It is my privilege and honour to pay tribute to my Pastor and Father in Christ Steve Francis

For the child of God, death is not the end but merely the door into a higher and more exalted life of intimate contact with Christ. Death is but the dark valley opening out into an eternity of delight with God. It is not something to fear, but an experience through which one passes on the path to a more perfect life. You will forever be remembered and your messages and sermons will keep on blessing us until we meet again. Love you always.

Thabo & Lerato Mphate and the Mokoena Family

In honour of a dear Pastor and Friend, Brother Steve Francis

The very first sermon I heard Brother Steve preach made me realise that he was called of God to be a very special preacher! This was way back in 1979. I had a deep yearning for truth and desired for the Bible to become an open book to me. 

With Brother Steve as my Pastor, my entire world revolved around the Word of God. It is now 42 years later and I marvel at the plan of redemption from Genesis to Revelation.  Truly the Bible has now become the Open Book to me. 

A stalwart who preached with such dedication, fervour and love. He preached almost daily, week in and week out, month after month and eventually years. The Word that he brought was like a Roman candle having one flame light up after the other. The flame of Revelation settled into my soul and brought the love of God into my life. This revealed Word showed me who I am in the economy of God, and helped me teach my children and overcome hurdles in life’s journey.

Brother Steve was a gallant soldier and a fire brand, holding high the torch of God’s Word, and through the years passed it over our pulpit.  God in His Grace, helped me catch that light in my heart, and today my purpose as a daughter of the most high God is being fulfilled. 

I am grateful to a true servant of God, a veteran, who was a loving husband, a dedicated father and grandfather, who taught his children the Word of God. A balanced individual and a keen sportsman, who displayed his principles on the sports field. A pioneer of the cross who handled people (rich and poor) with wisdom from God. Most people felt very comfortable in his presence. His cooking skills will also be missed by many.

My dear husband, Brother Siva Pillay, appreciated and loved Brother Steve and his family very much. They had a close friendship, even closer than a brother, and spent many days and nights in fellowship.  We were one of the families that were with Brother Steve and Sister Jenny when they began the church in 1979. There were many times, in the early days, where we were struggling and Brother Steve would pitch up at our home with fresh bread or something that was needed. Our children grew up together, in and out of each other’s homes, and we were one big happy family. 

When God took Brother Siva home in 2006, Brother Steve and Sister Jenny stood by our family and helped us through the toughest time of our lives and through the years that followed. We are forever grateful for the constant love, support and spiritual guidance throughout the years. Brother Steve helped pass on God’s wisdom through the Word, which could then be used to teach my children, as well as the Sunday School children over many years. He has left a legacy that has touched many lives across the globe. 

Sister Jenny, you and your husband did a sterling work wherever you went in the world, as well as at home.  Thank you and God bless you, for handing the baton of God’s Love to the Bride of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

With love from Sister Jane and family

PASTOR STEVE ~ MY TRIBUTE TO HIM AS MY PASTOR

YEAR I MET HIM: 

In 1976, I accepted our Lord as Saviour.

Pst. Steve taught me from The Bible while he was in Pentecost.

HIS CHARACTER:

1) Always Humble & willing to share scriptures & teach us the word of God.

He never chased after money and fame.

2) When he worked for Iscor, we used to go to his house in the evening & fellowship with him concerning the word of God.

3) The following brothers learned under him in those years: Bro Siva Pillay, Bro Tyrone, Bro Siva Moodley, Bro Barney, Bro Samraj and Myself – Bro Jerry.

4) He taught us how to lead the church in Praise & Worship and also preach the word of God.

We used to have campaigns in Durnacol, Ballengeigh & Newcastle.

He allowed us to take the whole service. One brother would lead us in Songs and another Brother would preach while Pastor Steve sat and listened to us. This was a huge Blessing and encouragement to serve the Lord. On Sunday’s we used to have 3 Services.

Morning service in Durnacol, then in Newcastle and after lunch in Ballengeigh.

At his house in the Bunglows we brothers used to sit and learn from him until midnight.

Sister Jenny used to cook food for us and attend to Brother Alistair who was an infant at that time. Sister Jenny never complained once about us Brothers spending the whole night with him.

She attended to Alistair by herself and welcomed us every time wholeheartedly. We would all go to work the next morning, Pastor Steve included.

At around 1980 I left Newcastle. In 1992 I returned to Newcastle with my family.

By then Pastor Steve was preaching The Message of the Hour according to Bro. William Branham. My wife was the first to visit the church one Sunday, while I was at work and she thoroughly enjoyed it. And from the very next Sunday our whole family started attending services with Pastor Steve at Spoken Word Fellowship. Most of the Brothers who fellowshipped with Pastor Steve in Pentecost also joined Pastor Steve and Believed The Message.

