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Kenneth L. Shingledecker Papers

 Collection
Identifier: CN 297

Scope and Contents

Oral history interview with Kenneth L. Shingledecker in which he describes his work with college students in Student Training in Missions, Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship, planning Urbana '79 student missions convention, missionary work in Kenya for Daystar Communications, and the development of Christian leadership in the church in Kenya. The collection also includes a folder of prayer letters, ranging from 1985-1990.

Topics covered in the oral history interview include Shingledecker’s work with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship; the IVCF's Urbana '79 student missions convention; service with Daystar Communications in Kenya on a survey of Christian influence in tribal situations called the Unreached Peoples of Kenya Project, coordinated by David Barrett; differences between his research and that of Dr. David Barrett among the same tribes; influence of National Churches of Kenya (EFK); work in an African Inland Mission church in Kenya; the Kenyan church; and other mission-related subjects.  The time period covered by the interview is 1979 to 1985.

Kenneth Shingledecker was interviewed by Robert Shuster on March 6, 1985.

Dates

  • Created: 1985-1990

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

There are no restrictions on the use of this collection.

Biographical Information

Kenneth Lee Shingledecker was born in 1951 in Burundi, Africa, where his parents were missionaries with World Gospel Mission. He was converted following family devotions at the age of seven. He enrolled in Asbury College, but transferred after one year to Georgia Institute of Technology to study civil engineering. While at Georgia Tech, he became involved with an Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship (IVCF) chapter. He also attended an IVCF training camp and participated in the Urbana '73 student missions convention.

Shingledecker graduated from college in 1974 and moved to Michigan where work with a construction company enabled him to volunteer his services at Michigan State University with IVCF. He also worked with a roommate in IVCF's Student Training in Missions (STIM) program, based in Michigan, which trained students to spend a summer of ministry with missionaries overseas. In 1976, he took over as director of the STIM program and moved its offices to Inter-Varsity's national headquarters in Madison, WI, where his responsibilities included promotion and expansion of the STIM program throughout IVCF. Under his leadership in the next four years, students were recruited from more than thirty states, trained through a series of weekend sessions on cross-cultural communications, and placed to assist missionaries around the world for eight to twelve weeks during June through August. In 1978, he took a major planning and coordinating role in Urbana '79 student missions convention. This involved organizing elective workshops, inviting mission agencies and colleges, identifying key mission leaders, and coordinating programs at the convention itself.

In 1979, Shingledecker married Connie Cato. In 1981, they moved to Nairobi, Kenya, and joined the staff of Daystar Communications. The first four months were spent in learning Swahili and for the next two and a half years Ken coordinated the Unreached Peoples of Kenya Project. While engaged in this project, they interacted with Christian leaders all over Kenya and became involved in a local Africa Inland Mission congregation of Kenyan Christians. In 1985, Shingledecker earned an M.A. degree in intercultural studies at Wheaton College Graduate School. This was followed by appointment to the faculty of Daystar University College. In 1988, the Reformed Church in America appointed them as missionaries and sent them to Daystar University College to assist in developing the extension programs of the college.

The Shingledeckers have three children, Brian Norris (1981), Jason Frost (1983), and Stacie Mwende (1987).

Extent

1 Audio Tape

87 Minutes

1 document case

0.25 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Accruals and Additions

The audio tape in this collection was received by the Archives of the Billy Graham Center in March 1985 from Kenneth Shingledecker. Subsequent prayer letters were received and added to the collection, 1985-1990.

Accession 85-27

October 8, 1992

Janyce H. Nasgowitz

E. Diaz

D. Reifsnyder

January 14, 1994

Sara Henning

P. Ericksen

M. Larson

Title
Collection 297 Papers of Kenneth L. Shingledecker
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
English

Repository Details

Part of the Evangelism & Missions Archives Repository

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