2/13/2019
Morning! This is only the fifth blog I have written this month. (I haven’t seemed inspired), but I want you to know I’m not done. It has been an interesting group of mornings. My routine has not been exactly the same and definitely not the same thought patterns as previously. It isn’t anything big changing in my life, just interesting interruptions to normalcy: having to leave early, or having to be up later, some different sleep patterns, etc.
But this morning I awoke with a SIMH and I remembered I should write a bit. The song is “Take a Chance On Me”—Abba, one of my favorite groups. I know, it probably seems odd, but I like their music. I once bought an orchestral arrangement album of 12 of their hits, just to listen to their music! Unison with only minor harmony just seemed to please me. Their styling/arranging worked really well for a full orchestra, also. (My opinion.)
We’ll be attending a funeral tomorrow for a long time friend in Chattanooga. She and her family were attending the Grace Bible Church when I first went there in 1975, I believe. I know they were there in 1980, my next visit. She will be greatly missed. She had a great testimony of salvation and will be a part of the glory of God and Christ’s Body forever, I believe.
This coming Sunday, Feb. 17, Brother Steve will be in a conference in Florida and has asked me to take his place for both hours at Grace Bible Church. Pray for the truth to be heard and be profitable to all who hear. I like preaching back to back messages because I never really get done. I don’t want that to sound strange, just know this: it is the Lord’s Word which we speak, and it’s never the Word we tire of, it is just the weariness of our flesh that makes us stop.
Many years ago, I think in 1979 and 1980, at the Pineview Bible Camp, which was located on a farm just East of Plantersville, AL. In these two particular years we didn’t have very many “grace” preachers in the area. One of those years, I believe ’79, It was Bros. EC Moore and Dusty Rhodes (a Calvinist), and once or twice Bro. Dave Reese (a somewhat rightly dividing Baptist), and me—for 10 days, at least 3 messages in the morning and 2 or 3 at night. I believe Bro. Rhodes preached 4 messages, Bro. Reese 2, and Bro, Moore and I preached the rest. When you preach that rapidly in succession and with few breaks, it will either teach you how to preach or make you walk away!
In 1980, (I think) Bro. Atwood joined us, Bro. Reese preached once, but basically a 3 man rotation, almost a relief to Bro. Moore and me to have to only preach every third message. Bro. Atwood was a great addition. When I think back on that era, I wonder what I sounded like, knowing so little. Makes me glad none of those messages were recorded. I know I didn’t measure up to what those other gentlemen were able to teach, but they endured me, anyway. So very thankful to have had those times and for the memory of them. If I hear someone new to preaching, I think back to those days and how gentle, yet painstakingly corrective Brother EC Moore was to all of us. So, I never intend to criticize young preachers without knowing the Scripture to use.
Bro. Moore was not known for patience or toleration of errors when he heard us make errors. But, there was a day when, after being harshly corrected, I had to reason with myself and ask the Lord for the strength to take criticism. My decision was this: “take the criticism, buddy boy, you’re the one in error. Don’t get angry or embarrassed because he is trying to teach you—he was sent from the Lord to be a teacher, and he’s yours!”
After that, I never worried when, as I finished a message, I would hear his throat clear and he would say, “Bro. Lockhart, do you mind if I ask you a question?” …deep breath, and say, “no, sir, what did I do wrong?” And he answered with Scripture, every time. Every time.
When I think of the years between 1974 and 1980, I think he was an exceptional teacher of the things of the Lord. Many times he would learn more himself and always correct himself by the word of God. I had a particular set of circumstances during that time in which I was privileged to spend several hours a week (with an 18 month period out for when we so temporarily moved back to Illinois) with him that other young preachers were deprived of, hours that now I cherish, and sometimes I want to call him and ask him some questions. There are (roughly) 70 churches or bible classes ongoing which were directly the results of his teaching ministry.
Bro. E.C. Moore. Just a farm boy from Coffee county, AL.
Thanks for reading, the Elder
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