Jack M. Shelby, 87, a giant in Illinois missions and ministry, died October 19, 2023. With his wife Avah, whom he married in 1959, Shelby served the former Foreign Mission Board, now International Mission Board (IMB), from 1968-1999 in Europe and Asia before returning home to Illinois, where he joined the Illinois Baptist State Association staff from 1999-2006 until retiring again.
Shelby made a Kingdom impact throughout Illinois and the nations, but perhaps his most lasting impact is in Eastern Europe. IBSA Missions Director Shannon Ford, a former missionary to Ukraine, one of the countries where Shelby helped establish missions work, said while he never served with Shelby, his call to the missions was made possible due to Shelby’s pioneering efforts. “Jack laid the groundwork for everything IMB missionaries are doing in Eastern Europe today. I was at the SBC in Houston, Texas in 1993 when I felt the call to missions to the former Soviet Union. Jack’s push to get missionaries and volunteers to that area of the globe captivated my heart and many others.”
Shelby serving in Hong Kong in 1971. (IB archives)
Love for the nations
In a tribute to his father-in-law, Phil Nelson wrote he saw the “love for the nations and a love for the gospel” in the hearts of his future in-laws when he met them. He shared how the couple “discovered through their dating that God had called both to go to China as missionaries.” China was just the beginning, the two would serve in several countries going on to learn several languages including Cantonese, Hindi, German, Malay, Mandarin, Russian, Tamil, and Thai to share the gospel with those they met.
Nelson, the pastor of Lakeland Baptist Church in Carbondale, wrote of Shelby, “I am a better man and pastor because of your influence.”
Shelby was part of seven-member Southern Baptist team allowed to visit N. Korea in 1989. He re, he is pictured with Pastor Tommy Sohn
of Dallas. (IB archives)
While serving with the IMB in Asia, Shelby was a lecturer at Hong Kong Baptist University (1969-71) and the Baptist Theological Seminary, Penang, Malaysia (1972-78, 80-82) in addition to serving as the Malaysian seminary’s acting president in 1981. He also served as acting secretary of the Malaysia-Singapore Baptist Convention from 1974-76. In India, Shelby was the National Indian Ministries director from 1983-86.
Moving to Wiesbaden, Germany (1992-94), and then Moscow, Russia (1995-97), after the fall of the Iron Curtain, Shelby became volunteer coordinator of Europe Area where he oversaw the planning and coordinating of work throughout the former Soviet Republics and Central Asia. The couple would spend their last two years at the IMB back in Wiesbaden (1998-1999) researching unreached people groups in Western Europe and assisting missionaries in strategies to reach them with the Gospel.
Back to Illinois
Shelby folds an American flag with young Carter Roach at an IBSA camp in this undated photo. (Submitted photo)
After his retirement from the IMB, Shelby returned to where he started – Illinois. The Harrisburg native had earned a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry and Communications from the University of Illinois in Carbondale 1961, and a Master of Divinity from Golden Gate Seminary in 1965. Early in his ministry career Shelby pastored two churches in Illinois – First Southern Baptist Church in Enfield (1957-59) and Ledford Baptist Church in Harrisburg (1960-62) — and three in California before departing for the mission field.
Shelby served as IBSA director of Missions and Men’s Ministries from 1999-2005, which included work with student camps where he influenced the next generation. In 2006, he was named associate executive director and team leader for Missions Mobilization. He retired again later that year but served the network on contract in various capacities through the 2010s including as Illinois Baptist Disaster Relief (IBDR) State Director.
Shelby and his wife Avah pose with the Robert E. Dixon Lifetime Achievement Award he received in 2014 for his work in Southern Baptist Disaster Relief.
In 2014, Shelby was awarded with the Robert E. Dixon Lifetime Achievement Award for his work in Southern Baptist Disaster Relief having dedicated 13 years to the ministry. The award is the highest honor given in disaster relief ministry and given only to pioneers or key individuals who have contributed in a significant manner that has made a key impact inside or outside their state. Shelby assisted in coordinating relief efforts at the World Trade Center following the September 11 attacks and in Louisiana following Hurricane Katrina.
In the heartfelt tribute, Nelson, wrote, “As his only son-in-law let me say, ‘Well done Jack Shelby! Well done!’”
Shelby is survived by wife Avah, daughter Melanie, sons Mark and Scott, and several grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Funeral arrangements are pending.