By Mike Zello, Sr., founder of Capitol Heights, Teen Challenge
. . .”he that is greatest among you shall be your servant” (Matt 23:11)
It is 4:00 am, Sunday morning. This is the time I asked God to wake me up every week to spend time with Him in order to prepare a sermon to preach at New Life Worship Center in Capitol Heights, MD, a church that my wife, Kay, and I pioneered out of Teen Challenge, Washington, DC and pastored for 17 years. This morning, God woke me up for a different reason. It was to write about Frank Reynolds, my beloved friend and Teen Challenge colleague, whom I have known for over 50 years. Frank was a very practical, frugal, considerate, compassionate, selfless, unwavering and unassuming man who loved Jesus with all his heart and led by example.
From the first day I met him at El Bethel Assembly of God in Staten Island, NY to the day he died in Springfield, MO, he was an effective witness for Christ and wept over souls. Frank was David Wilkerson’s pastor who later became the pioneer/director/pastor of the Teen Challenge Training Center, “God’s Mountain.”
Frank was a mild-mannered, soft-spoken, gracious and meek man. But by no means weak. He was highly educated at Cornell University, a constant learner, teacher, and wise man with strong convictions and an uncompromising faith. I loved being around Frank. He put others first and made everyone feel important. He was genuine and trustworthy.
My fondest memory of Frank Reynolds was during the years he served as a member of the Board of Directors of TC Washington, DC/Maryland and later became the board president. I was the executive director. The Board meetings were held quarterly. When Frank didn’t spend the night at our house, he drove back to Rehrersburg in the late evening hours arriving home between 1-3am the next day. He always drove with a pillow in his car. If he got tired, he never stopped at a motel but would take a nap in the back seat, “to save God’s money,”as he would say, “so it could be used for something else more important.” That was the conviction and type of commitment Frank had. Someone or something else was always more important than him.
In fact, in all the years I knew him, I rarely heard him raise his voice or saw him get
angry. When he did, his face would turn red. I know that I made him angry a few times. Please forgive me, Frank. I love and miss you, Bro. You were a humble servant and one of the greatest among us!
Jesus said, “For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves. You are those who have stood by me in my trials. And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom….” .(Luke 22:27-30a)
Frank, please save me a seat at the table. See you soon, my friend.
