QUINBY — The third annual Apostolic Heritage Conference will be Tuesday through July 17 at Greater Gethsemane Apostolic Church.
The conference is an extension of The Apostolic Church of Jesus Christ Inc. The organization is the brainchild of Bishop Kenneth J. Swaringer, pastor of Greater Gethsemane.
Delegates are expected to attend from England, Africa and the United States.
Special guest will be Bishop Johnathan Wallace, first assistant vice president of the world wide Assemblies of Restoration.
Several pastors will be ordained as bishops during the conference. Among those is bishop-elect Otis Davis, pastor of St. Matthew Apostolic Church in Florence.
The conference will feature, among others, a day session for women, a health fair, children’s church and different speakers each night.
Swaringer will give the closing sermon July 17. His main theme will be to remind the world that the church is to remain steadfast in the Apostolic doctrine, to be proud of its heritage and to seek empowerment by coming together.
“We invite everyone to come out and experience the extraordinary presence of God that will be manifested in every service,” he said. “We have morning and evening sessions with several local speakers.
“The conference’s sole purpose is to unite the body of Christ. Our theme centers around trying to preserve the Apostolic heritage with the continued pursuit of excellence. We serve a progressive God.”
Swaringer said he is steadfastly committed to continuing the apostles’ doctrine.
“I stand firmly on the word of God and diligently enforce the standards of holiness,” he said. “I strive for excellence in every area of my ministry and am committed to instilling this same level of excellence into the lives of the saints.”
Swaringer is the seventh of eight children. He follows in the footsteps of his father and grandfather as a minister. He said the Lord blessed him with many talents.
One of his favorite biblical quotes is from the apostle Paul in First Corinthians 2:4-5: “And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the spirit and power. That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.”
Swaringer became a pastor in 1984 and then an elder who was appointed pastor in charge of Greater Gethsemane because of his father’s failing health.
Thirteen years later, he was consecrated a bishop by his father. And, on Aug. 31, 1997, he was installed as pastor of Greater Gethsemane by Bishop R.F. Davis, executive chairman of the Greater Highway Church of Christ.
“My goal is to continue to see the body of Christ grow,” Swaringer said. “I want people to come into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ.
Greater Gethsemane has grown from seating 400 parishioners to 1,200 under Swaringer’s leadership. The church was rebuilt in 2001 and dedicated in 2002.
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