About Wesley Smith
In 1965 Wesley Smith, a 26-year-old school teacher from Flint, Michigan, began leading many of his students to the Lord. These students began taking the good news of Jesus Christ into the streets. Wes rented a store front building where they could all meet along with other adults for Bible studies. He began to feel God calling him to preach the gospel. He married soon afterward and started financially supporting his father-in-law, George Clerie, who was a pastor in the country of Haiti. Pastor Clerie had been preaching and pastoring in Haiti for 30 years, starting 14 churches, 5 schools, and leading nearly 10,000 people to Christ. When he died, Wes quit his job and began taking groups of people to Haiti to expose them to the needs there. These were the simple beginnings of Full Life Crusade.
Wes authored two books detailing his own testimony of becoming a Christian, his involvement in missions and the birth of Full Life Crusade.
Wesley Smith and missionary team with headhunters in the Philippine jungle.
Picture taken on one of his 35 trips to The Philippines.
In response, many invitations poured in from across the United States for him to speak. He was invited in 1975 to hold a large crusade in the Philippines, seeing many come to know Christ. On the return leg of that trip, he met with some believers from inside China. These Chinese Christians gave first hand reports about the great need for the Word of God in China. The ministry of Full Life Crusade then began to focus its resources on meeting the needs of the Chinese believers.
Wesley at the Great Wall of China
Wesley and Pastor Allen Yuan in Beijing, China
Wesley and Chinese Friends
Full Life Crusade has expanded over the years, leading mission trips not only to China, Haiti, and the Philippines, but also to Africa, India and Russia. Since its inception, over 80 teams have gone abroad, spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ. Wesley’s 135 ministry trips have taken him to 45 nations: to China (60 times) and Haiti (40 times).
The mission continues to be two-fold; to meet the spiritual and physical needs of the third world in the most relevant way, and to lead people on trips to those countries, giving them a new compassion and love for the Lord.
Wesley (blue shirt at right) at church in Israel
Wesley Smith continues to speak at conferences and churches in the United States and to lead short-term mission trips. His five daughters and their families have also taken on many of the responsibilities of the ministry.
