Pastor Keith Tonkel, the evangelist, the author, the orator and the spiritual leader left this world to be with his lord at the age of 81. Wells United Methodist Church in Jackson confirmed that their pastor had breathed his last at 10.50 am on Wednesday. He was undergoing treatment for cancer. Pastor Tonkel’s long term service to the church was literally an inspiration to many.
Dealing with the death of their Pastor seems a very hard exercise for the church and its associated agencies. In a short message, the executive director of Operation Shoestring, Mr. Robert Langford said, “It’s a huge loss. Nobody will fill those shoes, but other people can emulate how he lived his life. I count myself as one of those who has been inspired and will continue to be inspired by him.”
Pastor Tonkel was honoured with the title of Distinguished Evangelist for his ministry and leadership by the United Methodist Church in 2008. The charismatic leadership of Pastor Tonkel was widely respected all over the church: David Hampton, the pastoral assistant of Wells remembers him as “the real deal.” In his eulogy for the deceased pastor, he said, “He truly
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He drove the aging, dwindling congregation in 1969 to a vividly growing church as we can see it today. Events like Wells fest were instrumental to bring such mighty change. The Wells Fest was initially organized as a gift to the church by Mr. Malcolm White, when Pastor Tonkel denied to accept money in return of a favor. Later the fest became eligible for the Governor 's Excellence Award for Arts in 2012 and it could raise more than $1 million for worthy charitable causes. The organizer of Wells Fest, Mr. Malcolm White prised his pastor enormously. "The moral compass of our community. From the civil rights work to spiritual and religious influence to being a leader for all things good in Mississippi and Jackson. “He