OUR HISTORY
THIS IS THE STORY OF HOW THE LORD USED A WILLING
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT TO REACH THE STATE OF ALASKA
FOR THE GOSPEL
1930
BEGINNINGS
Vincent J. Joy, founder of Central Alaskan Missions, felt the calling on his life as a high school student. He was willing to surrender His life to the Lord's calling. That calling would lead Him to the far north regions of Alaska.
The Lord used his willing heart to greatly impact the state of Alaska. His readiness to serve the Lord paved the way for missionaries of SEND North to transform Alaska
1930
JOURNEY TO ALASKA
On April 30, 1937, Vince and his wife, Beckie Joy, took their fifteen-month-old son, Jimmy, and headed to Alaska. On May 14, they arrived in Copper Center with their team, consisting of Vince's brother, Austin Joy, and Lillian Scott.
Upon arriving in Copper Center, they were immediately met with opposition. When they landed, a young man told the missionaries to return home and that they were not needed. Being confident, the Lord called them to Cooper River, and they stayed.
The mission team rented a one-room cabin behind the Roadhouse in Cooper River. At this Roadhouse, there was a piano where Beckie could play hymns, and Vince would "talk" around the hymns to avoid the "no preaching" rule. The "services" grew, and soon, the Joy family held Sunday school and regular services in their new log home.
1942-1950
FIRST STEPS
In 1942, having outgrown the small log home, Chapel on the Hill was built. The church held its first service on Christmas Day, 1942, and this was just the beginning of the ministry of SEND North.
The faithfulness of the Joy family was quickly multiplied by the Lord, and the CAM ministry grew. The Lord continued to provide people to serve, teach, and help develop leaders to reach the hearts of Alaska.
Four years later, the Joys moved to Glennallen. Glennallen would eventually become the headquarters of Central Alaska Missions and the many other partner ministries, such as the Faith Hospital, KCAM, Bible studies, and Alaska Bible College.
1950-1972
MINISTRY DEVELOPMENT
The early 1950s were very impactful times for Central Alaska Missions.
In the early 1950s, CAM built the beginnings of a Bible school to equip believers to teach the gospel. CAM held conferences, wrote curriculum and messages, and prepared people to lead in growing churches. In 1966, in the warm building of the Glennallen Chapel, the Alaska Bible College officially started its first year with three faculty, two full-time students, and ten part-time students.
The Faith Hospital, the primary reason the Joy family moved to Glennallen, desperately needed doctors to provide medical care to the surrounding areas. They had been praying for a doctor to meet the medical needs of the Copper River Valley for years. Daily, Vince had to trust that the Lord would provide a Doctor for the hospital they were building. They used a 1949 Chevy as an ambulance, a one-room cabin served as an office, and minor operations took place in the Joy's kitchen. One year later, the Lord answered Vince's faithful prayers when Dr. Schneider came to the Faith Hospital. The Joy family completed the Faith Hospital in 1956.
Between 1956 and 1972, Central Alaskan Missions was growing and raising leaders to continue reaching Alaskans' hearts. In 1956, CAM, with a board of seven men, put the purpose and doctrinal statement into writing, clearly stating what CAM was and what it stood for. Continuing to grow came the need to raise more leaders. In 1972, Glennallen Community Chapel officially ordained four men to preach the gospel throughout Alaska.
On March 27, 1964, the day of the Good Friday 9.2 magnitude Earthquake, the KCAM station went on air for the first time. This radio station reached and strengthened many people with news, services, and Bible teaching.
1972-2002
GROWTH AND CHANGES
Between 1970 and 1982, Central Alaska Missions underwent significant, exciting changes. Firstly, in 1971, Central Alaskan Missions merged with Far Eastern Gospel Crusade and was eventually relabeled as SEND.
In addition to the Mission name change, Alaska Bible College achieved Accredited Status with the American Association of Bible Colleges, and the radio station began broadcasting to a broader range of listeners.
The broader range of influence, as well as the growth and maturity of the institutional ministries, allowed the consideration of a time of transition to independent boards. This transition would enable SEND North to focus more heavily on church planting. In the late 1980s, SEND North missionaries were transferring, and more fields continued to open.
2002-2011
NEW STEPS
In 2002, SEND North took steps to refocus the primary goal of its ministry, church planting.
They launched the "105 in 5" campaign, a recruitment strategy to increase the number of church planters in the North. SEND has planted eleven churches, now functioning on their own. "105 in 5" significantly increased church planters, school teachers, and other bi-vocational workers.
Growth and many changes led to Alaska Bible College and Northern Light Network becoming independent corporations. KRSA has closed, and KCAM has reorganized as Joy Media Ministries, Inc. The impact of CAM, and now SEND North, has spread across the entire state of Alaska.
2011-PRESENT
LEGACY TO TODAY
In 2011, SEND North moved its headquarters to Anchorage and bought the Starr Center in hopes of being located strategically in an area where we can make a difference in our surrounding community.
In recent years, Alaska has seen an influx of diaspora people groups and refugees. SEND North has sent missionaries to them as well, making churches and establishing community within Alaska.
In 2017, SEND North restated its vision to "Make Northern Disciple-Makers." SEND has been living out that mission to the glory of God ever since.
