Japanese Church Thanksgiving Fellowship

by Tom Goodman

The Japanese Church of Austin meets at Hillcrest. On Thanksgiving Day they held a fellowship for Japanese students and families. Here is Pastor Byong’s report. You can find photos at the Japanese Church’s Facebook page here.
________________________

Hi Tom,

Thank you for your prayer and support.

Japanese Church of Austin had the 2nd Free Thanksgiving Lunch for Japanese students and Japanese family on November 24.

God sent various people who needs encouragement, comforts, and fellowship in Christ. Most of all, I really thank God for sending nonbelievers so that they can listen to the Gospel. God sent 8 nonbelievers and they have the opportunity to listen to the Gospel and have fun time with Christians in Jesus!

Seeing their dark faces become bright with gifts and delicious foods, I pray that they can be filled with real joy by believing in Jesus someday. We had lunch, special music, praising time, Gospel message, game and raffles time! Thanks God for blessing the Thanksgiving Lunch meeting.

We have several purposes to hold this Thanksgiving lunch.

1. To preach the Gospel to unbelievers who usually do not come to church. Many Japanese do not know what church is. That’s why they even do not think of going to church. But they like event to join. Especially, Free Thanksgiving Lunch is a great opportunity to present God’s free gift, Jesus Christ!!

2. To give encouragement some Christians who do not have family in the States. Thanksgiving Day is very lonely day for them. This time, Japanese, Korean, Taiwanese and Serbian attended from Austin area, even from Killeen and San Antonio.

3. Wonderful opportunity of advertising: Many Japanese people do not know the existence of Japanese church of Austin. This event is a wonderful opportunity for them to know that there is Japanese Church in Austin. We uploaded our event advertisement on Japanese community bulletin and many people watched it and some of them even visited our home pages. One of new comers said that he has many Japanese friends and let them know about our church.

4. Give good impression about God and church: Usually, the center of Japanese community is Buddhism and Shinto, not Christianity. Therefore, many Japanese have no idea about church; what it is, what it does, what pastor does..etc. One of nonbelievers told me that she is so impressed of this Thanksgiving lunch and she feels that church is different from other Japanese religion groups: serving and sharing God’s love with people through this Thanksgiving lunch.

Please keep praying for the seeds sown in their heart grow and bear the fruit of salvation!!

Once again, I really thank for your support and prayer. Your support enables us to have this wonderful time!

Blessing,

Byoung

Japanese Church of Austin
______________________

Great report! Three first-time visitors came to the Japanese Church on Sunday following this Thanksgiving fellowship. If you’re available, visit Hillcrest at noon on December 7 when Pastor Byong holds a baptism service for new believers reached by the Japanese Church. 

Personal Reflection in Light of the Election

by Tom Goodman

In this Sunday’s service, I led a time of personal reflection in light of the November 8 election. Here are the notes and questions I had in my hand as I led you. I thought it might be helpful to post them as you continue to take personal inventory. 

Politics are important but not ultimate.

There's a lot at stake: immigration policy, health care, religious liberty, abortion policy, Supreme Court Justices. Not to mention the character of the man or woman we want representing our nation the next four years. Clearly participation in the political process is important. 

But let’s distinguish what is important from what is ultimate. What is ultimate is grasping what Jesus has done for us and living out what he expects of us.

In our church, we use the acronym “HILL” to remember what he expects of us. Each letter in the word “HILL” reminds us of one of four actions he expects us to take. Bow in prayer and let’s ask ourselves some questions at each of these four actions. I’m going to lead us in a prayer up the HILL.

H: Honor the Lord of Life: After I vote on Nov 8, will I wake up Nov 9 trusting that God works out his purposes? Does the way I express my anxiety about this election reflect a lack of faith in God? Does the way I talk about this election reveal that I’m more dependent on Washington than on the throne room of heaven?

(Lead in a prayer thanking God for revealing himself to us.)

I: Invite Your World to Life: Do I work as hard to persuade people to my Jesus as I do to persuade people to vote my way? Do I present my political opinions in such a manner that alienates me from the people I’m called to reach for Jesus?

(Lead in a prayer thanking God for the Great Commission he’s placed in our hands.)

L: Love the Fellowship for Life: Jesus said, “A new commandment I give to you: Love one another so the world can see that I sent you.” Do I recognize that what I have in common with another believer across the political divide means more than what I have in common with a nonbeliever within my political convictions? Do I work to understand my fellow believers who differ with me on how the country ought to be run?

(Lead in a prayer thanking God for the spiritual family he’s placed us in.)

L: Live the Word in Life: Does the time I spend in the Word come close to the time I spend on TV and radio and social media? Am I letting my priorities and my passions and my way of dealing with political opponents be shaped by media personalities instead of by the eternal word of God?

(Lead in a prayer thanking God for his Word.)

Resources for Sunday's Message

by Tom Goodman

Today’s message on 1 Corinthians 14 can be found here. I found the following resources helpful in understanding tongues-speaking and it’s relevance for today.

D.A. Carson’s Showing The Spirit: A Theological Exposition of 1 Corinthians 12-14.

Gordon Fee’s commentary on 1 Corinthians.

Journal Articles:

“Toward a Pauline Theology of Glossolalia,” by Gordon Fee.

“Sighs Too Deep For Words,” by Frank Macchia

Linguistic and Sociological Analyses of Modern Tongues-Speaking: Their Contributions and Limitations,” by Vern Poythress. Don’t let the technical-sounding name turn you away. Skip the first half of the article, which covers sociological and linguistic studies of the phenomenon of tongues-speaking. I found the second half of the article most helpful. It starts on page 379 and runs to 388.

