Tell the Stories.

It's hard to fully take the stories in. They are so rich. So intricate. So bursting with the goodness of God that it's hard to fully take in. Tell the stories. While you can, tell the stories. So I'm telling one today.

In 1985, Lea was a senior in high school. She was 18. Her dad died in April of her senior year. It was so hard. Lea wanted to be a youth pastor and planned to attend Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA to prepare. Just before her dad's death a college representative from Bryan College in Dayton, TN called to ask if he could visit their home to tell them about Bryan. Lea had filled out a card at a college fare at some point perhaps. He sat with Jimmy, Anne and Lea at their table in Conyers, GA and from those moments Lea's dad spoke of his desire for her to attend Bryan. She arrived on Bryan's campus in August of 1985. Undeniable movement of God.

Gary Phillips grew up in Chattanooga and went to school in Red Bank. He met Betsy Woodard of Signal Mountain and the two of them married in 1972. Gary became a Greek professor at Bryan College in 1975. He was 25. About three months after Lea began her freshman year at Bryan in 1985, Gary was asked to teach at a new church with a small number of families on Signal Mountain while he continued to teach at Bryan. In November of 1985, Lea's freshman year, Signal Mountain Bible Church was born, and Gary was the pastor. He has pastored there until this present moment. Undeniable movement of God.

In 1985, I was a junior in high school in Charlotte, NC. I was not necessarily excelling as a student and was savoring being on my high school football team and loved my church youth group at Calvary Church. In 1986 as my senior year arrived, my desire to continue on a sports team led me to apply to Taylor University (irony in that name) where I would try to walk on to play football. My coaches were in contact with Taylor U's head coach, so Indiana here I come. In the spring of my senior year, my family received a call from Duane Cuthbertson, a new psychology professor at Bryan College. Because my older sister Daphne had attended Bryan years before, he was calling to extend to me an invitation to consider Bryan. In our phone conversation with this Psych prof, I was intrigued by my interest in Psychology, my planned major incidentally, and the ironic discovery that Duane had attended Taylor University. Before the night was out, my walk on dream at Taylor University was released. I sensed the movement of God leading me to Bryan College where I would prepare to be a youth pastor. I would then meet Lea Johnson, the single person that Jesus has used most to influence who I am in Christ. Let me demonstratively insert here in the middle of this paragraph. Undeniable movement of God. Dr. Gary Phillips was one of my Bible professors. He was my prof for Acts of the Apostles. I still have the syllabus notes on my bookshelf. Dr. Phillips, among other men and women at Bryan College, had profound impact on my spiritual life and character. Dr. Phillips also had strategic influence on me and my roommate Jimmy Davis as he and Betsy invited us to their home for dinner one evening and Gary taught us to tie a demonstrative dimpled knot with a neck tie. I still strive for that knot. Undeniable movement of God.

Jimmy Davis attended Calvary Church in Charlotte, NC. Though we did not know each other well, we were in our youth group musical at our church. The story of Jospeh. It was called The Dreamer. Jimmy was Joseph and I was Benjamin. Literally in the middle of one of our musical rehearsals during our senior year, we discovered that we were both planning to attend Bryan College in the fall. We pretty much on the spot decided to room together. This friendship has deeply impacted my life. Continued friendship has remained. In November of 2018, Jimmy sent me a link for an open youth pastor position at Signal Mountain Bible Church. Jimmy and Christine and their 3 children have been life friends since Jimmy and I roomed in college together at Bryan in Woodlee-Ewing 224. Jimmy and Christine and family have lived as a pastoral family in Tennessee, Texas, and Florida. As Jimmy sent me the link for this position, he and his family lived, drum roll please, on Signal Mountain where Jimmy pastors Mountain Fellowship and they continue there as I write. Undeniable movement of God.

On Super Bowl Sunday in February of this year, Signal Mountain Bible Church invited me to be their youth pastor. As Trey finished his senior year with a soccer state championship at Bearden, we said goodbye to dear friends in Knoxville and the Korean Church of Knoxville and our family began new stories of living on Signal Mountain at Signal Mountain Bible Church in June of this summer. We live about mile from the Davis family. The oldest Davis children attend Covenant College on Lookout Mountain, one mountain over from us, where Trey just began his freshman year in the last weeks. Lea and I looked from Signal Mountain over to Lookout Mountain last night as we prayed for Trey. We could literally see the light in the tower Trey's dorm from where were stood while we prayed. Undeniable movement of God.

So. The picture this week. That's Gary and Betsy Phillips. They are holding hands which they do most Sundays. I see it. Gary, "Dr. Phillips" to me while Lea and I were at Bryan, is now "GP" to me. I am in the office right next to his at Signal Mountain Bible Church. It's hard to fully take it in. This man who taught me Bible in college, taught Lea and I from Daniel chapter 8 this past Sunday. And God was strong in him. He is one of my pastors at SMBC. In February of next year (2020), Gary will shift to quarter time and begin to spend more time with Betsy, their children and grandchildren, and speak and write more for which he is sought after. I am watching this godly man shifting after 35 years of living at Signal Mountain Bible Church. I am serving with one of the men who prepared me to be a youth pastor. Wow. Wow. I am blown away by the intricate hemming of my intimate Savior. Undeniable movement of God.

Lea has been and is still a youth pastor. Undeniable movement of God.

It's His story. Tell His story. While you can, tell the stories. His stories.

I am humbled and amazed.

Could there possibly be more?

There's more.