Carrying Wounds of War and Gospel of Peace

When you talk to Carl Pfromm, it won’t be long before the conversation turns to one of his three favorite subjects: “The furtherance of the gospel, the edification of the church, and the exaltation of Christ!” Carl notes.

No wonder. The gospel story and the love of Christ changed Carl’s life.

Drafted to serve the US in the Vietnam War at age 19, Carl later found himself in some of the worst fighting in South Vietnam. A lifelong Ohio resident, Carl says, “I never thought I would see Cuyahoga Falls (Ohio) again.”

In a gospel tract of his testimony distributed by Bible Truth Publishers, Carl recounted:

It was constant danger, and we didn’t go anywhere without our rifles. I began to be deeply concerned that with the heavy fighting my days could be numbered. We were losing men almost every day, and I knew I wasn’t ready to die.¹

Despite the dangerous surroundings, Army Chaplain Captain Gunther held church services whenever he could. Carl knew he had to attend.

He read Romans 3:23 to us: “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” That I already knew. Then he read 1 Timothy 1:15: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” He explained that the Lord Jesus suffered and died on Calvary’s cross so we could be saved from our sins. That was the answer I needed!²

After that service, Carl put his trust in the sacrifice of Jesus and accepted His gift of salvation.

Sent home and finding a church home

Carl would indeed see Cuyahoga Falls again—but not exactly according to plan. “The Lord gave me a ticket home,” Carl recalled, “in the shape of a bullet.” His critical leg wound sent him first to a hospital in Vietnam, then in Japan, then back to the US and a hospital in New Jersey for about five months of physical therapy.

He spent the last year of his enlistment in Texas, where he sought out the fellowship of other Christians.

“This church business was all new to me, you know?” Carl confides. “I wasn’t raised in a Christian family, but I was welcomed with open ams at different Baptist churches in Texas.”

After finally arriving back in Ohio, Carl attended the University of Akron, where he met a fellow believer on campus who invited him to his church. In 1972, he began attending the Gospel Hall of Myrtle Avenue, and more than 50 years later he’s still a faithful member there.

Finding a new mission field

Carl worked as a mail carrier until his retirement in 2011, when, he says, “I retired on a Friday and started working again the following Saturday. I started teaching English to internationals. I have a big heart for internationals. It's all volunteer, and I taught for a couple of organizations. Then the pandemic hit, so I started teaching online. I have my own English class now.”

Some of his students are Chinese nationals, and several years ago, Carl was able to travel to China. “I was in China three different times, and I visited the underground church,” he says. “They had so many people that they had to divide up several times, keeping the numbers low so it didn't raise suspicion.”

Gospel affinity for Moody Radio

Carl’s love of the gospel led him to discover Moody Radio, and he’s been a listener for about 20 years. “I really love WCRF—the Christian music and the ministry, of course.”

Carl is not only a listener but is also a Moody Radio supporter. When you ask him why, guess what he replies: “Because of the furtherance of the gospel, the edification of the church, and the exaltation of Christ!”

His connections with believers in countries where the gospel is restricted or forbidden have given him a unique appreciation for Christian radio and for the faith-based resources that Western believers enjoy. “We need to pray, search the Scriptures, and listen to Christian radio,” he says. “It's available to us free without threat. We need to take advantage of these things.”

Moody’s often-quoted former Share fundraising drive theme The Gospel Changes Everything fits perfectly with Carl’s heart for the lost. “By the grace of God, I’m really exploding with desire for the furtherance of the gospel,” he says, “and I would like people to listen to Moody. Moody Radio is doing a fabulous work in the world. It can reach out across borders. We need to support these Christian organizations that are reaching out to people in other lands.

“We Christians, in my view, should raise our profile. There are a lot of false religions. We need to say, ‘I'm a Christian by the grace of God, and Jesus is real!’ We were bought with a price, so we belong to Jesus Christ. Therefore, we want to glorify Him in our body and our spirit, which all belong to Him.”