Lester Frank Sumrall was a charismatic preacher, evangelist, author, and missionary who was a leading figure in the Pentecostal movement. His passionate dedication to sharing the good news of Jesus Christ and serving the underprivileged characterized his life.
Early Life
Sumrall was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, in 1913. His life changed drastically when he recovered from tuberculosis at the age of 17. He was greatly affected by this encounter, which resulted in a profound spiritual awakening and a vocation to ministry. He was ordained by the Assemblies of God at the age of 19, and he established a church in Green Forest, Arkansas.
Ministry & Broadcasting
Sumrall’s desire to spread the gospel took him all over the world. In addition to Asia and Europe, he served as a minister in Tahiti, New Zealand, and Australia.
His experiences with demonic activity and spiritual oppression in South America profoundly influenced his ministry and made him a prominent figure in the deliverance movement.
The Philippines was the scene of one of Sumrall’s most memorable trips in the 1950s. A young woman named Clarita Villanueva, who was allegedly possessed by demonic forces, asked him to serve as her priest.
Sumrall became even more well-known as a strong spiritual leader when his story of Villanueva’s deliverance received a lot of attention.
His influence went well beyond his efforts to spread the gospel. He established World Harvest Bible College to educate the next generation of Christian leaders and the Lester Sumrall Evangelistic Association (LeSEA) to finance his work.
In order to spread the gospel to isolated areas of the globe, he also founded World Harvest Radio International.
Sumrall established LeSEA Global Feed the Hungry, a humanitarian organization devoted to giving people in need access to clean water, food, and medical treatment, after realizing the urgent needs of the hungry and impoverished.
The lives of millions of people around the world have been significantly improved by this organization.
When it came to Christian radio, Sumrall was a pioneer. He founded World Harvest Television (later known as LeSEA Broadcasting) by purchasing television stations around the United States.
He shared the gospel and lessons on spiritual warfare, healing, and deliverance with millions of viewers via this network.
Unwavering faith, compassion, and a dogged pursuit of God’s will are hallmarks of Lester Sumrall’s legacy. His works, such as “Through Blood and Fire in Latin America,” “The Life Story of Lester Sumrall,” and “Adventuring with Christ,” never cease to challenge and inspire readers.
Sumrall has had an incalculable influence on the Christian community worldwide. His steadfast faith, fearless preaching, and caring ministry have produced a lasting legacy that never stops motivating and changing people’s lives.
Published Books
Some of the books published by Andrew Murray are:
- Adventuring with Christ; illustrated, 128 pp.
- Worshipers of the Silver Screen; with a foreword by Edith Mae Pennington, 64 pp.
- Roman Catholicism Slays, 61 pp. Zondervan, 1940
- Dominion is Yours!, 1981
- The Will, The Potent Force of the Universe, 1985, 66 pp. LeSEA Publishing Co.
- The Gifts and Ministries of the Holy Spirit, 1985
