Portrait of Jack Martin. IMB Photo
Jack Leland Martin, an International Mission Board missionary emeritus who shared the gospel in Thailand, died Sept. 20, 2025. He was 90.
Jack was born Oct. 18, 1934, in Cabool, Missouri, to the late James and Mary Martin. He graduated from Riverview Gardens High School in St. Louis and received the Bachelor of Arts from Louisiana College in Pineville, and the Master of Divinity from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.
During high school, Jack began attending a Baptist church. There, he recognized his need of a Savior and came to saving faith in Christ during a revival meeting in 1952. After graduation, he worked to save money for college. While seeking missionary appointment Jack recalled, “It was while I was at St. Louis University that the Lord began dealing with me and calling me to preach. … I surrendered my life to be a foreign missionary, and this has been my life’s preparation ever since that decision.”
In 1955, he transferred to Oklahoma Baptist University to study Bible and later transferred again to Louisiana College, where he completed his degree and took courses in missions and soul-winning. At Louisiana College, he met Gladys Way, who became his wife on Aug. 23, 1957. During Jack’s senior year of college, he began the first of four pastorates in Louisiana before his appointment as a missionary.
In 1965, the International Mission Board appointed Jack and Gladys missionaries to Thailand. They left through San Francisco Harbor bound for Manila, and ultimately Bangkok, in 1966. Storytelling would be central to Jack’s work among some of the most marginalized people in Thailand. Alongside his close friend and Thai ministry partner, Acharn Soonthorn Soonthorntarawong, Jack started a prison ministry that would expand all over Thailand, bringing the hope of the gospel to Thai prisoners.
At Klong Pai Prison in Thailand, missionary Jack Martin ministers to prisoners during a time of small group sharing and praying.
For decades, Jack led teams of people into the largest maximum security prisons in Thailand to tell prisoners they were deeply loved by God. The work continues today through the Thai foundation House of Blessing, a halfway house which ministers to prisoners and prisoners in transition from confinement and assists families and the children of mothers who have been incarcerated.
During more than 30 years in Thailand, the Martins also led the Baptist Student Center in Bangkok and served as full-time church planters, including 10 years in Pattaya doing street evangelism and starting churches.
Jack was preceded in death by his wife of 62 years, Gladys (“Glad”) Martin.
He is survived by four children, Deborah Gonzales, Jamie McCalebb, Daren Martin and Craig Martin; eight grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
A celebration of life service for Jack and Gladys Martin will be held 11:00am, Oct. 25 at Bon Air Baptist Church, Richmond, Virginia.
Read an obituary here.