This week's newsletter from Karen

Next week we’ll unveil the details around our upcoming AWESOME Club—the attendance campaign during the month of April. This will be a month long effort for the kids and they will need diligence to keep strong during the entire month. Below are activities you can use to help create a conversation around diligence.

What is Diligence?
What does diligence mean? Diligence means to be hard-working, staying with a job till it's finished, not quitting. The opposite is to be lazy, negligent, or not caring.

Pick a big task and work together (rake the leaves, organize a closet, clean out the garage, etc.) When the task is finished, go out for a special treat and ask:

How does it feel to finish a big job like that?

There is joy in staying with a job until it is done and seeing the end result!

Keep On Keeping On!
For young children, use familiar stories (The Tortoise and the Hare) or songs to teach diligence.
For example: The Itsy Bitsy Spider song

The Itsy Bitsy Spider
Went up the waterspout,
Down came the rain
And washed the spider out.

Out came the sun and dried up all the rain,
And the Itsy Bitsy Spider went up the spout
AGAIN!

The spider didn't give up when the web was washed away. It went up the spout and built another web. Being diligent means you keep at it. Don't give up or quit even if gets hard.

Chores = Fun?
One good way to teach kids about diligence is a chore chart. Decide on a few chores that are age appropriate and make a weekly chart. When the child completes the chore, a star or sticker can be added. Acknowledge their diligence with praise or a special reward (playing a game, staying up later at bedtime, etc.).


Activities taken from Splink, November 2009.

This week's newsletter from Michael

Happy Spring Break to all of you! It is one of my favorite weeks of the year in Austin. Can you guess why? One word: TRAFFIC; well maybe two: NO TRAFFIC! It sure is nice being able to get to work in less than 15 minutes.

I just want to say it is a real joy to be able to work for the King of Kings each day. It isn't always easy, but I sure love it. Thank you, Hillcrest, once again for allowing me the opportunity to serve you. If there is anything I can do for you, please do not hesitate to call the church (512-345-3771) and ask for me, or just send me an email. I have all the time in the world (ha)!

I hope you have begun to invite people to our Easter Weekend Celebration! Our music team has put together some great music we know you will enjoy, and I know it will bring honor and joy to the Lord.

I also would like for you to begin praying for this service. Pray for those who are involved on the platform and those behind the scenes. Satan will do his best to disrupt anything he can get his hands on that weekend, so let’s pray him out and the Holy Spirit in!

I will leave you with this verse for the week: Colossians 3:16 (KJV) - Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

To those who are traveling, have a safe spring break.

This week's newsletter from Gene

38+ years of my writing an article every Monday morning is coming to a close. We are changing the format of the Beacon starting next week, so this format will no longer be available. The new communication system will be electronic using email. In addition, a full color publication will be mailed out six times a year and will include a two month calendar so you can easily see upcoming events. The team working on this has done an excellent job and you will be impressed with the new look. What about those without email? We are working on how to make sure they are included in our weekly correspondence. These folks are very important to us and we are not going to leave them out simply because of technology.

We have a good group already committed to go to the Spring Fest in Branson April 19-23rd. This conference will feature some of the top gospel singers and preachers in the country. Cost is $300.00. It covers the conference fee and all lodging while on the road and in Branson. I have to finalize reservations next week, so if you wish to go, get at least a $150.00 deposit in this coming Sunday. Simply place it in an offering envelope with your name and mark it Branson.

This week's newsletter from Karen

You’ll hear more about the AWESOME Club in the weeks to come, but as an introduction, the children in Kinder-6th grades will be participating in a special attendance campaign during the month of April. To gear up for that time, take some time this week to talk to your kids about evangelism—telling others about Jesus. Below are activities you can use to help create a conversation…

A Treat You Should Share
Item needed: candy bars or treat that your family would enjoy
(Keep all but one of the candy bars hidden.)

Open one of the candy bars and eat it in front of your kids. Make a big deal out of how good it is. When they ask you to share, GLADLY share with them. In fact, bring out the hidden candy bars and pass them around.

How did you feel when I shared my treat with you? How would you have felt if I kept it all to myself? How would this be like keeping or sharing the good news about Jesus?

Knowing Jesus is far better than anything in the world. We must share this good news with others.

Good News!
Whisper some good news into your child’s ear (You can stay up an extra 30 minutes tonight; I’ll do your chore so you can go play; I’ll play a game with you now; you can choose the TV show, etc.) and see the smile it brings.

Did you like the good news I whispered in your ear? Why? Why is the truth about Jesus good news? (He loves us and died so we can go to heaven someday.) Who do you know that needs to hear this good news?

Say a prayer for family, friends, or even enemies who need to hear this good news. Ask God for a chance to show them Jesus’ love and a chance to tell them why His love is such good news.

This week's newsletter from Michael

Church family, I just want to say you are doing great learning the new songs we are preparing for Easter Sunday! I am sure the Lord was pleased with our worship. I hope you are inviting your friends and family for this special day. Looking forward to a packed house.

To all members of our music ministry, here is the schedule for the next couple of weeks. Please mark your calendars, phones, and tablets with these dates and times so you don’t miss out on important rehearsals.

Wednesday, March 9th: 6:00-7:45pm (Orchestra/Band)

Sunday, March 13th: 4:00-5:15pm (Choirs/Orchestra/Band)

Wednesday, March 16th: 6:00-7:45pm(Orchestra/Band)

Sunday, March 20th: 4:00-5:15pm (Choirs/Orchestra/Band)

Wednesday, March 23rd: 6:00-7:30pm (Choirs/Orchestra/Band)

Easter Sunday, March 27: 9:00am (Choirs/Orchestra/Band/Media)

It is important YOU show up to all rehearsals. For those that have missed Sunday rehearsals you should do your best to make these rehearsal times, especially those on Wednesdays.

