James Lee Swinton

James Lee Swinton was born in Kansas City, Kansas March 27, 1945 to Jessie and Inez Swinton. James married Janice McGee July 18,1975 and they shared a life of service and love and she will continue their life work.

James attended elementary school in Mt. Zion and high school at L.W. Sullivan in Morrilton Arkansas, graduating in May 1964 as valedictorian. In May 1980, he graduated from Kansas City Kansas Community College, acquiring an Associate in General Studies degree, majoring in business. James also attended The University of Kanas majoring in African Studies.

James was preceded in death by his parents, a brother Wilson Swinton and sister, Mae Helen Walls. He is also survived by sisters, Pinellia Lewis and Mildred Swinton of Morrilton, Arkansas, and Mattie Harris of Kansas City, Ks. His nephews Alfred Swinton and family of Kansas City, KS, Howard Swinton and family of Morrilton, AK.

James began his search for truth as a young man. He believed life was a journey of learning and continued to seek truth until his earthly journey ended on January 20, 2020. James often journaled about his life journey, writing the following:

“I’m a self-taught Bible student, married to my wife, Janice, since July 1975. I taught several Bible classes at Theological Institute of the East in the Philippines while there as a missionary, October 1987 through February 1988. I also spent eighteen years as a member of the Worldwide Church of God, once a cult, between February 1965 and March 1983. My wife and I also pastored “Breaking Free Fellowship” in Lawrence, Kansas before moving to Maine.”

In his final days, James testimony was that his true understanding of conversion came at the age of 74. He wrote,

“God revealed He had called me to Him before age 12, but my complete understanding of salvation came at age 74. This means I didn’t come to a true soul conversion until this age because of my past legalism. True salvation comes after it enters into the soul – not from emotionalism and mind. I kept seeking truth through the teenage years, then my adult years, and into my senior years, when at that time, Jesus showed me what I had been searching for. It was through a period of time of reading the old testament that the need for salvation became real (faith comes by hearing and hearing the Word of God) for the first time God breathed on His word and I understood the true meaning of Jesus coming, dying and resurrection at 74 years of age and the true meaning of “born again” and “new creation in Christ – God’s timing. True salvation doesn’t come by baptism or joining a church. Thank you Father for revealing to me the true message of salvation. JESUS CHRIST AND NOT ANYTHING ELSE!”

“Present your bodies a living sacrifice…to God…And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind (Romans12: 1,2) – James L Swinton [www.breakingfreeministriesusa.org]