Pastor Frank Manuel, who went to be with his LORD through peaceful passage, on June 26, 2013 at his 75 years, is a man of God and a role model to pastoral and missional ministries.
Active Volunteer Leader:
Graduated as B.A and B.Sc. (Agri), Frank annan ( annan in Tamil, elder brother) worked as a sincere Agri. Officer in a sugar mill near Dindigal, Tamil Nadu. Since 1970, his active involvement with FMPB, as an important prayer group leader and a speaker, is noteworthy.
I still remember meeting Frank annan first time when he visited our home at Gobi in 1979, and motivated me – a newly converted and called for mission work, toward cross-cultural missionary work.
Full-Time Mission Leader:
In 1980, as called by the LORD, Frank annan joined in FMPB as a full-time Finance Controller. His stewardship in finance did make a great impact on the Mission and acknowledged by all.
Local Church Pastor:
In 1992, having convinced on church ministry, Frank annan planted a local church "Gethsemane Christian Fellowship," in Vadavalli area of Coimbatore, which has now grown up with 40 families.
Curious on heard of his church-mission integration on Biblical teachings, I met Frank annan and his wife, Mrs. Shantha Kumari, in 2010 (after 25 long years!). That was my blessed time, a learning opportunity from a practitioner with solid Scripture base.
Church Membership:
Gethsemane Christian Fellowship comprises of two levels of membership:
1. All who heard the gospel, were led to Christ and baptized by Frank annan are full members.
2. All who join the fellowship due to transfer from other places on business, job, education, etc., are taken in as honorary member, provided they must bring church membership certificate / no-objection letter from their home church pastors.
No Sheep-Stealing:
He neither stole sheep nor entertained roaming Christians from other churches into his church. If any believer from other church attended, he would surely exhort him/her to get back to his/her home church. If s/he would reason on the problems with the church or pastor, Frank annan’s logic was that, a church is like a family and the problems and issues should be dealt within. He ironically requested them not to bring their church problems in his church.
Planing and Passion:
He had yearly preaching and teaching plan and he followed it diligently. He was known for his constant personal evangelism and compassionate house visiting. Recalling an event, his wife says that even to his last day, he lived as a soul-winner. Hardly a week before his sudden Home Calling, Frank annan rushed out to meet a seeker, though it was heavily raining and his wife dissuaded him. He responded that he had promised to, and even one soul is important to God.
Mission-Vision of the Church:
From day one, Frank annan not only got the church as self-supporting, but also motivated it and other friends and families, as a mission supporting community. I could not believe that every month this small church is supporting 30 full-time workers/church planters in different missionary organizations, namely, OM, FMPB, IEM, IMS, NMS, BYM, CGMM, VV, RSP, FEF, MTB, AGM, SHOLOM and etc.
Transparency in Finance:
The finance of the church is managed by a team of elders. Besides weekly offertory, the believers would bring special offertory envelops to his home, adjoined to the church, on the first week of every month. Frank annan would not open them, but handed over to the elders, who would give his family a monthly support, which is known to the church. All transactions are through bank.
Leadership Development:
He trained and developed local leaders and he tried with some hired pastors too, who miserably failed him, not understanding his mission-vision of the church. On our meeting lately in 2010, he expressed his great concern on shepherding the church after him. Yet, he did not name his blood-relatives. He attentively listened and appreciated my ministry of leadership development through C-BTE and requested me to have a 2-Day Workshop in the church for the elders and small group leaders.
A Pastor with Principles:
After spending quality hours, Frank annan volunteered to drive for me, in spite of his physical weakness, on his old Lambretta Scooter, to my relative's home for my over-night stay. Though he first hesitated, but for my repeated requests, he came in and wanted to leave in a couple of minutes. My relative and I asked him to pray for them now, and visit their home often. To this, Frank annan's response made my eyes wide open! He firmly declined and told them that regular house-visiting and praying for them are the ministries of their local church leaders and the pastors, which no one should duplicate. He frankly also politely told them that he wouldn't visit them again and thus, weaken their church.
On top of these and to add more surprise, he humbly refused the offertory my relative gave, though the amount was not bad! He taught them to give to their local church ministries and to support the missionary work through the church.
Prayer in Transition Period:
Now the church - Gethsemane Christian Fellowship, is shepherded by a pastor from the network of churches, ICRM, headed by one of Frank annan’s long time friend.
Kindly pray for Mrs. Shantha Kumari, Frank annan's wife, for God's wisdom in this transient period of the church, as she plays an important role as vision-keeper.
Faithful Remnants:
Amidst of sweeping trends and wider paths - contrary to the Biblical teaching on Christian ministries, pastoring, churches, missionary work - God has kept a group of faithful remnants, unsung heroes, true shepherds with mission. If you are of this kind, don’t lose your heart, as you know, you are not alone.