Brother Dave and Pastor Nammy introduced the message to Pastor Steve and ever since he Believed he has never turned away from it until his last breath.

Pastor Steve cared for the poor and underprivileged. Whenever he was called by any member of the church to pray or council he would always attend and serve that family lovingly. He had a huge zeal for the Lord and that desire never left him right to the End of his life on earth.

Pastor Steve was always humble, timid and respectful. He never looked down on anyone and never belittled anyone. He always encouraged and uplifted everyone he encountered with regardless of the circumstances. He was one that would Greet everyone with a smile when he sees them anywhere.

His service as a Shepherd was indeed Good. And even in the midst of a pandemic, whether he was unwell or not he continued ministering and encouraging the flock.

CONCLUSION:

We will dearly Miss our Brother and I Thank the Lord Jesus Christ for such a person as Pastor Steve.

I believe that He will be Richly Rewarded in Heaven.

SHALOM PASTOR STEVE

Until we meet again!!!

From Bro. Jerry Tealo & Family

He is responsible for getting my 5 children married of which 3 of them are still in fellowship. Words will fail me to describe the grace of God was shown through this servant of God. His character is incomparable, his love, kindness, patience, gentleness, goodness, longsuffering and his self-control cannot be matched by anyone I know. Pastor Stephen Francis always reminded me of Our lord and saviour, Jesus CHRIST. What he has done for my family and I nobody else has ever done. Having a husband who was not a Christian made it very difficult to go to church. Besides being a pastor, he was a doctor, a teacher, a lawyer, a chemist and many other duties he did perform, even provided transport to church also.

To me it was as if Pastor Steve introduced us to real life in JESUS CHRIST.  I am not much educated to Express all that I have in my heart so I will leave the rest  for my 2 son in laws to do. May the Lord Jesus receive his faithful servant and say well done. May the lord also protect his dear wife by His precious blood and comfort especially and her daughter and her entire family. May the lord also give them strength to bare such a great loss.

God bless you my dear sister Jenny and sister Jesscintha; we are also shocked and stunned at this so sudden death and disappearance of our pastor, because he spoke much of the rapture and that Jesus is not coming, but He is already here. One consolation is that I am I am sure that he is in the presence of the lord JESUS CHRIST

Sis Chumpa Reddy

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls today we have come to play to rest one of the best and most dedicated Christian’s that I have ever met in my entire life. Pastor Stephen Francis was really and truly one in a million. I had known him from the year of 1977 when I first came to Newcastle.  In my lifetime I have met and listened to hundreds of preachers, pastors, teachers, evangelists, prophets and apostles but he Bro Steve outshines them all.

His humility, compassion, love, and kindness and all the fruit of the spirit were evident in his entire life. He was one true born again Christian that not only spoke about the Lord Jesus Christ but he lived that which he spoke off.

It was more than 40yrs ago, actually 45yrs. ago in the beginning of the year of 1977 when I came to Newcastle that I met a man who I can stand up and testify to be a true Christian. His character and his qualities only portrayed the presence of Jesus Christ. Although some may disagree with his doctrine, nobody can deny the exemplary life that he lived. He was not just being called a Christian, but he virtually gave his life for the gospel. He beside being and having the entire fivefold ministry in his life, he was a true husband a most loving father of 3 sons and 1 daughter, and a very loving granddad of 10 grandchildren.

Although he had only 1 church in Newcastle, he has preached to thousands in S.A and abroad.  He has been preaching in the states for approximately 40 times. He has ministered in a few other countries other than the US. Namely, India, Australia, Mexico, England and a few other countries in Africa as well.

He was not only a preacher but an outstanding sportsman in almost every sport he played. Whatever he did he did to the best of his ability. Our earthly loss this is heavens gain. He always spoke of going to be with Jesus Christ so eventually he beat us to the winning post. I wish to thank God almighty for a true and a great soldier of the cross, who was as a father to my wife, Satisha, who got me married 38 yrs. ago. He was a husband to all the widows in our church. Many from the church have said that they are willing to give their lives for Pastor Steve. He was always there for all as a doctor to give the right medication, he was there to tell us to eat the right food and many other good advices he would give. His dear wife is also going to miss him, and his 3 sons who have also lived outstanding Christian lives are also fit to preach and live the gospel of Jesus Christ, but nobody I know will ever be as great a soldier of the cross as our pastor Steve.

