Since my conversion in 1948 during the tent meetings of a Baptist church and after receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit during a Pentecostal conference in 1949, my entire life has been dedicated to my Lord and Saviour. Soon after, I was called upon by the ministering brethren to partake in the proclamation of God’s Word. In 1953, during the Pentecostal conference of the independent Full-Gospel Fellowships in Kassel, Germany, the leading brother asked me to be the main speaker. Then came the unforgettable meetings of Brother Branham in Karlsruhe, Germany, in August 1955, where I met him personally for the first time. I saw that God was with him, because no man could ever do the things that were happening there, and wanted to find out what he believed and taught.

For that reason I made the trip to Dallas, Texas, to attend the “Voice of Healing” convention in June 1958. There I noticed a great difference between him and all the other evangelists and wanted to know from him what his ministry was all about.

During our conversation he said to me, “Brother Frank, I have a message that I must bring.” It came as a complete surprise when he told me at the end of this talk, “Brother Frank, you will return to Germany with this message.” I had emigrated to Canada in the meantime and never intended to return to Germany.

Brother Branham asked me to see Leo Mercier, who was then recording Brother Branham’s sermons on tape, so that he could give me a few tapes to take along. I have those original tapes to this day. They are: “United under one Head,” “When love projects,” “Handwriting on the wall,” “Expectations and leadings,” and “God’s Eagles.”

Since then, every sermon preached by Brother Branham was sent to me. In December 1958 I translated them for the first time into the German language for a small assembly. I am well-acquainted with their contents; on account of that and my personal connection with him, I am very familiar with his commission, with his ministry, with all the things he believed and taught.

Brother Branham repeatedly said that every message that God gave him for the Church would be preached by him in Jeffersonville. Therefore, I first translated all the sermons he had preached in the Tabernacle. Later we printed every sermon he had preached since the opening of the Seals, regardless of where the meetings had been held. Over the years it added up to several hundred translated messages; consequently, I can say that I have served unto God’s people the spiritual food in its entirety, the full measure of the revealed Word of God.

In 1962 Brother Branham spoke four times about being advised to store up the food. Just as our Lord spoke about the mysteries of the Kingdom of God in natural pictures and parables, the same thing happened with Brother Branham and also with me in reference to the spiritual food.

On April 1, 1962, he mentioned some vegetables he had seen in a vision, which he was to store up in the Tabernacle. It was no coincidence that on the morning of April 2, 1962, the Lord God spoke to me about storing up the food and also named some of the same vegetables; it was part of His eternal plan of Salvation. The Lord gave the promise in His Word, “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord.” (Amos 8:11). The time has come for the children of God to live by every Word that comes from God (Mt. 4:4; Deut. 8:3).

Without trying to compare myself to Paul, I can say before God Almighty that I heard the audible, all-penetrating Voice of the Lord in my mother tongue on April 2, 1962, when He called me to His service and gave me my commission. Brother Branham confirmed it by divine revelation, as most of you already know, on December 3, 1962, in the presence of two witnesses, Brother Wood and Brother Sothman.

I will ask no one to believe me or to accept the commission the Lord gave me. There is no need for that, as the Apostle Paul said, “… we do not preach ourselves …” Instead, he could confidently point to his calling and the direct commission he had heard with his own ears in his mother tongue, spoken by the Lord Himself (Acts 26:13-26). The following words of our Lord apply here as well: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.” (Jn. 13:20). At the same time we see the fulfilment of what Jesus further said, “He that is of God heareth God’s words …” And the second half applies to the ones who do not listen: “… ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.” (Jn. 8:47). That is for ever binding, because a commission is God’s work. God does not make mistakes. He Alone designates the ministries (1. Cor. 12:28; a. o.). “He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.” (Lk. 10:16). Those are the words of the Lord Himself. This Scripture pertains to His true messengers: “We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.” (1. Jn. 4:6).

The divine calling distinguishes me from everyone else to whom Brother Branham told something. To this day, no one else — be it in the USA, Canada, or any other place on earth — can testify of having received a calling and commission by the Lord Himself. None of them can say, “This is what the Lord told me on such a day, in such a place, at such a time with an audible voice.” In perfect harmony, as only God can plan and accomplish it, I have carried the scriptural end-time message into all the world ever since Brother Branham went home to glory.