For those of you who are in handbells, you will miss the next 3 Wednesdays of rehearsal. I still encourage those of you who are not in the orchestra to continue to make your rehearsal and work on techniques.

Thank you to all of our media volunteers who showed up this past Sunday at 7:30am for breakfast and our meeting. We continue to strive to improve what we do in our media ministry. Thank you to Marilyn, Phillip, and Rachel for cooking!

Hope you all have a great week!

This week's newsletter from Gene

It’s exciting to find out how many people we have that are new to our church and are unfamiliar with “how things work” that those of us who have been around for so long take for granted. Let me give you some basics.

Last week I wrote about budget offerings going to missions. At the end of year, we adopt a budget for our church. These are all the anticipated funds needed for all of our normal operation, staffing, maintenance, ministries, etc. When we are reaching our budget, all of these areas can be fully funded, so we encourage people to give their offerings to our budget. In addition to our own “in-house” expenses to fulfill the ministries of Hillcrest, just over 10% of these funds go to missions. We fund those a couple of different ways which I won’t go into here, but a portion of your funds go to state, national and international missions. These funds go to support church starts, some of our Baptist schools, children’s homes, and missionaries here in the U.S. A significant portion of that 10% goes to support the SBC’s 4,500 or so foreign missionaries scattered all around the world. So when you give your offerings, they have impact from inside our own doors to all around the world.

About 3 times a year, we have special offerings. Right now it is the Annie Armstrong offering. This offering is for mission work in North America. I don’t know any organization that has enough money to do everything they want to do, and our mission organizations are no different. Although the NAMB receives funds from our normal giving, this special offering allows an emphasis to give additional funds directly to this cause.

Question: If God were to answer all your prayers regarding HBC and its ministries, would it be any more effective than it is now?

This week's newsletter from Karen

On Sunday in our Bible studies we talked about the purpose each one of our lives has in God’s plan. Try these activities this week to follow-up on the discussion with your child to help him/her to continue to think about what their purpose might be.

What’s This For?
While you’re in the kitchen cooking dinner, pull some utensils (potato masher, pizza cutter, grater, etc.) out of the drawer. Hold up each one and ask, “What is this used for?”

Each of these utensils has a special purpose—it was made to do something special  (mash potatoes, cut pizza, grate cheese, etc.).

Follow-up with something like this, “God made each of us for a special purpose—to do something special. Before we were even born, He knew all about us and what we could do to serve Him.”

Finding Purpose
The Bible is the best place to find God’s purpose or plan for us. We must KNOW God’s purpose before we can DO it.

Write the following Bible references on slips of paper and let each child read one to find out some of God’s purposes.

Psalm 100:2 (serve the Lord with gladness)
1 Thessalonians 5:18 (give thanks)
Galatians 6:10 (do good)
1 John 4:11 (love others)
Proverbs 3:5 (trust in the Lord)

Activities taken from Splink, April 2010.

This week's newsletter from Michael

One of my favorite scriptures comes from Psalm 91:1: “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.“

I hope that most of you are still in the word each day now that March is upon us. I know that in today’s world distractions are an everyday occurrence, no matter how hard we try to keep from being distracted as we read God’s word and spend time with Him each day. Even church work can get in the way of spending our alone time with God. We have to discipline ourselves to give God that time he deserves with us each day. He desires that, and I so desire hearing from Him too. I encourage you to have some praise and worship time with God. It will help change the focus of your mind. I know on my way to work each morning I love having my own praise and worship time. I get to sing as loud as I want, get to cry, get to talk to the Lord all by myself. I am sure many Austin drivers are wondering what that crazy guy is doing. Worshiping God on a regular basis will shift our mental and spiritual focus because when we worship, God “IS” the focus.

I also want to say thanks to those who have signed up to be a part of our Media Team! We can now begin rotating so that each of our team members can have a week of participating in the worship services. Don’t forget, all audio and media team members will have our first breakfast meeting this Sunday, March 6, at 7:30am in the fellowship center.

I look forward to worshiping with you Sunday! Have a great week!

This week's newsletter from Gene

When you give undesignated offerings to Hillcrest, just over 10% of those funds go to missions. These funds are administered by the Missions Team and they give a report each business meeting regarding these funds. There are a variety of missions that we support. The largest recipients are the Southern Baptist Convention, which supports our missionaries all around the world; the Baptist General Convention of Texas, and the Southern Baptist Convention of Texas.

In addition to these organizations, we fund some smaller ministries directly and want to keep you informed about these ministries. Here is a ministry that we are supporting directly. Luke and Mary Connally are working with the North American Mission Board, (which is part of the SBC) in Alaska. Because of reduced funding to the NAMB in recent years, they are having to raise part of their support, so we are helping with that. Mary is the daughter of David and Lori Kemerling. David is a former staff member.

This is a note from Luke Connally:
So you can know how to pray for us moving forward: We have been given open doors to a few different things but all of them deal with primarily outreach to military families and young active duty singles. Some of that will be working with Samaritan’s Purse this summer as we participate with Operation Heal Our Patriots. Most of it will be partnering with a Cadence International Hospitality House here in Anchorage. We are engaged in discipling and mentoring with them right now and helping to form disciple makers. We see this as a strategic opportunity because they will only be stationed here for about 3 - 4 years and then move on to other duty stations all over the world. Please pray for all of these things. We are so thankful for how God has continued to provide for all our needs and He has made everything very clear as we have transitioned into this ministry.

