Roger Cook 1941 –2016

Roger’s great contribution in his many years of service was developing radio ministry in both France and Francophone Africa.

Known widely among Grace Baptist churches for his work in GBM Radio at Abingdon, he and his wife Helen began their missionary service in Belgium. In 1967 they were the first GBM missionaries to be sent into Europe by their church in Hounslow, as GBM adopted a church-based approach to mission. In 1969 they moved to Mons, where they worked to plant a church, coming face to face with the growing ‘practical atheism’ of an otherwise Catholic culture.

In 1981, when they moved back to the UK for health reasons, Roger commented on Belgium and its spiritual obstacles: ‘That country needs workers who are strong and determined to break through these barriers.’

Live the Truth

He became a GBM radio producer. His programme, Vivre la Vérité (Live the Truth), was aired by FEBA, TWR and HCJB, together with many other stations across Africa. Bringing clear Bible teaching to those with less education, these programmes became a huge resource for pastors and Christians in a more oral culture with lower levels of literacy. Ably helped by Helen, and a follow-up team in France, the reach of these programmes has been immense. Before retirement Roger devoted himself to training Africans in radio production, travelling to numerous remote areas to help local Christians set up a radio station or make better programmes. This continued beyond his retirement in 2006.

Every few months Roger would travel to Paris, link up with his friend Charles Guillot and fly off together with a suitcase full of electronics to some remote airport. Precarious transmitters, unreliable power supplies and African timescales became his regular experience, but through these challenges he smiled, carried on and saw God answer prayers, as equipment sprang to life, the Word went out and Africans blessed him with their joy. These journeys are detailed in his book Astonished by God’s Grace.

Roger suffered a heart attack last February, but his final months were blessed with the knowledge that his granddaughter, who has Rett Syndrome, had come to faith in Christ. Roger died on 9 August, surrounded by his family. Roger leaves his wife, Helen, three children, Andrew, Sean and Stéphanie, their spouses and nine grandchildren (to whom he was known as ‘Pops’).