Greenville, S.C. (February 5, 2014) – In the University’s chapel service Feb. 3, Dr. Stephen Jones, president of Bob Jones University, awarded Matt Clemons, a junior business administration major from Eads, Tenn., the Sower Award.
One of six President’s Club awards, the Sower Award is given to a student who has exhibited exceptional faithfulness to the Lord in the area of soul winning or who has had an unusual soul winning opportunity.
Clemons’ nomination stated, “Near the beginning of the semester, Matt was doing business with an individual on Craigslist. In one of his interactions, Matt mentioned he was about to step into prayer group. God instantly used Matt’s unashamed testimony to open a door. After the business interaction was done, the gentleman quickly got back in touch with Matt and reminded him he had said he was praying, so he asked Matt to be praying for him and some circumstances he was going through.
Due to Matt’s heart for the lost and his faithfulness to His Savior, Matt kept him in his prayers very faithfully and even kept in contact. Through the next few weeks, Matt invited him to a meal on campus and used this time to be a testimony and share the gospel.
Matt continued to pray for him and shared his burden with many around campus asking them to be in prayer as well.
He began to read the New Testament with the intention of proving Matt and the Bible wrong. God’s Word opened his eyes, and he understood his sin and his rebellion against a righteous and holy God. He sank beneath the weight of his own sin and cried out for God to save him. By his own testimony, there has been radical change!”
As this story unfolded, many students prayed for the gentleman at Matt’s request. His salvation not only speaks to Matt’s zeal for the lost but to the gracious desire of a loving God to hear His people’s prayers and rescue sinners for His glory.
Students are nominated for President’s Club awards by faculty, staff and their peers, and a committee selects recipients from the nominations received. In addition to recognition in a President’s Club chapel, recipients have their photo displayed in the university Student Center and enjoy dinner with the president.
