Celebrating the Life of Bishop Pastor Paul Francis Hesselbein

A Tribute to a Faithful Servant

The building was at capacity. Friends and family gathered, sharing a wonderful time in praise and worship. There was music, singing, sermons, testimonies, and heartfelt recollections. We were celebrating the life and accomplishments of my Dad, Bishop Pastor Paul Francis Hesselbein.

Today, I heard countless stories about my Dad. Many tales were humorous, some were inspirational, and all praised his dedication to God, friends, and family. These emotional memories brought smiles and tears alike. Today was indeed a celebration, but it wasn’t Dad’s birthday, retirement party, or anniversary. Today, we laid my dad to rest.

Sorrow was the furthest thing from our minds. We were sending this faithful servant off to his reward in that great land of joy and peace. He fought the good fight, kept the faith, and now he was claiming the blessed promise of the Lord.

The Journey of the Hesselbeins

The end of Dad’s earthly journey is not the subject we are exploring here. The purpose of this tale of faith is to share a story of inspiration, hardship, and reward. This is the story of a little preacher man and his family from northeast Arkansas who made a significant impact on many lives: the missionary family of Reverend Paul F. and Annie B. Hesselbein.

We were—and still are—a close-knit family. The Hesselbeins are a full half-dozen team of missionaries who dedicated our lives to the service of God and those we were sent to serve. Our road was sometimes rough, sometimes smooth, but it was never without lessons. I want to tell you our story. Maybe you’ll get a few laughs, shed a few tears, or find inspiration. Either way, I hope you’ll be blessed.

My name is Kent, the eldest. Next is Manissa, four years younger. Then there is Christopher, a year younger than Manissa, and finally LaBreska, the baby of the family, just one year younger than Chris.

My grandfather, Dad’s father, was an old-time, fire-and-brimstone Assembly of God preacher. Poppa, as we called him, was a large German man with a deep, booming voice. When he spoke, sang, or walked, he did so with authority and purpose. Poppa, the Reverend Frank A. Hesselbein, was one of those preachers you were simply afraid not to listen to. My grandmother, on the other hand, is a slight little woman filled with vigor. She is a little Dutch woman from a long line of long-lived people. Dad, well, he was just a smaller, quieter version of his father. He wasn’t a large man, standing barely five feet five inches tall. He didn’t have a large, booming voice—in fact, he had a nervous stutter—and when he walked, he strolled. But his presence was equally as large as his father’s.

I don’t know if it was expected that Dad would be a preacher. He, much like us kids, didn’t have much choice about religion or faith growing up. He was a preacher’s son and had to learn to act and live as such. So maybe it was just a natural progression, but either way, God called Dad to preach His word.

A Unique Family Background

Mom was raised in a rather unusual family—unusual for the time, anyway. When she was nine years old, her biological father died of Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Her mother, Helen James-Gray, later remarried a wonderful man, Ed T. Wilson. Grandpa Wilson was an awesome man. Grandma Wilson had four children: Mom, Delmar, Lou Etta, and Calvin. Grandpa Wilson, a widower, had three: Eddie, Jo Ella, and Danny. When the couple married, Grandpa took Mom and her siblings as his own, and Grandma did the same with his children. There was none of this ‘your kids – my kids’ business; it was always “our” kids. Grandma and Grandpa then had one of their own, Victor, who is only a few years older than I am. Consequently, we grew up more like brothers than uncle and nephew.

Grandma was often called upon to help out with sick relatives; she was a natural caregiver. These duties left Mom to tend to her brothers and sister. I truly believe this is what helped forge the strong, confident individual she became.

The years continued, and the children began to leave or marry off to begin their own lives. Eddie and Danny moved way up north. Jo Ella died young from cancer. Calvin married and joined the Army. Delmar ran wild for a while, then married and settled down. Lou Etta married George Malin, who was stationed at the Blytheville Air Force Base. Victor grew up, married, and moved to Kentucky. And Mom... she met and married Dad.

On July 29, 1963, Paul and Annie were married, beginning a partnership that would endure for forty-six years. This union brought four children, thus completing the clan. It took eight years to build this group.

I was born on July 4, 1964, and was the first trial for Mom and Dad. When I was born, doctors discovered I had a condition called situs inversus totalus—a condition where all the internal organs are mirror-imaged. Basically, all my organs are on the wrong side.

Manissa was born on June 24, 1968, and things didn’t seem quite right with her, either. It took several years to discover that she had been born nearly deaf because the small organs of her inner ear did not develop past the fetal stage. A later surgery corrected the problem, but Manissa would become almost completely deaf again by the time she was thirty-five. Christopher was born on December 24, 1969, the picture of perfect health; he hardly ever had any illness growing up. LaBreska was born on January 28, 1971. She was reasonably healthy but had a deformity that affected her fingers—not grossly misshapen, just a little crooked. Sadly, LaBreska grew up to suffer from Crohn’s Disease and crippling arthritis.

Understanding Missionary Work

When the term “missionary” is used, the typical impression is of a minister traveling into foreign, savage lands to spread the Word of God. What too many fail to recognize is that spreading the Gospel is the missionary’s work, regardless of geography. Much of the missionary work undertaken today is right here at home, hence the term, “home missions.” The Hesselbeins were home missionaries.

Looking back through time, we know that missionary work was the way the Gospel was initially spread throughout the world. The twelve Disciples of Christ were missionaries; Jesus himself was a missionary. He was actually one of the first “home missionaries,” as he never truly left his home region during his ministry. Granted, there were missionaries abroad, the Apostle Paul being one who traveled far from his home. The unwilling missionary, Jonah, was carried to his mission in the belly of the whale. Elijah and Elisha also carried the Word of God in their respective times.

Dad knew this was his calling. He was meant to spread the Word of God to the unsaved souls scattered throughout the rural areas of Arkansas, Missouri, and Tennessee. This is the mission upon which he embarked—he and his little band of genetically bound followers.

The Legacy of Faith

As I reflect on my father's life, I realize that his legacy goes beyond the stories shared today. It is woven into the fabric of our family and the communities he touched. His unwavering faith and commitment to service inspire us to continue his work.

In our journey, we learned that faith is not just a belief; it is an action. It is about showing up for others, lending a helping hand, and sharing love in tangible ways. My father's life was a testament to this truth.

Through the years, we faced challenges that tested our faith. Yet, each trial brought us closer together. We learned to lean on one another and draw strength from our shared experiences.

As we move forward, we carry my father's spirit with us. We strive to embody the values he instilled in us: compassion, humility, and a deep love for God and humanity.

In closing, I invite you to reflect on your own journey. Consider how you can integrate these principles into your life. Whether through acts of service or simply being present for those in need, we all have the power to make a difference.

Let us honor my father's memory by continuing to spread love and kindness in our communities. Together, we can create a ripple effect that transforms lives and fosters spiritual growth.

May we all find inspiration in the life of Bishop Pastor Paul Francis Hesselbein and strive to carry his legacy forward.

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