We finished up our leadership collaboration with Leadership Network in Dallas this past week and it has been quite a journey.  We went to Fort Worth, TX to the stockyards on Tuesday.  It looks like old time Texas with old saloons, cowboys on horses, and a long horn cattle drive where 6 cowboys lead about 20 long horn cattle down the street for people to take pictures of.  Something struck me as I stood about 5 feet from a 1000 lb longhorn walking down the street.  If one of these guys were to take off, the cowboys would be able to lasso him and hold him check…maybe.  But if all of them said, “We’re done walking this same circle track day in and day out.  There’s got to be something else out there that is better than this;” there would be a stampede and the only thing we could have done is watch the dust.

Being the missional church is simply the people of God partnering with God in his redemptive mission in the world.  This includes not only saving souls but bringing the kingdom of heaven to this earth, which is far better than what we are experiencing now.  We are serving our city into a better tomorrow.  That’s what it is all about.  If a few people want to see it happen, there are probably a few cowboys that will see to it that things are done as they always have been done.  If we stampede, there will be better community when the dust settles.  Lives will be transformed which will mean that businesses will operate more effectively, schools will be the top of the state, crime will plummet, and God will be glorified.

Continue to serve your city into a better tomorrow.

In this new series, Lee Clamp works through the book of Ephesians in order that the great Artist might be revealed and known through his masterpiece, believers.  The text studied in this sermon is Ephesians 1:1-14.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

This past weekend my family rented a cabin in Pigeon Forge, TN to take the boys to see snow.  Kind of ironic that the one weekend we are gone, Barnwell receives the largest snow in 6 years.  At any rate, we found the cabin fine after a 8 hour journey and detour.  The quote of that night was on a country rode off I40 when I pulled into an unpopulated gas station and the attendent in her Tennessee drawl said to me, “You gotch you a GPS?”  “Yes” Then she said, “Turn it off.  It won’t help you here.” The next day we went to the Dixie Stampede.  A lot of fun and Caden and Connor just laughed and laughed.  It started snowing a couple of hours before the show.  Not being from the mountains it didn’t even register that I may not be able to get back to my cabin.  We started back to the cabin at 8:30 pm.  As we approached the first road off the main road we saw car after car stopped.  I then turned right and approached the first steep road.  It was covered with snow.  There were two cars in front of me.  Both slowed to a stop.  A dually truck came flying around and started to slide and a large tree saved it from going off the side of the mountain.

It was at this point that I realized I was stuck.  I couldn’t back down the mountain.  It was too slick.  I couldn’t go up the mountain, I would slide.  I couldn’t sleep in the car…We were one mile at the bottom of the mountain from our cabin.  I wrapped the boys up and we started to walk.  I had a car full of groceries and only a few groceries at the cabin, but it was too much to carry.  I grabbed my gps and off we went.

As we walked it was a bit taxing as the steep grade was tough especially in the cold air.  The roads were not well lit and only a few individuals were walking. I was trying to act like everything was fine as not to alarm the boys, but Caden wasn’t buying it.  We prayed to Jesus and said, “Please get us to the cabin safely tonight.”  Why do we pray prayers and then assume that God isn’t going to answer them… After about a quarter of a mile I reached in my pocket to look at my gps.  We had traveled in the wrong direction.  I stopped the family and turned around.  The bad part is that it was a stretch that was down hill so we started back up the hill.  As we were walking back up the hill, I looked at the gps and noticed that we were to turn right…just when the gps went dead.

