Bishop S. McDowell Shelton, born April 18, 1929, a Philadelphia native, was raised by his maternal grandparents, Elder A. D. and Mother Ada McDowell.Shelton received his early education in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Sociology from Rutgers University in Camden, New Jersey.  He was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Divinity by Bethune-Cookman College in Daytona Beach, Florida in the 1970’s.

At the age of 33 Shelton became Pastor and General Overseer of the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ of the Apostolic Faith. During his ministry, as a world traveler, he was granted audience with many Heads of State such as Princess Grace, His Majesty King Hussein of Jordan, the Emperor Haille Selassie of Ethiopia, Prime Minister Indira Gandi of India, Nelson Mandella and many others. He was the first president and founded the National Young People’s Department. He founded and dedicated the Apostolic Institute in 1967 as well as the Apostolic Summer Youth Work Program. Shelton built a 32-unit senior citizens apartment complex commonly referred to as Apostolic Village.

His influential and community-building efforts led the headquarters church and Apostolic Village to be named by the city—corner to corner—as Apostolic Square. Shelton erected several church edifices with the help and assistance of his parishioners, namely Ellendale, Delaware, and Newark, New Jersey. Shelton published several booklets—Miracles Like Success Seldom Just Happen, Confidence, Does Prayer Really Change Anything, to name a few. 

Shelton departed this life on October 13, 1991 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.