Bishop Emeritus Frank L. Stewart

Bishop Frank L. Stewart was born and grew up in the historic sector of one of Los Angeles’ oldest and most renowned Black communities–The Los Angeles South Eastside. Being the second son of devout Christian parents, he was taught and received firsthand a “war chest” of fundamental and valuable life lessons, including the importance of education. As a Pepperdine University graduate, he earned his B.S., in Business Administration, with an emphasis in Management and Economics, and a Minor in Biblical Studies and Psychology.

His ministry training began under the leadership of his late Uncle, Bishop E. B. Stewart, in the First Jurisdiction of the Church of God in Christ (C.O.G.I.C), Northern CA. Eventually, his service expanded into serving as the Assistant Pastor at Mt. Olive C.O.G.I.C. and Crenshaw Christian Center (CCC). Bishop Stewart departed CCC to start his own church; thus, Zoe Christian Fellowship of Los Angeles (ZCFLA) was founded. 

After pastoring ZCFLA for more than five years, Bishop Stewart began planting churches. Throughout the mid-1980s, twenty-three domestic and international churches were established under the Zoe Association International. In January 2016, the leadership of the Zoe Association was delegated to Bishop Edward Smith of Zoe Christian Fellowship of Whittier, who served in Bishop Stewart’s ministry before establishing his church within the Zoe Association.

Bishop Stewart’s ministries spawned vast itinerant evangelism, attracting and winning many to Christ through his teaching, missionary work, and leadership training on radio and television in diverse countries from America, Africa, Asia, Europe, and Israel to Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean Islands. 

Bishop Stewart's ministry vision was centered on “Reaching the Lost for Christ and Guiding the Saved to Divine Purpose.” Under his leadership, the Zoe Christian Leadership Institute (ZCLI), a twelve-week leadership training course designed for adults to discover and understand their purpose, leadership potential, and divine calling was developed. ZCLI operated for more than twenty-three years with more than 3,000 graduates, ranging from everyday laypersons to professionals in the law and medical field.