MEMPHIS – There was a time when camp meetings were held on church grounds. People brought camping gear and spent time fellowshipping together, eating dinner on the grounds and having all-day singing and preaching.
Richland Baptist Church in this northern Missouri community brought a modern version of the past.
“It is in the premise of an old-time camp meeting, but in the old days, they actually camped,” said Pastor Richard Lourcey.
Scores of people descended on the grounds of this rural church, 12 miles northwest of Memphis and three miles shy of the Iowa border. The parking spilled from the church lot to the ditches near Route B.
People brought lawn chairs or sat in folding chairs under a tent between the church and the church cemetery. They heard preaching, testimonies, and music with acoustic and electric guitar, microphones and a keyboard. They ate, and they fellowshipped. Children played games.
“We bring other pastors in the community to share messages or testimonies. We invite people regardless of what faith they have. We’re cross- cultural (in our outreach). We want to break down barriers and the stigmastism churches have. Our purpose is to celebrate the goodness of God,” he said.
Mennonites and Amish were invited, as well as other churches and community members.
Lourcey has been pastor for five and a half years. This is the fourth year of the event. It draws 125 to 175 people. He worked his way through the crowd, personally greeting as many as he could under the tent.
It didn’t hurt that the weather was pleasant, as well.
Church members provide the meal, which this year included barbecued chicken, barbequed pulled pork, beans, potato salad, chips and desserts.
“It’s not a potluck,” he said, explaining a planned menu reduces the cause of duplicate food items from various individuals.
At least four pastors spoke, and several others in the crowd gave testimonies. One was a pastor friend Jamie Miller, pastor of Havana Illinois Southern Baptist Church, some three hours from the Richland church.
Richland Baptist averages between 55 and 60 people on Sundays.
“We’ve had people saved and baptized every year,” Lourcey said.