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On
August 11, 1933 at Brandsville, MO. Glen Alvin Brashear was born to Ed and Lola
Brashear. The world has never been the same since then. He always told people
“I only weighed 12lbs when I was born but I grew quickly!” In the process of time he
moved to Bamsdall, Oklahoma and then to Tulsa. There at the age of 15 at Home
Gardens Assembly of God he was saved, received the Holy Ghost, and accepted the
call to preach. Probably the most important
thing he will be remembered for was his knowledge of and his love for the Word
of God. He has been referred to as a “Walking Bible” and “ A Bible Preacher”.
One minister said “He is the best expository preacher I have ever heard”. He
has preached infamous messages such as “Would Anybody Want Your Spirit?” and
“Pleased or Displeased, What Would It Take to Please You?” |
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Those he has pastored
remember he would dismiss at exactly 12:00 sharp on Sunday mornings. One time,
after preaching on “Angels”, he did his regular 12:00 sharp dismissal and
walked to the back of the church to shake hands. The whole church was shouting
and no one would leave! After at least two more times of walking back to the
pulpit and continuing his message he finally said “You ‘re dismissed, Now Go
Home!”
He was known for having a
sweet spirit and being a peacemaker ( except for his marriage counseling— those
he has pastored will smile at this!) He not only tried to reconcile individuals
himself, but rejoiced when and with others who were successful at resolving
differences as well.
He taught us not to harbor
grudges and resentment. Once, upon hearing of the passing of an individual who
had caused him a great deal of grief and heartache he responded, “Don’t hold
anything against them on my account, Lord, let them in to your good heaven!”
He carried a high regard
for other preachers and the ministry as a whole. He constantly tried to “give
honor to whom honor was due” majoring on their strengths and strong points.
He always reached out to
the common man -you didn’t have to be upper class for Glen Brashear. It has
been commented that if there happened to be anyone who didn’t like him, he
would keep working until he made them like him.
“Glen Brashear” and
“humorous” are synonymous terms. He said people who bragged about being sober
weren’t sober, they were just sour.
Friends and family recall
his fun with food coloring such as his famous “blue
gravy and green mashed potatoes”. Not to mention the time he put red coloring
in the youth camp drinking water. He once had Cheryl cook a goose egg for Dan
Wiley and told him, “the scripture says to eat whatever is placed before you.”
He must have been the King
of knife collectors. Family members and close friends recall the many Christmas
gifts that were knives wrapped in a toilet paper roll. (He was also the King of
Creativity!)
His grandchildren (and that
includes many more than just the actual ones!) remember everything being fixed
with bailing wire and duct tape and painted red! They will also never forget
his many jokes and stories, especially “Firey Eyes and Bloody Bones”. Glenda,
his daughter, remembers when she and her brother Steve were very sick and in
bed with a high fever. While Bro. Glen was praying the Lord healed them and
they got up, went outside to play, and left their Dad in there praying by
himself She also remembers him praying for her eyes, and the doctor commented
later (after her eyes improved) that eyes like hers don’t get better. But they
did after Dad prayed! !
Bro. Glen spent several
years in Christian education as Pastor/Principal. We remodeled together, prayed
and cried together. But there was one thing he said we wouldn’t let him do.
..he couldn’t grade the students tests because he would dot the “i’s” and cross
the “t’s” for them.
But as his latter years
bore out, he was an overcomer and refused to give in to adversity. Though his
body was weakening, he remained spiritually strong. After his first major
stroke while still pastoring at Florence Holiness Church in Keller, Texas he
was praying and walking around in the fellowship hall. He tried to run and fell
and broke his shoulder. Even after the third major stroke in a 10 year period
he fought and held on for over 2 months before the Lord called him home.
After years of preaching on
the Book of Revelation, on June the 16th at approximately 7:30 a.m. we stood at
his bedside and his faith became sight. I couldn’t keep from saying “...and I,
Glen, saw that Holy City.
Written by Rev. Keith
Cherry
(Son-in-law of Bro.
Glen)
Tulsa, OK