Quick Facts
Pastor — the shepherd God holds accountable
Pastor Mark Merrill
Founded
1928
Denomination
Assemblies of God
Service Times
Sunday 10:00 AM, 11:00 AM
Men's Ministry
No
Kids Ministry
No
10-Point Theological Scorecard
Christology
Is Jesus the only way? (John 14:6)
Subscribes to Assemblies of God '16 Fundamental Truths' (per About page) — affirms orthodox Trinitarianism.
Strong
Scripture
Inerrancy affirmed? Final authority?
AG 16 Fundamental Truths affirms Scripture as inspired and infallible rule for faith.
Strong
Men's Discipleship
Intentional formation for men?
Not stated on available sources — verify.
Caution
Soteriology
Faith alone? How is salvation presented?
Pentecostal theology includes speaking in tongues as evidence of Spirit baptism — Arminian trajectory.
Caution
Gender / Biblical Design
Biblical manhood and womanhood by God's design — patriarchal, complementarian, egalitarian, or affirming gender ideology?
Assemblies of God denomination ordains women as pastors — egalitarian denominational stance. Red per USMC complementarian rubric.
AG ordains women — egalitarian denomination
WARNING!
Leadership Structure
Male elders/pastors? Accountability?
Lead Pastor Mark Merrill (elected 2022). Prior Georgia Network Superintendent. Elder structure not detailed on About page.
Caution
Preaching Style
Expository or topical/therapeutic?
Not stated on available sources — verify.
Caution
Mission Clarity
Great Commission central?
Emphasizes 'Life Change' as one of three core values — generic evangelical framing.
Caution
Cultural Alignment
DEI/CRT language? Social justice crowding out gospel?
Not stated on available sources — verify.
Caution
Accountability Structure
Denominational home, elder plurality, or external network — is the pastor answerable to anyone?
Assemblies of God — confessional denomination with accountability structure.
Strong
Assessment
Not yet assessed. Default yellow pending on-site visit and detailed review.
#assemblies-of-god#central-valley
Sources & Evidence
Enrichment Notes
Website found (visaliafirst.com). AG denomination ordains women — gender score elevated to red per rubric.
These are the URLs consulted to arrive at this church's scoring. Score-note claims are synthesized from homepage content, denominational directories, and public statements of faith at the time of review. Church websites change frequently; we're progressively adding Internet Archive snapshots to prevent link rot.
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[1] Live source
visaliafirst.com
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[2] Live source
visaliafirst.com/about
Transparency note: MOOP ratings are researcher judgments about publicly available theological and ecclesial evidence. They are not infallible. If a church's public posture has changed since our review, or if we've mis-read evidence, tell us — we publish corrections.
Last reviewed:
2026-05-16
— Annual review recommended
4100 S Court St, Visalia, CA 93277