Missions Director,
Free Gospel Missions
The Free Gospel Church is among the oldest of the organized Pentecostal groups. At the very beginning of the 20th century, Frank Casley left England and arrived in the Turtle Creek area of Western Pennsylvania. While working at the Westinghouse factory he began preaching to the men at the lunch hour. Soon he began to organize churches in such towns as Turtle Creek, Glassport, McKeesport, and North Braddock, as well as in the city of Pittsburgh. Early on there was a loose affiliation with Christian and Missionary Alliance.
Then people began to experience the Holy Spirit baptism with the evidence of speaking in tongues. This was not accepted by the C.M.A., and in 1916 the churches were incorporated under the name of "United Free Gospel and Missionary Society". In 1957 the name was changed to "Free Gospel Church, Inc."
From the very beginning there was a very strong emphasis on foreign missions. To my knowledge there is no written record of all the countries where missionaries were sent. I have heard from others knowledgeable of that period that several countries in Central and South America were included. Rev. and Mrs. Weldon Smith spent about half a century in South China and were among the last to leave when the communist seized control following World War II. Their work included orphanages for hundreds of children, many of whom were blind.
Early in the 1920's a work was started in the Philippines, and a very vibrant and growing mission continues to bring the gospel to much of Luzon Island. A more detailed account of this work will be found elsewhere in this web site.
Also in the 1920's mission work began in Sierra Leone, West Africa. This work is vital and growing and elsewhere you will find more details of this missionary effort.
By the 1930's a mission was also established in Northern India and is still in operation today at Faizabad, U.P.
Our newest work is in Ghana, West Africa and is just getting established with about three congregations working together under national leadership.
It has been my privilege to be the Director of Free Gospel Missions since 1961. God has blessed the efforts of our overseas personnel and we have seen notable successes in spite of difficulties, and disappointments.
All of our overseas missionaries receive a stated salary each month plus money for expenses such as housing, vehicles, etc. There are two reasons we are able to accomplish this. First, missionaries itinerate in as many churches as possible to raise funds toward their support. Secondly, all work at our office is done on a volunteer basis, and no one is paid for his or her services. Other cost are kept as low as possible. This makes it possible for 98% of all receipts to be spent overseas. All missionaries receive a monthly report of all funds received for their support. A receipt is issued for all contributions, and mailed with a bimonthly newsletter that keeps supporters informed of what is happening in the different countries where we have personnel.