American Missionary Fellowship

AMF board member Jeff DeVault grew up in a Christian home, attending Aldan Union Church, whose members included Al Miller, Homer Ostien, and Rich Oliver, all of whom served with AMF (then the ASSU). “I became a believer at the age of eight at a boys’ camp, which ties in with what AMF does,” Jeff says. “I’m a big believer in getting to kids when they’re young and have ears to hear.”

As a teen, Jeff went on a short-term mission trip with AMF missionaries Bob and Sharon Mathieu. His youth group helped the Mathieus paint an abandoned cellar to be used as a meeting place for ministry. Jeff got to know Bob on that trip and became a regular financial supporter of the Mathieus’ work.

Years later, Jeff became part of Ardmore Presbyterian Church, the home church of several AMF board members. At their invitation, he joined the board in 2002. Jeff is now chairman of the board’s Investment Committee, which oversees investments for the mission’s endowment and pension funds.

Jeff is well suited for the investment committee because of his day job as a financial advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. His conversations with clients are about money and don’t typically mention God, but the difference Christ makes in Jeff’s life is evident in the way he lives and conducts his business. “I believe knowing Christ makes you a person of high integrity, which is very important being a financial advisor – instilling trust in your clients,” Jeff says. “I have the attitude that if I show the right character and am the right kind of person, I am able to (as Peter said) be prepared to give an answer to those who ask.”

Whether demonstrating integrity to his clients or singing an operatic solo at church (both he and his wife, Christine, are classically trained vocalists), Jeff passes on God’s love to those around him by living daily through the Holy Spirit. “Growing up in a good evangelical church, I knew I had to be like Jesus, but I thought I had to do it on my own. I never really understood the work of the Holy Spirit,” he says. “In my early 20s, I came to understand that the Holy Spirit imparts to us the life of Christ. . . .It’s the Spirit of God that produces the life of Christ in us; it’s not something we do out of self effort.” 

Allowing the Holy Spirit to work through us prepares us for every task we face, Jeff believes. He says of the Christian life, “It’s coming to the trust that Christ is in you and the work is His, that it’s not a struggle, and you wake up every day and you know that he’s going to meet your needs for whatever’s in front of you. It’s knowing that He’s empowering you to share a word, or to be kind to someone. Whatever it is that’s put in front of you, God is there to empower you to do that. That’s the same message that our missionaries should always remember – it’s Christ in you who is doing the work.”

For more stories and photos of people sharing the love of Christ in their communities, visit http://amfmission.org/passiton/.

A few nights ago I had dinner with Jeff DeVault. I’ve been trying to meet one on one with each one of our board members to find out a little bit about their lives and their dreams and hopes for AMF, but mostly to find out about their relationships with Jesus.

I want to tell you, my time with Jeff was amazing. We had several common experiences, but I was overwhelmed with his sensitivity to the Holy Spirit. We talked a lot about listening to the Holy Spirit and the role of the Holy Spirit and how many of our churches are afraid of the Holy Spirit because of some misconceptions. While it is true that when the Holy Spirit takes control, we lose control, it is also true that the Holy Spirit brings us into the presence of God in a way that we cannot experience on our own.

Jeff understands that. He understands that as a trustee, he must experience the work, filling, and direction of the Holy Spirit. He understands that it’s the Spirit who brings unity, and it’s the Spirit who illuminates truth according to the Scriptures.

I was really impressed with Jeff. I look forward to watching God use him to help us shape the mission in the future. The more I meet with our board, the more I understand these are people who desperately want to understand who God is and want the best – God’s good and perfect will – for AMF.