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bacnacrs@mts.net posted a condolence
Tuesday, April 28, 2020
Our condolences to you Deneen, Twyla & Families - I have a memory of Jack when he was preaching at the Grunthal, EMB Church and I invited him for lunch - I had made a blueberry mousse and it had turned curdly. I was a bit apprehensive of my not perfect meal and then invite some one over but to my surprise Jack said he liked it that way so that was a relief for me.
We appreciated his passion for lost souls and the last visit we had with him was in the home he was in now. What a legacy he left! Psalm 116:15 Love & Prayers, Helen/John Schellenberg
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Susan Whitman posted a condolence
Thursday, April 23, 2020
The first time I met Jack was at a GFA presentation he did in Niverville in 1998. He shared so well I sponsored my first missionary and then came on staff with GFA a few years later. His life has always inspired me, and we’d look forward to the times he’d come and visit us at the GFA office in Ontario for Christmas parties or throughout the year; when there was time in his schedule, since he kept very busy sharing in churches. I’d have the privilege of seeing his meeting evaluations and praise God for going before Jack again and again, as fruit was laid up in heaven by the sponsorships and gifts he’d receive for the Kingdom. Heaven has welcomed another soldier home. So grateful to have known him.
Blessings,
Susan Whitman a former Manitoban
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Deneen posted a condolence
Wednesday, April 22, 2020
Our Dad or as many knew him as Jack Klassen
ascended to Heaven on April 13, 2020 to be with Jesus! We are all sad for our loss here on earth... but we are at peace knowing that he is rejoicing in Heaven with the Angels & those that have gone before him. Dad will be missed dearly but we are grateful that we have many treasured memories of spending great times together with him right up to his last breathe here and we will once again see him in Heaven
Here is of course my lengthy tribute to Dad/Jack with excerpts from Max Lucado - Charles Swindoll & Pastor Greg Laurie:
I would like to mention 3 areas of my father’s life that stand out:
Firstly, I think of his preaching ministry;
I clearly remember the passion and fervour with which he preached. He loved Christ. He loved the Word of God.
He loved people and the church of our Lord Jesus.
If I were to describe my father in a simple biblical phrase it would be with the words “man of God.” Like Moses, like Elijah he was a man of God. Those of you who knew him will remember him as a man of godly conviction and persuasion. He stood firm on the reformation principal of “Sola Scriptura” – The Word of God alone. He did not make decisions in his ministry as to what was popular in evangelical circles; he did not pander to human applause; his leadership and decision making was based upon the principle “What does the Word of God say?” When he preached one had no doubts that his goal was to preach the uncompromised truth of the Word. He had a fear of God which superseded any fear of man which enabled him to remain firmly committed to the truth when others in the ministry would compromise to popular appeal. He would no doubt want me to appeal to those of you who are ministers of the gospel to continue be faithful to the Word rather than seeking worldly fame and applause.
Secondly, I think of my father’s prayer life;
I do not doubt that my dad was in the words spoken to Daniel “a man greatly beloved” of the Lord. He walked with God. He communed with God. He spent hours in prayer interceding for the cause of Christ. He prayed faithfully for all our family members, his friends and basically every person God placed on his heart to pray for he did. He would pray each day for countless people - situations and simply to praise the Lord he loved and served, rising early in the morning hour and spending time with God in prayer. My dad’s prayers had an impact on our family and thousands of others that he often would ask if he could pray for them. I often remember seeing Dad in the living room of our childhood home kneeling in prayer. What an impression it made upon me. He was indeed an Elijah when it came to prayer. What a blessing his prayers were to so many indeed even to this country.
One friend sent a message after the home-going of my father “A mighty warrior has left our ranks.” What a call this is for us to take up the challenge to be fervent in prayer; to step into the gap that my father has left and resolve to become prayer warriors; mighty intercessors for the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ. May a double portion the Spirit of Elijah that clothed my father fall upon us who are called to labour in the gospel that we might become fervent prayer warriors for our Lord Jesus Christ.