Active Volunteer Leader:
Graduated as B.A and B.Sc. (Agri), Frank annan ( annan in Tamil, elder brother) worked as a sincere Agri. Officer in a sugar mill near Dindigal, Tamil Nadu. Since 1970, his active involvement with FMPB, as an important prayer group leader and a speaker, is noteworthy.
I still remember meeting Frank annan first time when he visited our home at Gobi in 1979, and motivated me – a newly converted and called for mission work, toward cross-cultural missionary work.
Full-Time Mission Leader:
In 1980, as called by the LORD, Frank annan joined in FMPB as a full-time Finance Controller. His stewardship in finance did make a great impact on the Mission and acknowledged by all.
Local Church Pastor:
In 1992, having convinced on church ministry, Frank annan planted a local church "Gethsemane Christian Fellowship," in Vadavalli area of Coimbatore, which has now grown up with 40 families.
Curious on heard of his church-mission integration on Biblical teachings, I met Frank annan and his wife, Mrs. Shantha Kumari, in 2010 (after 25 long years!). That was my blessed time, a learning opportunity from a practitioner with solid Scripture base.
Church Membership:
Gethsemane Christian Fellowship comprises of two levels of membership:
1. All who heard the gospel, were led to Christ and baptized by Frank annan are full members.
2. All who join the fellowship due to transfer from other places on business, job, education, etc., are taken in as honorary member, provided they must bring church membership certificate / no-objection letter from their home church pastors.
No Sheep-Stealing:
He neither stole sheep nor entertained roaming Christians from other churches into his church. If any believer from other church attended, he would surely exhort him/her to get back to his/her home church. If s/he would reason on the problems with the church or pastor, Frank annan’s logic was that, a church is like a family and the problems and issues should be dealt within. He ironically requested them not to bring their church problems in his church.
Planing and Passion:
He had yearly preaching and teaching plan and he followed it diligently. He was known for his constant personal evangelism and compassionate house visiting. Recalling an event, his wife says that even to his last day, he lived as a soul-winner. Hardly a week before his sudden Home Calling, Frank annan rushed out to meet a seeker, though it was heavily raining and his wife dissuaded him. He responded that he had promised to, and even one soul is important to God.
Mission-Vision of the Church:
From day one, Frank annan not only got the church as self-supporting, but also motivated it and other friends and families, as a mission supporting community. I could not believe that every month this small church is supporting 30 full-time workers/church planters in different missionary organizations, namely, OM, FMPB, IEM, IMS, NMS, BYM, CGMM, VV, RSP, FEF, MTB, AGM, SHOLOM and etc.
Transparency in Finance:
The finance of the church is managed by a team of elders. Besides weekly offertory, the believers would bring special offertory envelops to his home, adjoined to the church, on the first week of every month. Frank annan would not open them, but handed over to the elders, who would give his family a monthly support, which is known to the church. All transactions are through bank.
Leadership Development:
He trained and developed local leaders and he tried with some hired pastors too, who miserably failed him, not understanding his mission-vision of the church. On our meeting lately in 2010, he expressed his great concern on shepherding the church after him. Yet, he did not name his blood-relatives. He attentively listened and appreciated my ministry of leadership development through C-BTE and requested me to have a 2-Day Workshop in the church for the elders and small group leaders.
A Pastor with Principles:
After spending quality hours, Frank annan volunteered to drive for me, in spite of his physical weakness, on his old Lambretta Scooter, to my relative's home for my over-night stay. Though he first hesitated, but for my repeated requests, he came in and wanted to leave in a couple of minutes. My relative and I asked him to pray for them now, and visit their home often. To this, Frank annan's response made my eyes wide open! He firmly declined and told them that regular house-visiting and praying for them are the ministries of their local church leaders and the pastors, which no one should duplicate. He frankly also politely told them that he wouldn't visit them again and thus, weaken their church.
On top of these and to add more surprise, he humbly refused the offertory my relative gave, though the amount was not bad! He taught them to give to their local church ministries and to support the missionary work through the church.
Prayer in Transition Period:
Now the church - Gethsemane Christian Fellowship, is shepherded by a pastor from the network of churches, ICRM, headed by one of Frank annan’s long time friend.
Kindly pray for Mrs. Shantha Kumari, Frank annan's wife, for God's wisdom in this transient period of the church, as she plays an important role as vision-keeper.
Faithful Remnants:
Amidst of sweeping trends and wider paths - contrary to the Biblical teaching on Christian ministries, pastoring, churches, missionary work - God has kept a group of faithful remnants, unsung heroes, true shepherds with mission. If you are of this kind, don’t lose your heart, as you know, you are not alone.
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