He was a true Christian everywhere we went with him. Words will fail me to explain all the good he has done.  The Bible says that the years of a man is 3 score and 10 which is 70yrs,so God has given him a full lifespan and 2 yrs extra, yet he was as fit as a fiddle until his dying day. Pastor Stephen Francis was an example of a true believer until the end of his life on earth. It is a great loss on earth but is a great gain for heaven this very day.

May our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, comfort and strengthen each and every person here especially his ever loving wife, sister Jenny, his only daughter, Jesscintha, his 3 sons Allistair, Liam and Stephen and all his 10 grandchildren and also his entire congregation and also all of you present here and those of you that are elsewhere watching who were not able to attend this glorious funeral. May the blessings of the Almighty God abide on each and every one of you, abundantly.

Bro Seava Moodley

When I first met Pastor Steven Francis, I was too intimidated to do much more than greet him and smile awkwardly while Janelle, my best friend, did the introductions and explained who I was. It wasn’t because of anything he said or did, and he was as friendly as anyone I’d ever met, but he also had this presence about him that’s difficult to explain or put into words. It was a force that you could feel the moment he walked into the room; a good one, a positive one, but also such a powerful one that it made you take notice and understand that meeting him was an important moment. 

It was an anticlimactic first meeting, as first meetings usually are, but then I went home and happened to mention to my parents that I’d met Janelle’s grandfather, who was a Pastor at their church. The reaction was instant and amazing. My dad’s first description of Pastor Francis was, and would continue to be repeated any time that we spoke of him, that he was “a gentleman and a soldier”. I was regaled with stories about how Pastor Francis played cricket with my dad; about how brilliant a player he was, but also so humble and easygoing, and how he instilled those same qualities – sportsmanship and humility and grace alongside the talent that had been passed down – in his sons; three of them, all of whom my parents adored. There were stories about time spent enjoying the game and the company of the team, which included my mother and Aunty Jenny keeping score because they were always so fair and knowledgeable about the game. There was stories about coaching the boys and cricket trials, and a baseball jacket from the States that my dad can still describe in perfect detail, and teaching with Aunty Jess, who had just as much of Pastor Francis in her as the boys did. 

I was enthralled. 

When I next met him, I was all too excited to tell him about everything I’d heard; and his reaction was as advertised. Full of humility and good cheer as he confirmed the good times he’d shared with my family before I’d ever even known there was a connection. 

Fast forward about 10 years, a moment when Janelle needed to use my phone to call her grandfather, and she looked at my phone, laughed, and said, “Sha, you have his number saved as Papa.” Because yes; I did. He started off as Pastor Francis, this awe inspiring powerhouse figure, and somewhere along the line, as time passed, he somehow became Papa. I’m not sure if I ever addressed him as such, but Papa was more than just a title. It was a feeling. And that feeling was definitely there for him. 

In times like these, you try to think of special moments and memories that you can talk about. One that has all the markings of a story that will perfectly capture how much love and respect and admiration we had for him, or how he changed or shaped our lives, or even just lent some warmth and love and support when we needed it. Do I talk about how he used to spoil Janelle and I whenever I went over for a sleepover? Do I mention all the times that he went out and bought us a veritable smorgasbord of tasty things and gave us free reign to tuck in and have fun? Or do I recall the bigger things? How he once brought me back a New York keyholder and pen from the States, somehow knowing that it was my dream to go there? Or how he always made me feel like a part of the family, more than just Janelle’s best friend? Or how he performed a beautiful registration for my brother and sister-in-law because we wanted someone we considered family to carry out something that was so special to us? 

Only when I was talking to Janelle about doing this tribute, did I realize that Papa was so much more than just that one, perfect memory. Papa was a series of little moments and heartwarming memories, of which we all have so many, that made up one amazing person who we can hold in our hearts as we go forward in life and thank God for blessing us with the opportunity to meet and know and love. 

So that’s all I want to do with this. I just want to say thank you to Papa for being so much more to me, and to my family, than I think he ever really knew. I only hope he knew what he meant to me. He was so loved and will be so missed; as all the best people are. 

Lauriksha Dhewlall 

God bless to the family and loved ones of my brother S. Francis

Three moments of great blessings to my life and my family’s life, we had the opportunity by the Grace of God to know the servant of God brother Francis in Tucson Arizona. We heard him preach that wonderful sermon “Doors”, he was happy speaking with that clarity and humility that characterized him. His countenance would be cheerful and his words were clear speaking to our hearts, the anointing would flow, and coming out of the service I was called to the office of brother Pastor Isaac Noriega. He presented him to me and I identified myself with him. Simple man of great humility and a lot of patience.

