Wasilla Assembly of God

The Wasilla Assembly of God was founded in 1951 by Pastor Paul Riley. It is a member of the Assemblies of God which is an international movement within the protestant, Pentecostal network. Palin was baptized into the Wasilla Assembly of God Church at age 12 and worshiped there until 2002. Palin renamed the street on which the church is located to Riley Avenue in honor of the pastor.

The Wasilla Assembly of God is involved in a multitude of activities associated with the Third Wave movement. As a radical group who believes in preparing for the end of times through training its youth to be warriors of God, the Third Wave was specifically condemned by the General Council of Assemblies of God for these extreme views. The church’s website boasts that Governor Palin was a member until 2002. Palin frequently participates in events there including a recent speech for the graduation ceremony of the Master's Commission class. In the program for the ceremony is the mention of an upcoming conference at the church to be held by Steve Thompson.

Thompson heads the prophetic ministry at Morningstar Ministries in Fort Mill, South Carolina which has been renamed to Heritage International Ministries (H.I.M.). In 2004, Morningstar bought the 52,000 acre property formerly owned by the PTL club (and the Bakkers). What makes Morningstar relevant to Governor Palin is that Thompson espouses the radical ideology of the Third Wave movement and he is clearly associated with the Wasilla Assembly of God. The obvious conclusion is that Palin must buy into at least some of this ideology or she would have steered clear of these non-mainstream Pentecostal beliefs. Since the Third Wave and leaders like Steve Thompson teach end of times ideology, the real question is how this colors Palin’s view of the world.

In 1999, Ed Kalnins took over as pastor of the Wasilla Assembly of God church. Kalnins is an outspoken leader who shares many of the beliefs of the Third Wave movement. This relationship between Kalnins and other religious right extremists cannot be overlooked when considering the suitability of Palin as Vice President. There is an interesting comparison to draw between Governor Palin and Senator Obama: Pastor Kalnins and his extreme views of church and state could make him a liability McCain-Palin ticket much like Reverend Wright was viewed relative to Obama and his religious beliefs. But, there is a huge difference – very little attention is being paid to Pastor Kalnins but the media pumped up the Wright story making what was a molehill into a mountain.

Pastor Kalnins has some interesting things to say on the socio-political state of the union: he has preached that critics of President Bush will be sent to hell; he suggested that anyone who voted for John Kerry in 2004 might not get to heaven. He says that the war in Iraq is about testing our faith in God and that Jesus himself “operated from that position of war mode."

Sarah Palin has said that she became Governor of Alaska after she was prayed over by a visiting preacher to the Wasilla of God church, Thomas Muthee, Palin promised to use her power as Governor of Alaska to work with the Wasilla Assembly of God church to enact the will of God.

Thomas Muthee is a Kenyan pastor and the leader of many similar churches in many countries surrounding Kenya. What makes him notable in the Sarah Palin story is his beliefs in God’s direct intervention on earth and that witchcraft exists. During his famous prayer for Palin at the Wasilla Assembly of God in 2005, Muthee said: "…bring finances her way even for the campaign in the name of Jesus... Use her to turn this nation the other way around and to keep her safe from every form of witchcraft."

Of course, following Palin’s successful bid for the Governor’s post, Pastor Kalnins said of Muthee, he has “prophetic power” There is nothing in Obama’s background to suggest that he believes his mission to be religiously prophetic. Meanwhile, Palin describes Muthee as “really bold,” and his way of connecting to God through prayer as “very, very powerful.” That, Governor Palin, is a gigantic understatement. At the very least, American’s must appreciate that the Palin side of the McCain-Plain coin thinks it is normal somehow to seek the blessing of a cleric who prays to God for money to be used for political ends and prays for refuge from witchcraft.

Governor Palin spoke at a June 2008 ceremony for future mission workers at the Wasilla Assembly of God. In her speech she asked the attendees to pray "that our leaders, our national leaders, are sending them out on a task that is from God." This is the whole point of the Assemblies of God - the merger of church and state headed by leaders appointed by God.

The Wasilla Assembly of God and its parent institution represent a wealthy and powerful network. The wealth comes from their congregations who are required to contribute 10% of personal and business income to the church. Wealth begets power and when that power is used to corrupt and influence religious cultures into taking over the world, it makes for a very dangerous collusion. D. James Kennedy, the evangelical pastor who blessed Bush before his run for president summed up the essence of the teachings behind the Assemblies of God, its missions and its associates in this quote:

"Our job is to reclaim America for Christ, whatever the cost, As the vice regents of God, we are to exercise godly dominion and influence over our neighborhoods, our schools, our government, our literature and arts, our sports arenas, our entertainment media, our news media, our scientific endeavors -- in short, over every aspect and institution of human society."

The sentiment expressed in this quote is the primary and pervasive mantra of every church affiliation that Sarah Palin has. It is the most fundamental belief of the religious right spectrum: from Evangelicals through to the Third Wave Movement. Governor Sarah Palin puts religion on the political platter as though just by tasting it, more and more followers will ascribe to her ‘non-denominational Christian’ dominionist theocracy. Meanwhile she has the backup of family of Assemblies of God churches and all of their relatives too!