The brothers in the USA did not expect that there would actually be a burial on April 11, 1966, for they were counting on Brother Branham’s resurrection. I was the only European in attendance and witnessed it as the choruses “Only believe, only believe …” and “On the wings of a snow-white dove …” were being sung over and over for hours, until the coffin was finally lowered into the grave. If the dear Lord had not spoken to me in the evening of that same day, specifically reminding me that now the time had come to give out the stored-up food, then I would not have called the brothers in Jeffersonville together on the following days, April 12 and 13, 1966, to relay to them what must now take place. I insisted that all the sermons, which were only available on tape, must now be transcribed and printed so that they could be easily translated into other languages. On account of my suggestion, Brother Roy Borders was entrusted with that task. I say this in humility because that is how it was ordained by God Himself: If I had not been in the right place at the right time, then the whole world would have never heard of the biblical end-time message. All of them, even the ministering brethren, would have returned home disappointed, their hopes buried at the funeral as well!

Without delay I arranged 25 meetings in five Western European countries in 1966. In 1967/68 I travelled to the Eastern European countries, then to Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and later to Africa and South America. It was obviously by the foresight of God that I had already established contacts in our neighbouring countries at the end of the 1950s and the beginning of the 1960s. At the convention in Dallas, Texas, I had also made contact with some of the other well-known US evangelists, thus enabling me to organise the European tour for the world-renowned evangelist T. L. Osborne in 1959/1960. By 1965 I had preached in most of the Western European countries, including Great Britain. Already in 1964 I made my first journeys to Israel, Jordan, and to India.

With profound gratitude we may look back on what God, by His grace, has done in the past fifty years. In August 2008 I set foot in the 140^th country, namely Burkina Faso, West Africa, and there proclaimed the divine message of Salvation. In accordance with the Lord’s command, I have carried out my commission in two ways: Throughout all the years I have gone on my monthly missionary trips to preach the Word, and from the Mission Center I have given out the stored-up spiritual food.

I am convinced that my personal acquaintance with Brother Bran-ham was of great significance in connection with the plan of Salvation for the Church of Jesus Christ in the end time and that God had made provision for it in His counsel. Looking back, I can see that the protecting Hand of the Almighty has been with me throughout my entire life, even during the hardest trials. I know there is an eternal purpose connected to this ministry for all those who are part of the Bride Church, as it was with the ministry of Brother Branham. However, I want to strongly emphasise this: An encounter with Brother Branham is not enough; the encounter with my Lord and Redeemer was the essential one. If my testimony consisted solely of what the prophet said to me and would not include what the Lord told me, it would be truly deplorable.

Since my conversion in 1948 during the tent meetings of a Baptist church and after receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit during a Pentecostal conference in 1949, my entire life has been dedicated to my Lord and Saviour. Soon after, I was called upon by the ministering brethren to partake in the proclamation of God’s Word. In 1953, during the Pentecostal conference of the independent Full-Gospel Fellowships in Kassel, Germany, the leading brother asked me to be the main speaker. Then came the unforgettable meetings of Brother Branham in Karlsruhe, Germany, in August 1955, where I met him personally for the first time. I saw that God was with him, because no man could ever do the things that were happening there, and wanted to find out what he believed and taught. 

For that reason I made the trip to Dallas, Texas, to attend the “Voice of Healing” convention in June 1958. There I noticed a great difference between him and all the other evangelists and wanted to know from him what his ministry was all about.

 During our conversation he said to me, “Brother Frank, I have a message that I must bring.” It came as a complete surprise when he told me at the end of this talk, “Brother Frank, you will return to Germany with this message.” I had emigrated to Canada in the meantime and never intended to return to Germany. 

Brother Branham asked me to see Leo Mercier, who was then recording Brother Branham’s sermons on tape, so that he could give me a few tapes to take along. I have those original tapes to this day. They are: “United under one Head,” “When love projects,” “Handwriting on the wall,” “Expectations and leadings,” and “God’s Eagles.” 

Since then, every sermon preached by Brother Branham was sent to me. In December 1958 I translated them for the first time into the German language for a small assembly. I am well-acquainted with their contents; on account of that and my personal connection with him, I am very familiar with his commission, with his ministry, with all the things he believed and taught.

 Brother Branham repeatedly said that every message that God gave him for the Church would be preached by him in Jeffersonville. Therefore, I first translated all the sermons he had preached in the Tabernacle. Later we printed every sermon he had preached since the opening of the Seals, regardless of where the meetings had been held. Over the years it added up to several hundred translated messages; consequently, I can say that I have served unto God’s people the spiritual food in its entirety, the full measure of the revealed Word of God. 

In 1962 Brother Branham spoke four times about being advised to store up the food. Just as our Lord spoke about the mysteries of the Kingdom of God in natural pictures and parables, the same thing happened with Brother Branham and also with me in reference to the spiritual food. 

