First Apostolic’s History

PG2Rev. Harold & Sis. Maida Ridenhour
Founding Pastor & Pastor’s Wife

Our story begins with the late Rev. Harold Ridenhour, who began preaching in 1953 with his first work being on an Indian Reservation in Kenwood, Oklahoma; and then Rocky Ford, Oklahoma, which would later relocate to Tahlequah, Oklahoma.

The Rocky Ford Church
Pastor Ridenhour baptizing Ms. Zora Jenkins

United Pentecostal Church – Rocky Ford, OK

The Ridenhours at the Tahlequah church
The Ridenhours at the Tahlequah church
The Ridenhours at the Tahlequah church

United Pentecostal Church – Tahlequah, OK
(Relocation of the Rocky Ford assembly)

Under their tenure as pastor and pastor’s wife at Rocky Ford/Tahlequah, the Ridenhours witnessed first hand how the Lord could bless and grow their lowly meeting of a few into a thriving church. The Lord saw it fitting to bless the newly formed congregation with the resources to build a church from the ground up, and it was evident during each revival and worship service that the Lord was meeting with the saints of the Tahlequah church.

~Following The Lord~

In the mid-1990s, Bro. Ridenhour retired from his pastoral duties at Tahlequah, but the Lord had another plan that included the Ridenhours’ ministry of unapologetic Apostolic Pentecost. A new gathering of precious saints would begin holding services at the old Masonic Lodge on South Welling Road, and the Holy Ghost revival would continue on through New Life Pentecostal Church. Bro. Ridenhour, being led by the Lord, rolled up his sleeves along-side his congregation to renovate the existing structure into a sanctuary with offices, Sunday School rooms, and an outdoor baptistry. As the Lord continued to have His hand over New Life Church, the congregation would expand at it’s current campus, and build a larger sanctuary, more Sunday School rooms, while also converting the old sanctuary into a fellowship hall.

Baptismal Service
Anniversary Service
1st Addition to the New Life Pentecostal Church building
2nd Addition – New Sanctuary Construction (old sanctuary in the background)
New Sanctuary Contruction
Finishing the new sanctuary
FAC’s Sanctuary Pre-Remodel
FAC’s Sanctuary Pre-Remodel
FAC’s Sanctuary Pre-Remodel
New Life Pentecostal Church

New Life Pentecostal Church – Welling, OK

Bishop Ridenhour, after many more years of preaching the Word and reaching the Welling and surrounding communities, would pass from this life in 2009. Sis. Ridenhour would later follow in 2014. In the midst of the transition of Bishop and First Lady Ridenhour, Rev. Davie Ketcher became the pastor of New Life church. Since then, the church has adopted the name, “First Apostolic Church,” and continues to thrive in Apostolic Revival with Pastor and Sis. Ketcher. The Holy Ghost dwells in an over-abundance in each service, and the spirit of revival is here at the First Apostolic Church of Welling. Come and be a part of the Lord’s people at the Lord’s church!

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