Family Life Assembly of God, known around Katy as FLAG, meets at 24911 Roesner Road in south Katy near Cinco Ranch, minutes from the Grand Parkway (Highway 99), Interstate 10 and the Westpark Tollway. The church is known for energetic, expressive worship that makes room for the gifts of the Holy Spirit, for a family first calendar that puts children, students and young adults in the middle of the week, and for Casa de Vida, a Spanish language service that meets at the same hour as the main gathering. A large red sign in the lobby carries the mission statement: "To know Christ, to be transformed by His Spirit, and make Him known." First-time visitors can read what to expect before they arrive.
From a Katy Living Room to Mason Road
The church traces its beginning to 1984, when a small group of believers led by a layman began meeting in a home in Katy. The group felt pressed to plant a church, received approval from its denomination, and launched Mason Road Assembly of God. For several years the congregation rented space and met in a storefront. In 1991 it took a bold step of faith, buying a burned out former Ford used car dealership and transforming it into a church. A new pastor arrived, the congregation grew, and a sanctuary was eventually built on the same 1.6 acre property.
In those early years the parking area held only 60 vehicles, and on Sundays congregants parked at neighboring businesses that were closed. Children's ministries and classrooms were accommodated in a couple of trailers at the back of the property. As the church grew, the name changed to Family Life Assembly of God, and the church has continued investing in the Katy community for many years.
Albert and Rebekah Cortez Take the Lead
In 2004, Albert and Rebekah Cortez came to Katy to serve as senior pastors of the congregation then known as Family Life Assembly of God. Both are fully ordained ministers with the Assemblies of God. One of the first major changes was a reactivated missions program, launched with the church's first annual missions convention. Pastor Cortez taught that "A giving church is a living church" and pointed the congregation to the promise "If you sow abroad, you will reap at home."
Since that time FLAG has experienced growth in numbers and in the scope of its ministry. Numerous ministries have been born, a pastoral team has been added, the missions program has expanded to support more than 70 missionaries and ministries financially each month, and a Spanish language church has been launched.
Eight Acres and a 23,000 Square Foot Home
In 2008 FLAG purchased eight acres of undeveloped land in a strategic location in south Katy near Cinco Ranch. The church selected a large rock from the property and anointed it with oil at a dedication ceremony, a reminder that the land was God's property. Despite a slumping economy, the church fully paid off the property in a little over four years.
After placing the Mason Road property for sale, the church waited three years to find a buyer. A nonprofit theatre purchased it and agreed to allow FLAG to remain as tenants while the theatre's own facilities were built. On December 19, 2015, a large crowd of excited members gathered on the eight acre property to break ground on the new church facilities. Permit challenges and weather related delays stretched construction to a little over a year, and the grand opening of the new church building came on Sunday, January 29, 2017.
The building that opened is 23,000 square feet, with a design style the church calls "cathedral meets contemporary." It includes a 400 seat sanctuary, a spacious lobby, an office suite, a nursery suite, a kids church, a youth room and chapel, a commercial kitchen and numerous classrooms. A large covered outdoor playground is fenced, and the property has 200 parking spaces.
The Weekly Rhythm: Sundays at 10:30, Wednesdays at 7:00
The church's week is built around two anchor gatherings: worship and the word on Sunday mornings, and a midweek gathering for the whole family on Wednesday evenings. Sunday School classes for all ages run from 9:30 to 10:15 a.m., and the main service begins at 10:30 a.m. On Wednesday, "Worship & Word" fills the sanctuary from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. with passionate worship, prayer and a word from God, while separate classes and activities run at the same time for children, students and young adults.
- Sundays, 8:00 to 9:00 a.m. ESL classes for people learning or mastering English. The classes are informal and interactive, and there is no charge.
- Sundays, 9:30 to 10:15 a.m. Sunday School for all ages, with classes built around Bible teaching and its impact on daily life. Married couples also meet during this hour.
- Sundays, 10:30 a.m. The main worship service in the sanctuary, Kids Church for all grades, and Casa de Vida in Spanish.
- Sundays, 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. A traditional service in the chapel on the last Sunday of each month, with coffee and dessert from 4:30 p.m. and nursery care for ages newborn through Pre-K from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m.
- Tuesdays, 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. JustPrayer from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m., followed by the Ladies Bible Study from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m.
