A Lifetime of Proclamation—Recognizing Evangelistic Legacy
British evangelist Smith Wigglesworth began his ministry in the early 1900s, but the impact of his faithfulness continues to ripple across the Assemblies of God and beyond. Wigglesworth was known for his bold faith, unwavering obedience to the Holy Spirit, and a passion to see lives transformed by the power of Jesus Christ. Those same values define the Smith Wigglesworth Legacy Award, the highest distinction given to Assemblies of God evangelists.
Established in 2020 to honor faithful, fruitful service, past recipients include Dave Roever, Nikki Cruz, Martha Tennison, Steve Hill, and others whose ministries have left an indelible mark on the Fellowship.
The 2025 recipients, recognized at the AG USA Evangelists Recharge Conference in November, are Mikel and Marsha French and Carl and Kathy Lussier. These couples have demonstrated a lifetime of faithful service in proclaiming the gospel.
“This award is to honor faithfulness, but also gives young, new evangelists people they can look to [who are] down the road,” says Tim Enloe, national evangelist representative.
MIKEL AND MARSHA FRENCH
Mikel French, a pastor’s son, felt God moving him toward ministry at the age of five, and fully stepped into his calling at 18, during a youth conference where the pastor delivered a message on surrendering to God. A few years later, he met Marsha, and together they traveled in ministry around the globe, eventually joined by their son Jon. Marsha passed away in 2025, but her influence remains inseparable from the ministry and legacy they built together.
French’s ministry has taken place around the world – from revivals in the U.S. to being one of the first AG ministers to arrive in the former Soviet Union after the Iron Curtain fell. He worked with Book of Hope (now OneHope) to spread the gospel. French has since visited and ministered in the nations of the former Soviet Union 144 times, with upcoming Easter crusades in St. Petersburg and Moscow. Countless lives have been touched by his words and ministry.
For most of their ministry, Mikel and Marsha traveled and served together. “She was the logistics person who made everything work smoothly. She was very spiritual and a woman of prayer; a friend to pastors and their families. The warm heart of the ministry,” according to Enloe.
During the Recharge Conference, General Superintendent Doug Clay shared a personal reflection on the Frenches’ impact: “[When I was] growing up, Mikel was a constant in the Bethel AG, Adrian, MI, ministry rotation. I’m pretty confident that there was never a series of meetings that God didn’t do something significant in my life through his ministry…It wasn’t just powerful preaching. It was the combination of the anointing of the Holy Spirit, with the Word of God, and then discernment to be able to flow in the Spirit to have people respond. Not just the Assemblies of God, but for my life personally, I will forever be grateful for the ministry of Mikel and Marsha French.”
CARL AND KATHY LUSSIER
Carl and Kathy Lussier have served in children’s ministry for more than forty years, most of those years through KidzTurn Ministries. Before stepping into full-time evangelism, they served as children’s pastors in a local church in Barton, Vermont, and they have carried that shepherding heart into every setting since. Starting with a simple RV touring the country, the Lussiers have ministered in the smallest AG churches to Camp GC at General Council and everywhere in between. Regardless of the context, their heart is the same: to see children build a relationship with Jesus Christ.
The Lussiers are Zion graduates (now Northpoint Bible College & Seminary) and raised four children while traveling and ministering, modeling family-centered faithfulness and long-term obedience. Each of their kids and their families continues to serve the Lord.
“Carl and Kathy have partnered and done everything together. They write [programs] together and serve in full partnership,” Enloe says.
Known for their ability to combine innovation with spiritual depth, the Lussiers have consistently remained relevant across generations. “They always merge messages with cutting-edge tech. From puppets in the past to computerized sets now. They balance the flash with deep spirituality and relationship. They are just as fresh now in their anointing and effectiveness as they were 40 years ago,” said Enloe
Clay highlighted the often-overlooked influence of children’s evangelists. “Often, kids evangelists fall through the cracks when it comes to appreciation, yet they have some of the most significant influence,” he said. “[for the] young kids who their biblical worldview has been shaped by your teaching and by your steadfast teaching of the Word of God. Thank you.”
The Wigglesworth Legacy Award not only recognizes decades of faithfulness but also points the next generation of evangelists toward lives shaped by obedience, humility, and Spirit-empowered proclamation. Like Wigglesworth himself, the Frenches and the Lussiers have lived to make Christ known, and their legacy continues to bear fruit now and in eternity.
