Welcome to Frankly Speaking: A Life of Adventures
Discover the captivating journey of Frank Gray, where family heritage, courage and unwavering faith converge to tell an captivating story.
Explore His Legacy
Our life experiences are to be shared, not so much for the record, but more especially for the insights they will bring to the generations that follow. Life moves on at such a rapid pace and changes take place in every sphere of life.
Frank’s books reflect what he has learned, both in life and more especially in Christian ministry and the use of media, particularly radio.
Uncover His Adventures
The greatest adventure of all began when he went to Laos at the beginning of 1969. By the time he left six years later he was a changed person. It laid the foundation for the rest of his life – family, ministry, experience of many countries of Asia, and much more.
Described as ‘defining moments’ he experienced first hand many significant world events: the Communist takeover of Southeast Asia (1975), People Power revolution in the Philippines (1989), the collapse of Communism in the Soviet Union (1990), and the South Asia Tsunami in Indonesia (2004). Equally significant was the decline of shortwave radio and the de-regulation of the media, and the advent of the Internet and introduction of social media in the digital revolution that swept the world.
His life in Broadcasting
While fascinated by radio and media his first posting, under Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) was with Lao National Radio in Vientiane where he was engaged in training and some technical work in the studios, but also at the transmitter sites. He also saw and experienced missions firsthand. Immediately following this 2-yr assignment he developed the recording studio work for the C&MA mission and national church in Laos.
Upon leaving Laos in 1975 he and his wife Hennie, moved to the USA where Frank studied Communication the Graduate School of Wheaton College.
Dive Into His Writings
The main writings in the form of published books, are listed on the right. He has also written numerous articles for magazines and presented papers at conferences on the subject of radio in missions.
 |
On the Shoulders of the Past (2025)Insights into Frank’s background and the challenges he faced in growing up in post-war Britain. |
 |
Close to the Listener (2025)Describes Frank’s adventures around Asia, beginning in Laos and then with Far East Broadcasting Company (FEBC) |
 |
The Gray Matrix Handbook (2020)All you need to know about the useful Gray Matrix and its application in radio, mission and church |
 |
Radio Programming Roles (1996)Insights into Christian radio programming and used as tool for FEBC training. Together with Dr Ross James |
 |
Radio in Mission (1986)Lausanne Occasional Paper #26 addressing the issue of how Christian radio can play a significant role in world mission |
Amazon Author Profile
Click on the following link: https://www.amazon.com/author/frank.gray-1947
His Roots
Frank Gray’s story begins with a rich tapestry of family history, woven through generations of hardship and adversity. Born into a lineage of faithful service, Frank’s upbringing laid the foundation for his own journey. From humble beginnings, Frank’s life is a testament to the enduring spirit of adventure and the power of storytelling. The example was set by his grandfather, Francis George Gray (right) and his father, Leslie, who was a lay preacher from the age of sixteen.
As an only child Frank’s life was not easy during the years following World War II. It was a time of austerity when people learned to make do with what they had. Food rationing curbed one’s eating habits, but there was always enough to go round.
His early life is described in the short illustrated book On the Shoulders of the Past (2025) which describes his early life until he left for Laos in 1969 to work with Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO). And that is where his real adventure began…
Themes and Inspirations
Frank’s life and ministry have been guided by the central theme of Radio in the Mission of the Church. While this framed much of his inspiration Frank soon came to see the critical importance of the listener.
With this in mind he developed the overarching theme of ‘Close to the Listener’ and this was adopted by FEBC as the underlying principle of their radio programming – and continues to this day. His autobiographical book Close to the Listener (2025) describes how this was applied in a wide variety of scenarios across Asia.
Faith and Life
The Role of Faith
Christian belief has been a cornerstone in Frank Gray’s life, guiding him through both triumphs and challenges. It has shaped his worldview and given him energy, infusing his works with a sense of hope and purpose. Frank’s faith journey is a testament to his belief in a loving Creator God who not only created the cosmos but also created him and gave him a mission in life.
Throughout his life, Frank has drawn strength from his faith, which has provided him with clarity and direction. This faith has been fuelled by daily Bible reading, which has become more in depth in latter years. One of his desires is to see more people enthused as they study the Bible and discover its continuing relevance to daily life and practice.
A Few Snapshots
Frank Gray's Photo Gallery
