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White Sox Fan At Home, 'Content' In Brandon

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By DEREK MAUL

Tribune correspondent

Published: December 17, 2008

MANGO - With Christmas just around the corner, Bay Area Church of Christ pastor Gary Lambrecht is full of the holiday spirit.

"I love the story of the angels announcing that Christ is born," he said. "It's staggering to think of Christ being born into this world. Peace and joy are now realized possibilities."

The 57-year-old has a passion for people and ministry that comes through as a steady stream of grace, something he couldn't have imagined before he was introduced to faith.

"I was an angry, bitter young man," he said. "I was really into wrestling and ranked in the nation when a tree crushed me. It broke my vertebrae, my ribs and my sternum. My scholarship was gone, and I was a mess. Then, another wrestler introduced me to the Scriptures."

He was born in Rock Island County, Ill., where his parents owned a resort, graduated from Riverdale High School there in 1969, then went on to wrestle at Black Hawk College in Moline, Ill.

After losing his scholarship, Lambrecht managed his parents' resort in Rock Island.

In 1974, he married Zoe Clendenin, a wrestling cheerleader from high school. She grew weary of his new passion for the Bible until the night he was baptized at the Davenport Church of Christ.

"I came home and explained why my hair was wet," he said. "The next night, she went with me, heard the gospel, accepted Christ and was baptized."

The couple moved to Arkansas, where he studied at Harding University in Searcy and earned a bachelor's degree in Bible and sociology.

"After I graduated, the Davenport church invited me back as pastor," he said. "Then, in 1989, we moved to Naperville, outside Chicago, and my sons wrestled up a storm. I always helped coach, wherever we went."

The Chicago area was a great fit. "I loved Chicago," he said. "Since I was a little kid - every day - I wear something that represents the White Sox."

In 1995, the Tampa Bay Church of Christ, then a struggling congregation on 56th Street near the University of South Florida, asked Lambrecht to consider a move.

He wasn't interested.

"It wasn't possible because my sons were serious wrestlers," he said.

"I said, 'There's only one program I've ever heard of in Florida, and that's Brandon.' I thought Brandon was down near Miami. They said, 'No, Brandon's right here!'

"So we took a look and made the move, and my sons wrestled at Brandon."

The Tampa church had been considering a merger with the Mango congregation. In 1996, the two bodies joined, and the Bay Area Church of Christ was born.

"We're a Church of Christ on purpose with a purpose," Lambrecht said.

"It's been absolutely refreshing, right from the beginning. Good people," he said. "So we talked about vision, what we could be and what we could do."
Lambrecht said he has especially enjoyed watching the campus ministry come alive.

"We looked at the church and decided to focus on childhood up to about 35, to put most of our energy there, to really reach people in that age bracket," he said. "When we arrived, there were six college students. It's grown anywhere between 80 and 110."

Church attendance for two services, Lambrecht said, hovers between 360 and 530. However, with a sanctuary full at 250, building might be necessary in the future.

Numbers may be interesting, but Lambrecht defines success in terms of commitment. "As long as we're having people confess Christ as Lord and baptizing people, then I know without a doubt that this is working," he said.

"For me, it's about transformation, and helping that process. I believe with all my heart Christ did a work on me. The world can become pretty dark, but I believe the light can come on and people can see good news," he said. "It's not platitudes; its truth. The truth will set you free. It took me and it set me free. Anger - gone. Bitterness - gone. Then hope came in."
Lambrecht still finds his way to wrestling tournaments. And Monday is date day with his wife, Zoe.

The young people energize him.

"The kids at this church go to 17 different high schools," he said. "So there's always something really cool going on.

"It's been absolutely wonderful living here," he said. "I truly love Brandon. I wouldn't want to live anywhere else. I'm very content with the community."

MEET GARY LAMBRECHT
Teaching pastor, Bay Area Church of Christ, 3905 Orange St., Mango

BORN: 1951, Rock Island, Ill.

EDUCATION: Riverdale High School, Rock Island County, Ill.; Black Hawk College, Moline, Ill.; Harding University, Searcy, Ark.

MARRIED: Zoe Clendenin, 1974

CHILDREN: Jamie, 30; Josh, 29; Zach, 27

MOVED TO BRANDON AREA: 1995

CONTACT: (813) 689-9620

Derek Maul can be reached at derekmaul@gmail.com.

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