67:2 : My Missionary Dad

Jun 21, 2015

My Missionary Dad

HE BEGAN PREACHING when he was 14...almost exactly 60 years ago. Not long after that, God called him to be a missionary.

Bible School honed him, and the young evangelist began focusing on two things: getting ready for the foreign missions fields – and wooing his help-meet for that lifelong endeavor. In 1961, Robert and Sue Nix were married.

After stints as an evangelist, pastor, assistant pastor, and home missionary, Dad – who was now a father, twice over – and Mom were approved as foreign missionaries to Peru in 1966. They arrived in Lima on August 17, 1967.

He started Peru's first Apostolic Bible School. Started, along with Missionary Dale Brown, the largest, most productive, and longest-lasting (still going – once again under his leadership!) congregation in Peru's Apostolic history. Literally dozens of churches – and hundreds of ministers – are products of this congregation.

Dad was an extremely busy man. His talents were needed all over the country. But one of the things for which I'm proudest – and, certainly, most grateful – of him was when he realized he needed to spend time with his sons...

So Robert Nix shifted gears...made arrangements...spent more time at home...took his sons with him to work...helped my Mom home-school us...led daily family devotions with us at night (and Mom led us in devotions in the morning)...

And saw every one of his sons saved. Not just saved...called to preach the Gospel. All of them became pastors; three of them spent time in their own right as foreign missionaries.

That is the value of a man who is not just an Apostolic Christian...not just a preacher...a pastor...a missionary –– but a father.

And Missionary Robert Nix, Pastor Robert Nix, Bible School founder Robert Nix...is first and foremost...

Dad.

And I love you for that, Dad.

Thank you for being there. Thank you for being consistently strong – strong in character, strong in doctrine, strong in holiness, strong in love for God and His church, strong in love for the lost souls of humanity.

Strong – consistently strong – as a father. Thank you for not letting up in your older years, for not softening your stance, for not "mellowing" in doctrine. Thank you for loving the Truth more now than ever, and still being an example to your sons – and, now, to your grandchildren and great-grandchildren. For you now have one great-grandson, and a great-granddaughter is about to arrive any day.

Don't change, because...

I wanna be like you when I grow up.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY to my missionary Dad. With love, honor, and respect, I say...

Your son is proud of you.

Leaving for Peru from Houston, TX...with Kevin (L, in Mom's arms) and me (in Dad's arms)

The Child Evangelism Team, complete with ventriloquist dummy (and my brother, Kyle)

Dad and Mom were phenomenal at child evangelism.

The family is complete...Kelly was born in December, 1970.

Leading Peru's first Apostolic choir ever...

My father, the accordionist. He instilled in each of his sons a love of music – and made it possible for us to learn how to play.

Even more important, he and Mom made sure their sons were saved...

...and that they were well. Praying with me before God healed my brain tumor...

My Dad, the missionary – spreading the Gospel in the Andes Mountains. He made many long, dusty, very dangerous trips – and has the stories to prove it.

Overseeing construction of one of a new church building in El Ermitaño...

Moving to Costa Rica...the church says "Good-bye"

Dad stared the demons down in Costa Rica...and they blinked first. Below, Dad, his four preacher sons, and a group of young Costa Rican preachers under his care: