About Us

What is The Apostolic Gospel Church?
The Apostolic Gospel Church in Ramsaytown has one of the more unique histories in Jefferson County.

The church building, “located on the “point” in Ramsaytown, was originally owned by the Church of God. According to a history of Ramsaytown compiled by Meade Fitzsimmons, the church dates back to the early 1900s, if not earlier.

Early in 1907, according to Fitzsimmons, “the Church of God was just recently built. The congregation had been using a hall as a meeting place but it burned down, so they went to the other churches for a while. They had a building in Elenora [McCalmont Township]. Most of the congregation were in Ramsaytown. Some of the leaders decided to go over there and take that building apart and remove it over to Ramsaytown, which they did and erected it again. Their preacher, Rev. Yates, took charge. They have had a number of different ministers and have a real nice church building and a working congregation growing in number and they are friendly people.”
Little more is known about the church until 1996, when the building, which had stood vacant for several years, was sold to Bishop John Varner of Washington.

The Apostolic Gospel Church in Ramsaytown was established on July 27, 1996. The church doctrine is founded upon the prophets’ and disciples’ teachings and writings, with the Lord Jesus Christ being the chief cornerstone. “Our neighbors said it would not last six months,” said Elder Rex M. Slaughter, pastor of the church. “I said if God is in it, the church will last. One day while I was praying about the church, the Lord gave me this promise from Jeremiah 42:10: If ye will still abide in this land, then will I build you, and not pull you down, and I will plant you, and not pluck you up. Today we are beginning our 15th year. We welcome everyone to join us at 8:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Sunday and at 7:30 p.m. on Thursdays,” he said.

The church’s only pastor, Elder Slaughter came from Columbus, OH, where he studied under Bishop Robert C. Bohn, Bishop Dayl Rowland, Bishop Dale Neeley and Bishop John Varner. He has a B.S. degree in social studies education from The Ohio State University and his doctor of divinity degree from Grace Apostolic College. His appointment as pastor of The Apostolic Gospel Church is a lifetime appointment.

The Apostolic Church was started when Jesus ascended into heaven, said Elder Slaughter. “The Lord Jesus Christ gave the apostles these instructions, ‘Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.’ The Lord also told them to wait until they were empowered by the Holy Ghost. When the Holy Ghost fell on the disciples and they began to teach in the city of Jerusalem is when the first Apostolic Church was started,” he said.

The pastors of the early churches studied under the apostles and they in turn taught the next pastors. The gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ has been handed down from generation to generation, and it is much the same today. Apostolic pastors can also earn their degrees from Grace Apostolic College in Nashville, TN.

The Holy Ghost came to the United States to reaffirm the Lord’s church when it fell on a church on Azusa Street in Los Angeles in 1906.

Although the Pentecostal churches are not new to the Jefferson County area, there have been many misconceptions about the beliefs and practices of The Apostolic Gospel Church.

The Apostolic Church is based on forgiveness and following the teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ, built on the foundation of the Old Testament. The church believes in baptism in the name of God by submerging in water, and the in-filling of the Holy Ghost, which was promised to all people if they will accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour and evidenced by speaking in tongues.

The Apostolic Gospel Church believes the whole Bible is true and all of the events in the Bible actually happened, from “In the beginning . . .” to “. . . Amen.” The Bible stories are not a fairy tale. The church is not a cult, as some would believe. The church does not believe in praying to dead saints or praying for the dead, nor does its members handle snakes.

Work is continuing on the repair and restoration of the church, fulfilling the vision God has given the pastor for The Apostolic Gospel Church in Ramsaytown.