A common factor in every ministry leaders, pastors, and men of God is their indoctrination in the way of the gospel right from childhood. Still, for some others, their arrival on the altar has been necessitated by a number of factors, including drug addiction recovery, jail time, among a host of other challenges. Still, in the case of Pastor Andrew F Carter, he realized his divine calling after posting a video on TikTok, which not only went viral but touched the lives of many; from then, he knew he could touch more lives, and he hasn’t looked back since.
Pastor Andrew is the lead pastor of Royal City Church based in Los Angeles, California. The church, which he founded alongside his wife, Kyra, aims to spread the gospel to their community and the rest of the world, an endeavor he describes as their passion. He is also the founder of Andrew F Carter Ministries, a non-profit organization through which Pastor Andrew takes his goodwill message and glad tidings to the rest of the world and improves the living conditions of the less fortunate and underserved communities.
Despite not growing up within a Christian community or having a strong Christian figure to look up to, Pastor Andrew’s emergence as a preacher and religious leader stemmed from his personal experiences, including the obstacles he had had to overcome, thus by spreading the word about Jesus, he is touching lives and building the next generation of Christian warriors. According to him, irrespective of his background, the foundation of his ministry was built on his relationship with Christ and the principles of consistency.
According to Pastor Andrew, everyone needs an encounter with God and builds a relationship with him, especially for those struggling in their faith or individuals who have been marginalized. Growing up in a foster home exposed Andrew to social and spiritual vices such as drugs, sex, and violence; however, “I caught a break thanks to my encounter with God,” and despite his distractions, he was able to earn two college degrees and establishing a private business. But the success was short-lived, as he had to spend 18 months in jail for violence-related offenses. “And since I got out, God has been faithful to me,” he said.
Although young and tech-savvy, Pastor Andrew recalls growing up in foster care and having to fall through life with little or no guidance or access to the basic luxuries of life. For him, he understands the struggle of the average young person out there, as he has experienced life the same way they are, and even though he leads a ministry that is hundreds and thousand-members strong, he hasn’t lost track of who he is or his mission as a man of God.
“My wife and I have experienced so much growth over the last 12 months. We have started a non-profit, a church and travel spreading the gospel. In the next five years, I believe it will be a church that is celebrated nationwide because of the impact that it will make in the community. I’m praying that over the next five years, the love and atmosphere that we create will bring people in from all walks of life from all over the world,” he explained. Learn more about Pastor Andrew F Carter and his work to his community via his organization’s website.
