audrey Aikens of Raven Ministries, Swissvale, PA asked to be covered under Bishop McCoy and AMI. Pastor Ed Daily, connected with AMI through a personal friendship and prayer partnership with Bishop McCoy. He pastor’s Beth Emmanuel Fellowship in Sharon, PA and they have been financial supporters of AMI.
Pastor Pam Schnelzer and Shiloh Intrusion Ministries of Grove City, PA began fellowshiping with New and Living Way Church and were next to become a part of AMI. Pastor Allen Broom, Voice of Hope Ministries, of Virginia Beach, Virginia came to Farrell and was water baptized in Jesus’ name after he had received the truth through Bishop McCoy and he and his ministry became a part of AMI. In 2004, Breath of Life Ministries, New Castle, PA was founded by Pastor Jennifer Campbell and became a part of AMI. In November of 2004, Elder Anthony and Evangelist Janise Brown were ordained and licensed under AMI and began Shekinah Apostolic Worship Center in York, PA in 2005. Pastor Iva Sanford called Bishop McCoy in 2008 from Lawton, Oklahoma to ask him to provide a spiritual covering for Sure Faith Foundation Ministries which she pastored.
In mid 2009, Elder Sonja and Elder Jason Theodore, from headquarters heard the voice of God through Bishop McCoy and founded Re-digging the Foundation Ministries in Durham, NC. Pastor Rick Sprague, Solomon’s Porch Apostolic Assembly, Erie, PA, became a part of AMI in late 2009 after a God ordained reconnection with Bishop McCoy that began renewed fellowship. Also in late 2009, Pastor Walter Gillespie, embracing the apostolic truth, left the Baptist church, joined AMI, and began Word Church of Faith in Youngstown, Ohio. In early 2010, Elder Mark Neddeau started a ministry under AMI called Shepherd’s Flock Apostolic Church in Bluffton, Ohio.
Later in November of 2010, Elder Jeremy Davis, after being commissioned by Bishop McCoy, began a work in Northeast, PA called Eastern Gate Apostolic Assembly. At our 2011 Spring Conference in Erie, PA, Bishop T. L. Murdock, visiting from Michigan, felt directed of the Lord to become a part of AMI with his church, Christian Life Center Ministries of Bay City, Michigan. Pastor James Lewis, close friend of Bishop Murdock, brought some of his congregation, House of Prayer, Saginaw, Michigan, to our 2012 Spring Conference services in Bay City and a few months later joined AMI in December of 2012.
Most recently in 2014, Cathedral of Hope Spiritual of Apostolic Anointing in Youngstown, Ohio became a part of AMI after we met with their board at the request of their pastor, Pastor Paula Lockett-Harris. Due to the growth of Apostolic Ministries, in May of 2010, Bishop McCoy began renting a downtown professional office at 29 Vine Ave., in Sharon, PA to house the headquarters of Apostolic Ministries. This very ample and attractive office served the National Ministry well until March of this year.
Bishop McCoy knowing, through spiritual vision and prophesy, that God had something more for us, sought to renovate the J.A. Farrell school building for ministry. Due to lack of state funding and insurmountable costs to renovate, he redirected our focus to building a new worship center at the 927 Lee Avenue location. Even then, to build an appropriate facility to house our growing conferences was to be a challenge financially as well. Prophesy came to confirm that God would bless us to walk into the new building debt free and without a mortgage.
In February of 2014, God directed his visionary Bishop McCoy to seek a possible purchase of the former Jewish Temple at 840 Highland Road, Sharon, PA valued at over two million dollars. With the offer of what our ministry had raised for a down payment on a new building, the price was accepted. In March we walked in debt free and began services in the Greater New and Living Way Temple of the Apostolic Faith, the new name of our headquarters church and offices for Apostolic Ministries. We can truly say the “THE VISION HAS COME TO PASS BUT THE VISION IS YET SPEAKING”.