In March 2011, we began the Anchor Recovery Class, for the purpose of encouraging people on drugs and/or alcohol that they could live a better life. This class is still ongoing, and a large part of the reason is Rev. Gabe Swann and Church Arise in Decatur, where he is the pastor.
Hearing of the need of a place to hold the class, they graciously offered the facilities of their church, on the corner of Hwy. 15 and Broad Street. We took them up on this offer and have been holding classes there ever
since. We invite you to come be with us for Bible study every Tuesday, 6:30 – 7:45 p.m.
John Gabriel Swann was born in Meridian 39 years ago to Deborah and Robert E. Swann, and raised in Chunky. Though his wife, Amber, also lived in Chunky, they went to separate schools. Because his mother worked in Meridian, Gabe attended Lamar Academy in Meridian. Amber’s father, Rev. Wayne Campbell, pastor of Chunky Baptist for many years, was Gabe’s pastor from the time he was five and continues to be his mentor.
Though they had been friends, it was not until Gabe and Amber came home for Thanksgiving 1998 — he from the Marines and she from Vanderbilt University — that they began dating. They married in June 1999, after which they immediately moved to Emerald Isle, N.C. Amber taught in Jacksonville, N.C., and he was stationed at Bogue Field, N.C.
Walking on the beach, Bro. Swann was called into the ministry while stationed there. After four years in the Marines, they moved to Atlanta, where he attended seminary at Luther Rice for a short time. His wife became sick with viral meningitis, causing them to move back to Mississippi, where he became employed at Lazy Boy. When she recovered, she began teaching at Conehatta.
Though Amber was not supposed to be able to have children, she gave birth to Geneva Joy in 2005 and Lily Jade in 2007. God gave them these two miracle children they call Eva and Lily.
In February 2008, he became pastor of Church Arise, and was ordained at Chunky Baptist later that year.
Six years into their marriage, Gabe began security work at Walnut Grove Correctional Facility. Working there eight years, he was chief of security for six. On Labor Day 2011, Rev. Swann had a tractor accident, resulting in severe head trauma, a concussion, and still has lasting effects of the amnesia. This accident caused a reevaluation of his priorities and life direction. He lost 120 pounds, gave up corrections work, and became employed at Raytheon, where he has been for five years. He now works as an administrative assistant, while working on his degree in Business Administration.
Church Arise, formerly in the building across from Big G, had only about 20 in attendance at the time he became pastor. It began growing and is now situated at its present location, with services at 11 a.m. on Sundays and at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesdays.
The church has grown through families, word-of-mouth, and about 80 percent of the congregation are Native Americans from Conehatta. The church is basically non-denominational, rather than strictly Baptist, though Rev. Swann is now the moderator of Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Mississippi.
He told me that they minister to people who would not ordinarily go to church, so they dress casually. They now have a Facebook page where they broadcast their Sunday services. Also on that website, Bro. Gabe offers his “Ramblings from the Recliner.”
I asked for his own personal Christian testimony, to which he replied that he asked Christ into his heart when he was nine and was baptized at Chunky Baptist.
“I was born and raised in church, and I don’t remember ever not knowing who Jesus was.”
His parents and grandparents were all Christians, so he was blessed with a strong, godly upbringing. Though he says he was tempted, of course, having been in the Marines, he does not have one of those testimonies of having lived a sinful lifestyle.
When asked about the most memorable and significant spiritual experience he has had, he showed me a picture of him baptizing 12 people one day about 2010.
Bro. Swann said that was the day he knew for sure he was doing what God wanted him to do!
