Les & Bonnie Frazier

E-Mail Les Frazier

I was born in Hillsboro, Texas and lived there until my father’s death in 1945. We moved to Austin, Texas. Bonnie was born in Wichita, Kansas, but her mother moved to Austin soon after her father died. We met, dated, and were married without knowing Christ as Saviour.

Bonnie and I were saved in August 1952 in the First Baptist Church in Biloxi, Mississippi. I had entered the United States Air Force in January of that year. For the first time, I was separated from friends and acquaintances to think about the meaning of life. Later, I entered radio school at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi. Bonnie joined me there. We began reading our Bibles and attending the First Baptist Church. God convicted me of sin while reading the Book of Romans. One Sunday morning a young preacher, who had just finished seminary, brought the message. It was a clear presentation of the Gospel. Bonnie and I trusted Christ in the invitation and were later baptized. This was the beginning of a new direction in our lives.

A few months later, I was sent to Japan for a year and a half. At Ashiya Air Force Base in southern Japan, I helped organize the G.I. Gospel Hour on Friday nights. We invited the surrounding missionaries in the area as speakers. Souls were saved. On Sunday afternoons a few Christian G.I.’s would rent bicycles and pass out Gospel tracts in surrounding coal-mining villages. During this time, God began to work in my heart concerning missions. One day I bowed my head before the Lord in my room and yielded my life to serve God.

Upon returning to the United States, I was stationed at Donaldson Air Force Base in Greenville, South Carolina for my final year in the Air Force. Here I became aware of Bob Jones University. Greenville became home for the next ten years, one in the Air Force and eight at Bob Jones University, then, one on deputation. Bonnie got two years in the University, along with rearing our children.

We left for Japan as missionaries in the summer of 1964. The first eight years of our ministry were centered in the cities of Yokohama and Nagoya. We were involved in evangelism through tent meetings, church planting and training national workers in Japan. The last fourteen years were spent in the Kobe area. We planted a church in the city of Miki, just west of Kobe. This church grew, bought land, and put up its own building. It supported missionaries and grew in its mission burden. During this time, I also served as vice-president of the Kansai Independent Baptist Bible School and edited the Baptist Trumpet. The Midorigaoka Baptist Church called a national pastor in 1985. At that time, we returned to help in the Home Office of Baptist International Missions, Inc. (BIMI).

I served as the Far East Director of BIMI until June 2002. This area includes the fields of Japan, Philippines, Korea, Taiwan, the Mariana Islands, China, Mongolia, Bhutan, and Hong Kong. The work was very challenging and rewarding. BIMI has some 90 missionaries in the Far East. They are doing a great job. Bonnie and I considered it a great privilege to work with them. I recruited missionaries for the Far East. I helped in training them and assisted them in gaining their support as well as helping churches in their mission programs. We held annual Field Conferences in Japan and the Philippines, visited, and assisted the missionaries in the other fields. Many other responsibilities seemingly are assigned to us. I presently serve as International Representative for BIMI.

When we went to Japan in 1964, our oldest son, Guy, was eight years of age. He is married and has one daughter, Bonnie Marie. Mike was born in Japan while we lived in Yokohama. Mike is now married and pastors the Canton Baptist Temple in Canton, Ohio. He and Rachel have three children, Lauren, Justin, and Connor. Pam, our daughter, was born in Nagoya. She is presently married and teaches at McCallie Schools in Chattanooga, TN. Bonnie and I are not getting any younger, but we hate to admit getting older. Our anniversary date is December 17.

We appreciate so much the privilege of serving the Lord in missions.

E-MAIL: Les Frazier
Phone:(423) 344-5050