About Us

We believe the Bible to be the inspired and only infallible and authoritative Word of God. (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 1 Peter 1:23-24; Hebrews 4:12)

Pastor Smith was born on August 5, 1961, in Gary, IN, where he was also raised. He graduated from Gary West Side High School in 1979 and then attended Purdue University (Calumet Campus – Hammond, IN) and Northland College (Ashland, WI) where he studied electrical engineering technology/pre-engineering. Consequently, Apostle Smith received his associate degree in general studies from South Suburban College in South Holland, IL, in 2018. While living in Gary, he held an elected office of Precinct Committeeman for his precinct from 1994 to 1996, after which time he and his family moved to South Holland, IL, where they still reside today. On August 5, 1994, he married his lovely wife of 26 years, Minister Lady Cathedral Smith. They have 7 children and 12 grandchildren.

Pastor Smith was born again, receiving Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior in September of 1988
and he also became a member of the Power and Light Evangelistic Church. In 1992, Pastor Smith became the Men’s Leader at Power and Light Evangelistic Church and also began teaching Sunday school classes. In July of 1995, Pastor Smith heard and acknowledged the call of God on his life to preach and to be an assistant to the Man of God, Apostle Benny Dozier (at that time Pastor Dozier), Senior Pastor of Power and Light Evangelistic Church. Pastor Smith was installed in the office of Pastor in November 2000 and has been serving under the Man of God and the members of Power and Light Evangelistic Church ever since. Pastor Smith, an apostolic son, is a five-fold ministry teacher and
preacher of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. As “Second Man,” Pastor Smith functions in many areas of
ministry, including but not limited to Pastoral Care, Men’s Ministry Leadership, Business and
Entrepreneurship Mentoring, Property Acquisition, Sunday School (Life Class) Teaching, Pre-
Marital/Marital Counseling, and any other duties that were required in the ministry.

Professionally/secularly, Pastor Smith worked as a full-time employee of Best Foam Fabricators, Inc. in Chicago, IL, for over 24 years, where he was responsible for marketing and business development of military/defense sales. Prior to working at Best Foam, Pastor Smith worked in restaurant management for seven years. With an anointing from the Lord to Pastor and to operate in the marketplace, Pastor Smith, with his wife and partners, own and operate East Side Academy of Early Learning, Inc., a child daycare center that has seven employees and provides childcare services for approximately 35 children on the southeast side of Chicago. Additionally, Pastor Smith, with a cooperative partnership, owns and operates Fishers of Men Barber Shop and Styling Center, which currently operates five chairs in the West Pullman area of Chicago. These businesses were both birthed from the Apostolic Vision of Power and Light Evangelistic Church and a Prophetic Word Spoken by the Man of God, Apostle Benny Dozier.

In April 2007, Pastor Smith, his wife, Lady Cathedral, and some supporting team members were sent to pastor Emmanuel Missionary Baptist Church in Fort Wayne, IN, and has been pastoring this ministry ever since. He has been leading and raising Emmanuel Missionary Baptist Church to become a relevant and viable ministry, equipping the saints for the work of ministry, employing 15 staff members, serving thousands of meals to “At Risk” youth in low-income neighborhoods, providing loving childcare services, and performing these services out of its 15,000 square-foot ministry campus. Consequent to being sent to Fort Wayne, Pastor Smith was installed in the Office of the Apostle. He loves the Lord, loves his wife and family, and loves God’s people. He desires to see the people of God walk in the blessings, and the promises of our Father and the lost come into the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.