Rev. James Lambert

The Rev. James Matthew Lambert (Jim), 89 years old, of King, North Carolina, accepted God's invitation to be with Him on February 2, 2019, in Winston-Salem. Rev. Lambert was born August 31,1929, in Louisville, Kentucky, to the late Rev. Harris Fletcher Lambert and the late Minnie Herrin Lambert. Along with his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, the late Harold Fletcher Lambert. Rev. Lambert is survived by his wife of sixty-six years, Betty Jo Frazier Lambert; by two sons, Steve Lambert, of Banner Elk, NC, and Blake Lambert, of Greensboro, NC; by his granddaughter, Bianca Lambert Davis (Josh), of Johnson City, Tennessee; by his grandson, Matthew Lambert, of Creston; and by his great granddaughters, Isabella Greene and Olive Davis, of Johnson City, Tennessee. After leaving his birthplace in Kentucky in 1935, Rev. Lambert's family returned to their native North Carolina, where his father served as pastor of the Front Street Baptist Church in Statesville. They later moved to what is now the town of Eden. Rev. Lambert graduated from Mars Hill College, in Mars Hill (Associate of Arts, 1948) and Wake Forest College, in Wake Forest (Bachelor of Arts, 1950). He taught school in Eden before attending Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, in Louisville, Kentucky, for one year. He then returned to North Carolina where he graduated from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, in Wake Forest (Master of Divinity, 1956). Rev. Lambert served the following churches in North Carolina: Siloam Baptist, in Siloam (1952-54); Grace Baptist, in Madison (1952-55); Antioch Baptist and Berry's Grove Baptist, in Timberlake (1955-58); Scotts Creek Baptist, in Sylva (1958-66); and Mills Home Baptist, on the campus of the Baptist Children's Home, in Thomasville (1966-73). During his pastorates, Rev. Lambert served in various civic and denominational positions. He led the Jackson County Heart Fund, was active in the Lions Club, and was named Sylva's Young Man of the Year in 1962. At one point, Rev. Lambert was the Clerk of two Baptist Associations while serving as a pastor, and he also served on the General Board of the Baptist State Convention. In 1965, Rev. Lambert was selected as North Carolina Rural Minister of the Year, receiving the honor at Emory University. In 1973, Rev. Lambert began his work based in Boone as an Area Missionary for the Baptist State Convention of NC, serving as a liaison between the Convention and the churches of sixteen Associations in nine counties of Northwestern NC. He served in this capacity for thirteen years, teaching Seminary Extension classes throughout the area, bringing religious education to the rural churches of the region. While Rev. Lambert focused his ministry in North Carolina, he also enjoyed traveling to the annual Southern Baptist Convention, held throughout the United States, with his family. He also called his travels to the Baptist World Alliance in Brazil "the trip of a lifetime," and found a missions trip to Togo, Africa, to be immensely rewarding. In 1986, Rev. Lambert moved to Cary, to become the Administrative Associate for Minister Support for the Baptist State Convention. He served in this position until his retirement in 1995. His work there involved a partnership with the Annuity Board of the Southern Baptist Convention to assist pastors in their retirement planning. In his own retirement, Rev. Lambert served as an Interim Pastor in Oxford, as well as an Interim Director of Missions. After moving to King, Rev. Lambert often taught the Young at Heart seniors' weekly Bible study at King First Baptist. He also enjoyed singing in the Senior Choir, and participating in the local Retired Ministers' Fellowship in Winston-Salem. Along with his ministry, Rev. Lambert also enjoyed camping, hiking, cycling, and leisure travel. He was always ready to head for the mountains to have a look around, and loved sharing food and fellowship. Over fifty years of having diabetes took its toll on his mobility, but Rev. Lambert will be remembered for his zest for living, his joy in teaching and preaching scriptures, and his interest in--and love for--the people he encountered along the way. Mr. Lambert's celebratory service will be held at King First Baptist Church in King, NC, Saturday, February 9, at 1 p.m., with family visitation to follow in the Fellowship Hall. Flowers will be accepted, or memorials may be made to the General Fund or Missions Fund of the King First Baptist Church, 122 Kirby Road, King, NC 27021, or to the American Diabetes Association, PO Box 15829, Arlington VA 22215.