Meeting the needs of impoverished
Armenians around the world.

History and Background

The Armenian Gospel Mission (AGM) was established in 1970 as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization by Reverend John Mark Galustian, a Russian born Armenian who spent thirteen years in a Siberian gulag because of his ministry as a Christian pastor. On immigrating to the USA, it became his life long mission to meet the needs of impoverished Armenians around the world.

From our inception, AGM has carried out this mission. Since the collapse of communism in 1991, and the independence of the Republic in 1992, AGM has focused on coordinating an extensive humanitarian relief and development efforts to meet the needs of the poorest segment of the Armenian population. Tens of thousands of people have been reached through a health and resource clinic, feeding programs, early childhood educational programs, school refurbishments, care of the elderly, widows and orphans programs, homebuilding, youth ministry, radio broadcasts and ARDA’s trade and technology center.

AGM is supported primarily by individual donors and family foundations.

AGM has a legacy of presidents who have not drawn a salary from the organizations finances. This allows overhead costs to stay low and frees donor money to directly benefit the people of Armenia. This practice has existed throughout the history of AGM; from the founding president, Rev. John Mark. In 1998 Steve Lazarian, Sr., who had been serving as the AGM Board Chairman, became AGM’s second president. Mr. Lazarian now serves as President Emeritus. In January of 2008, his son, Stan Lazarian assumed the president role.

AGM founded the Armenian Relief and Development Association (ARDA) in 1991 to coordinate its relief and development work in Armenia. Located in Yerevan, ARDA is a wholly independent subsidiary and a registered humanitarian agency in the Republic of Armenia. ARDA employs a staff of 105 local Armenians to oversee its work.