REMEMBERING BROTHER MANLEY

God Has No Insignificant Children
Someone has observed that it seems that God delights to use some folks that most people would consider least likely to succeed in order to “showcase” His wisdom and greatness. Such would have been and WAS the conclusion of many who knew the boy, Manley Beasley. For one thing, he had a learning disability called dyslexia, and back in his growing up days, that meant he was seen as being “retarded”. Manley was anything BUT retarded. Yet the frustrations he experienced and his reactions to family difficulties combined with youthful rebellion. He dropped out of school in the 7th grade, and by the age of fifteen had managed to join the Merchant Marines and was sailing around the world! But God apprehended this young rebel when he was eighteen years old and began to transform and tutor him.

Brother Manley set his heart to know God and to walk with Him. Out of the depths of his own needs, he seemed to be rewarded with God-given understanding of some of “the deep things of God”. One thing was for sure—Manley came to know Him as a living, purposeful, prayer-answering God, who made Himself known to those who really trust Him. Prayer was an integral part of his life and those who knew him well sometimes were amazed at the intensity with which he approached the matter.

To Manley, prayer wasn’t a matter of a “one-way” conversation in which we bring our concerns to God. As he noted in one sermon “Sometimes a preacher will say to me, Bro. Manley, we had a great prayer meeting. I’ll then ask him the question, “What did you say to God?” and he will tell me. Then I’ll ask, “What did God say to you?” That usually confuses people. You see, if what you have said to God has not caused God to say something to you, there is no communication, so, have you really prayed? Prayer is more than a one-way conversation.” Manley would go on to explain, “I believe that we are to pray until we have an answer in our hand or in our heart.”

God was to do many things through His servant, Bro. Manley. God chose to use physical suffering in his life as a major framework through which He would display Himself. Having been an active, strong, handsome evangelist for several years, with a wife and four children, suddenly in 1970 Manley (around 39 years of age) found himself in the hospital stricken with several diseases, three of them “terminal”. For the next 20 years he baffled the medical community as he trusted the Lord to sustain and use him in mighty ways. It was in that context that we initially met Manley in Philadelphia, PA. He was wheeled into a room where several of us had gathered to pray before the Southern Baptist Convention meeting in June, 1972. The praying group included Jack Taylor, Miss Bertha Smith, Ron and Kaye Dunn, ourselves and some others whom we cannot recall. The next, more personal time, of being with Manley occurred in December, 1972.

Man of Faith
There were many other occasions when we were privileged to be with Bro. Manley in the years that lay ahead. God called Manley to a pilgrimage that not too many are called to make. We observed, along with thousands of others who watched and followed him, as he went through trials and testing that no one would volunteer for—like a modern day Job being tried, so as by fire, and being brought forth “as gold.” While in the furnace, God taught Manley many lessons, and the study of what the “walk of faith” is, became one of his life’s passions. He walked it, and as long as God gave him the strength, he taught it.
Manley: “When we get to the end of ourselves, it is then that He takes over. When we recognize our weakness, it is then that God will show Himself adequate for whatever the situation may be.”

Man of Revival
Manley was also a person God used to help His people seek Him for revival. He was part of the ministry team for the 2nd annual Swiss Conference on Revival held at the International Christian Center in Chateau d’Oex. He continued to be a part of the annual ministry team until 1977 when the Conference Center (Hotel Rosat) was sold. After the sale of the facility, though we personally continued to have our own ministry in Europe, we had no plans to continue any kind of conference emphasis— that is, until the phone call.

The Phone Call: Ron Remembers
It was Bro. Manley. He wanted to talk. More than two years had passed since the last “Swiss Conference on Revival” in Chateau d’Oex. We met at the Lotus Flower, his favorite Chinese restaurant in Euless, Texas.

Before long he began sharing the burden he had been carrying since the closure of the International Christian Center. His burden was to bring the message of revival to Christian leaders both in Western and Eastern Europe. He felt that restoring the conference ministry would be the primary instrument God would use. The more I listened to Manley the more excited I got as he unfolded the vision God had given him. He said: We will invite pastors and their wives, denominational leaders and missionaries. We will cover the cost of everyone who is not able to pay. You find the place, get the word out, make the arrangements, and God will provide.

By the time our meeting was over, plans were in the making for the first International Congress on Revival. Much of great significance occurred in our own ministry and lives in succeeding years because of the vision God gave Bro. Manley to initiate the ICR. Some of the things we’ve already shared to this point in our story make that very clear.

Other treasures from Manley’s life
But there are other as important aspects of our Manley’s life and ministry that mean so much to us and many to others who knew him. Perhaps something that was shared by his brother-in-law, Mike Gilchrist, at Manley’s Memorial Service held at First Baptist Church, Euless, TX, on July 13, 1990, will help to express these.

“Manley’s whole heart was set on glorifying God in his mortal flesh and his union with Jesus. It was like a marriage intimacy and relationship that was so unique it was almost mystical. And this relationship was for better or for worse, in sickness or in health, until death took him into the presence of God.

“Manley was not just an instrument, he was a servant. There is a difference. An instrument is anyone God uses whether he is right with God or not. A servant is one whose heart is set on being obedient to his master. Manley was meticulously obedient to Jesus. Pharaoh was an instrument, Paul was a servant. Manley was a servant.

“Another characteristic of the life of Manley was that he preached, not for motivation, but for transformation. He preached for change. Most preachers preach to motivate. Motivation lasts from three to seven days. Change lasts for a lifetime. Manley did not provide information as much as he gave revelation. That is why hundreds are here today to give life-changing testimonies, not of a man, but what God did through a man who walked with Him.”

The last of the many testimonials at the memorial service was a testimony and message by Adrian Rogers in which he likened Bro. Manley’s life and death to that of the Apostle Paul.
The SOURCE of Manley’s life was Jesus (Philippians 1: 21-24).
The STANDARD of his life was Jesus (Philippians 3:14).
The SONG of his life was Jesus (Philippians 4:4).
The SATISFACTION of his life was Jesus (Philippians 4:11).
The STRENGTH of his life was Jesus (Philippians 4:13).
The SUPPLY of his life was Jesus (Philippians 4:19).

Bro. Manley’s life and testimony was that of the Apostle Paul: “I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body whether by life or by death. For to me to LIVE is Christ and to DIE is gain” (Philippians 1:20-21).

(For a fuller portrait: Manley Beasley: Man of Faith, Instrument of Revival” by Ron Owens; available in Printed, E-book, and Audio CD versions)