This week's newsletter from Karen

Ever been in a situation that needs a lot of prayer but you have no idea what your prayer needs to be? A situation where you’re not sure what God wants? A situation where it seems like there is no good thing coming no matter what happens?

I once taught a lesson on why we should pray, and one of the verses we studied was Romans 8:26, which reads, “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.” (NIV)

If you go on and read the next two verses (27-28, NIV) you see, “And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

How comforting. When I don’t know what to say, God has given me the gift of the Holy Spirit to take care of the words. When I’m not sure what God wants, He knows the Holy Spirit is asking for God’s will. When no good thing is in sight, I can know that God sees things differently and will work things out according to his good.

This week's newsletter from Michael

Ask yourself, am I willing to let God use me? I hope your answer is YES! There is one person who does not want you to be used by God, and I am sure you know who that is: Satan! The one thing Satan fears more than any other is a child of God who is willing to say two little words each day, “Use me.” Don’t let Satan win this battle, child of God.

Many of you may wonder, how can I be used? Where do I start? Begin by praying that the Lord would reveal to you what it is you are to be doing. Some of you already know what you are to be doing, but you just haven't made the decision to begin what you know you can do. I challenge some of you to ask our leadership this week, next week, soon! How can I be used at Hillcrest Baptist Church for kingdom work! Here are some ideas just off the top of my head.

• Be a greeter
• Serve in our children & youth ministries
• Media Team
• Choir & Orchestra
• Soup kitchen once a month
• Share your faith
• Invite family & friends to church
• Missions

There are many options you can be a part of in our church besides those I have listed. Can you imagine what our church would look like if everyone was being used by God. This place would explode and hearts would be changed. I look forward to seeing what God will do in your life as you ask to be “USED” this week and for all eternity.

This week's newsletter from Gene

Spring Jubilee in Branson April 19-23
This is not the normal Branson trip to see their shows, but is a conference put on by an independent group, Jubilee Conferences, and features some of the top gospel recording artists and preachers. We will leave Tuesday, April 19th and arrive in Branson Wednesday afternoon. The conference begins that night with a concert by David Phelps, Speaker Herb Reavis and comedienne Chonda Pierce. The conference will also include Johnny Hunt speaking (one of my favorites), Karen Peck and New River, Dixie Melody Boys, Ricky Skaggs and Squire Parsons in concert. We’ll leave at noon Friday, spend one night on the road, and be back in Austin around 3:00PM Saturday the 23rd.

You can pay the full amount of $300 if you wish (which includes the breakfast meal only), but at least a $150.00 deposit will be required no later than Sunday, March 20th. We should have on-line registration set up in the next few days.

Go to www.jubileeconferences.com for more info.

Palacios, May 16,17,18
We have done many retreats in Palacios over the years, and one of the favorite formats has been a staff-led retreat. Many of you don’t get to interact much with our staff, and we should have a new youth person on staff by then. This will provide an excellent time with our ministry staff in a very informal, relaxed setting. The encampment at Palacios has nice motel-like rooms, double queen beds with private baths, and is right on the bay. The price is right, $125.00 per person, double occupancy, meals included. Departure is at 1:00 Monday and return about 4:00 on Wednesday. We’ll have four Bible study and worship sessions. Tuesday afternoon will be free for fishing, shopping, golfing, relaxing, etc.

The $125.00 is due no later than Sunday, May 1st.

If you are under 50 and would like to go on either one of these trips, contact me for a special “age dispensation.” 

This week's newsletter from Karen

Sometimes when I look at my watch, I panic because I see time just whizzing by. Each and every tick of the clock’s second hand is a reminder that I am losing a resource that is not renewable – time.

Many things in my life right now are time-driven. My vacation is coming up and I have not started getting things ready, a special April emphasis for the kids is being launched, and summer camps for the kids need to be planned and staffed. The closer each of these events gets to fruition, the faster the days seem to approach. The faster the days approach, the more anxious and uneasy I get about all the things I want to say and do.

These feelings remind me of Paul’s words in Philippians 4:4-7. “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

If you are feeling like I am, join me in rejoicing that God is in control. Join me in remembering that God is with us. Join me in giving thanks to God for all his provisions for our church family. Join me in receiving the peace only He can give. Join me in realizing that each tick of the clock is a gift from God that isn’t to be worried away, but to be used for His glory.

This week's newsletter from Michael

What a great day of worship we had Sunday! I love seeing all generations play a part of our worship services! Thank you to the Sunshine Choir and our trio for blessing us with your special music. God has really given us some great talent!

Our choir is gearing up for Easter Sunday and we are only 6 weeks away! Start inviting your friends and family to join us that Sunday. We have some great music lined up. So, no vacations, no sleeping in, and no excuses that Sunday.

I am still looking for a few good men and women to help serve in our video ministry. I have talked to a few of you already, and still I need a couple more. If you are willing to learn, we are willing to train you! Email or call me this week.

Our Church APP: We have a church app! Check it out in your app store today. We are also in the process of doing some updates to our website and a few tweaks to our app, so keep a lookout!

We have lots going on in our Music & Media ministry, and I just want to say, THANK YOU, Hillcrest for allowing me the opportunity to serve and be a part of this great family! Looking forward to seeing you again next week together in worship.

This week's newsletter from Gene

Well, spring has sprung on us and summer isn’t far behind. We have a couple of trips coming up for the 50+ crowd. If you are under 50, see me for a special dispensation!! I’ll have final costs on these trips in the next few days, but wanted to let you know they are coming so you have more time to consider them.

