Agape International Spiritual Center

Dr. Michael Bernard Beckwith founded Agape International Spiritual Center in 1986 with a vision to create a movement that would take a stand for love, peace, and being a beneficial presence on the planet. The name itself—Greek for unconditional love—reflects the center's core purpose: to be a living environment where individuals realize they are unique emanations of God, the Love-Intelligence governing the Universe. What began as a local Los Angeles community has grown into a trans-denominational movement, now comprising thousands of local members and receiving 1 million unique hits annually via livestreamed services and events across 212 countries and provinces worldwide.

Agape's teaching and practice of the New Thought-Ageless Wisdom tradition emphasizes a practical approach to spirituality utilizing meditation, affirmative prayer, and Life Visioning—a spiritual technology developed by Beckwith for conscious evolution. The center's purpose is rooted in individual transformation and conscious practice of oneness with God in everyday life. Sunday services are held at the Saban Theatre in Los Angeles and livestreamed globally, with multiple sessions throughout the morning: Way of Meditation at 6:45 a.m., Meditation at 8:30 a.m. and 11 a.m., and services at 9 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. (Pacific Time).

Beyond weekly worship, Agape University offers transformational education grounded in New Thought principles. The university's core curriculum includes the Foundations Program—a 30-week prerequisite immersion launched in Fall 2026—and Professional Practitioner Studies, a two-year program preparing candidates for spiritual counseling, community building, and spiritual leadership. Recurring courses throughout the year include Meditation 2.0: The Evolution of Consciousness, Quantum Healing Activation: Awakening Your Innate Healing Power, The Power of Prayer: Six-Week Affirmative Prayer, and Transcendent Masters: The Roots of the Agape Movement & Universal Principles, all led by Beckwith or multiple instructors.

Agape's community outreach extends locally and globally. Locally, the center feeds the homeless, serves incarcerated individuals, partners with community organizations active in children's schools and homes for youth at risk, supports the arts, and advocates for environmental preservation. Its global humanitarian programs operate across eight African countries and in Afghanistan, Bosnia, Colombia, Ecuador, India, Iraq, Kosovo, and Sri Lanka, providing food distribution, retraining programs, schools, libraries, orphanages, clinics, homes for unwed mothers, financial support during natural disasters, and human advocacy. The late Coretta Scott King wrote to Beckwith, "I greatly admire what you are doing to bring about the Beloved Community, which is certainly what my dear husband worked for and ultimately gave his life."

Agape's ministries address specific communities and needs: One Love Ministry, Odyssey Young Adults Ministry, Laughter Yoga, Freedom Path, the One From The Heart Animal Kinship Bereavement Support Group, One From The Heart Bereavement Support Group, and Loving Hands Unite (supporting adoption, foster care, and fertility). Daily prayer and meditation sessions are offered online via Facebook Live at 8 a.m. and 12 p.m. Pacific Time, creating continuity for the global community.