By Matthew M. Billiot, student news writer, Office of University Communications
CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. - “Who is a missionary? I am, and so are you,” Chris Clarke, founder of Happy Trails Ministry and pastor of Lake Cowboy Church, as he opened up his chapel message at Campbellsville University, said.
He told the audience, “We are who God made us to be. No matter where you go, be real. God will use you when you are being you.” He also said, “The best place to be is in the center of God's will.”
Clarke primarily talked on the five basic building blocks of faith, which are: believe, faith, trust, obedience and surrender.
Clarke said, “We are all missionaries, because God tells us to be missionaries.” This is what led him to make Acts 1:8 from the Kings James Bible Happy Trails' theme verse, and why he is a missionary.
Acts 1:8 says, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”
He said that he preaches at 7 a.m. before the horse shows begin, and “Only people who want to be at church at 7 a.m. will be there.”
As he closed, he asked the audience two questions, “What do you see when you look at yourself and have you lost your first love [God]?”
Clarke is a 1986 alumnus of Campbellsville University, although when he graduated, it was called Campbellsville College. He has been married to his wife, Shelia McDowell, for 41 years. He has been ministering since his graduation from seminary in 1988.
Campbellsville University is a widely-acclaimed Kentucky-based Christian university with more than 10,000 students offering more than 90 programs of study including Ph.D., master, baccalaureate, associate, pre-professional and certification programs. The university has off-campus centers in Kentucky cities Louisville, Harrodsburg, Somerset, Hodgenville and Liberty with Kentucky instructional sites in Elizabethtown, Owensboro and Summersville, and nationally in Los Angeles, San Francisco Bay, Jacksonville, Fla. and Chicago. The university also has a full complement of online programs. The website for complete information is campbellsville.edu.