American Missionary Fellowship

Statement of Faith [ Back to top ]

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The U.S. missions organization American Missionary Fellowship (AMF) is built upon the Word of God and our personal faith in Jesus Christ. We hold to the great foundational truths of the historic Christian faith held in common by like-minded evangelical Christians with whom we share both fellowship and the mission mandate: We believe that there is one God, Creator, and Sustainer of the universe, existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

We believe that the Bible is the verbally inspired Word of God, is inerrant in the original manuscripts, and is uniquely infallible, our only authority for faith and practice.

We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His substitutionary sacrifice upon the cross, in His bodily resurrection, in His victory over sin and His enemy Satan, in His present exaltation at His Father’s right hand, and in His personal return, at any time, in power and great glory.

We believe in the fall and the lostness of man, whose total depravity requires that he be regenerated by the Holy Spirit for his salvation.

We believe that salvation consists of the forgiveness of sins, the imputation of Christ’s righteousness, and the gift of eternal life, received by grace through faith alone, entirely apart from works.

We believe in the ministry of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life, and by whom the Church, the Body of Christ, is gifted and equipped to serve and glorify God.

We believe in the bodily resurrection of all mankind: those who have trusted in Christ, the ultimate Judge, will receive everlasting life and blessedness in heaven; those who have not will receive everlasting punishment and separation from the presence of God.

We believe that Christ has commanded His Church to preach the gospel to all people and that this mandate should be a primary concern of all Christians.

History [ Back to top ]

For over 150 years, AMF was known as the American Sunday School Union ("ASSU"). Under that name, missionaries pioneered the establishment of Sunday Schools that taught the Bible and brought God's plan of salvation to the country's growing frontiers. The ASSU started over 120,000 new Sunday Schools in its first 100 years, many of which continue today as churches.

Today, AMF missionaries minister in both rural and urban settings. Church planting, Release Time Classes, home Bible studies, Vacation Bible Schools, Christian camps, inner-city/cross cultural ministries and Sunday Schools are all part of the mission's ministry diversity. Through personal discipleship and intensive training, groups of believers are nurtured to their greatest potential. Wherever possible, this means the establishment of a vital, mature church. AMF missionaries reach over 100,000 lives each year with the hope of eternal life in Christ.

AMF's history dates back to Glouchester, England and Robert Raikes in the 1780's. Rev. William White, Philadelphia-born rector of Christ Church, traveled to England where he observed Robert Raikes' Sunday Schools. After returning to the United States, White overcame the rejection of many denominational leaders and joined forces with a nonsectarian group to start Sunday Schools that offered religious instruction to those of the lower class. With the help of Dr. Benjamin Rush, a prominent Philadelphia physician and signer of the Declaration of Independence and William Carey, a Philadelphia book publisher who had fled Ireland to avoid persecution for writings against the government, Bishop White established the First Day Society of Philadelphia. The Society appointed White to be President, an office he held for 46 years.

By the turn of the century, the First Day Society had given free religious education to over 2,000 students. Within 20 years, churches began to recognize Sunday Schools as an educational arm of the church. In 1817, the Philadelphia Sunday and Adult School Union was established to assist in starting Sunday Schools. It was reorganized in 1824 and called the American Sunday School Union, thus creating a national Sunday School association.

In 1821, the Board of Managers took a bold step and hired its first paid missionary, Rev. William Blair, a student of Princeton Seminary. In his first year he rode by horseback from Philadelphia to North Carolina starting Sunday Schools along the way. During the year, he started 61 new Sunday Schools, assisted 55 established Sunday Schools, founded six tracts societies, and four adult schools. After this, the Board adopted the permanent policy of hiring paid full-time missionaries. Also during the year of 1817, the mission published its first book called Little Henry and his Bearer, which was met with such success that they published 98,000 books over the following five years. Also published were 25,000 hymnals and 500,000 Scripture tickets, which could be traded in for books or gifts for Scripture memorization. Mark Twain wrote of these Scripture tickets in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.

In 1831, the Union had launched the Mississippi Valley Enterprise, the purpose of which was to start a Sunday School in every destitute place in the Mississippi Valley. Francis Scott Key and Daniel Webster were part of this project, along with hundreds of ASSU missionaries. By 1824, the Union logged 720 Sunday schools in 17 States with 55,000 members, making it the largest society in the United States.

As Americans moved West, ASSU missionaries were at their side. However the Civil War broke out in 1861. These were troubling days for the American Sunday School Union. They had Sunday Schools, missionaries and students on both sides of the front lines.

During the summer of 1923, ASSU pioneered the Daily Vacation Bible School in Minnesota. The Union also held one of the first Bible Camps for young people in the early 1900's. Thus began a new phase of ministry for the ASSU. Bible camps, Vacation Bible Schools, home Bible studies, and retreats soon became very popular ministries.

By the 1960's, ASSU publications were being overshadowed with the fast growing denominational and independent publication houses. In 1968, the Board of Managers voted to phase out the publications and literature of ASSU, and in 1974, the ASSU changed its name to the American Missionary Fellowship, a name that reflected the growing trend to use a variety of ministry methods in addition to the Sunday School. Since its inception, AMF has pursued many different avenues of ministry. Methods have changed during the years, but the message has remained the same. Uncompromised in its Biblical standards, American Missionary Fellowship faces greater challenges today than ever before.

Today more than ever, AMF targets inner cities with the Gospel of Jesus Christ where we see the compelling need to reach the multi-cultural population in our cities. Along with the inner city ministries, rural areas of the United States continue to be without any evangelical witness for miles, as more churches close their doors everyday. One hundred sixty missionary families serve with American Missionary Fellowship in 33 States. Their ministries are far-reaching and diverse, reaching people of all ages and cultures and in a variety of locations.

Ministry Needs [ Back to top ]

AMP seeks qualified, mature Christians to be a part of their team--men and women who are committed to Christ, have a love for people, and are willing to serve.

Research Analysis

Transparency Grade [ Back to top ]

MinistryWatch.com 5 Star Financial Efficiency Ratings [ Back to top ]

Ranking Category	Rating	Overall Rank	Evangelism Sector
Overall Efficiency Rating		83 of 347	6 of 27
Fund Acquisition Decision		68 of 347	8 of 27
Resource Allocation Decision		94 of 347	8 of 27
Asset Utilization Decision		190 of 347	17 of 27