
Campers at the 2024 All Nations Camp gather for a group photo at Carson Springs Baptist Conference Center. — Photos by David Dawson, Kimberly Chino and Marybel Sotomayor.
LINDEN — All Nations Camp 2024 will be remembered as a record-breaking, decision-making, spirit-awakening event.
Held during a two-week stretch in June — with the first week at Carson Springs Baptist Conference Center and the following week at Linden Valley Conference Center — this year’s camp drew a total of 608 campers and counselors, easily surpassing the previous high-water mark of 500 set in 2018.
More importantly, it was also a record-making year for decisions, with 118 professions of faith, 36 rededications and nine calls to ministry.
The second set of numbers are the ones that bring an immediate smile to the face of William Burton, ethnic church planting specialist and new churches team leader for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board. He noted that in the midst of the teether balls swinging and the diving board springing, the gospel is the focal point of the camp.

William Burton, ethnic church planting specialist and new churches team leader for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, leads a time of prayer at All Nations Camp at Carson Springs. — Photo by Marybel Sotomayor
“The emphasis of the camp will always be evangelism and worship,” Burton said. “That’s why we do what we do. It is so wonderful to see these children making decisions that impact the rest of their lives and their eternities.”
Noting that All Nations Camp is made possible through the Golden Offering for Tennessee Missions, Burton said he was thrilled to see the high numbers at both locations. This year marked the third time that both of the Tennessee Baptist Conference Centers have hosted a week of camp.
For three decades, All Nations Camp has provided international children — ages 7 through 17 — with an opportunity to gather for a week of worship, nature activities, crafts, games, Bible study and more.
BACK AGAIN AND BRAND NEW
Many of the campers this year were “returnees,” including a large number of children who have become regulars at the camp each and every year. The same is true for the counselors.
Bradley Vickers, 23, has served as a camp leader since he was a teenager, with this year marking his seventh consecutive summer serving in that role.
Vickers — who is a school teacher at Cannon County High School and is a member of New Vision Baptist Church in Alexandria — said he has enjoyed watching the transformation he has seen from the campers during his time with ANC.

A young camper gives “two enthusiastic thumbs up” about how his day is going at All Nations Camp on June 11 at Linden Valley Baptist Conference Center. — Photo by David Dawson
“My first year as a counselor, I stayed in the cabins with one group of kids, and we had some tiny, tiny kids in that cabin,” he said. “Now those same kids are taller than I am. I saw some of them this year and I was like, ‘What in the world? Where’s time gone?’ But that’s been really cool to see. You love to see that they come back each year.”
Being a school teacher, Vickers’ schedule allows for him to be involved with ANC. “I have my summers off, so that works out great,” he said.
Vickers said he has no plans of “retiring” from ANC any time soon. “I see myself doing this, really, as long as (the ANC leaders) keep having me back.”
On the opposite end of the experience spectrum are the “first-timers” — like Melissa Harris, a student at Middle Tennessee State University, who was a rookie counselor this year.
“It’s definitely a learning experience,” she said. “(Early on), you just try get into the flow and you just have to kind of go with it. But the veterans show you what to do, and that helps. (There were) a little bit of nerves going into it, but it’s been really great.”
Harris said her favorite part has been seeing the kids — and especially the girls in her group — strengthen their relationships with the Lord and become more bold about their faith.
“Just seeing them open up more and being more receptive is really cool,” she said. “ Last week (at Carson Springs), I grew closer with the girls in my Bible study. Some of them were talking to me about how they were scared to pray, but by the end of the week, they were volunteering to pray before the meal.
“So they got to go up to the front of the line after they prayed,” she added, “which was an incentive, but also they got over their fear of not praying.”
Harris found out about ANC though her involvement with Belle Aire Baptist Church in Murfreesboro, where her group leader is none other than “Mr. ANC” himself — Dave Shelley.
IT’S IN HIS BLOOD
Shelley, former director of missions for Wilson County Baptist Association, has been with ANC almost from the very beginning, and he has served as camp director for nearly 30 years.

All Nations Camp director Dave Shelley instructs campers at Carson Springs Baptist Conference Center during this year’s record-setting ANC.
He first became connected with the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board (then Executive Board of the Tennessee Baptist Convention) in 1995 when he went to All Nations Camp as an observer. He brought an Acteens Activators team the following year and has served as camp pastor and director of All Nations Camp since 1997.
Burton refers to Shelley as “the face of All Nations Camp,” and notes that, “His tireless energy level and love for children and teenagers have been used by the Lord to connect with and point hundreds of campers to Christ.”
Speaking with the Baptist and Reflector while standing outside the dining hall at Linden Valley during this year’s camp, Shelley almost teared up when he explained how much the camp means to him.

Attendees at the 2024 All Nations Camp enjoy a time of energetic praise inside the worship center at Linden Valley Baptist Conference Center. The camp, which took place over a two-week stretch in June, drew a total of 608 campers and counselors, which was a new high for the ministry.
“It’s the kids — that’s why I keep coming back,” he said. “The relationships have just been unbelievable. They’ve enriched my life. I mean, I’m blessed, just because I’ve had an opportunity to get to meet so many of them, and throughout the year, they’ll call me or I’ll call them. And it’s just the relationships are so neat. It’s the kids.”
When asked if he has reached the point where he is now seeing former campers sending their own children to camp, Shelley answered emphatically.
“Oh, yes, I’m definitely seeing that,” he said. “In fact, in one of the groups yesterday, there was a young lady who reminded me that 23 years ago, she was the Camper of the Week for All Nations Camp. And now, she has three children here at camp this week — and that was just amazing.”
Shelley said he often gets to speak at the churches who send their students to camp. “They invite me to come and preach for them, and the memories are just amazing,” he said.
Shelley said he has been thrilled to watch the camp evolve through the years, growing into something new, but equally special, each summer.
“The biggest difference (from the early years) is the diversity,” he said. “Thirty years ago, we had Hungarians, we had Kurdish people, we had a lot of Laotians, a lot of Koreans, a lot of Chinese. We had some campers from Nigeria and also some Sudanese campers.
“As we’ve evolved, as we’ve grown, we’ve picked up the Hispanic and the South American, Central American people, which has been great,” he said. “And the Egyptians, the Arabic people, have joined us, too. It’s great.”
Shelley said the camp has expanded to the point of having unofficial “satellite” camps around the state. “I know (some ethnic churches) have now started their own camps, and that’s been wonderful to see.”
For Shelley, ANC is in his DNA. It’s become such a major part of his life that he almost can’t imagine life without it, he said.
“The impacting of lives — and my life and my ministry wherever I’ve been — that’s what it’s all been about,” he said. “As a pastor, as a director of missions, as All Nations Camp director, working 10 years or so with Journey Camp, that’s been me. That’s who I am. And I love it.” B&R


