03/07/2026
OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT
Apostolic Life Church of Bay City is honored to announce the nomination for episcopal elevation of Suffragan Bishop Phillip N. Johnson to serve as Diocesan Bishop of the newly formed Pakistan Diocese of the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, Inc.
Bishop-Elect Johnson is the 41-year-old pastor of Apostolic Life Church in Bay City, Michigan. He is a third-generation Apostolic believer and a second-generation Apostolic preacher. He was saved at the age of seven and began preaching the gospel at thirteen.
He was saved and called to the ministry under the leadership of Bishop Ira Combs Jr. During his formative years in ministry, his ministerial development and pastoral training were shaped under the leadership of his father, Bishop Rader Johnson, who provided foundational guidance in preaching, pastoral leadership, and Apostolic ministry.
In 2016, Bishop Ira Combs Jr. became his diocesan bishop, under which leadership he was elevated and trained through successive offices of service including District Elder and Suffragan Bishop in the Northern District Council, and now nomination to the office of Diocesan Bishop.
In 2022, Bishop-Elect Johnson began missionary work in Pakistan after what he describes as a compelling call of the Spirit of God. Since that time he has completed five missionary journeys throughout the nation. Through these efforts, networks of Apostolic churches and ministries have been established, including:
• A free education center serving underserved children
• A mobile medical outreach providing care to vulnerable communities
• A legal defense fund assistance
• A developing clean water wells initiative for rural villages
The formation of the Pakistan Diocese represents a historic milestone. In the 120-year history of the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, this marks the first officially organized diocese in Pakistan.
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The Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, Inc. (PAW) is the oldest Apostolic Oneness Pentecostal organization in the world, with roots tracing back to the Azusa Street Revival of 1906, and a message that stands in continuity with the Apostolic church first established on the Day of Pentecost in AD 33.
Further information concerning the episcopal elevation and related activities to be held during the upcoming PAW Summer Convention will be released shortly.
Apostolic Life Church celebrates this moment with gratitude to God and looks forward to the continued expansion of the gospel through this historic work.
To God be the glory.