- Wednesdays, 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. Worship and Word in the sanctuary, children's classes for kindergarten through fifth grade, students in sixth through twelfth grade in the chapel, and a gathering for young adults.
- Saturdays, 7:00 to 8:00 a.m. Intercessory prayer for the men of the church in the sanctuary.
What Your First Sunday Feels Like
Arriving at FLAG is meant to feel simple. Warm smiles greet people at the door, and a Welcome Team of cheerful workers offers a genuine greeting and a friendly face. Sanctuary entrance doors are directly ahead, on either side of a very large red sign carrying the mission statement, and restrooms are located to the right just a little down the hallway. Ushers serve by ensuring safety and order in the service and a comfortable environment for everyone.
The service itself is energetic and expressive, pairing worship with a biblical message intended to help people connect with God. The church believes the gifts of the Holy Spirit should be experienced and prays that every gathering becomes an encounter with God. People visiting for the first time are invited, but never obligated, to complete a Guest Connect Card, and anyone who would rather check out the church and remain anonymous for a while is free to do so.
Past services are also livestreamed. Worship is posted online through the church's Facebook livestream, and sermons, Bible studies and messages from guest speakers can be watched or listened to in the church's sermon library.
Parking, Dress and Finding Your Way
There is no formal dress code at FLAG: whatever makes you comfortable is right. The congregation is international, so some people dress up and some are more casual, and there is no pressure either way. Dedicated guest parking spaces are available near the front entrance, along with handicap parking. Families with young children often use the rear parking area directly behind the building and the rear entrance next to the fenced in kids playground, which leads straight to the Kids Check-In kiosk. The lobby runs in a circle, so getting from any parking space to where you are going is an easy walk.
Children From Newborn Through Fifth Grade
Children's ministry is one of the clearest expressions of FLAG's family emphasis. The nursery cares for newborn through Pre-K children in their own separate and attractive spaces with kid sized bathrooms, and a private, comfortable room is available for nursing mothers. Every nursery worker is hired after an extensive interview and background check, and each volunteer or staff member who works with children must pass an extensive background check and rigorous safety training.
Sunday mornings begin with age appropriate Sunday School classes at 9:30 a.m., where lessons are hands on and interactive, including activities for auditory, visual and kinesthetic learners. At 10:30, Kids Church gathers all grades for its own worship service with genuine worship, fun activities and engaging messages, followed by small group time where children make friends, ask questions and go deeper into God's Word. The Welcome Team in the lobby can escort families to the Kids Check-In kiosk and introduce them to the Kids Team.
Wednesday evenings add a full set of classes. Sonbeams serves toddler boys and girls with an active lesson built around a foundational Bible story, a Bible point and a memory verse, with singing, dancing and movement. Rainbows welcomes Pre-K with lessons centered on a Noah's Ark theme, plus outdoor play, crafts, memory work and hands on activities. Boys in kindergarten through fifth grade meet as Royal Rangers for a hands on discipleship ministry with camping, outdoor activities, workbook assignments and weekly hang out time. Girls in Pre-K through fifth grade meet as Mpact Girls, a mentoring ministry with Bible training and craft projects for girls nurtured by godly women. Older Royal Rangers and older Mpact girls in sixth through twelfth grade meet from 6:00 to 6:45 p.m. on Wednesdays.
Students and Young Adults on Wednesday Nights
Students in sixth through twelfth grade meet in the chapel on Wednesdays for creative biblical teaching, fun activities and building healthy relationships, all designed to help students get closer to God and discover His plans and purpose in an environment built for them. Young adults also meet on Wednesday evenings to experience Jesus and His love, engage in Bible study, share community with peers and express the love of Jesus Christ to others.
Casa de Vida and a Free English Class
Casa de Vida ministers to the Hispanic community through worship of Jesus Christ, the preaching and teaching of God's word, prayer and fellowship with one another. It meets Sundays at 10:30 a.m., the same hour as the main service. English is a second language for many in the community, so the church also offers ESL classes on Sunday mornings from 8:00 to 9:00 a.m. They are informal and interactive, taught by caring and committed teachers, open to all, and free of charge.
Ladies, Married Couples, Men and Women
Tuesday mornings belong to the Ladies Bible Study, taught during the school year by Pastor Rebekah Cortez. It runs from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. and is preceded by JustPrayer, a time of prayer from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. Women of all ages are welcome, and nursery care for ages newborn through Pre-K is provided.