So here I am walking down a dark road, responsible for my family, no directions, a mountain to climb.  I didn’t panic but it was at this time that I said to myself, I’m turning around and going back.  Back to familiar territory.  Closer to my car.  Closer to civilization.  And as I turned around to tell Leisa, head lights of a vehicle were approaching.  The closer it got I could tell it was a gator ATV with an enclosed cabin.  It was as if God whispered in my ear, “Calm down.  The Gator is the answer you have been looking for.”  The driver of the gator  told Leisa and the boys to get in the cabin and I climbed in the back and off we went.  I knew that the hill going up to the house was going to be a steep one even in an ATV so I wasn’t completely convinced yet that God was answering my prayer.  She asked where we were going and I said, 2535 Raccoon Hollow Way, Sevierville, TN.  She asked where that was and I said, the only thing I can tell you is turn right.  As we approached what was familiar territory there were two drives to the left, both steep.  I wanted to make sure that we went up the right one because I did not want to come back down on that snow and ice.  I prayed, “Please Jesus make this gps come on.”  and it did.  I got a glimpse of where to go but it wasn’t conclusive, so she started up the farthest road.  As we went up the steep road I wasn’t convinced we were going the right direction.  Then I began to read the house numbers and they were larger than mine and climbing.  I realized we were going the wrong way, and I freaked.  I tapped on the glass and said, “I don’t know where we are mam.  I think we are in the wrong area mam.  I’m not sure which way to tell you to go mam. It may be best just to take me back down to where my car is.”  That’s when she said, “Just calm down.  I’m going to get you to your cabin.”  As we crested the hill the road continued down the mountain and sure enough the numbers started to decline meaning we were just a few 100 feet from my cabin.  Then there it was, “A glimpse of Heaven.”  (That’s the actual name of our cabin!)  I then got out and breathed a sigh of relief and choked up a bit realizing how awesome God was.  I asked her name.  She said Nell.  I told her she would one day be an illustration in front of 500 people.  She said, “You’re a preacher.”  I told her, “Yes”  She said, ‘Pray for my husband.  He just passed away in November.”  We gathered with her and prayed and also prayed for her safety as she was continuing to help others.  I gave her $20 for gas.  And down the hill she went.  I’d say that I was worried about her, but I’m starting to believe in prayer.

I’m sure there is a spiritual lesson in there somewhere.  You can probably figure it out.  For me though it was pretty simple.

It was such a joy to have Rev. Tom Terry share with us this Sunday.  I was stuck on a mountain in Pigeon Forge, TN and it was good to know that you were in excellent hands.  Tom has served the local church as pastor faithfully for over 45 years.  He speaks on love on this Valentine’s Day.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

I get asked the question, “How can I be missional?” 

Allow me to use one of our church members as an example.

There is a man in our church who has had a spiritual awakening in Jesus over the past few years.  He works at a local plant.  One day he received an email from his boss that said, “Some of the people are offended by your conversations.”  This floored the man, because he couldn’t understand what he had done.  His boss then called him to his office.

The conversation went like this.

“I’ve been talking to some of your workers and they are offended by how much you talk about God and your involvement in church.”

Our church member then leaned back in his chair and sighed and said, “That’s a relief.  I thought I had done something wrong.”

The boss was perplexed and said, “You can’t talk like that to everybody.  They don’t want to hear it.”

He said, “Listen.  I can’t change who I am for this company.  Jesus changed my life.  I can always find another job.”

He then was reprimanded and dismissed. 

Folks…that’s being missional.  Check out Acts 4:18-21.

Today was a great day of worship.  We celebrated Harry Adkins 14 years of ministry here at First Baptist Church.  He has served faithfully, but has been called to the First Baptist Church of Kingstree, SC.  I’m sure that God will use his talents and gifts to establish a solid music ministry program among their church.  Here are some insights from today.

• About 10 men gathered to pray for me.  It was such a joy to hear their prayers and their hearts.
• The youth choir rocked today.  We are blessed to have such great teenagers.
• Several of you told me the message was for you today.  It was for me too!  Sometimes we get so busy that we miss out on a love relationship with God.  Revelation 2 is a wake up call for churches that are busy doing programs but forget about sitting at the feet of Jesus and listening to what he has to say in his word and through your prayer time.
• Had lunch with Vivian and Jacque Ussery today in their home!  What a cool place.  It was built by his grandfather in the 40’s and has been completely renovated by the Ussery’s.  He has quite a collection of cool old stuff including many antique coffee grinders.  We talked about the marriage tune up at the Merge on Feb. 19-20.  It is going to be a lot of fun.  I hope you sign up.  Contact the church office today.
• It was great to see so many come and honor Harry at the reception.  There were several former youth choir members who came back.
• During our church council meeting today we heard several stories of how God is working through our ministries.  The jail ministry shared about the dad of one of our newest members, Art, who traveled from Spartanburg to perform magic tricks with a spiritual message.  The children’s ministry received a grant Trina applied for to bless the mentoring program.  The student ministry had a great parent/teen ski retreats.  The local missions group built a few wheelchair ramps.  The men’s ministry crew is gearing up for the Men’s Retreat on March 12-13.
• May God never remove our church’s lampstand from its place.  May our influence in the community and relevance continue to thrive.
• Saints win the Super Bowl!!  Sorry K.  She is a huge NFL fan and was pulling for the Colts.  I was pulling for the Saints.  Their name sounded more spiritual.
• God gets the credit!

