29 March, 2024

Lessons from Limestone

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by | 10 March, 2016 | 6 comments

By LeAnne Blackmore

For the past 16 years my husband, Ron, and I have led, taught, cast vision, and ministered to many in our city megachurch, First Christian Church, Johnson City, Tennessee. From college ministry to missions, greeter to elder, we have stepped into roles as variegated as the fall foliage on the Blue Ridge Parkway. By man”s standards, we experienced great successes and toyed with the temptation to take the credit. But God, in his grace, also allowed us to face colossal failures. In merging the two extremes, and through immersing ourselves in the Word, a mutual mind-set surfaced. God”s design””his calling on our lives””centered on obedience. We are learning the truth of God”s spokesman whose words are recorded in 1 Samuel 15:22: “To obey is better than sacrifice.”

Ron and LeAnne Blackmore recently transitioned to leading a small, rural church.

Ron and LeAnne Blackmore recently transitioned to leading a small, rural church.

This idea has been put to the test recently.

Several months ago, two of Ron”s patients presented him with an unusual request””come preach at our rural church. Evidently, the previous preacher wore a bivocational hat as well, practicing law throughout the week and ministering on the weekend, so this plea seemed perfectly logical to Ron”s patients. We, however, had a different take:

“¢ First, Ron is not a preacher . . . he”s a physician.

“¢ Second, the church falls under the authority of an extremely liberal denomination with which we disagree doctrinally.

“¢ Third, the Limestone community is a 45-minute drive from our home””one way.

“¢ Fourth, the congregation is small in number, very small.

“¢ Finally, ministering there would require us to leave the friendships and comfort of our home church.

Initially, Ron told them no, but said we would pray about it. So we did. Within a matter of days, and against all reason, we both strongly sensed God”s leading to leave our big church and head to the country. Good-bye city life!

That first Sunday, the total attendance was 13″”about one-sixth the roster of the Sunday school class we led back home. Additionally, all those present were at least 20 years older than us””and we”re no spring chickens! What had we gotten ourselves into? We spent the 45-minute drive back to Johnson City in stunned silence, save the occasional “Recalculating!” of the GPS due to our utter lack of familiarity with the winding, country landscape.

The next few Sundays we saw attendance numbers wax to 23 and then wane back to the mid teens. But in between our weekly rural treks, Ron received phone calls and visits from random strangers who had interesting connections to our country congregation. Not realizing Ron”s ties to the church, they shared their stories””stories that seemed too coincidental. Could God be orchestrating something grander than we anticipated?

Lord, Are You Up to Something?

Not even two months into our new stint, we held a meeting with the leaders of the congregation. Desiring to ease them into some possible changes, Ron handled the session with grace and gentleness. The group responded positively””so much so, that one of the main voices put forth a request: would it be possible for this little congregation to secede from their denominational governing board and come under the realm and authority of our big church? Seriously? Lord, you are definitely up to something!

We are still very early in this process, and our numbers continue to be minimal, but we recognize God is at work and he has called us to be obedient to him. Our calling is not to a church or career or ministry or location””but to God. The measure of success isn”t in our numbers. Don”t misunderstand, numbers matter””because each number is a soul””but they don”t measure success. You can have large numbers, but completely fail in obedience, and therefore be unsuccessful. Or, you can have small numbers and bring great delight to God by listening to his voice. Here”s the bottom line: obedience is success.

So here”s one of the lessons we”re learning from Limestone. Each one of us is unique. We bring different personalities, gifts, talents, levels of energy, and resources to the table. While God may open distinct doors for each individual, collectively we all are called to a uniform response””walk through the doors he has opened. Say yes to God. That, we”re finding, is the measure of success.

LeAnne Blackmore is an author and women”s retreat and conference speaker living in Johnson City, Tennessee. She and her husband, Ron, have two grown children.

6 Comments

  1. Jeff Nettles

    Ya know, from the moment I read on FB that you guys had taken this challenge, I have just grinned. It reminds me of leaving a church in Florida to go to a church in Alabama that was smaller than my former youth group. I often felt like a failure, but that wasn’t the case at all; God just had a different role that I didn’t appreciate at first. It all brought glory to Him and good to His people in His time. Now I live within minutes of three of those former youth, and fruit is still being borne.
    You nailed it when you focused on obedience, Mrs. Blackmore. Ours is to obey God; His is to bear fruit through us, as much or as little as He pleases. We tell truth, He brings results. We love, and people receive it or they don’t, and we continue loving.
    I also greatly appreciated your downplay of some official “calling” to gospel ministry. It’s not unimportant, just often overrated in our Christian sub-culture. I find the Bible rather emphasizes our qualifications (1 Tim 3, Titus 1, 1 Peter 5), which I’m sure Dr. Blackmore has in spades. We are all believers in and followers of Christ, and called to use our gifts to advance His gospel for His glory.
    I would love to be in that church with you two, and I will NOT be surprised if God saves and sanctifies many there. He has already put that church on a more biblical trajectory into a thriving future!

  2. Susan Imboden

    LeAnne, I love your story! Sometimes we don’t clearly see God’s plan, so we don’t open the door. Thankfully, you and Ron did open that door, so you can glorify our Heavenly Father and lead others to Him! I’m so proud of both of you! Love, Susan

  3. Patrick Mitchell

    LeAnne, love hearing what God’s doing through you guys out there. I preached for several months in a similar situation in Limestone. Some dear people out there. Keep it up!

  4. Jo Percy

    Just wanted to remind you that OCC in Joplin is having their yearly convention next week. We’d make room for you. I haven’t been able to find when Leann will have her article in the Christian Standard 0r do I have the wrong paper.

  5. Keith Glover

    Leann, my wife and I are patents of your husband and I have always admired the fact that when I go to my physician, we always wind up talking about (and sometime with) the Great Physician. You guys have a gift and are using it for His Glory, and that is success! Thank you for this article, and for sharing your story. I find it very encoruaging exactly in the spot my wife and I find ourself in currently. We are praying for you both, and ask that you pray for us as we serve and love those God places in our path.

    I also loved and totally agree with Jeff’s comments above!

    Blessings to you and your family! We may have to come visit one Sunday so I can hear a “real sermon” instead of what little we get to talk during my visits to Ron’s office. 🙂

  6. Randy Wheeler

    Sounds like an exciting challenge. I’m proud of you both for listening to God’s call.

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