Thirdly, I think of my father’s example;
One of the greatest gifts my father has left us is his godly example. He is an example of faithfulness – faithfulness to his Lord and Master, Jesus Christ; faithful to the Word of God; faithful to his marriage vows…faithful in pastoring and preaching the Word; Faithful! His example of faithfulness is what we are all called to emulate in these last days. What an example he has left us in a life of holiness. The other wonderful example he left was in the area of his sacrificial love and generosity. He loved to bless others. I know that not only have his immediate children benefited from his rich generosity toward us but so many others have as well & he didn’t have a wealth of resources himself but he was rich in what mattered! He always said he had never seen a hearse with a u-haul behind it cause you can’t take it with you! When my father became aware of needs, he did not hesitate to give. If you ever hesitated to receive the gift he wanted to give he would say “Don’t rob me of my blessing. It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
If anything my father’s life is a testimony of God’s faithfulness to him. My father would not want us to paint a picture of a perfect man. Many of you may not even know due to his out going positive personality that he dealt with depression most of his life. Before my father died when I visited him once we were talking about the grace of God. We talked about a quote by John Newton: “Although my memory's fading, I remember two things very clearly: I am a great sinner and Christ is a great Savior.” He showed me his Bible one day when his health & mind had deteriorated and said to me clearly “I may not understand it all but I believe every word in it.”
My dad’s hope was firmly placed upon the Lord Jesus for grace and mercy. He knew his sins had been forgiven and that heaven was his destiny. O, what amazing peace was in his room as Twylla and I sat separately with him until his last breathe here on earth and his first in Heaven! God was there for him in his greatest hour of need. As he lay on his death bed, he was upheld by the grace of God. We could feel the presence of Angels in his room and were grateful for the gift and honour to be able to separately sit with him and hold his hand with gloves/masks & gowns on due to the Pandemic. The grace of God shone through him even in his last days. I was playing Harp music to him when he took his last breath. The hymn we were listening to was My Jesus, I love you. Such true words for Dad in that hymn:
My Jesus, I love Thee, I know Thou art mine;
For Thee all the follies of sin I resign.
My gracious Redeemer, my Savior art Thou;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.
I love Thee because Thou has first loved me,
And purchased my pardon on Calvary’s tree.
I love Thee for wearing the thorns on Thy brow;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.
I’ll love Thee in life, I will love Thee in death,
And praise Thee as long as Thou lendest me breath;
And say when the death dew lies cold on my brow,
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.
In mansions of glory and endless delight,
I’ll ever adore Thee in heaven so bright;
I’ll sing with the glittering crown on my brow;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.
He will be sorely missed. We will cherish every memory of him. We will remember his godly example. Dad was a man of extreme faith. He never left any doubt as to where he stood on the question of God. And he was so longing to go to Heaven to be with Jesus, our Mom and several others that have gone before him. He had no fear of death or eternity.
Dad’s life was an example of a heart melted in the fire of God, formed on His anvil, and used in his vineyard. Just like the tools he loved using so was his life... because one look at a tool off an anvil & you instantly know its function. As a human being emerges from the anvil of God, the same should be true. Being tested by God reminds us that our function and task is to be about God’s business; our purpose an extension of God’s nature, an ambassador of God’s throne room, and proclaimer of Gods message to all people.
We will strive to emulate that in some way. But above all we will praise the God of grace who saved him; the Lord Jesus who came into this world to bear his sin on calvary; who rose from the dead that he too might one day rise forth from his grave; who went into heaven to prepare a place for him; and who welcomed Dad/Jack there with the words “Well done, good and faithful servant!”
“Forever with the Lord!”
Jack Klassen has in the words of the apostle Paul has fought the good fight, run the race, and kept the faith. He has been welcomed into his eternal home in the presence of Christ forever.
The challenge to us is to follow his example even as he followed Christ Jesus his Saviour – to remain faithful to the Word of God; to be uncompromising as far as God’s truth is concerned and to walk with God as he did; to become men and women of God so that we too might be welcomed into glory with the words “Well done, good and faithful servant!”
So let’s die with faith. Let’s allow the resurrection to sink into the fibers of our hearts and define the way we look at the grave. Let it “free those who were like slaves all their lives because of their fear of death” (Heb. 2:15 NCV).
I have mainly spoken of the most important part of Dad - his Faith. But there were other wonderful and sometimes not so wonderful layers to Dad as we all have them. He loved to JOKE - he had a joke for everyone. And he was always sure to tell people to never say Hi Jack to him at the airport!!! I wonder if he will say that when he gets to the Pearly Gates... I don’t know if there is an airport - guess we will find out one day. So please tell a Joke this week in honour my Dad - he’d love that as he always loved putting a smile on someone’s face. Other things he loved - his family - friends - ice cream - food in general, farming, animals, talking about the weather. He even loved Shopping but not literally-he took us because Mom loved browsing (& he loved her fiercely)and he never would mind how long as he would sit somewhere and read his Bible or share his Faith with someone. Loved his tool belt and was very frustrated with us when we wouldn’t bring it to the nursing home for him as it wasn’t allowed. He was so proud to see that his Great Grandson also has a love for tools. His whole face lit up whenever he saw his grandchildren or great grandchildren or heard stories about them. In fact they sent him recordings via iphone on his death bed that we played over and over for him as they were so precious. He was not just a Pastor but he was also an Electrician. But he was most proud of literally being a Jack of all trades as he could fix anything. Seriously he did and if he couldn’t he would sit and figure it out. Please note this was in the days before Youtube how to videos too!
