OUR STORY
What began as two distinct congregations connected through one pastor would eventually develop into a broader model of shared ministry, vision, and leadership, laying the foundation for the multisite ministry that would emerge in the years to come.
Pastoral Leadership: A Shared Ministry and Vision
On December 11, 1988, Elder Lambert W. Gates of Detroit, Michigan, was officially installed as the third pastor of Mt. Zion Apostolic Church in Indianapolis, Indiana, succeeding the church’s founder, Pastor Lillian Mason, and its second pastor, Bishop James O. Franklin. His installation marked the beginning of a pastoral tenure that would establish a lasting legacy of ministry, leadership, and growth in Indianapolis. He was elevated to the episcopate by the Pentecostal Churches of the Apostolic Faith International (PCAFI) in 1997.
On October 7, 2007, Bishop Lambert W. Gates, Sr., who had served as assistant pastor of Greater Apostolic Faith Temple in Detroit, Michigan, since 1984, was named senior pastor of Greater Apostolic following the death of its founder and senior pastor, Bishop Nemiah Smith. His appointment marked a significant expansion of his pastoral leadership, bringing together two congregations in two cities under one pastoral vision and establishing the foundation for a unique relationship that would shape the future of both ministries. With Bishop Gates now shepherding two congregations in two cities, the churches became known as “sister churches,” establishing a unique and enduring relationship.
