David Crank Jr. unlocked the door to the church and slipped inside. The funeral was over and everyone had gone home, yet he half expected to hear his father’s footsteps. To hear his dad’s voice calling his name.
Stories had been told and the life of David Crank Sr. had been honored. But a lifetime of memories between a father and son couldn’t be compacted into a memorial service. Alone in the quiet, David let his thoughts drift back to those early years.
His father had been raised in a ghetto where he’d witnessed the ugly side of life. As a young man, he’d become one of St. Louis’ finest—a police officer. He probably would have stayed on the police force until retirement but God had intervened, calling him to preach the gospel.
The move into ministry had been anything but easy.
In the beginning, the family had to live in a travel trailer, with David’s dad pawning their belongings for gas money to get to the next town to preach. They’d been in Batesville, Ark., in May 1975, when a man had asked David Sr. if he’d ever heard of Kenneth Copeland.
“No, can’t say as I have.”
“You sound like him,” the man said, handing him an audio tape.
A year later, in Granite City, Ill., the family heard Brother Copeland speak live. During the service that night, he’d invited people to become Partners with his ministry.
David Crank Sr. had known the Lord wanted him to partner with Kenneth Copeland soon after he began listening to his teachings. But what could he give? He’d pawned his guitar for gas to leave town after his last meeting. He’d already pawned his watch and they needed food.
David Crank Evangelistic Association had a whopping $5!
He’d dropped it in the offering. Then he heard the voice of the Lord.
'I want you to sow $1 a day into KCM. It’s good ground and I want you to plant faithfulness and consistency. Whatever you sow, you’ll reap.'
BVOV : 11