Spring Jubilee in Branson April 19-23. This is not the normal Branson trip to see their shows, but is a conference put on by an independent group, Jubilee Conferences, and features some of the top gospel recording artists and preachers. We will leave here Tuesday, April 19th, and arrive in Branson Wednesday afternoon. The conference begins that night with a concert by David Phelps, speaker Herb Reavis and comedienne Chonda Pierce. The conference will also include Johnny Hunt speaking (one of my favorites), Karen Peck and New River, Dixie Melody Boys, Ricky Skaggs and Squire Parsons in concert. Exact numbers later, but trip cost will probably be about $350.00 per person, double occupancy, including meals. Go to www.jublieeconferences.com for more info.

We have done many retreats in Palacios over the years and one of the favorite formats is a staff-led retreat. Many of you don’t get to interact much with our staff, and we should have a new youth coordinator on staff by then. This will provide an excellent time with our ministry staff in a very informal, relaxed setting. The encampment at Palacios has nice motel-like rooms, double queen beds with private baths, and is right on the bay. The price is right, $125.00 per person, double occupancy, meals included. If you are under 50 and would like to attend, let me know.

I’ll provide more details and registration deadlines by next week.

This week's newsletter from Karen

With Valentine’s Day approaching, there is a lot of talk in advertising on television, social media, the radio, etc. about love and how love is shown.

Take some time this week with your family and try this activity* that focuses on God’s love for us.

Items Needed: a different colored piece of construction paper for each child;
Special “Valentines” Snack

Have a “party” to celebrate God's love for us. (It doesn't have to be on February 14; pick any day and celebrate together.)

Write "God Loves You" on each piece of construction paper. Cut the letters apart (into 11 pieces) and hide them around the room (while the kids aren't looking). Assign each child a color and invite him/her to find a special message. When all the letters have been found, unscramble the letters to decipher the message. (Older kids can help the younger ones.)

Ask:
How do you know God loves you? (He created you special; He watches over you; He answers your prayers; He sent Jesus to die for your sins; He's making a place for you in heaven; He shows us the way to live in the Bible, etc.)

Share the special snack while reminding the kids of God’s love shown in John 3:16.


*Activity provided by Splink (February 13-19, 2014)

This week's newsletter from Michael

Who Am I Willing to Hold Jesus From?

Matthew 25:31-46 was a passage of scripture I read this morning and boy did it hit hard. The final judgment. One day we all will be gathered…ALL NATIONS, before the throne of God. Think about it, I mean really THINK ABOUT IT.

Verses 32-40 say, "He will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And He will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brother, you did it to me.’"

The next six verses mentions those on His left and talks about how they never helped anyone of the least. This is the group I choose not to be a part of.

As you go through your week take a moment and ask yourself the question, Who Am I Willing to Hold Jesus From? Every one of us has different circumstances and the Lord knows our hearts, but I pray that we as believers are not holding Jesus back from anyone.
__________

Memorial Service for Mitch Mallory will be here at Hillcrest on Saturday, February 13.
Visitation 1:00 p.m.
Service 2:00 p.m.

This week's newsletter from Gene

What does being “perfect” mean? How many of you consider yourselves to be “perfect?” Probably very few would admit to being perfect, at least where anyone would hear you!! Yet, I suspect most of you are perfect because you are allowing the Lord to work in and through you.

Years ago, we had an interim preacher, Dr. Cal Guy, from Southwestern Seminary. He had a small farm just south of Ft. Worth and he described the “perfect” piece of equipment he had made. Now the equipment was cobbled together using various parts and pieces from other pieces of equipment. He said if we were to look at it, we would probably think it was useless. However, to him, he saw it as perfect because it did exactly the job he needed done when he “created” it.

Our tendency it to look at ourselves, or others and not see perfection, but mostly flaws because we don’t look like a certain “picture” we have in mind or have been taught. Being perfect for a situation or role in life may not have you looking like that “picture.” For example, what is the “perfect” screw driver? If you are needing a flat head, a Phillips won’t do and vice versa. There are at least 30-50 different types of screw driver heads and thousands of size options. Which one is “perfect?” The one you need for a particular job.

The Lord made each of us “perfect” for the life (jobs) He has for us, which means we shouldn’t think we have to look like everyone else. However, with that freedom, how can we know if we are “out of bounds” and need to change? Scripture. If we are not living according to the principles of scripture, it’s time to re-evaluate and not take liberty in our uniqueness. Romans 8:12-17 and 12:1-6.

This week's newsletter from Karen

In my devotional this morning I read this…

Elisha’s story begins in 1 Kings 19:14-21 as God tells Elijah to anoint Elisha as the prophet to replace him. In this passage we read that Elijah finds Elisha plowing in a field with a pair of oxen and immediately throws his mantle on Elisha as an invitation to follow him. Elisha immediately obeys and burns his plow and cooks the oxen and gives it to his friends to eat. Elisha exhibited ridiculous commitment to Elijah. He wasted no time in obeying. He didn’t go away to take time to think about it. He didn’t write out a list of pros and cons. He didn’t play it safe. He immediately said yes to God’s calling through Elijah.

Elisha’s ridiculous commitment shows that the cost of following God is great, but the cost of not following Him is even greater. Furthermore, Elisha’s commitment was complete. He burned his plows, slaughtered his oxen, and left his family’s inheritance behind. He left everything he knew and loved behind. Elisha shows us that to step toward your destiny, you have to step away from your security. Is your commitment to God immediate and complete like Elisha’s? What security might you need to walk away from in order to walk toward your destiny?

When I read this the first thought that came to my mind is that true security lies within the uncertainty of complete dependence on God. My prayer for the week is that those whom God calls will begin to understand the true security of following God.

