About Us
About Us
Bishop Dr. Michael Gittens
Dr. Michael Gittens has been active in Christian service for over 30 years. God has nurtured within Michael a true passion for people of all ages, backgrounds, ethnicities, and walks of life. As founder of F.L.A.M.E. Ministries, he has preached the gospel from the U.S. to Nigeria and Rwanda, feeding over 300 widows and pastors in need and training hundreds of disciples through the course "Intro to Transformational Discipleship. Through Flame, many have been trained for ministry through the Flame Bible Institute in partnership with the Tower of Praise Bible College in Lagos, Nigeria.
Serving as an associate minister at the Greater Allen AME Cathedral, Michael has led and served in various ministries, including discipleship, seniors, singles, prison, marriage, and men. As the senior pastor of The Shiloh Baptist Church of Jamaica, Michael strives to demonstrate God's love by addressing the diverse needs of the church and the community.
He also served as pastor of the English-speaking congregation at the New People's Church of New York for nine years. It is a growing multiethnic congregation comprised mostly of 2nd Generation Korean Americans in Flushing, New York.
Michael presently serves as the founder and pastor of Ignite Church of Atlanta (ICA), a church plant birthed out of Flame Ministries.
He has authored the book entitled "State of Emergency: A Clarion Call for Transformational Discipleship." In addition, he has developed the Flame Curriculum to foster a discipleship that addresses the totality of who we are in God.
Michael has attended the New York School of the Bible, New York Divinity School, and Bethel Seminary of the East, where he graduated with an M.Div and a certificate of Theological Studies. Michael also holds a D.Min. from New York Theological Seminary, with a focus on Christian Discipleship.
To grow in faith and walk in the liberty and power that Christ has given to each believer, he believes that we must be steadfast in our "Christ" identity, grounded in God's Word, saturated in prayer, filled with His Spirit, walk in holiness, and be endowed with His power. This is manifested in our living, our purpose, and our gifts.
May the name of the Lord be praised!
Pastor Val Gittens
Pastor Val accepted Christ at the age of ten and has been walking with Him ever since, with a few bumps and bruises along the way. She is married to Michael Gittens, with whom she serves closely together in ministry. Val's ministry at Allen started with her serving as a lay counselor for the Marriage Enrichment ministry and providing pastoral care as a ministry counselor for the Greater Allen Cathedral.
In April 2013, Val was ordained and continued to move forward in ministry. She was part of the prison ministry that provided church services at Rikers Island Prison twice a month. Val and her husband served as ministry leaders for the Single Ministry for five years, and she also taught Allen's Discipleship Classes.
Val has taught Sunday School, worked with the discipleship Chapel ministry at Allen, facilitated a youth retreat for second-generation Chinese Americans, and preached at the Tower of Praise Ministries International Conference in Lagos, Nigeria.
She is the co-founder of Flame Ministries, a ministry focused on evangelism and discipleship. She has preached the gospel from the U.S. to Nigeria and Rwanda, feeding over 300 widows and pastors in need, and trained hundreds through the course "Intro to Transformational Discipleship. Rev Val is co-chancellor of the Flame Bible Institute in partnership with the Tower of Praise Bible College located in Lagos, Nigeria, where many have been trained for ministry and Christian counseling. Additionally, she serves as the co-pastor of the Ignite Church of Atlanta, a church plant originating from Flame Ministries.
After twenty-five years of lay and professional counseling, the Lord called Val back to school to prepare for further ministry. Val received her B.S. in psychology with a focus on Christian counseling and a Master's of Professional Counseling from Liberty University. Val is currently pursuing her Ph.D in Psychology at Regent University. She is a member of the American Association for Christian Counseling, a certified financial coach, certified life coach, NYS NAMI Family-to-Family educator, Marriage mentor, and founder of iCare2 Holistic Counseling and Coaching Services.
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Val is passionate about God's people living an abundant life, and out of this passion, C.A.R.E. ministry was birthed. A Ministry devoted to Change through the Power of the Holy Spirit. She continues to serve God's people and long to hear her Father say, "Well done my good and faithful servant."