Cumberland Gap Still a Gateway - First Baptist Spartanburg - Ky Missions

Have you ever seen traveling through our area a mile long group of white vans? Every year at the end of June there is a group that stops on top of Clinch Mountain, enjoys the view from the overlook and even takes time to have some lunch on their stop. There is about 250 of them and if you happen to just drive by the overlook it is a sight to see, and you brain will stop for a moment or two and ask what in the heck is going on? The answer to the last question is simple and complicated. I can answer the question simply by sharing the group of teenagers, college students and adults are from First Baptist Spartanburg in South Carolina and they are traveling through the Cumberland Gap and immediately heading in every direction in what is the State of Kentucky’s largest mission event sponsored by an organization not from Kentucky. The Kentucky Baptist Convention recognized Seth Buckley, Minister of Students and Pastor Don Wilton previously for the continuous ministry efforts that started in 1969. Our local area here in Claiborne County has a connection with this group. For years this team of missionaries and their church called the dorms of Lincoln Memorial University home during their week long commitment of conducting Vacation Bible Schools and sponsoring mission projects. While the church is a Southern Baptist Church they are fully committed to loving people and being a helping hand wherever they can serve. The New Tazewell United Methodist Church connected with these willing volunteers one year and demonstrated what the church of Jesus looks like when in action. Helping out, crossing denominational lines to assist when a need exists never flinching for one second at the call for help. Serving Jesus for some churches can be confusing. Normally the confusion begins with a long list of rules, do’s and don’ts. This attitude followed by a no bending or adjusting spiritual position that seems to exclude everyone that doesn’t fit your idea of proper connections, and even worse seems to be most self-serving tops the list off. First Baptist Spartanburg has been creating a long line of white vans down Clinch Mountain, through Tazewell and New Tazewell toward Harrogate and even back in the day over the Cumberland Gap. The travel route along 25E over two mountains until this caravan made it way to Kentucky always causes folks to wonder who are these people? Where are they going? Smiling faces and even hands waving out the windows, horns sometimes blowing catch our attention as they drive by through to their new home for the week in Barbourville, Kentucky. Imagine once our forefathers traveled from the Carolina’s to discover the trail that Dr. Thomas Walker found over the Cumberland Gap. Dr. Walker traveled with his band of surveyors and scouts to what is known today as the Dr. Thomas Walker State Park. The travelers in these white vans, these missionary surveyors if you will, are out scouting for the heart of people by means of an introduction to Jesus Christ. The Cumberland Gap has long been the Gateway for many a traveler and for even many a weary traveler too. The Bible talks about each of us traveling and bearing our load. Scripture talks about us sharing that load too. Helping those who might also fall beneath a heavy load unless someone comes along to walk beside us and help in our journey. . Today, I am so thankful for not just First Baptist Spartanburg, South Carolina, but I am thankful for the way East Tennesseans are too. A gentle people, who can and will defend her own if rattled without a doubt. But a people with great big hearts that believe in helping neighbors, giving aid and assistance, just as these visitors to our area offer to help us by extending their hand of friendship. The Bible says that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forevermore. It is exciting to know that when Jesus comes into your heart, there is a change. The change will get you moving and going. Real change will motivate you to tell the greatest story, the story of Jesus and His love. Throughout our county we have churches on hillsides and in the valley standing as a lighthouse of the power of God and the plan of God. It is my prayer that because we see others coming that we will hear that still small voice of God that moves us to pack our backs and go for Him too. Until then