October 2021 – “We have about eight ordained pastors on our AFA staff,” observed AFA president Tim Wildmon. “Some are bi-vocational, and the ones who aren’t, often have opportunities to preach in area churches.” Of course AFA founder Don Wildmon was also a pastor. From its beginning, he saw his calling to be giving Christians the information and encouragement to preach the gospel and provide discipleship in a worldly culture.
Freedom of religion has been a hallmark of the American culture since the nation’s 1776 founding. And freedom to preach the gospel uninhibited by government has long been a given. It is a freedom often taken for granted.
Remember the 2014 conflict in Texas when Houston Mayor Annise Parker ordered five pastors to submit manuscripts of recent sermons? Time magazine reported that the “openly gay” mayor was trying to learn what the pastors had said about a new city ordinance favoring LGBTQ rights.
More recently, California Gov. Gavin Newsom mounted a COVID-era campaign closing down churches at every turn. Fortunately, the U.S. Supreme Court recently ruled against some of Newsom’s oppressive attempts to throttle the influence of Christian faith in the state.
“But we know these kinds of attacks will continue as our culture turns to a more radical anti-moral climate,” Wildmon added. “That’s why we’re determined to help preserve the constitutional rights of our pastors to preach, and to partner with others to spread the gospel globally.”
AFA has long-standing partnerships with other ministries such as the Samaritan’s Purse Christmas Shoebox campaign that works through indigenous churches to take the gospel to children around the world. (See a related story here.)
Another annual partnership gets the spotlight each August when thousands of AFA/AFR supporters give to purchase Bibles that will be given free to U.S. high school students. All of AFA’s media outreaches cover these and other projects that further the spread of the Word of God. 
Visit afa.net to learn more.
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Core values
The following presents the core values of American Family Association. AFA desires that these values define and drive this ministry to transform culture by fulfilling the Great Commission.
▶ Evangelism and discipleship – AFA aims to evangelize the lost and disciple the believer.
▶ Marriage and family – AFA aims to strengthen biblical marriages and equip parents to raise godly children.
▶ Morality – AFA believes true morality flows from biblical principles and directs people to the manner in which God intends them to live.
▶ Sanctity of human life – AFA upholds the truth that all human beings, including the unborn, are created in the image of God and are worthy of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
▶ Stewardship – AFA believes that its ministry, as well as everything in the heavens and on earth, belongs to God, and AFA’s role in it all is that of a trusted manager.
▶ Religious liberty – AFA believes that all men and women, whether in private or public, should be free to exercise their faith without hindrance from the government.