On April 1, 1962, he mentioned some vegetables he had seen in a vision, which he was to store up in the Tabernacle. It was no coincidence that on the morning of April 2, 1962, the Lord God spoke to me about storing up the food and also named some of the same vegetables; it was part of His eternal plan of Salvation. The Lord gave the promise in His Word, “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord.” (Amos 8:11). The time has come for the children of God to live by every Word that comes from God (Mt. 4:4; Deut. 8:3).

Without trying to compare myself to Paul, I can say before God Almighty that I heard the audible, all-penetrating Voice of the Lord in my mother tongue on April 2, 1962, when He called me to His service and gave me my commission. Brother Branham confirmed it by divine revelation, as most of you already know, on December 3, 1962, in the presence of two witnesses, Brother Wood and Brother Sothman.

I will ask no one to believe me or to accept the commission the Lord gave me. There is no need for that, as the Apostle Paul said, “… we do not preach ourselves …” Instead, he could confidently point to his calling and the direct commission he had heard with his own ears in his mother tongue, spoken by the Lord Himself (Acts 26:13-26). The following words of our Lord apply here as well: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.” (Jn. 13:20). At the same time we see the fulfilment of what Jesus further said, “He that is of God heareth God’s words …” And the second half applies to the ones who do not listen: “… ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.” (Jn. 8:47). That is for ever binding, because a commission is God’s work. God does not make mistakes. He Alone designates the ministries (1. Cor. 12:28; a. o.). “He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.” (Lk. 10:16). Those are the words of the Lord Himself. This Scripture pertains to His true messengers: “We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.” (1. Jn. 4:6).

The divine calling distinguishes me from everyone else to whom Brother Branham told something. To this day, no one else — be it in the USA, Canada, or any other place on earth — can testify of having received a calling and commission by the Lord Himself. None of them can say, “This is what the Lord told me on such a day, in such a place, at such a time with an audible voice.” In perfect harmony, as only God can plan and accomplish it, I have carried the scriptural end-time message into all the world ever since Brother Branham went home to glory. 

The brothers in the USA did not expect that there would actually be a burial on April 11, 1966, for they were counting on Brother Branham’s resurrection. I was the only European in attendance and witnessed it as the choruses “Only believe, only believe …” and “On the wings of a snow-white dove …” were being sung over and over for hours, until the coffin was finally lowered into the grave. If the dear Lord had not spoken to me in the evening of that same day, specifically reminding me that now the time had come to give out the stored-up food, then I would not have called the brothers in Jeffersonville together on the following days, April 12 and 13, 1966, to relay to them what must now take place. I insisted that all the sermons, which were only available on tape, must now be transcribed and printed so that they could be easily translated into other languages. On account of my suggestion, Brother Roy Borders was entrusted with that task. I say this in humility because that is how it was ordained by God Himself: If I had not been in the right place at the right time, then the whole world would have never heard of the biblical end-time message. All of them, even the ministering brethren, would have returned home disappointed, their hopes buried at the funeral as well!

 Without delay I arranged 25 meetings in five Western European countries in 1966. In 1967/68 I travelled to the Eastern European countries, then to Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and later to Africa and South America. It was obviously by the foresight of God that I had already established contacts in our neighbouring countries at the end of the 1950s and the beginning of the 1960s. At the convention in Dallas, Texas, I had also made contact with some of the other well-known US evangelists, thus enabling me to organise the European tour for the world-renowned evangelist T. L. Osborne in 1959/1960. By 1965 I had preached in most of the Western European countries, including Great Britain. Already in 1964 I made my first journeys to Israel, Jordan, and to India. 

With profound gratitude we may look back on what God, by His grace, has done in the past fifty years. In August 2008 I set foot in the 140th country, namely Burkina Faso, West Africa, and there proclaimed the divine message of Salvation. In accordance with the Lord’s command, I have carried out my commission in two ways: Throughout all the years I have gone on my monthly missionary trips to preach the Word, and from the Mission Center I have given out the stored-up spiritual food. 

I am convinced that my personal acquaintance with Brother Bran-ham was of great significance in connection with the plan of Salvation for the Church of Jesus Christ in the end time and that God had made provision for it in His counsel. Looking back, I can see that the protecting Hand of the Almighty has been with me throughout my entire life, even during the hardest trials. I know there is an eternal purpose connected to this ministry for all those who are part of the Bride Church, as it was with the ministry of Brother Branham. However, I want to strongly emphasise this: An encounter with Brother Branham is not enough; the encounter with my Lord and Redeemer was the essential one. If my testimony consisted solely of what the prophet said to me and would not include what the Lord told me, it would be truly deplorable.