AG Credit Union Celebrates 75 Years

Dan Van Veen News

The Assemblies of God Credit Union (AGCU), which launched in 1951 as the General Council Credit Union and is currently celebrating its 75th year, began with a small bag of quarters. The quarters, garnered from a 25¢ entrance fee paid by about one-third of the employees of Gospel Publishing House (GPH) and a few Central Bible Institute (CBI) staff members, has resulted in a financial resource few could have imagined.

Originally located in a small room in the Assemblies of God National Office, then housed a couple of blocks from its present location in Springfield, Missouri, AGCU may have had humble beginnings, but through the years, has steadily grown in assets and ministry impact.

Initially limited to AG National Office and GPH employees as well as the staff of CBI (now part of Evangel University), as AGCU assets and capabilities increased, its membership field also expanded over the years to include missionaries, ordained ministers, the staff and students of AG institutions of higher learning, and others. Today, the credit union serves members in all 50 states and supports missionaries in 190 countries.

“We exist to be a strong, dependable, and effective resource in supporting the financial health of those at the forefront of delivering the gospel and fulfilling the Great Commission at home, in the community, across the nation, and around the world,” states AGCU President Peter Shiner. “This cornerstone reminds us that the resources entrusted to us are not the end goal; they are tools for greater Kingdom impact. Each loan, each share account, and each interaction becomes an opportunity to support those advancing the message of hope and salvation.”

According to an AGCU release, the credit union members are made up of “individuals and families driven by a calling to serve God through ingenuitive ministries, missions, and businesses rooted in relationship and faith.” In addition, in just the last 15 years alone, AGCU has given more than $2.5 million to ministries, scholarships, and humanitarian efforts around the world.

With more than $440 million in assets and over 18,000 members today, the Assemblies of God has witnessed God use faithful stewards and a few handfuls of quarters and turn the combination into a financial institution, solution, and champion with a global reach.

“We recognize that this work ultimately belongs to God,” Shiner says. “At the same time, we trust in His continued faithfulness, just as He has guided AGCU through the past 74 years.”

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