Bishop Leslie J. Barnes
Bishop Leslie J. Barnes was born in Westmoreland, Jamaica, West Indies, and had his early education at the Culloden and Green Island Elementary schools. As a child Bishop Barnes was always exposed to church but he was not saved until 1954 when at a young age he answered the Lord’s call on his life. He served faithfully in the local Apostolic Church in Culloden and was very active in the Sunday School and Brotherhood departments. In 1961 Bishop Barnes, like many others at the time, migrated to the United Kingdom to take advantage of the opportunities there. He went to Wellington, England, and played a significant role in organizing a local Apostolic Church for the saints in the area. He was first appointed a Deacon, then Minister, and shortly after the Pastor died, Bishop Barnes was appointed Pastor of the church and ordained an Elder. The church continued to grow under his leadership but another call was placed on him when Bishop Sydney A. Dunn asked him to go to New York City to establish a church for the saints there. On October 10, 1974, Bishop Barnes arrived in New York City having left his wife and young family behind so he could prepare the way for their arrival. On his arrival he received help from saints already here including Bishop Monroe R. Saunders, Sr. who was instrumental in orchestrating his migration to the United States.
Bishop Barnes then began the task of organizing a church with the saints and on November 29, 1974, the first worship service was held at 722 Nostrand Avenue, Brooklyn, NY. Bishop Barnes found the early years of the Church were challenging in many respects but he was committed to the call placed on him and pressed his way forward. In October 1977, the Lord made it possible for the young church – with modest resources, but having a pastor with a vision – to buy a building at 868 Winthrop Street. The building was the physical presence Bishop Barnes was seeking to allow him, under God’s direction, to expand the ministry and realize the growth he had envisioned.
As the Church grew, so did Bishop Barnes. He was elevated from Elder to Overseer and in 1992 he was ordained a Bishop and became a member of the Executive Board of Bishops of the United Churches of Jesus Christ (Apostolic), Inc. In his zeal for God’s work, Bishop Barnes saw the need to establish a work in Bronx, New York. Starting with members of the church living in the Bronx, Bishop Barnes and the late Elder Malcolm began holding prayer meetings in that area. Soon space was rented on White Plains Road and today there is a thriving church in the Bronx.
Other churches were also started or enhanced under Bishop Barnes’ ministry, many of which are in the 3rd Episcopal Diocese (formerly known as The Northern District) where he is the Diocesan. Some of those churches include ministries in Queens, New York; Long Island, New York; Somerset, New Jersey; Evanston, Illinois; Kissimmee, Florida, and Palm Bay, Florida. He has also assisted church ministries in other countries such as Jamaica, Nevis, India and Liberia. His outreach to these countries entailed not only sacrificial donations of finances and necessary goods, but also the sponsoring of children – ensuring their education. In 1997 and after twenty-three years of kingdom ministry in Brooklyn, Bishop Barnes decided it was time to move the saints to a bigger and better building. Over the years he had organized the church on a “budgetary system” and saved the funds to undertake a task of this magnitude – the construction of a multi-million-dollar building. The building project was completed and the new edifice located at 590 Utica Avenue was officially dedicated in 2001.
In the latter part of 2019 after much prayerful consideration, Bishop Barnes tendered his resignation from the United Church Organization. Then in February 2020, he along with a group of pastors and workers held a meeting, where it was unanimously decided that they would form a new organization and that Bishop Barnes would be the Presiding Prelate. Thus, “Apostolic Faith Ministries International” was born.
Bishop and Mother Barnes are the proud parents of three children, Marveen, Sharon and Levern who have been a key part of the church over the years. Son in law David, Daughter in law Shearan. They also have An adopted daughter Arthurlene, who was born and resides in Africa with her husband and their son, Leslie, named after Bishop Barnes. Grandson Shawn, Granddaughter Imani. Great Grands, SaNiya, Prince and Jada.
Bishop Barnes is a man of God chosen by the Lord for kingdom ministry in such a time as this. The Lord has enabled him to execute the call placed upon him through love, faith, diligence, zeal and longsuffering. It is truly amazing and to God be the glory for what the Lord has done through him. Bishop Barnes has been pastoring for over 56 years and counting. One of his favorite mottos comes from the scripture: “Having obtained help from God, I continue to this day.”