History

Apostolic Faith Temple was founded by Elder Nemiah Smith in Detroit, Michigan, in 1972. Without a formal church building, the newly established congregation initially held services in the homes of its members. In 1973, the congregation acquired a small storefront at 13213 Fenkell Street. As the ministry grew and more people were transformed through the preaching of the gospel, a larger facility was purchased in 1975 at 20915 Evergreen Road in Southfield. In 1990, the same year Elder Smith was elevated to the episcopate, the congregation, numbering more than 400 members, marched into its new home at 4735 W. Fort Street in Detroit. Over the following years, the church expanded its membership and community programs. In 1997, the church changed its name to Greater Apostolic Faith Temple, reflecting its growth and progress. On July 24, 2007, Bishop Nemiah Smith died at the age of 74. Before his passing, he named the church’s assistant pastor, Bishop Lambert W. Gates, Sr., as his successor. At the time, Bishop Gates was already serving as pastor of Mt. Zion Apostolic Church in Indianapolis, Indiana. His appointment created a unique pastoral relationship in which he served both congregations, and Greater Apostolic and Mt. Zion became “sister churches.” The legacy of Bishop Nemiah Smith continues through the members who were nurtured under his spiritual guidance, shaped by his faithful leadership, and carried forward the ministry he established in Detroit.

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Biographical Summary

Bishop Nemiah Smith was born June 16, 1933, in Rentz, Georgia. He founded Apostolic Faith Temple in Detroit in 1972 and faithfully served as its pastor until his passing on July 24, 2007, at the age of 74. He was baptized and filled with the Holy Ghost at the age of 15 and later received his ministerial license through the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World. In his earlier years, Bishop Smith was employed by General Motors and also served in the United States Army, from which he was honorably discharged. His life reflected a commitment to faith, family, work, and service. He was married to Irene Repress Smith until her passing, and their union was blessed with eight children: Linda, Glenda, Morris, Mary, Christopher, Nehemiah, Julia, and Julius. He was also survived by his second wife, Evangelist Dorothy McKinney Smith. Bishop Smith’s spiritual and community legacy continues through the Detroit campus of Kingdom Apostolic Ministries, where the Bishop Nemiah Smith Fellowship Hall was named in his honor in 1993.

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