This week's newsletter from Michael

I wanted to share this post from Connie Mallory regarding Mitch’s update. I know some of you may have seen this through social media, but many of you are not on social media. I would like for us all to really take some time out of our day to lift Mitch up in prayer. I sure miss the two of them playing in our band each week! Connie told me this morning that Mitch is having a colostomy today and they are waiting on an operating room.

Here is the post:

We received some not so good news Friday concerning Mitch when we met with Dr Colon. The tumor has grown much larger and seems to be growing rapidly. There are new tumors in his liver, it has spread from 2 lymph nodes in the pelvis to all the lymph nodes there and it is putting lots of pressure on his bladder, to the point that he can't sit comfortably. They have his colostomy scheduled for Thursday, but I don't know if we'll make it. I had to take him to the ER last night with a huge BP drop and heart rate increase. When they tested him, they found he was septic. The culprit is severe colitis. So they gave him massive amounts of fluids and IV antibiotics and are continuing to do the same. He was admitted and we have no idea when he's coming home. The worst part of this is Dr Colon told us on Friday that Mitch may have 2 years. We were both tremendously shaken by this. When we got back to the hotel and began to process it and talk about it, I looked Mitch over really well and found no expiration date anywhere. The Drs. have told us what they think, but we know a much greater Physician than any of them, as good as they are! So we are leaning on that Great Physician, knowing He is in control, no matter what. We covet your prayers as we make decisions about Mitch's future care. Thank you and God bless!!

This week's newsletter from Gene

2015 was a very good financial year for Hillcrest. The end of the summer and early fall, there were some concerns, but we had a very good ending and finished the year about 5% over budget!! For the past several years, January has been a difficult financial month for us, but we are going to be very close to making budget for January. Hopefully February will also be strong. Just like at your house, having money opens up options. Our financial goal is not to accumulate cash, but to fund ministry opportunities, whether within our church or through other opportunities. When our budget is fully funded, it allows our internal ministries to fulfill the objectives they set when submitting their budgets. It is very nice, as the administrator, when I can give the green light to ministries funding their projects instead of asking them to wait until we are in a better cash position.

Do you “pay” your “bill” to Hillcrest, or however you label your donations in your mind, or do you give your offerings? Over the years, our giving has been very important to Lynn and me. We saw it as not only what we should be doing as disciples, but also, from maybe a somewhat selfish standpoint, I wanted to make sure that we were always in a position financially to know we could depend upon the Lord to provide all our financial needs. You don’t get to that position without giving, because that is what He has said.

The Bible has lots of references regarding giving; do a word search sometime to learn more. But if you look at Mal. 3:10-11, you will find the only place in the Bible where the Lord says directly to test Him to see if He will perform. I can’t tell you the number of times in our lives when I’ve asked the Lord to “rebuke the devourer,” as it says He will do, and have seen Him do that very thing. When we are trusting the Lord with our money by doing what He has asked, He then becomes responsible to guide us and either provide the income needed or rebuke the devourer (expenses), so that we will always have what we need. Ps. 37:25

What financial terms will you employ in 2016? The world’s methods, or the Lord’s? I hope you are in a position to know for sure that you can depend on Him to work in your finances this year. You control that.

This week's newsletter from Karen

For the past few weeks I’ve been keeping up with a blog from a Children’s Pastor entitled, If You Want to Ensure Your Kid Will Be on the Bachelor…, where each week the title was completed with a different phrase. The previous four phrases were:

1. Never show your daughter physical affection.
2. Teach your kids that connections are more important than commitment.
3. Teach your kids there are no consequences for their behavior.
4. Give your kids whatever they want.

I read the fifth and final in this series and wanted to share.

The last thing you must do if you want to ensure your kids end up on the Bachelor is teach them their self-worth is connected to people’s acceptance of them.

One of the worst parts of this show is when someone is sent home. They show them in the limo crying out of control. They are devastated. It’s a much different thing than when someone is voted off an island or loses at Jeopardy. On the Bachelor, the pain [is] intensely personal. The Bachelor is not saying sorry you didn’t win; he is saying “I don’t love you.” It hurts like few things do in reality TV and in life for that matter. These women come on the show to find love that has eluded them and has left them feeling privately rejected only to be publicly rejected in front of millions. How do we help our kids build real relationships in a world full of superficial ones?

I never want my kids to go through this. How do we prevent this?

1. Teach them that their acceptance before Christ is finished and final. There is nothing they can do to make Jesus love them more and there is nothing they can do to make him love them less.
2. Teach your kids God first–Family second–Others third. Their filter for acceptance has to be God’s unconditional love and grace, the warm unconditional love of family. Then teach them that when others reject them their acceptance is found in Christ and nurtured in a caring family, and rejection by others becomes a paper-cut rather than a gashing wound.
3. Teach your kids that our acceptance of others comes from a proper understanding of the Gospel and Christ’s acceptance of us.
4. Don’t defend your kids every time they face a relational problem or when they are rejected by others, rather give them practical steps to deal with the relational [problem].
5. Teach your kids that relationships can painful but are always worth it. Our faith is only seen in how we care for those around us and in how we resolve conflict in a way that brings glory to God. There are many evidences of God’s grace that can only be seen in community. We need each other. Real relationships matter.
6. Demonstrate to your kids that doing the right thing is more important than doing the popular thing.


Above taken from samluce.com

This week's newsletter from Michael

Proverbs 4:20-27 (NIV)

20 My son, pay attention to what I say;
    turn your ear to my words.
21 Do not let them out of your sight,
    keep them within your heart;
22 for they are life to those who find them
    and health to one’s whole body.
23 Above all else, guard your heart,
    for everything you do flows from it.
24 Keep your mouth free of perversity;
    keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead;
    fix your gaze directly before you.
26 Give careful thought to the paths for your feet
    and be steadfast in all your ways.
27 Do not turn to the right or the left;
    keep your foot from evil.

