Memories & Stories of Nap Clark
Below are stories submitted by friends of Nap & Dixie Clark. If you would like to submit your own story/memory, please email NapClarkBibleConference@gmail.com.
Submitted by Danny Forrest
My relationship with Nap and Dixie go back to 1968. I met Dixie on the campus of Delta State. She was singing and playing the piano for an on-campus noon day devotional sponsored by the Baptist Student Union. Not long after meeting Dixie she invited me to a church about an hour from Delta State where Nap was pastor. Shortly after that Nap accepted the pastorate at Merigold Baptist Church just minutes from Delta State. We took advantage of this and started attending Nap’s church. Nap took advantage of our hunger for the Word of God and taught us every chance he could, at the church, in the dorm, or anywhere we could gather a few students who wanted to learn. Those students included Larry Sullivan, Charles Rochelle, James Bond, Wain Reily, Ray Bridges, Bubba Davis and many others that we could recruit. We saw many come to the Lord and grow under Nap’s ministry at Delta State. My first IKTHOOS camp was the summer of 1968 at John Kyle State Park, Sardis Lake.
Submitted by Danny Forrest
The occasion was the memorial service in Carrolton, MS for Josephine Clark, Nap’s first wife who died of cancer. Several of the guys and Dixie had come to Carrolton to attend the service. Just a few blocks from the church in downtown Carrolton a Hollywood film crew was filming the movie “The Reivers” starring Steve McQueen. After the service the guys walked to town to watch a scene being shot. One of the guys suggested we give Steve McQueen a “Heaven Tract”, a gospel track with a question on the front cover “I’m I going to heaven?” None of us volunteered to be the one to approach Steve McQueen and give him the track so we asked Dixie to do it. With 4 or 5 big brave football players trailing behind, Dixie went straight up to Steve McQueen and handed him the track. He looked down at the track then looked up at us, then at the track again and asked “Are you putting me on?” We said no and that began a several minute interchange where we tried to present the gospel. McQueen responded that his god was his family, the green grass, and motorcycles, in that order. He was very attentive and listen to us as a crowd of autograph seekers grew around our little huddle in the middle of the street. He even stopped once and asked the crowd to back off while he was talking to us. As we were wrapping up our discussion he asked why we were in Carrolton. We explained that we had come to Josie’s funeral where her husband Nap had just preached her funeral. He was very taken back by hearing that someone had preached his own wife’s funeral. We finished the discussion and walked back to the church where we related the story to Nap. We asked Nap to walk back to the movie set with us. The streets had cleared and most of the crowd was gone. We were standing near the spot where we had talked to McQueen when he came out of his dressing trailer. He saw us in the street and walked over to us and we introduced him to Nap. Nap talked to him uninterrupted for quite a while. He thanked Nap and us for talking with him. As Nap walked back toward the church Steve McQueen asked us “who is that guy?” He was very impressed and could not believe that someone who had just buried his wife would take the time to talk to him. We later learned that McQueen sent a large wreath to Josie's grave. McQueen did not accept Christ at that time but we later read that he had become a believer. We were able to plant the seed of the gospel in his mind. The Holy Spirit did the rest.
Submitted by Bumm Lee
A few years ago, while having lunch with Nap and Dixie, I asked Nap to draw his circles for my wife, Pascal. Pascal gave him a deposit slip since we couldn’t find any paper. He stopped eating, started drawing, explaining the circles and what happens when one believes in Jesus, family vs. fellowship, etc. I said, “Nap, you need to eat. Your food is getting cold”. He didn’t even look up and made his usual comment we all have heard many times, “I can eat any time….”. The year Nap died, Pascal took that drawing and had it framed for me for Christmas. It sits near me in my office where I look at it often and thank God for Nap and Dixie (Dixie used to correct me by adding “and Dixie” when I didn’t include her name along with his – And at times, she wasn’t very nice about it, either). So, I would purposefully leave her name out and say the phrase with her.
Submitted by Tom Miller
Nap. Softball games. I John 1:9. Overhead projector. Sunday lunch at Western Sizzlin or MSU Cafeteria. Sunday morning packed house. “Thorn of crowns.” That old red pickup truck. “Brethren and Sistren.” Sunday night potluck. Schofield Bible. Two circles. Bus ministry. Camp. Junior church. “The closing minutes of our service…” Football. “Can I show you something.” Reel to reel tapes – double speed! Kangaroo Court. Motorcycles. “Like a duck on a June bug.” Wednesday lunch at the BSU. Grace alone. Faith alone. Christ alone.
Tom Miller
Shawnee, OK
MSU Graduate – 1980 & 1983
Emmanuel Baptist Church - 1976-1983