Married couples meet for Sunday School from 9:30 to 10:15 a.m. and gather for monthly events as well, with the aim of connecting, encouraging and engaging one another to build the body of Christ through strengthened relationships and discipleship. Men's ministry centers on a quarterly breakfast with guest speakers, along with special events, trips and outreach projects, and the men also gather for intercessory prayer on Saturday mornings. Women's ministry reaches women of all ages through conferences, Bible studies and outreach opportunities. The worship ministry describes its goal as Christ centered, energetic and Spirit filled worship through music and technology, preparing hearts for the preaching of the Word.
Missions at the Heart of FLAG
Missions is a defining emphasis for this church, and it ties directly to the vision of being a missions giving church. FLAG financially supports many missionaries and ministries on a monthly basis, locally, across the United States and around the world, and it takes part in projects and trips each year. The first Sunday of each month is designated Missions Sunday, when Faith Promise Gifts support the work. The principle guiding all of it is simple: "A Giving Church is a Living Church."
Local partnerships include Adira Clinic, an outreach ministry in Katy, Christ Clinic, described as benevolence in Katy, Katy Christian Ministries, a benevolence ministry, and Neighborhood Kidz Club, a Katy outreach. Pleasant Hills Children's Home in Fairfield, Texas, is supported as well, along with adult and teen challenge ministries in Magnolia and Alvin. The list of supported workers and organizations reaches far beyond Texas, including church planters, radio workers, Bible school workers, children's home workers, missionary housing, campus ministry and ministry among Muslim populations in places such as Nicaragua, Brazil, Africa, New Zealand, Spain, Hungary, Myanmar, Japan, Mexico, the Middle East and beyond. Families serving in sensitive countries have their names hidden for their protection.
Giving supports all of this. FLAG offers one time or recurring online gifts, text to give, giving in person during worship services or at the church office, and giving by mail. Online gifts by credit or debit card and bank transfer carry a small fee from the giving provider, which the church states plainly: 2.15 percent plus $0.30 for card transactions and $0.25 for bank transfers. Online giving is available for those who want to set up a one time or recurring gift.
Ways to Take Part
FLAG makes a number of forms available for people who want to take part in church life, from sharing a prayer request to serving among children.
- Prayer and Praise requests for anyone who wants the church to pray with them and rejoice over what the Lord has done
- Connect card and membership application
- Child dedication
- Volunteering
- Worship and tech team enrollment
- Background check, medical release and photo release forms for volunteers and those joining church trips
The Team Behind the Ministry
Albert Cortez serves as senior pastor. In addition to more than 40 years of full time ministry, he has served as crusade director for two international ministries, RW Schambach Revivals and Nicky Cruz Ministries, was co-founder and assistant pastor of a church in New York City, served as senior associate pastor at the historic Oak Cliff Assembly of God in Dallas, and pastored a church in East Texas. He has served on the board of directors of Pleasant Hills Children's Home in Fairfield since 2013, and he is a graduate of New York University in urban anthropology and religious literature. His favorite motto is "Follow the Cloud, Not the Crowd!"
Rebekah Cortez is the associate pastor and a fully ordained minister with the Assemblies of God, and she teaches the Tuesday Ladies Bible Study. Elizabeth Ball leads the Kids Ministry and coordinates the nursery. Justin Durham serves as NextGen Pastor, Brock Spivey is the executive pastor, Rene Perez is the Spanish pastor, and Chad Stafford is the worship pastor, who has led the singing of classic hymns and songs at the traditional service.
What FLAG Believes
FLAG is an Assemblies of God church and holds to the beliefs of that denomination. God's Word is at the center of every service, the church expects the gifts of the Holy Spirit to be experienced, and missions is framed as obedience to the command "Go into all the world and tell people about Me." Its stated vision is to be "A dynamic, loving, Spirit filled, family oriented, missions giving and international church," and its mission statement, "To know Christ, to be transformed by His Spirit, and make Him known," is the sentence that greets visitors in the lobby.
Family Life Assembly of God has grown from a 1984 gathering in a home in Katy to a 23,000 square foot campus in south Katy with a 400 seat sanctuary, a Spanish language congregation, a full program for children and students, and monthly support for more than 70 missionaries and ministries. Its center of gravity has not moved: it is still the red sign in the lobby, and the words on it.