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Wednesday's Internet Edition, October 08, 2008.
Galt pastor leaves Family Life to continue his message in Montana
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Frank Mack, at right in back row, and his wife Pam, seated on the right, and their children, Garrett, Tanner, Kylee, Peytonn, Brianna and Reggie (in Pam’s arms).
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Kerensa Uyeta-Buckley
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“I’m addicted to life change,” says Frank Mack, who has ministered at Family Life Christian Church for the past eight years.
Mack said he enjoys helping people and seeing the transition in their lives when they attend church.
Since he started Family Life Christian Church in October 2000, Mack has been able to accomplish exactly that, and has cherished the friendships he and his family have made along the way.
Now, he and his wife Pam hope to spread their mission to Montana, where the couple is from, and where he is in talks to join a church and will be waiting for about two weeks before he officially receives word.
Mack spent his last day at Family Life on July 6, and he, Pam, and their children, Garrett, Tanner, Kylee, Peytonn, Brianna and Reggie, will be leaving Galt Thursday for Montana.
“We want to continue our mission to love people one at a time. They will come if you care about people,” Mack said of his family’s goal of reaching out to people.
Mack’s older children will be more involved when the family knows at which church they will teach, and Mack indicated he was looking forward to allowing his children to reach the next level of ministry.
“The goal is to be in a place where my entire family can serve effectively, not just me. Our kids were fairly small and we ministered for eight years, reaching people, and now they’re ready to do ministry at the next level,” Mack said.
The Macks had three children before adopting three more from Africa. Their ages are 16, 14, 13, three, two, and one.
The Mack family came to Galt when Mack was hired by an organization that was planning to start seven churches in northern California.
After being put through an assessment, he had the choice of starting a church in Woodland or Galt, and chose the latter.
Mack said that the relationships he and his family have formed have made a big impact on their lives.
“Just the fact that we came to this town knowing no one and have been able to know thousands of people, and especially the hundreds at Family Life that now remain,” Mack said.
Their biggest accomplishment during Mack’s time at Family Life was being able to start up a Hispanic ministry, he said.
“We were the largest Hispanic ministry. That was a highlight, that a young church was able to impact larger churches around the country and that they were able to learn from us,” Mack said.
“We’ve been able to baptize almost 500 people. Just the fact of how many people were reached through this ministry, it’s fascinated me,” Mack said, referring to being able to see people change through the years.
When Mack gave his final sermon on July 6, the church was packed with the people who had watched him give sermons for the past eight years.
Church members held a big potluck after the sermon, and Mack handed out copies of a book as a gift to each family.
“They cried, and my wife and children, just for the fact that we were leaving,” Mack said. “It was 19 years almost to the day that we made the decision to minister closer to home. It was exciting but sad.”
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