Author Frank Chase, Jr.
FRANK CHASE, JR., a native of Baltimore, Maryland, served in the United States Army and is now an ordained Deacon and a Minister at Emmanuel Church International in Decatur, Alabama. Frank also serves as a contributing writer and editor for the church’s newsletter, The Flame. As a lay minister, he has served as a teacher, counselor, mentor and leader in men’s ministries and is also a noted conference speaker.
We wanted to feature Frank Chase for quite some time and finally got our schedules coordinated. Here is the result of that interview.
The Frank Chase, Jr. Interview
BMIA.com: You have a diverse background. Where did you grow up? Go to school?
FC, Jr.:Believe it or not Gary; I grew up in your neck of the woods (Baltimore, MD). Back then it was called the Junction. I grew up on 2212 Garrison Boulevard and lived around the North Avenue area for a while and the GlenFallsMedicalCenter area. As far as school, I spent my elementary school years at Edgewood Elementary, and then I went to GarrisonJunior High school and finished out and graduated from WalbrookSenior High School in 1979 in the Junction. I went to college in another state, and graduated from WashingtonStateUniversity in 1989 with a BA degree in Communications.
BMIA.com: What lead you to write the book “False Roads To Manhood:What Women Need To Know, What Men Need To Understand?”
FC, Jr.:For years, I've always desired to write a book. I didn't know what subject it would entail, but myintrigue and passion concerning therites of passage into manhood drove this book from my heart to paper and experiencing divorce. Getting to the point of your question, Gary, God sparked a match in my soul to write False Roads to Manhood, What Women Need To Know; What Men Need to Understand to help men and women recover from failed relationships and to ensure that no man would go through what I went through trying to heal and deal with hurt and pain. Another aspect that brought this docu-story to life is seeing men struggle with failure and success. Those last two words are loaded. In any case, I wanted to write something to empower, teach and heal male and female, youth, men and women so they wouldn’t travel false roads to manhood or womanhood. In the end, Gary, men in all kinds of predicaments inspired me to write this book. However, I think the question is not what lead me to write this book, but who inspired me to write False Roads to Manhood.
BMIA.com: What is that you want the reader to learn or “get” as a result of reading your book?
FC, Jr.:Readers will learn about destiny, purpose and about exit ramps from false roads. They will gain an understanding often missed in the noise of conversation and dialogue. When a person reads my book they will get an understanding about themselves and the complex emotions of men. Now I know that sounds like a misnomer, but light will begin to illuminate when people read this book. To pull from a scripture text, the words of this book will be a lamp to readers’ feet and a light to a pathway of insight. They will walk away saying, “I’m glad for the heads up!”
BMIA.com: How long have you been involved in the ministry?
FC, Jr.:Gary, I was called to the ministry when I was 20 years old. After I gave my life to Christ, I did a double take on God and ran for twenty years, but never far enough away. I stayed in the shadows of ministry, hoping God would not catch up to me. But He did and I finally submitted to the call, plan and purpose He had for my life. Let me tell you, I now have a little understanding of what Noah experienced in the Bible when he decided to run from God’s mission.
BMIA.com: Who do you look up to and admire?
FC, Jr.:Gary, without reservation, I look up to God first, but to answer your question, my Pastor and spiritual father, Apostle Karockas Watkins and his wife Audra Watkins, hands down are the people I look up to and admire. You have to know their story to appreciate why I speak so highly of them. That’s why he’s on the front cover of my book for the foreword. To say more would lead into a long written dissertation.
BMIA.com: What have you learned about the “souls of men?”
FC, Jr.:The “souls of men” are waiting to be called out into their manhood by the community of men. They’re yearning to be called son by their earthly father, but don’ t know that God the Father has knighted them as Sons of the Father.
BMIA.com: You been quoted as saying: “It's time for men across the world to "break free" from the traditions of men.” What does that mean?
FC, Jr.:Gary, breaking free from the traditions of men simply means you can be the man without apology. Society often defines a man in different ways until they seek false images of manhood and not authentic manhood. Breaking free means, abandoning truancy, rejecting rejection, killing anger, turning discouragement into encouragement, not becoming emotionally or physically incarcerated, embracing trust in relationships and never embrace ignorance because it is not good for a man or a women to be without knowledge, don’t let offenses define who you are as a man and don’t become a nomad in the lives of people around you who care.
BMIA.com: What motivates you to do what you do?
FC, Jr.:I would say the Joy of the Lord which is my strength motivates me to do what I do. In addition, when people come back to me and echo how much my book gave them insight, reconfirms what God spoke to me eight years ago about how this book would change lives in ways I may never hear about. I’m motivated by manhood in Christ.
