American Missionary Fellowship

RobAnne and I spent last weekend speaking at Fir Point’s family camp. It was a great time – over 100 people were there, and we were able to minister to them and hear their stories, to pray with some people and talk with some people and enjoy being around young families. Some of our missionaries and their families were there. It was just great.

There is a strong need for us to provide places where families can be what they already know they should be – a connected community of relatives who follow Christ.

Ned Nay is a volunteer at Fir Point Bible Camp in Glendale, Oregon. I believe he’s been volunteering since shortly after the earth’s crust formed. He is an incredible asset to the camp. His job is to come each summer and do the dishes. He makes sure everything is clean, he organizes other volunteers, and he gives announcements before each meal – he stands on the porch and tells people what the menu is and how to proceed to get things done efficiently.  Ned is also the chairman of the camp board.

Everyone has a hometown, a place where you were born or raised. Most of us, when we think back, we think about a specific house. I can remember my parents’ phone number from years ago. It started with letters instead of numbers.

I grew up in the city of Detroit. Detroit has many wonderful traditions: fireworks on the river, Vernor’s ginger ale, and the fairgrounds on Woodward Avenue are great memories. But when people visit Detroit, they don’t see those things because it’s not their hometown. They don’t have the roots; they don’t have the imbedded bias toward Detroit. But I do, and I love it very much.

One of the things that bothers me as I travel around the country talking to missionaries is the idea that we do not need to have a home church. I’m not talking about having a home supporting church. I’m talking about a church that you go to, a group of believers you connect to, a group of Christ-followers who voluntarily agree to work together to see the kingdom expanded.

Steve Smith has been a member of the Board of Trustees of American Missionary Fellowship since 1987. He goes to the Church of the Savior just down the street from the Home Office and takes the train into Philadelphia to work in financial management.

Steve is as East Coast as you’re going to get – wears a tie every day, is very formal – but for some reason a southern California and this formal East Coast man have developed a friendship. I value very much his input into my life and the life of this mission. Our board is fortunate to have a person of his caliber.