Meet Our Pastors
God has tremendously blessed ASGEC with committed and devoted pastors, who are masterfully crafting and implementing the strategy for accomplishing our vision. They are leading and empowering us to maximize our potential individually and as a ministry, fulfilling our part in God’s greater plan for the city of Jackson, the state of Mississippi, our country and our world. A vision is just an unrealistic dream without capable, competent, godly leadership. Most of all, we know that our pastors love us! Our pastors are listed below.
Apostle Aaron B. Banks: Founder & Senior Pastor
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Apostle Derek T. Harris: Senior Associate Pastor
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Pastor Melvin I. Evans: Associate Pastor
Pastor Alma Laird: Associate Pastor
Apostle Aaron B. Banks: Founder & Senior Pastor
Pastor and spiritual shepherd, a teacher of teachers, ministerial and business visionary, motivational speaker, political consultant and grassroots organizer Apostle Aaron B. Banks is known for his gift to empower and mobilize people to prove what is acceptable unto the Lord. Apostle Aaron B. Banks founded Abundant Spirit Ministries, Inc., which started in a small living room in Jackson, Mississippi with only seven members.
Today, what was formally known as Abundant Spirit Ministries is now called Abundant Spirit Global Empowerment Center (ASGEC), an effective evangelistic ministry and apostolic Center that provides empowerment, mobilization, reconciliation, healing and deliverance for God’s people as it influences the Seven Spheres of Society. From a store-front to a double-wide trailer and now to a new sanctuary built on 10 acres of land, ASGEC continues to thrive and be a light within the city as it endeavors to begin the second phase of its vision, building a three-story Impact Center.
Born September 24, 1977 in Cincinnati, Ohio to Pastor Barron and Patricia Banks, Aaron B. Banks is the middle child with an older brother, Lamarcus, and younger brother, Joseph. Aaron Banks spent his childhood growing up in Cincinnati, Ohio; St. Petersburg, Florida and Atlanta, Georgia. He was 15 years of age when he moved to Jackson, Mississippi with his family. All of his childhood life, Aaron Banks was inspired by his Father, Rev. Barron Banks, whose political and community involvement inspired him to be a leader amongst his peers. During his matriculation through Higher Education, Aaron Banks met his wife, Latona R. Banks, to whom he is happily married with three girls Tariana, Briana and Kaylyn. In September of 2008, Aaron B. Banks celebrated ten years of ministry.
Aaron B. Banks has served as Director of Faith Based Programming and Development at Jackson State University. During his tenure, he coordinated a wide array of ministries for students and their parents, faculty, staff, and the wider community; participated in religious services and public programs; and served as the liaison between the University and religious organizations at the local, national, and international levels. He inspired and ignited revitalization of creative religious programming that has made the Division of Student Life Campus Ministries the center for religious and spiritual programming and development in the Greater Jackson Area. Aaron B. Banks also initiated Spiritual Ethical Leadership Initiative (SELI). Its purpose is to establish a network of programs and opportunities that help to develop students into leaders who understand and respond to the ethical imperatives of justice and service. Its purpose furthermore is to engage students to explore the meeting place of spirituality, and the ethics call. The diverse array of SELI programs promotes discussion and reflection on deep issues of spirituality, purpose and service. Additionally, as of June of 2009, Aaron B. Banks launched Aaron Banks and Associates, LLC, a political and grassroots organizing machine.
Apostle Banks was Ordained and Affirmed by Pastor M.V. May of Rehoboth Worship Center in 1998 and by Bishop T.D. Jakes in the fall of 2002, where he is a proud member of PHIPA (Potters House International Pastoral Alliance) and serves as a spiritual son to Bishop T.D. Jakes. Apostle Banks is also a proud partaker and son of Embassy International Fellowship of Churches (EIF), where he serves as First Administrative Assistant over the Southern Region and gleans as a spiritual son of Presiding Apostolic Bishop Anthony B. Johnson. In his 11 years of ministry, Apostle Banks has served the body of Christ as an Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor and Teacher, giving credence to his cutting edge delivery of Apostolic Ministry.
Apostle Derek T. Harris: Senior Associate Pastor
Apostle Derek T. Harris is the miracle first child of three, conceived after six years of barrenness, to Drs. Terrell Harris, Jr. and Hattie Pearl Harris. In 1995, Derek received his calling into the gospel ministry and served with his father, founder and senior pastor, at True Light Church of God in Christ in Huntsville, AL. After relocating to Roanoke, VA, he assisted Bishop Dwight L. Green, Sr. at Holiness Tabernacle Church of God in Christ, and in 2002 was ordained as an Elder. Derek held numerous positions during his tenure in Virginia, including Executive Director for Insight for Living Development Seminar, Chief Financial Officer, Executive Director for the annual Pentecost Power Conference, Anniversary Chairman, and Marketing Coordinator. Currently, Derek is the Senior Associate Pastor of Abundant Spirit Global Empowerment Center, in Jackson, MS, founded by Apostle Aaron B. Banks. He also operates as 2nd Administrative Assistant to Presiding Apostolic Bishop Dr. Anthony B. Johnson for the Southern Region of Embassy International Fellowship of Churches.
A skilled Apostolic Teacher and Marketplace Apostle, Derek is known for the practical, thought-provoking delivery of his message. Whether motivating and training a group of leaders in a business seminar or presenting as a featured speaker in a church conference, he is gifted to challenge conventional thinking and produce transformation in the minds of his audience. Complex concepts and ideas are broken into the simplest components to ensure adequate understanding and to help build a progressive platform for growth. Always undergirding his message are foundational biblical principles and revelation.
Derek contains a BS in Business Administration with an emphasis in Marketing from the University of Alabama in Huntsville. Recently, he launched iMPACT 3 Consulting & Training, LLC, which offers consulting and training services to businesses, organizations and churches to help develop their leadership personnel and internal infrastructure to promote consistent, long-term growth and fulfillment of their vision. He is also a co-founder and Chief Operating Officer for SKI Corporation, a commercial construction and facilities services company based in Jackson, MS. Acknowledged as a dynamic concept strategist, Derek’s apostolic understanding, background, education and professional experience has led to the creation of his coveted 3S concept identifying Strategy, Structure and System of Operation as the fundamental necessities for success in any venture.
Derek is married to the lovely Eva Renee Harris and has one daughter, Kentiara, and resides in Pearl, MS. Above all else in his life, Derek has determined to accomplish his God-ordained purpose and to “delight to do His will” (Psalms 40:8).