First Apostolic Church was founded by a group of people who met on June 19, 2012 with a burden to establish a church in Magnolia, Arkansas, where they could maintain a place of worship with people of like faith. The members began having services in their homes. On June 24, 2012, the church held their first service at Union Street Station where they continued to have services until they purchased a building with land in August 2012 where the church still resides today. Rev. Gary Becton was elected to serve as the first pastor of FAC on September 4, 2012. He faithfully served this assembly until his retirement on May 31, 2020.
Meet the Pastor
Rev. Jeremy Motes was elected to serve as Pastor of First Apostolic Church on July 22, 2020. Prior to accepting the role as Pastor, his family attended the First Pentecostal Church of North Little Rock, Arkansas where they faithfully and actively served in various areas of ministry. Although Pastor Motes felt a call to preach as a young child, he ran from the idea of ever becoming a preacher after his father passed away when he was 12 years old. He and his wife, Hannah, married in 2004 and began building their life together. They have three children, Delaney, Maddox, and Lexi who have proven to be dedicated to the work of God. Realizing that you cannot run from God forever, Pastor Motes preached his first message in 2012. Since that time, he has continued to grow and let God open doors in his life. He left his career of 14 years as a Sales Executive with the United States Postal Service to assume the work of God full time as a Pastor. The Motes Family is humbled and excited to serve at First Apostolic Church and is looking forward to what God has in store for the city of Magnolia and surrounding areas.
What We Believe
The very first thing you have to do to be saved is to believe. John 3:16 says, For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Hebrews 11:6 continues on to say, but without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and the he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. We must first believe but there is more! First Apostolic Church holds fast to the truths in the Bible and aligns with the Book of Acts church. In Acts 2:37, for the first time ever recorded, Peter, the man with the keys to the kingdom, was asked how to be saved.
“Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:38).
Repentance
We must also confess our sins according to I John 1:9 and Romans 10:9, so we can be forgiven of our sins and be saved. Many people believe confession and repentance is one in the same, but true repentance must follow confession. Confession is admitting wrong doings. Repentance is being sorry for those wrong doings and turning away from them. In Luke 13:3 and 13:5 Jesus speaks saying, “I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. We all are flesh and fall short of the glory of God. We must be renewed daily (1 Corinthians 15:31). The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).
One God
The Bible clearly lets us know that there is only one God. Deuteronomy 6:4 says, Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord. Ephesians 4:5-6 also lets us know there is only One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. Isaiah 9:6 is known as the birth certificate and the foretelling of the Savior Christ Jesus. The scripture reads that he will be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father and The Prince of Peace. And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory (1 Timothy 3:16).
Baptism
Scripture lets us know in Mark 16:16 that he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. This scripture is complemented by 1 Peter 3:21, “The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” On the day of Pentecost, when Peter was asked what must we do to be saved, he clearly let us know that we must repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins. Throughout the rest of the scriptures in the Bible, every time someone was baptized, they were baptized in the name of Jesus.
Separation
Once we have the Spirit of God living inside of us, He expects us to come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you (2 Corinthians 6:17). We are to be separate and be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God (Romans 12:2). We are a chosen people, separated from the world; and we should live a holy life both inwardly and outwardly (2 Cor. 6:17-18).
Spirit Infilling
According to John 3:5, Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. Paul also stated in Romans 8:9, that if you are not spirit filled then you are not of God. With Jesus and Paul being so direct regarding the infilling of His spirit, we understand that this is a vital part of salvation. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit (John 3:8). Once we receive the gift of the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:38) with the evidence of speaking in tongues (Acts 10:46), then we will live in a newness of life and be led by the Spirit.
The Promise
In Acts 2:39, the Bible lets us know that the promise is for you, your children and their children. It is for ALL who the Lord our God will call. It does not matter what your background, race or ethnicity is, the promise is for YOU. In the last days there will be a great multitude of all nations, kindreds, people and languages standing before the throne (Revelation 7:9). Acts 2:17 also lets us know that it shall come to pass in the last days that God will pour out His Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.