During my quiet time this morning, this was a part of my bible reading schedule, and I just had to share this with you all. As your week begins, keep these verses in the back of your mind, or better yet, try and memorize verse 23. Guard your heart in everything you do. Don’t get caught off guard in what you say, where you go, with your eyes, etc.

We are in need of camera operators. You don’t have to be tech-savvy; we just need a few good men and women who are willing to volunteer once or twice a month so that others may enjoy being a part of worship. We will train you! If you would like more information, please contact me at michael@hillcrest.church or Jeff Mitchell at jefry@hillcrest.church.

This week's newsletter from Gene

Words are inadequate to express thanks to all of you for the tremendous support over the past 38 years, but you outshined yourselves these past 6 months as Lynn was battling leukemia. "By this shall all (men) know that you are My disciples, if you love one another (if you keep on showing love among yourselves). John 13:35 AMP

Even to the casual observer, it should be obvious that you are His disciples as great love has been shown. The impact of all of us living what should be the normal Christian life is very distinctive in today's world.

The outpouring of support at Lynn's memorial celebration service was amazing. Obviously standing room only in the auditorium, with 600-650 attending and another 264 more watching the stream from various parts of the country. She wondered many times if people even liked her. We can all learn that being faithful to the life you believe the Lord would have you lead should be the "normal" Christian life.

This journey was not one of our choosing, but the Lord's. In His wisdom, He knew for her life to have the most impact, this was the road and time He chose. My prayer is that her life and death would not be in vain, but that each person touched by this journey will simply ask the Lord, "what would you have me do?" And then do it.

This week's newsletter from Karen

There are certain times and certain circumstances that seem to test our faith more than others. The past two weeks has been a combination of those times and circumstances for many.

The following is a lesson I read a few months ago (Splink, August 14) teaching kids about our faith and how it is proven for others to see. I wanted to share because maybe it will bless you and your family.

FAITH
Say to your kids: "I can ______________ (play a guitar, say the alphabet backwards, make crepes, touch your tongue to your nose, or whatever you can do; preferably something they don't know you can do).

Ask: Do you believe me?

Demonstrate your "skill" to the family. I demonstrated by my actions that I could do what I said I could. The Bible says that our good works demonstrate we have faith.

James 2:14 asks a very important question: "What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith, but does not have works?”

Read James 2:15-16 for an example of how faith and works go together. He said, “If a man who does not have anything and is hungry comes to you and you say, ‘Be warmed and filled, depart in peace,’ but you don’t help him–does it do that man any good?” No, the man is still hungry. It is no good to SAY you have faith, but not DO anything. Faith without any works is dead—no good—useless.

James says that the proof of your faith is good works. If you really have faith, you will do what God says.

What kind of works should we do? Read James 1:27 to find some good works we should do. (Help those who are less fortunate—the fatherless and widows; live right and do not follow the world’s ways).

Choose one activity your family can do together to do good works and serve others.

This week's newsletter from Michael

God is so good! I just wanted to say thank you parents for getting your children to choir last night!! We had over 25 kids show up to sing! It was so exciting seeing our leaders lead them! If you forgot to bring your kiddos on Sunday night, you still can come next Sunday and get them registered! Contact me or Amy Koch.

We also had an exciting time in our Worship Choir rehearsal Sunday! We had 60 in attendance! Church family, if you are not busy on Sunday afternoons get up here! You are missing out! How about rearranging that one hour on Sunday afternoon to use your gifts for the King of kings! The Lord has gifted you so use it.

Wednesday at 7:00pm we are having a special rehearsal for the memorial celebration of Lynn Chappell. If you have ever been a part of the Adult Worship Choir in the past 38 years please come join us for an hour as we prepare. It truly is going to be a celebration service! The Chappell family would appreciate seeing you in the choir loft. Let's fill the stage!

Psalm 92 says, It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O Most High.

I can't wait to do it all over again next week... give thanks and sing praises unto His Name! I hope you can't wait either. Love you, church family!

This week's newsletter from Gene

These past 6 months or so have been a very difficult time, and the ending was not what we had hoped and prayed for. So many of you have been so faithful to stand by us in prayer and any way humanly possible. It is so appreciated. All this brings into question in our minds, “what is God up to?” We won’t know all the answers, as I’m sure there are many. We will just see a few in this life, then when we join Lynn, we will see clearly. I do know these past few months, and in particular the past 2 weeks of her life, were very difficult. The reality is that she is much, much better where she is now. Selfishly, along with you, I will miss her greatly, but the Lord is in charge of that also.

Both Lynn and I were blessed to be raised by Godly parents, which gave us a tremendous advantage as we dealt with life together these past 42 1/2 years of marriage. The Lord has blessed us greatly in so many ways, but the most important is His blessing us with two strong, believing daughters, their husbands, who stand with them in every way, and 3 of the world’s best grandkids.

We will all have to seek the Lord and see what He has individually for us, but here is a part of a note I received from my brother after Lynn’s passing last Friday that you may also find helpful.

"If we believe God is sovereign and that He could have healed Lynn, we must also believe He is sovereign and had a reason not to heal Lynn. As Believers we must accept that sovereignty. We cannot accept only half of it."

Student Ministry Matters

by Tom Goodman

Here are three things you should know about our Hillcrest student ministry.