What a treasured legacy of FAITH has been passed on to us: Prevailing Prayers, Lasting Love, Wise Warnings, Hearty Laughter. That’s what parenting is all about. No, that is what living for Jesus is all about!
So due to this new adventure we call Covoid-19 the family will be have a service privately. But we know that you all will be there in prayers and thoughts. You will feel like you are at his service if you tell a Jack Joke, sing the 3 hymns he requested be sung @ his Celebration of Life Service:
1. What a Day That Will Be
2. My Saviour’s Love
3. Nothing but the Blood
Then share the Good News of the Gospel with someone. And last but not least have an ice cream treat in honour of him!
We see a hearse; we think sorrow. We see a grave; we think despair. We hear of a death; we think of a loss. Not so in heaven. When heaven sees a breathless body, it sees the vacated cocoon & the liberated butterfly.
— Max Lucado
In God’s plan every life is long enough and every death is timely. And though you and I might wish for a longer life, God knows better. And—this is important—though you and I may wish a longer life for our loved ones, they don’t. Ironically, the first to accept God’s decision of death is the one who dies. While we are shaking heads in disbelief, they are lifting hands in worship. While we are mourning at a grave, they are marveling at heaven. While we are questioning God, they are praising God. -Max Lucado
Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful servants. Psalm 116:15
We love you & miss you and are so grateful for the days we had together and will again when we see you on Gegenseite. (Is that the correct German word for other side?! I remember hearing Dad say it but I sadly do not know the language...)
If you wish to make a donation as a memorial Jack would suggest it be sent to Gospel for Asia on their website: https://www.gfa.ca/donation/
***No this was not a Covoid-19 related death.
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Barry & Marty Dyck posted a condolence
Saturday, April 18, 2020
We send our condolences to Twylla and Deneen and all family members. It's our hope and prayer that you will find God's comfort to be sufficient and that you will enjoy rich family times, even in this unusual time.
Barry (your dad's cousin) and Marty Dyck
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Lydia Zacharias posted a condolence
Saturday, April 18, 2020
I spent five summers working at CSSM camps, when Jack & Margaret were there as well. When I worked in a church many years later, they were GFA reps. He never forgot who I was. He also loved to play jokes on us all. My condolences to you, his family.
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Brian Stimpson posted a symbolic gesture
Saturday, April 18, 2020
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Jack was a true friend and mentor, and his tenacity, commitment, and endurance were life lessons in themselves.
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Judy (Ginter) Schellenberg posted a condolence
Saturday, April 18, 2020
Jack was a great friend and comrad to our Dad, Cornie Ginter. They spent many hours studying, sharing experiences, crying and laughing together. Now they can rejoice in heaven together with their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! Our condolences to your family as I'm sure you'll miss him.
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Gladys Stoesz-Hammond posted a condolence
Saturday, April 18, 2020
For as long as I can remember Jack and his family have been a part of my life! He worked hard and lovedloved God and his family. Sorry for your loss, Twylla and Deneen. With love, Gladys
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Wanda Klassen posted a condolence
Saturday, April 18, 2020
Harv Marten’s couldn’t have said it any better when he remarked that “every fibre of Jack's being was to love, praise and serve his heavenly Father“. Jack and Marge asked Dale and me out for lunch after church one Sunday and the conversation naturally turned to his love of his Father and his (and Marge’s) passion for everyone to know Jesus. Such a godly man who influenced many for the Kingdom. We celebrate with you as Jack finally entered the rest, home, reunion he so longed for.
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Dee uploaded photo(s)
Saturday, April 18, 2020
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The family of Jack Klassen uploaded a photo
Friday, April 17, 2020
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Tuesday
28
April
Private Family Service
11:00 am
Tuesday, April 28, 2020
Birchwood Funeral Chapel
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Steinbach, Manitoba, Canada
(204) 346-1030
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