We were invited to dine in a small group (Juan Chacon, Isaac Noriega, Robert Gutierrez, S. Francis and I), I would watch him trying to analyze what he was thinking, he would only turn around to look at me and would smile. Man of few words, and suddenly he told me, brother Morin you are from Mexico, I answered YES, he told me; one day I would like to go visit you, of course, which ever day you would like we will be waiting for you there and you will be more than welcome, brother Francis told me; I don’t have a Visa to go to Mexico and brother Juan Chacon responded; “he can get you across, he knows how…”, I replied; “If you come God will bless us with his word using you like he did today, I am blessed to have been able to be here in this meeting”, and there were a few meetings that we traveled many kilometers my family and I to listen to him. He surprised me one day saying that he was coming to Mexico, we made everything ready and it was our pleasure to go pick him up at the USA border and cross him to the Mexican side, it was a pleasure to travel and feel the blessing of having him in Saltillo Coahuila Mexico where the Pastor Marcelo Romero programed a meeting so that our brother Francis would preach… DOORS WERE OPENED…  there was no place where we would be able to make a meeting and we requested the president of assemblies of God to lend us the auditorium, we told him that a servant of God was coming with a Glorious message, he accepted to lend us the place, the invitations were made to representatives of our government so they would be able to listen to our beloved brother Stephen Francis, and they came and listened as well, more doors were opened and the following day, meeting already started, he was invited to greet personnel from the government which received him with open arms being that his humility and love he transmitted was able to be felt in the atmosphere and was more than welcomed, this motivated one of them to ask us if we accepted support to make dinner for everyone in the meetings and I told him we would accept his offer… subsequently the government representative told me “I felt so blessed with the presence of your brother (S. Francis) that it motivated me to say such thing, and I will go and listen to him, you can see that he is a holy man”… we left the government offices and I told brother Francis, “These men will give a banquet in your honor”, we went out laughing and happy that everything was marching better than good.

We had the opportunity to take him to San Antonio Texas, my daughters and son went talking with him with a lot of familiarity, they would joke around and play, it looks like I knew him like a man full of happiness, trustworthy and with a lot of wisdom. He knew when to speak and when to be silent, his patience and tolerance to us permitted us to know him and learn that he would not judge anyone, and that he loved us. We laughed, ate and we said our good byes with that love that is missed…

One night I had a lot of problems, a lot of emotions and as a Pastor I would only keep them to me and I would say “GOD, GIVE ME THE ANSWER, I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO”, it looked like there was no way out, there was no way to go, and I received a call at 12 or one in the morning, it was my brother Francis with that soothing voice greeting me saying “How are you my brother?”, I responded, “I am good.”, he asked me again, “How are you my brother?”, I answered a little slower, “I am good.”, and he told me. “You know, I was praying for you and I felt I needed to call you.”, he asked me how was the family and I responded that they were ok, he smiled and said, “Everything has an end, everything will diminish only the Word is eternal.”, I smiled and I told him, “Then this will also pass.”, he said yes, I asked him in what I could serve him for or when he would be able to come to Mexico again and he said, “I only called to greet you and let you know that everything will be ok.”, I only thanked him for that call that brought me relief, strength and courage in the exact time and I told him, “Your call has made me happy.”, he smiled and told me, “God bless you, you are a man of God, and you are my friend.”. I felt happy, really happy, and I told a few people, “Brother Stephen Francis called me, with the humility that characterized him.”, Today I say my brother and friend S. Francis.

Today was called by God the warrior and servant of the most High God to his eternal dwelling-place, his wife and family had the privilege and the joy to fellowship with the servant of God, they are blessed!!!

God bless you.
From Brother J. Ernesto Morìn, Pastor in Monclova, Coahuila, MÉXICO.

Good Day

I hope you are well

My condolences to you and the family, it was with such a great shock that I heard of dad’s passing. Our prayers are with you all, if you or the family requires any assistance please do not hesitate to ask.

We truly lost a great man.

Hope mum gets well soon

Regards

Avinash (Newcastle)

Pastor Stephen Francis
My beloved Friend, Brother, Pastor and Father in this Glorious Gospel!
I have been privileged to come under your godly influence for the past thirty years! The measure of life is not in its duration but in its contribution! And your contribution to the Bride of Christ and to the Ministry is immeasurable!

You were blessed and blessed unreservedly and unconditionally.

You laughed when we called you the Message Library but that is exactly what you were, full with the Message & Bible and ever ready to share on any subject.

Going to miss you immensely my dear friend, looking forward to that great day when we will meet again.

Farewell, Farewell….
Bro Rodney Munsami

We thank God for the life and testimony of our Br Steve Francis.

He has been promoted and reassigned to be a sure sign of the Resurrection and Rapture.

He was just Rapture material.

Shalom

Elder GS Chitsinde