We need to be careful not to take credit for work that's not really ours, and to give honor to whom honor is due. —Frank Becker

When a preacher and his wife are called to a church, they should pause to think of the numerous people and enormous labors that have already been contributed to bring that work to its present state.

And when someone "walks the aisle" to accept Christ, a preacher or soul winner should never assume it was through something he or she said that moved them to accept Christ. This may have been the defining moment, and the preacher or soul winner may have been the final instrument, but "God gives the increase."

We need to realize that the new Christian may have been exposed to a lifetime of witnessing, Bible reading, Sunday School and prayer. We have no idea what may have worked in their heart and mind the day that they turned to Christ. It's a certainty that it is the Spirit that convinces of sin and righteousness and judgment.

Likewise, a person's list of accomplishments can never reflect the corporate prayers, labors, sacrifices and suffering required to build a church.

The growth and success of the ministries described below were the result of the vision and loving labors of those who came joyfully alongside to build these works. Yes, the Lord used the church planting missionary, but, the Lord also motivated others to coalesce around him in order to create that successful church planting. "One plants, another waters, but God gives the increase."

So, we want to pay homage to some who came alongside.

First, there are those who were instrumental in helping us begin and grow in Christ, especially Al and Helen Salay, and Henry Flora. Next are our teachers, particularly Chet Roberson, Hobart Grazier and Reuben Hartwick. Then there are men of God who helped us along the way, like Elis Damiani and Joseph Flower. Finally, there are those who joined with us to serve Christ even as we were privileged to grow together in him.

It is impossible to recognize all of those who made contributions. Certain people stand out because they committed so much for so long. They include my beloved wife, Joy, our children, Sandy, Cheryl, Jamie and Matthew, plus many others who came alongside, including the Thyarks, Heather, Kevin, Stanley, Norm and Jeanette, Rich and Shirley, Tom and Carol, Lee and Peggy, Judie, Joe and Donna, Linda, Gwenn, and, of course, Paul and Pauline, Ted and Elizabeth, plus many many, more. And, of course, there was Larry and Norma Foss of WHAZ. It's sad that not everyone can be mentioned, not because they made less of a contribution. But these stand out today as among those who made enormous contributions in time and effort. A number of these beloved saints have gone to be with the Lord. But I believe that they are most aware that I am writing this. Thank you all! God bless you!

Christian History

1948—Raised in a nominal Christian home, I received Jesus Christ as Savior at a neighborhood children's Bible story time at age 7, (conducted by Nazarenes), Poughkeepsie, New York.

1957—Became active in the Temple Terrace Methodist church where I was elected president of the Methodist Youth Fellowship, sang in the choir and helped out in the nursery.

1959—Entered Florida Southern College to prepare for the ministry. Dropped out of the pre-seminary program after hearing the bishop for the West Coast of Florida state that "Most of the stories in the Old Testament are merely myths used to present moral principals."

1960-1962—Studied business administration, first at Florida Southern College, then at Babson College, Wellesley, Massachusetts.

1962—Executive Vice-President and General Manager, Becker's Sales & Service, Inc., a multi-outlet manufactured housing retail operation, with sales of 75 to 100 homes per year. Designed two housing developments, including all legal approvals. Built one.

1964—Married the most wonderful woman in the world, Joy MacNiven.

1965—Blessed with our first child, Sandra Joy.

1966—Ran for the New York State Senate, 38th Senatorial District, Dutchess and Ulster counties.

1966—Chairman, Dutchess County Conservative Party.

1967—Appointed Emergency Housing Officer, Dutchess County Civil Defense.

1968—
- Blessed with our second child, Cheryl Ann.
- Father, John S. Becker, stricken down with cancer.
- Opened Traveland, a multi-outlet recreational vehicles retail operation.
- Recommitted my life to Christ. " Walked the aisle" and was baptized by immersion at Faith Assembly, Poughkeepsie, NY.
- Appointed Youth Counselor, Faith Assembly.
- The wife of my political campaign manager, who had recently accepted Christ, told me that she'd had a vision that I was going to enter the ministry. She arranged for me to take free classes at Teen Challenge Institute of Missions, offered to provide me with secretarial services to lighten the burden of going to school and running my business, and promised to provide $10 per month from grocery savings (equivalent to about $100 per month now). I declined.

1969, New Year's Day—Drove with my former campaign manager, Al Salay, along with my brother, John Becker, to Teen Challenge Institute to help solve a flooded basement problem. Thus began a period of practical assistance to the institute.

March 8, 1970—Announced to the guests at my 30th birthday party—the pastor of Faith Assembly and his wife as well as the president of Teen Challenge Institute and his wife—that Joy and I planned to close our business to enter full-time ministry. Joy was not eager to be married to a preacher because she had been raised in a legalistic and restrictive Christian home. She, nonetheless, was like Ruth, who said to Naomi, "Whither thou goest, I will go" (Ruth 1;16).

August, 1970—Joy and I, with our two lovely little girls, entered Northeast Bible College to prepare for pastoral work. My heart was set upon home mission church planting. During the two-and-a-half years required to complete the program (after transfer credits), I worked 20 to 40 hours per week to support our family of four.

October, 1970—Received an audiotape from a friend who wishes to remain anonymous,, explaining that he had put a fleece before the Lord, promising to provide me with the net from any pay raise, after deducting tithe and taxes. At 4 PM on the last day allowable in his fleece, he received a raise that enable him to send Joy and me $150 per month for two-and-a-half years. That is roughly equivalent to $1,500 per month in 2004 dollars. To illustrate how much that could buy at that time, we were able to rent one of only two houses located along the side of a lake in a huge county park, for $75 per month.

December, 1972—Completed coursework at the conclusion of the fall semester, Northeast Bible Institute, soon to be Northeast Bible College.

1973, served variously as Vice-President of the Student Council, President of the Student Judiciary, prayer band leader, and editor of the college paper. Completed course work, fall semester, 1972; received B.S. in Bible later. Shortly after the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania granted Northeast the right to grant degrees, I returned for a final course, and received my Bachelor of Science in "Bible."

December 24, 1972—Joy and I were called to pastor a church in Lyons, New York. During the one year we pastored in Lyons, we undertook and completed rehabilitation and redecoration of the church structure. Attendance and offerings increased by approximately 75%. This church had a reputation for being particularly difficult because six of the twenty-one adults attending at the time of our arrival were former missionaries or pastors, but all came to work together for the glory of God.

December 23, 1973—Joy and I were called to pastor an assembly in Troy, New York. The congregation consisted of four people over age 70 and one young couple who traveled fifteen miles to church out of a sense of obligation to keep it open. The church was a physical wreck and the denomination wanted to sell it. With God's leading, we were able to get nearly three times what the denomination hoped for. Sixteen months later (after much prayer and weeping before the Lord), we were averaging over 160 in Sunday School, occupied a fully-furnished church building that we had purchased from a major denomination for $20,000, operated a bus ministry with five busses, operated a Christian school (K-6), and had purchased a parsonage.

1974—Blessed with our third child, Jamieson Edward.