Frank and Sharon Martin
Together, they served on the American Indian Field, as headquarters staff, and, most recently, as pastors to missionaries. From the beginning of their marriage, after meeting at Asbury College (Kentucky), they knew that God’s plan for them was in missions.
Frank was raised in a Christian home in Stonewood, West Virginia. He accepted Christ around age 12 at a youth camp, and at age 18 felt God call him to Christian service. He wasn’t sure what that was supposed to be, so he continued in his plans to attend Fairmount State College, majoring in industrial arts. When a new pastor came to his church and encouraged him to pursue God’s calling, he transferred to Asbury College, and earned a teaching degree in history and psychology.
Sharon was raised in a pastor’s home, and was saved at her father’s church, Little Country Church in Waynesburg, Ohio. Her connections to WGM go back to her grandfather, Melvin Troxel, who was a first cousin to Cecil Troxel, one of WGM’s first missionaries to China. After graduating from college, she taught at Southwest Indian School on the American Indian Field as a Volunteers In Action participant.
Sharon and Frank had met at Asbury, and they were married after Sharon returned from her VIA experience. Frank went on to seminary at Asbury Theological Seminary and completed his degree at Fairmount State College. As they sought God’s will for their future, they considered returning to the American Indian Field as missionaries. Frank contacted Doug Carter, the field director at the time, and soon they came on board as career missionaries. They raised their three children—Nathan, Holly, and Michael—while serving at SIS for 19 years.
At various times, Frank served as teacher, coach, chaplain, principal, and field director. Sharon served as teacher, assistant dorm parent, student sponsorship coordinator, and was the library administrator for 14 years. When they relocated to Marion to serve at WGM headquarters, Frank became the director of Prayer Ministries and later the director of Church Ministries. Sharon worked in the Media Department, and then she coordinated the Missionary Volunteer Partner and Missionary Disciple programs. During this time, Frank and Sharon led prayer teams to 14 countries.
In 2009, Frank and Sharon transitioned to the Member Health team, serving as pastors to missionaries. In this role, they were perfectly in their element, visiting missionaries on their fields of service, listening to them, encouraging them, and praying for them.
Frank and Sharon retired in September 2016 after 39 years of faithful service.