Apostle Ernest William Sellers

1869 - 1953

The Instrument that God used to reveal His Doctrine

In mid-year 1924, a servant of God named George Smith from Westchester, Massachusetts, arrived to Havana, Cuba. Smith was sent by the Lord to prepare Daddy John (named affectionately by his dearest friends) for a greater deed, even though both had never met before.

This servant of God, George Smith, while in Havana gave to the task of finding the "Chosen One." In one of his travels through the city streets he passed in front of Daddy John's establishment and felt a vibrant sensation going through his soul. The Holy Spirit was indicating something. He went into the establishment and seeing Daddy John, he had testimony from God that Daddy was to be the "Chosen One," as it happened to Philip with the Ethiopian eunuch, according to the biblical story account.

Smith presented to Daddy the message that he had received from God. In the first interview Smith held with Daddy it lasted until one in the morning. For four months, Smith showed him through the Scriptures that he had to renounce all earthly things and a complete dedication to the work of the Lord, as the ancient apostles did by Christ's command: "And whoever does not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple..." "And they leaving their boats and nets and all their possessions, served the Lord and followed him." This is thus the true life of faith.

From that moment on, Daddy convinced of God's calling, like Saul of Tarsus, was not rebellious to the celestial vision and accepted the divine calling. He placed in his establishment a sign with big letters that read: "All my business is for the Lord," and surely, he sold all his possessions to dedicate wholly to the Lord's service.

On June 2nd of that same year, Smith made a special healing prayer in favor of Daddy John for a diversion in his spinal cord. The Lord honoring his word and faith of his servant healed him completely.

Daddy was then baptized by immersion in the biblical way, and later in the Gideon Mission in the celebration of the Anointed Convention, by promise of the Holy Spirit led by Smith, Daddy received the baptism of the Holy Spirit on June 8th of 1924 where he received anointment from the Holy Spirit. Moreover, forgiven his sins, Daddy received the promise as it was said by the prophet Joel: "And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh..." Joel 2:28. Thus the old internal man died and now a new creature was born.

Soon after, Smith returned to Cuba to meet again with Daddy, but he was in Jamaica. In the meantime, Smith received a message from the Lord's command to go to China, and since then, he has not been heard again. Currently, we considered the possibility that this man of God founded the Church in Asia.

Furthermore, Daddy continued with his missionary journey and being in the United States, received a message from the Lord, Gideon's name should be changed to "John" and because he was already known as "Daddy" his spiritual name became "Daddy John."

After traveling through eight countries in his missionary work, he returned to Havana and proceeded to establish the church in Cuba. The regulation was registered on March 25, 1930, before the Provincial Government of Havana, Cuba.

He began to spread the precious seed over the entire national territory, standing out in this great work the city of Matanzas, which was indeed a beautiful campaign and Divine Healing Evangelism, baptizing in the river of San Juan more than five hundred souls and praying for thousands of sick persons with wonderful results. Also, in Monte Alto, Término de los Arabos, in the province of Matanzas, Daddy John performed the largest baptism: seventy-one persons in one day.

One day two men came unknown to Daddy John, who by their appearance and message, have been regarded as messengers of God, which told him that the church was not yet perfect in doctrine, and when asked the reason for that statement, They said: "Because they have pictures." Daddy showed the church to see that there was no worship idols or images, to which they replied: "It is true that there are no idols, but their clothes and their paint- ings are filled with figures of creation." They showed by the Scriptures that God commands, "Thou shall have no image or any likeness of anything that is high in the sky..." Ex 20:4.

Daddy took the rebuke, and on September 30, 1928 was declared "Day of Holocaust" where clothes, mattresses, and photographs that had images on them where burned. Later on June 13th of the same year he relocated to the Central Headquarters of Playa Baracoa, Havana Province, Cuba by indication of God where he led the church until his death.

Death of the Apostle Daddy John

The founder, Ernest William Sellers, better known as Daddy John ceased to exist on February 25, 1953, at 5 p.m. in Playa Baracoa, Havana Province, Cuba at 83 years of age. Nevertheless, Daddy John left a trail of glorious fond memories and a great work of hundreds of missions and an infinite number of adherents and countless numbers of written works.

The following day after his funeral the last will and testament of the Apostle Daddy John was read, among other things it was learned that the Bishop in Great Echelon Ángel María Hernández Esperón who was his primary assistant would take his place in the leadership of the Church.

And for all his works and deeds, would we not say that his name is written in the Book of Life?