When I Think of My Dad

By Philip Wright

When I think of my dad, many things come to mind. First, he was a man of prayer. Growing up, I remember waking up early on several occasions to find my mom and dad praying together, and I knew it was a regular habit. I remember him and his friends praying together when we gathered with their families. We still joke about those prayer meetings and how long they prayed. After he retired, he had his preacher over every week for coffee and prayer. Even as Alzheimer’s progressed, he still prayed for us kids (and for my sister’s dog of which he was very fond).

Second, he was always appreciative. He appreciated his employees. He was appreciative of those who served the Lord in full-time ministry. Most of all, he was appreciative of my mom. In the closing stages of his disease, many people become grumpy and difficult to live with. Not my dad! He always told Mom how much he appreciated her and loved her. He was also appreciative of anyone who came to see him, although, he always asked me why I wasn’t at work.

Third, Dad was a giver. I knew that all my life. He gave when he had much, and when he had very little. He was always a big supporter of Free Will Baptist churches, pastors, missionaries, and various other ministries. When our church was going through financial difficulties, he borrowed money to make sure payroll was met for the school and church. He not only gave financially, but he also gave of his time. He served as a deacon, as a member of the school board for our church, and on the Board of Free Will Baptist Family Ministries. (I was particularly fond of this duty. We would visit the farm where the children’s home was located and look at the livestock and machinery. For lunch, they always served Kentucky Fried Chicken, which is hard to beat.) Dad also served as a trustee on the national Free Will Baptist Board of Retirement.

To continue his diligent work and legacy of giving, our family set up the Glen H. Wright Memorial Fund to benefit the North American Ministries Hispanic Bible Institute (formally Gwen Hendrix Bible Institute). The institute welcomes students from other countries, teaches them how to start churches, and then sends them out to do just that. Over 380 students have graduated to date, and these graduates are doing some phenomenal work.

One of the graduates started an orphanage in Puerto Rico with the help of the institute. Jesus told His disciples, “Let the little children come.” This ministry is meeting the needs of these children, showing the love of Jesus, and reaching them with the gospel of Christ.

The institute also has a correspondence program, which equips believers for their missionary efforts. This was another ministry dear to my dad’s heart. He was impressed with the zeal they had to reach people with the gospel. He gave generously himself and traveled many miles to churches to raise support for the institute.

To help get this fund started, our family initiated a matching campaign. We will match dollar-for-dollar everything given up to $50,000. This is a great opportunity to double your financial efforts for the Kingdom. To contribute, please send donations to: North American Ministries, PO Box 5002, Antioch, TN 37011, or call 877-767-7674.

About the Author: Phillip Wright is a corporate risk consultant for the Wright Risk Consultant Company in Jackson, Tennessee.

*Earmark checks to Glen Wright Hispanic Bible Institute.