Associated Gospel Churches of Canada

{{Short description|Canadian evangelical Christian denomination}} {{Use Canadian English|date=May 2026}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2026}} {{Infobox Christian denomination |name = '''Associated Gospel Churches''' |image = Associated Gospel Churches logo retrace.png |imagewidth = 200px |alt = |caption = |founded_date = c. 1890 |founded_place = Ontario, Canada |separated_from = Salvation Army<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Draper |first1=Kenneth L |title=A People's Religion: P. W. Philpott and the Hamilton Christian Workers' Church |journal=Social History |date=2003-05-01 |volume=36 |issue=71 |page=106 |url=https://hssh.journals.yorku.ca/index.php/hssh/article/view/4438 |access-date=13 July 2025}}</ref> (1892) |main_classification = Protestant |orientation = Evangelical |theology = |polity = Congregationalist |leader = Bill Allan |area = Canada |website = [http://www.agcofcanada.com agcofcanada.com] | headquarters = Burlington, Ontario, Canada |congregations = 142 |footnotes = }}

The '''Associated Gospel Churches''', commonly known as '''AGC''', is a Canadian evangelical Christian denomination. It is affiliated with the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. The national headquarters are located in Burlington, Ontario, Canada.

== History == The Associated Gospel Churches began in the 1890s as a group of independent churches made up almost entirely of former Salvationists, in Ontario, Canada, that was joined together by a charter under the leadership of Dr. P. W. Philpott.<ref>Randall Herbert Balmer, ''Encyclopedia of Evangelicalism: Revised and expanded edition'', Baylor University Press, USA, 2004, p. 39</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Draper |first1=Kenneth L |title=A People's Religion: P. W. Philpott and the Hamilton Christian Workers' Church |journal=Social History |date=2003-05-01 |volume=36 |issue=71 |page=106 |url=https://hssh.journals.yorku.ca/index.php/hssh/article/view/4438 |access-date=13 July 2025}}</ref> In 1922, the group was named ''the Christian Workers' Church of Canada''. To differentiate itself from similarly named, but theological differing groups, the denomination was renamed ''Associated Gospel Churches'' in 1925.<ref>James H. Marsh, ''The Canadian Encyclopedia'', McClelland & Stewart, Canada, 1999, p. 798</ref> It was federally incorporated March 18, 1925.<ref>{{cite web|title=Federal Corporation Information|url=https://www.ic.gc.ca/app/scr/cc/CorporationsCanada/fdrlCrpDtls.html?corpId=309877&V_TOKEN=1306561755733&crpNm=gospel%20church&crpNmbr=&bsNmbr=|work=Corporations Canada|publisher=Industry Canada|accessdate=28 May 2011}}</ref>

The AGC began its first expansion outside of Ontario in 1940, when a group of churches based in Western Canada sought to affiliate themselves with AGC. This group of churches eventually became what is now known as ''AGC West Region''.

In 1944, the AGC began expanding its English language ministries into the Canadian province of Quebec, and began its first French language ministries in 1972.

In 2023, it had 142 churches.

300px|thumb|Canadian provinces in which the AGC has member churches

===Leadership=== In June 2018, a vote was taken at the AGC National Conference in Niagara Falls, Ontario, with a 99 per cent approval for Bill Allan to become the association's fifth full-time President.

Previous Presidents:

* Bill Fietje (2008-2018) * Bud Penner (2000-2008) * Don Hamilton (1989-1998) * Bill Sifft (1981-1989)

== AGC leadership == * Bill Allan - President of AGC * Tom Lambshead - AGC East Regional Director * Rob Cochrane - AGC West Regional Director * Del Gibbons - AGC Quebec Regional Director * Lorne Meisner - AGC West Associate Regional Director * John Garner - AGC East Associate Regional Director * Paul Brittain - National Coordinator of Doctrine & Credentials

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *[http://www.agcofcanada.com/ Associated Gospel Churches - Official website]

Category:Evangelicalism in Canada Category:Evangelical denominations in North America