Frank Reynolds



	At 3:15 April 9, one of the great pioneers and leaders of the Teen Challenge movement went home to his considerable reward. Battling multiple physical issues, he peacefully slipped into eternity surrounded by family.

He never saw men as ex addicts but each as a treasure of potential in God. With no blueprint for how to develop a discipleship model for city boys coming out of addiction on a rural farm, he accepted the challenge of David Wilkerson and the call of the Holy Spirit to pioneer the Teen Challenge Training Center.

As comfortable in a counseling session as driving a tractor or the milking parlor, Frank led by example and lived in a godly humility that drew anointed talented people from around the world to be a part of the Teen Challenge miracle.

As the ministry at the farm continued to grow, Frank again felt the call of God ... he left the security of the farm and went on to be the first National Director of Teen Challenge.

From his ministry to lowliest addict on the street, to the walls of power in Washington, and hostile federal investigators during the research study commissioned by HEW (The Department of Health Education and Welfare), Frank walked in integrity and led with authority.

You will not see a national news story on the passing of this wonderful man. But, like so many that came alongside the named pioneers of Teen Challenge .... David Wilkerson with his evangelistic zeal and Brother Don Wilkerson with his Pastor's heart ... I believe there will be a special corner of heaven for Frank and his family,

Here, nameless, faceless pioneers like Frank Reynolds, who helped to take the Teen Challenge VISION, a God IDEA (not just a good idea) and turn the "faceless dream" into into reality -- will rejoice. They will not celebrate that the program has grown to over 1,100 Centers in 95 nations, they will rejoice with men, women and families whose lives were transformed by Jesus through their simple obedience to the call.

Even in retirement Bro. Frank never stopped ministering. I laughed last year as he shared with me that he had been banned from one of the prisons in Springfield Missouri. Their complaint, "You care for the prisoners too much." There is no better description of Frank Reynolds as he modeled the love of Jesus Christ. He always "cared too much."

HISTORY

Frank and Gladys Reynolds had a comfortable pastorate at El Bethel church in New York City when Dave Wilkerson first burst onto the front page of the newspaper in 1958.

Frank invited David to El Bethel. He discovered Dave's deep passion for the lost. They were truly men of kindred spirit. Frank hosted the first Pastor's meeting for TC, served on the original board of directors of Brooklyn Teen Challenge and in 1962 pioneered the Teen Challenge FARM as the flagship, Brooklyn TC, launched their first of what would be many new centers.

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In 1958, God called Bro Dave to New York City to intercede in a particularly brutal teen gang murder. He was thrown out of the Egyptian Kings trial and a front page headline offered
only humiliation.

The article said, "He was escorted from the courtroom by officials and no additional charges against Wilkerson are anticipated. The DA’s office was unable to be reached for comment at this time, but it is anticipated that we have heard the last from this poor misguided heart."

Never has a reported ever missed it worse. There are now over 1,100 TC programs in 95 nations, with invitations from 30 other countries.

SPRINGFIELD MO: TC USA Director Jack Smart Reports
Frank Reynolds was pastor of El Bethel church in New York City when Dave Wilkerson first arrived in 1958 and ended up on the front page of the newspaper. Frank soon discovered that Dave was a man who had a deep passion to reach the lost for Christ-truly men of kindred spirit.
Frank served on the original board of directors for Teen Challenge and then in 1962 he became the director of the Teen Challenge in Rehrersburg, PA, the first long term Teen Challenge residential program. With no road map he pioneered this center which became the model for Teen Challenge centers across the nation and around the world.

The discipleship principles and structures of the residential program became the context in which tens of thousands have experienced God's transforming work, taking them from brokenness to a life filled with purpose and meaning.

Ten years later, in 1972, Frank was asked to become the first national leader of Teen Challenge. By this time there were over 50 independent Teen Challenge centers across the nation, with very little interaction. Frank created a national fellowship of these centers and provided a structure for the ongoing development of these ministries. Frank served as a mentor to these leaders.

When he "retired" from the national office of Teen Challenge in 1987, he returned to the Teen Challenge Training Center in Rehrersburg, PA, to serve as the interim director for 18 months. For the next 24 years he was actively involved in numerous ministries in Springfield, Missouri, including jail and prison ministry. Today there are thousands of men and women whose lives have been positively influenced by Frank Reynolds. To the very end he remained faithful to the calling of God.

Frank co-authored two books with Al Palmquist, The Drug Bug and Somebody Please Love Me. His autobiography, Is There a God? gives great insight into what it is like to be a pioneer in ministry.