Our New Position of Youth Coordinator. In a previous church I served, we hired a seminary student to lead our youth program. He had served 4 years as an intern in John Randles’ youth ministry while completing his undergraduate degree at Texas Tech, so he knew what was expected for youth ministry. We called him to lead our program while he pursued a master’s degree in youth ministry at Southwestern Seminary. Our youth ministry grew remarkably under his leadership, both in numbers and in spiritual maturity. I believe we can find someone like that for our ministry here. Our Personnel Committee has helped me create a job description for this new position. You can find it at www.hillcrest.church/youth. We’ll discuss and vote on this position in the special called business meeting Sunday, January 24, 6:30pm in room A-161 on the Adult Wing. After that, we’ll search for the right person to fill that post.

Our Interim Youth Leader. John Cameron teaches our youth on Sunday mornings, and I watched him lead the teen-aged MKs on our Malawi trip last Spring. So, it was an easy decision to ask him to serve as our interim youth leader. John is 37, he’s been married to Nikki since 2008, and they have one son, 4-year-old Ethan. They are from Louisiana. John is a veteran, having served in the Army National Guard for eight years as a heavy combat engineer and in military intelligence. He served in Afghanistan, Kosovo, and Eastern Europe. You’ve probably seen the Enduring Freedom medal on his license plate. He works as an architect for the Dagleish Company. One interesting tidbit about John and Nikki: Their search for an Austin home was featured on the show House Hunters in 2010.

Our Winter/Spring Student Calendar. In addition to the normal gatherings on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings, the students will have a busy calendar. There’s the Student Evangelism Conference in January, a Hillsong concert in February, the Warrior Dash in March, the Refuel Retreat at Camp Eagle during Spring Break, a day at Natural Bridge Caverns in April, and the BOUNCE mission trip in July. Of course, Michael Slaughter is also planning another youth choir trip in June.

Please pray for God’s blessings on the Hillcrest student ministry in 2016!

This week's newsletter from Karen

Job, described as blameless and upright, experienced some rough times. He never cursed God for the rough times, but he did question why he had to face them. God had some interesting answers for Job’s questions, but afterwards Job says this, “I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted. You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.” (Job 42:2-3) In the end, Job was restored by God.

In the New Testament Paul describes the many successes and defeats he went through. In Philippians 4:12-13 he says these words, “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”

I am always ready to question God when times are tough, but many times forget Him when times are good. But as both men point out, God is there all the time. Good and bad. It is so important for children to understand this concept. Take some time this week and share with your child times when you knew God was working during a tough time in your life and when God was present in a wonderful time of your life. Help them understand that God is always with them. 

This week's newsletter from Michael

So, I have this thing for the group “Point of Grace.” I first heard of this group when I was 16 years old. The song that I seem to always hum to is, “God Loves People More than Anything.” It just has some amazing lyrics and decided I wanted to share them with you today.

Chorus
God loves people more than anything
God loves people more than anything
More than anything He wants them to know
He'd rather die than let them go
'Cause God loves people more than anything

Verse 1
God loves the weary when they're too weak to try
He feels their pain, He knows their shame
He cries with those who cry
He won't give up or walk away when other people do
'Cause God loves people more than anything

Verse 2
God loves the wounded who've stumbled into sin
He reaches down and pulls them out
And cleans them off again
And He will heal the broken heart that's given up on love
'Cause God loves people more than anything

No matter what your week entails, know that God loves you more than anything! Here is a Youtube link. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOMpwiFnEj8

Don’t forget all children’s choirs start this Sunday at 5:30p.m.

This week's newsletter from Gene

This coming Sunday begins our children's choir ministry as they prepare for a musical presentation the end of April. If your kids have been involved in the past, you know the value they receive on so many levels. We tend to just think of the musical side, which is obviously very important, but there are other benefits.

For example, participation allows them to be a part of a team with a focus to accomplish a particular goal. They are given a safe environment in which to develop their singing skills and self-confidence in front of people. Some of the songs they learn will be with them for years to come.

One of the highlights of Lynn's life has been working with children in choirs. Obviously she can't do that right now, but between hospital stays this fall, the Lord allowed her to select a musical that would work well with the kids she anticipated coming, and to get the staff together.

We are so grateful for this committed group of leaders that will make this a successful ministry to our kids this spring. Amy Koch and her team will lead Kids Music Theater. Mark and Julie Chambers will lead Preschool Praise Club. Information can be found online at www.hillcrest.church/kmt or through the office. Bring your kids 5:30-6:30 Sunday evenings. 

Religious Symbols

by Tom Goodman

The first question in today's Common Ground lesson is about the central symbols of major world religions. Here are the answers:

Judaism: The Star of David

Islam: The Scythe, or Crescent Moon

Buddhism: The Dharma Wheel

Hinduism: "Om" written in Sanskrit

This week's newsletter from Karen

In the first chapters of Deuteronomy Moses reminds the Israelites of their journey to the land of Canaan from the exodus of Egypt.

Moses reminds the Israelites of their disobedience to God and how, because of this disobedience, their ancestors were not allowed to cross the Jordan River and see the promised land. Moses reminds the Israelites of the many times God showed himself mighty by giving kingdoms into their hands so they could pass safety through the lands on their journey. Moses reminds them that God is faithful and will keep his promises if they will obey his commands as they move into Canaan.

I cannot count the consequences suffered for not obeying God. I cannot count the times I have “forgotten” when God showed himself mighty in my life. I cannot count the times God has given me a second chance to turn and seek him with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Is God reminding you of consequences, forgotten times, or promises? How exciting! When you turn to seek Him, He’ll be there!

One other thing Moses tells the Israelites is to pass this history along to their children. If it was important for the Israelite children to know the journey of their ancestors, is not important for our children to know our “journey” with God? Don’t be afraid to tell your story to your children. It will build their faith and strengthen yours.