Submitted by philip on
By Karen L. Willoughby, Managing Editor
GIBSLAND – Because of his wife’s health, James Lambert needs to stay near home, but his presence is going to Russia, Romania, East Asia and North Korea, as well as all over the United States and maybe other places he hasn’t yet heard about.
Lambert, pastor of Bryceland Baptist Church in Bienville Baptist Association, designs applications – apps – for the iPhone. It’s work he can do to pastor a church that can’t pay its pastor a fulltime salary, and be available as needed to his wife and three youngsters, ages 6, 11 and 12.
“It’s amazing what God can do when you’re out in the woods,” Lambert said. “You can reach the world nowadays through the window we call the computer. We can reach the world in our own small way, and it’s important for the spread of the gospel that we take advantage of every way we can.”
It was Kevin Ezell, president of the North American Mission Board, who first referred to bivocational pastors as “Iron Men.” Lambert is one of those who pumps iron with his mental and spiritual strength.
He taught himself to develop apps.
“I wanted to design some study helps to aid some of the students I tutor in New Testament Greek,” Lambert said. “I couldn’t find anybody to help me write [the app] so I taught myself.”
Lambert is two years from graduating from seminary with an MDiv from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, because of limited time and seminary extension classes.
“It was hard,” the pastor acknowledged. “Apple provides lots of material and the software to write the apps. You just have to learn the programming language and how to build them and submit them. It is difficult but if you just hang in there you can figure it out.”
The first app Lambert completed was eWitness. It’s free, available at the iTunes store. Search for “evangelism,” “witnessing,” or “word of mouth.”
“I decided, if I’m going to learn this, I might’s well make something I can use to lead people to Christ,” Lambert said. Evangelist Price Harris led in getting eWitness translated into Romanian. Lambert is working to get the app translated into Spanish, Korean, Russian and Chinese.
“It’s exciting,” Lambert said. “I cannot leave the country; my wife’s health won’t permit it, but my heart’s in missions and God has provided a way for me to go to the world through my computer. It’s a great gift from God.”
About four years before they married 15 years ago, Emily Lambert first experienced symptoms what physicians have since determined is a rare neurological disease called Cerebellar Degeneration.
“We are so blessed,” the pastor said. “God has been so gracious to us. … God meets our needs and God takes care of us. It’s all because of prayer and God’s mercy. … As [the Apostle] Paul says, as we have received comfort, so we are able to comfort others.”
A former hospice chaplain and former employee at the LifeWay Christian store in Shreveport, Lambert was called first to supply and then to be pastor to the congregation at Bryceland.
“God put us together and it’s just been a real blessing for us,” Lambert said. “We really love the people in Bryceland and they have been so good to us. It’s a good fit and we’re really thankful to be here.”
About 20 people participate in Sunday morning worship; three were baptized last year. Of Bryceland’s $62,000 income last year, $22,000 went to missions.
“We try to mimic Acts 1:8,” Lambert said. “We support local groups like Camp Harris. We participate in associational meetings and giving. We work with our director of missions, Randy Hales, and have missionaries we support in Romania, and Ecuador. Our people care about missions and do give sacrifically, and God has blessed us for giving.
“I think it’s important to give to missions,” the pastor continued. “We pray, but we also think it’s important to give.”
Bryceland was started in 1877, “My church used to be full, but that was back when there was a mill in Bryceland,” Lambert said. “Now we’re watching our friends and loved ones pass away and no one is moving back into the area. … But God is faithful, giving us the ability to minister and to reach the world.”
At this point, the bivocational pastor has completed four apps and is working on eight more, including one specifically for area pastors, to help in their hospital visitation, and for churches to connect with their congregations.
“I’m hoping to get a whole suite of Greek reference tools,” Lambert said. “Those will be for sale. The ones for the church, they’re ministry.”