What does your job involve?
As outreach pastor I am involved in equipping the saints for personal evangelism and discipleship. This ministry covers areas that help us reach outsiders and significantly impact newcomers such as instruction on personal evangelism (Acts 1:8), and training for discipling others to maturity in Christ. (2 Timothy 2:2) and even our ushers, worship hosts and greeters (Luke 14:23).
Where were you born and raised?
I was born outside of New York City in Lynbrook, Long Island.
How large is the family you grew up in?
I have one brother and one sister. I’m the youngest.
When and how did you come to know Christ?
In my sixth year of teaching junior and senior high school, I was telling my students not to do certain things. But everything I was telling them not to do, I was doing myself on weekends. The spirit of conviction came over me, though I didn’t know what it was, and I set out for a search for truth, because I saw what a hypocrite I was. I studied transcendental mediation and Eastern religions. But then one of my friends threw a Bible at me and said, “Here, read this and start with [the Book of] John. I was 27 at the time, had some addictions and was living a wild life. Being stubborn, I said, “OK, I’ll read it, but I’m going to start from the beginning.” I started at Genesis, and when I got to Malachi [the last book of the Old Testament], I read where it said, “The Lord will come with healing in His wings.” I knelt down and gave my life to the Lord.
What happened after that?
People could see that I was very different. I was invited to a house church, made a public profession of faith and was baptized. The next year, I went into full-time Christian service.
What was your first job?
I worked in a produce department of a supermarket when I was 17.
Where did you attend college?
I went to the [New York] state college that was in Cortland, where I studied to be a math teacher.
Have you ever served in the military?
I was in the Army Reserves for seven years, but when I gave my life to the Lord, I thought I was supposed to be a pacifist, so I got out. As I got older, I wish I had stayed in.
When and to whom did you marry?
My dear Holly in 1981. After I gave my life to the Lord, I said Lord, “I just want this to be You and me. Just show me the white horse and let’s ride off into the sunset.” I was going to meet with the pastor of the church I had just joined and was sitting in the office. All of a sudden, out of the finance office, this woman walked by me and I was thunderstruck. My jaw touched the ground and the Lord said, “That’s her.” For 15 months, I tried to get her to say “hello” to me and I couldn’t. Finally, it got so severe that I prayed and fasted. After about a week, I went up to the office where she was working and said to her, “The Lord told me to spend time with you.” Her chair went back about six inches — it had rollers on it — and she said, “OK.” A year later, we were married. It’s been glorious ever since.
How many children do you have?
Two daughters.
How did you get into the ministry?
The church I was a part of immediately started giving me things to do. Within a year I was in Christian education for two years then became a part-time church administrator. After about four years, I was ordained and have been in the ministry on and off ever since.
Have you ever done any overseas missionary work?
When I was growing up [in the Lord], there was a heavy influence on my family’s life from Dr. Paul E. Freed, the founder of Trans World Radio. He always told us stories about how God was moving around the world, and that really impacted me. So, that seed of missions work was planted early. [Years later] after my wife and I started going to a Baptist church, we told the pastor that our passion was for missions. A year later I became the missions pastor and had the opportunity to travel all over the world on short-term trips. But more than anything, I think I have been able to impact other people to go full-time into mission work.
How else has this passion for missions played out in your life?
I have had the privilege of being able to pastor a Persian church in Oviedo, which is the only Persian church in Florida. Because of that and because I began to understand the culture, I’ve had opportunities to work with the underground church in the Persian world.
Where were some of the places you have been?
I can’t tell you all of them, but we have served in India, Kenya, Panama, Russia, Central Europe and even in New York City.
Have you ever found yourself in life-threatening situations?
Yes. I almost got poisoned to death once. We had done a service for former Muslims who were now believers in Christ. These believers invited all their friends and we had dinner together. Afterward, I was in the hospital with IV’s in both arms and vomiting profusely. One of the leaders of the former Muslim believers told me that someone probably had tried to poison me.
Any other episodes that stand out?
I was once in trouble in a mosque in a slum in Delhi, India. We were leaving the slums on a Sunday night and were going through this narrow alley. When we came out in the open, we were surrounded by about 20 Muslims. I realized we were in severe danger. All of a sudden, a policeman showed up and said to the Muslims, “Why are you holding these Americans hostage?” After that, the Muslims dispersed. What really stands out about that is that there is never a policeman is a slum in Delhi on a Sunday night. Never.
It sounds like a miracle happened.
Listen to this. Later, when I got back to the States, the chairman of the mission committee said to me, “Was there something happening to you at 9 o’clock on Sunday morning, which was 9 o’clock at night in Delhi. I asked why. He told me that he was in the middle of a Sunday School lesson when he had this incredible need to pray for me. He stopped the class and they all started praying for us. When I told him what had happened, he started crying because he understood that God had interceded for us. God really does move that way.
Besides churches, have you ever worked for any ministries?
I worked for the Spoken Word of God right here in Orlando. We would record the Word of God in different languages and broadcast it to the different nations.
What is your most memorable moment in ministry?
There was a six-year period when I returned to my “tentmaker” ministry of teaching. I taught at Lake Howell. I was a coach and had the opportunity to witness to every one of my cross-country runners. We even had a revival in the classes I taught. One of my students was a drug pusher who gave his life to the Lord. He asked me questions in class one day and we ended up having a revival. Everyone was crying and sharing the Lord Jesus. The principal, who was anti-Christian in his nature, walked by and said, “I don’t know what you’re doing in there and don’t want to know, but keep doing it.” That drug pusher ended up becoming a model citizen.
What other churches have you served in?
I served at First Baptist Oviedo for seven years and was the Minister of Assimilation.
What do you like most about ministry?
Being an ambassador for Christ.
Do you have a favorite Bible verse?
For me, it changes from day to day. My wife and I have a deep passion for the Word of God to be rightly divided and taught.
What do you like to do with your free time?
If I’m not spending time with my family, then I love studying the Word. That’s my pastime.
If you weren’t a pastor, what would you be doing?
I’d be in the mission field.
What brought you here to First Orlando?
We were looking for a place where we could rest for a time. We needed to get refreshed and renewed. I was significantly sick for a while and was burned up and burnt out. I needed to be restored. So we came here.
Vince Manna: Ocoee Campus Pastor