I had the pleasure of having lunch with a church planter in Barnwell, Robert Altman.  He planted Bethany Baptist Church about 3 years ago that is running about 120 in attendance now.  It was such a joy to listen to his passion.  I asked him “Why plant a church in Barnwell?”  His response, “I believe there are some people that are being overlooked by our churches.”

His church is experiencing revival as lives are being changed.  This past year they baptized 85!  Wow!  He retold a story that one of his church members told him.  A lady from his church was talking with someone they worked with.  When the individual found out that they went to the new church on Hwy 70 she warned the girl that it was a cult.  The church member was confused and said, “Why do you say that?”  She then said, “I know of someone who started going out there, and when they came to work they were changed!  Everything about them changed including their dress, the way they talked, and the way they treated others.  Something bad wrong is going on out there!”

That’s what I want them to say about our church.  When people go there they come back changed.  Jesus calls us to be transformed.  Scripture teaches that we are a new creation when we come to Christ.  The old has passed away and the new has come.

Do you remember the first time you fell in love.  Maybe it was in the third grade and your palms got sweaty for the first time and you weren’t allowed to talk to your first love because someone in the class would find out about it.  Do you remember the first time your eyes were opened to Jesus and you fell in love with him.  Jesus wants you to remember and come back to that point in your life.   He is more concerned with relationship than ritual.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

In this sermon, Lee Clamp teaches on prayer and then allows the congregation to practice what they learn through praying.  The dead space on the audio is the congregation having time to pray.  Use this time to pray yourself as you listen.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

We have had a blast at Conclave in Chattanooga, TN.  It is one of the weekends I look forward to at the start of the new year.  This is the first year that my entire family has been able to come along.  It Snowed almost 6 inches!  This is the first time Connor actually remembered seeing snow and they had a blast making snowballs and playing.  The exhibit hall was a lot of fun for them as they have gotten a bunch of cool stuff.  Caden spun the wheel and it landed on an xbox 360!  Of course that only meant that we got put in the drawing to win, but we received a call from the exhibitors and they drew our name out!!  I don’t think I have ever won anything except the jelly of the month club.

The worship has been great with Steve Fee band.  Ergun Caner is a powerful speaker and the first night he really encouraged those who have felt beaten down in the ministry and made a comparison to Paul in Galations 6.  Ed Stetzer spoke today and focused on the ministry of reconciliation as opposed to the false gospel of moralism.

I sat in on Dr. Richard Ross’ breakout session which challenged us to gather prayer partners around teenagers and engage parents to equip them to disciple and pray for their teenagers.  He is such a humble and intelligent guy.  I am always challenged by him.  I got to hang out with Clayton King a bit who is one of those guys you just want to hang around.  He is a trip and is MCing the event.

I led a breakout session entitled Changing the Scorecard and had some sharp student ministers in attendance.  We looked at the current scorecards in the church that we measure to define success: budgets, baptisms, and butts in the seats.  We then worked on developing matrices to count results rather than assuming results were taking place because people were in attendance.  Had a great time with them.

The boys and I spent some much needed time together tonight at the swimming pool.  We had the pool to ourselves partly because everyone else was at the worship service.  I hate to miss anything at a conference like this, but it was important to my boys for me to swim with them and chunk them around the pool.  I missed a good message as Ergun Caner talked about discerning what God wants you to do in your current ministry and if he wants you to stay or go.  I guess I’ll get the CD and listen to it.

Tomorrow we wrap up the conference and hopefully we will be able to make it home.  The roads are pretty iced over.