BMIA.com: Who’s the most influential person in your life? Why?
FC, Jr.:Gary, right now as I stated earlier in the interview, my pastor Apostle Karockas Watkins is very influential in my life because he pushes me to excellence. I often feel like I have a hand in my back and a voice in my ear saying, “Son, go for the gusto!” You ask why he’s the most influential. I believe it’s because I see in his life a drive for God and people that makes me want to go with him to another dimension. He’s a man of excellence that wants every person he meets to discover their destiny and purpose.
BMIA.com: What’s your definition of courage?
FC, Jr.:To know that I’m the head and not the tail, above and not beneath. Courage is not allowing people to define your life because if they can, then they will determine your destiny. Courage is: commitment over ugly responses amid guided excellence. Courage also means admitting to wrong when everything in you says run and hide.
BMIA.com: What do men in general need to know or do to improve themselves?
FC, Jr.:Men need to know who they are in Christ. They need to know that their background doesn’t determine their future. Look, I was a 2-pound pre-mature baby when I was born. I am a living miracle. Medical science said I should not have survived, but destiny on my life understood that death could not stop me from living. I think when you fully understand your destiny you can’t be stopped. Even death must take a back seat until your work is done. Also, men improve themselves by reaching back to others to usher them into the promise of authentic Godly manhood.
BMIA.com: What role do women play in this improvement process?
FC, Jr.:Every woman needs to know that they are important to the man and vice versa. I would encourage women to read proverbs 31 in the Bible and there will be no doubt how women improve the process!
BMIA.com: How can people reading this article support you and your work?
FC, Jr.:This may sound self-serving, but I think reading my book and providing comments on my web site guest book is great support and encouragement. People can also support my work by logging on to my website to read the articles I’ve written to gain a better understanding of my purpose and passion. I want to bring reconciliation to the hearts of men so that men and women receive healing from past hurts, which brings cooperation with each other. Word of mouth advertisement about my book is the most effective way to bring others to my website. Purchasing False Roads To Manhood would bring financial support to my God given purpose to plant seeds of healing into the hearts of men, one man at a time.
BMIA.com: What’s the best part about being Frank Chase, Jr.?
FC, Jr.:The best part about me is that I’m a born again believer who loves God and wants the best for my life and family, spiritually and financially by the truth of the Word. I understand that there is a seed of goodness in everyone even when you’ve been wronged. I’m not too serious about me and at the end of the day it’s all smiles even in the midst of trouble or struggle. The other best part of me is what my name means. Frank means “Free Man” and the spiritual connotation of my name is “Shining.” So, I’m a free man that shines. That’s the sum of me.
BMIA.com: Where do you draw your strength?
FC, Jr.:I draw my strength from the joy of the Lord because the joy of the Lord is my strength. I also draw strength from my brothers in Christ through fellowship and intimate connection with them as men. As I said in my book, it takes men to teach men. So as an iron sharpens an iron, other men of purpose who influence my life sharpen me. I surround myself with men who know their purpose in life and draw strength from them.
BMIA.com: Where do you see yourself 5 years from now?
FC, Jr.:I see myself holding life-changing seminars, with my book as a number one New York Times best seller. As an author and President of FC Publishing, LLC, I see myself publishing at least 5 books in the next five years of other clients. I’ll take you on a more in depth journey. I see my book as a major play, then a written screenplay for the silver screen. Now that’s vision and without a vision people perish. I don’t see the future; I have visions of the future. Don’t take this as arrogant, I’m just bubbling over with words of confidence.
BMIA.com: What is the biggest challenge facing black men in America?
FC, Jr.:Let me say this Gary, he who reads leads. We have to read about our history and remain vigilant. Like the Jews, we need to pass on our history to the younger generation so they will know where they are going. I think our challenge as black men is that we are not imparting or equipping other men and youth to take the baton of the future. We must educate, teach, train and never get trapped in the blame game. We must stand up and say, “Hey, young brother, come here! We must call them into their destiny and not let them fend for themselves on false roads to manhood.
BMIA.com: Thank you Frank.
FC, Jr.:Thank you Gary and Black Men In America.com.
Frank Chase currently works as senior aviation writer on Army Helicopters for the Department of the Army’s monthly publication, PS Magazine, LOGSA, located at Redstone Arsenal, Al. He is a graduate of WashingtonStateUniversity and has a BA degree in Communications with a minor in Sociology. Frank has authored and published numerous religious and relationship articles for newspapers, online magazines and print media. He has appeared on many television and radio programs as a recurring guest. Frank lives with his wife Teresa in Alabama and is the father of six children.
You can visit Frank’s web site at here to read our review of Frank’s book.