Called to Teach
My first newsletter article as your Children’s Minister! What a privilege to be able to share with you each month. Actually, I think the boys just wanted an extra week to not have to write. :-)...
Keep ReadingTherefore
As we approach Fall Festival, we are still taking candy donations, and you will have the opportunity to sign up to serve in many areas. These include food prep, games, bounce houses, and/or trunks. Please pray about where to serve, and look for opportunities to promote Fall Festival in your neighborhood....
Do What You Want To
Worship moves us from a place of adoration to confession (seeing who God is makes us confront our sinfulness) and from thanksgiving to intercession (seeing what He has done makes us ask Him for more). These elements of worship ultimately bring us to a place of dedication....
Fall
Do you feel a hint of Fall in the air? School is going strong, football season is in full swing, homes and businesses are decorating with Fall décor, and everything imaginable is now available in pumpkin spice flavor. I love the Fall for many reasons, but mostly because it will eventually mean cooler temperatures and a more colorful landscape for us to enjoy....
Back to School Adjustments
The first week of school has come and gone and I think we all survived! Parents, students, teachers, you have all been on my mind and heart this week. For some of you it was back to normal and routine, for others it has been a time of transition and change. As I anticipated this new school year I knew there were going to be many new circumstances, a new schedule, new location, my son driving! There has been a lot going on....
Back to Normal
Summer has come to an end, school is back in session, and schedules are back to normal. Well, if we can call hectic and chaotic normal? This summer has been a great time to spend with family on vacation and at camp as we learned to deepen our relationships with God....
God Is So Good
Yesterday, Andrea, Steven, and the Worship Choir did a magnificent job of introducing “God, You’re So Good” to the congregation. I don’t know if any of you grew up singing the proto-praise chorus “God is So Good” that was written in the early 1970’s, but it was one of the FIRST songs I learned as a child....
Teachers Returning to School
We’re off and running! A new school year has begun for my wife Erin and many other teachers this week. With the beginning of a new school year comes many transitions. The most difficult one in our house is the transition of having to get up early and establishing the new routine. This year will be different because now both boys will be together at the same school as our sweet little Connor begins Kindergarten. He is super excited and we are too....
Stand for the Lord
Daniel was a young man who stood for the Lord. The choices and decisions that he made reflected a heart that was centered on obeying God. The children have been learning about Daniel and his friends this summer in VBS and on Wednesday evenings. They have been challenged to be like Daniel, to make a stand for the Lord. I wanted to share with you how a couple of the girls have been doing just that. Their faith is evident in their actions....
Returning to Normal
I know most of you were able to celebrate Preteen and Student Camps as we shared our experiences during worship Sunday. We made our ten-hour trek to Windermere Conference Center in Missouri early Monday morning. We hit the ground running between check-in, games, dinner, worship, church group time, and lights out. Throughout the week, we learned who the I AM is. There is not a list to follow in religion (works based faith), but Truth is a person: Jesus Christ. We were challenged to know God and His love as we grow in our relationship with Him. This growth is genuine faith, and genuine faith has two parts: obedience to Jesus and love for the people of God....
Constitution and Bylaws
In the September 2017 business meeting, the Constitution and Bylaws Revision Committee was formed to revise the current Constitution and Bylaws with 7 members and 1 alternate. ...
Build my Life
The English word “worship” has its roots in the 13th Century Middle English word “weorthscipe.” It is literally worth-ship: the act of attributing worth to someone or something. In our personal and corporate songs and prayers, when we proclaim that God is worthy, we tell Him and remind ourselves and others that He deserves all the glory because of His holy character and acts of mercy....
Better Together
“Better together.” These words have been ringing loudly in my ears the last few weeks. God has continued to remind me we are better together than we are alone. Teamwork is a powerful concept because when a team gathers together & cooperates towards the same goal it yields greater results....
Daniel in Babylon
VBS Babylon is in full swing and the kids are having a fantastic time! They are discovering Babylon and what it was like for Daniel to live in a country where people did not serve or worship the One true God. Each day they are learning a new truth about God....
Thrift Store Prom
We are drawing closer to summer camp. We are one month away. I would like to say thank you for your investment in Youth Camp. Please pray for our students to experience God, I AM, before, during, and after camp. Pray for our hearts and minds to be prepared for the messages and experiences God has for us. Pray for lives to be changed, and that we would return ready to share I AM with others....
Taste and See
Colossians 3:16 says… “Let the word of Christ dwell richly among you, in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.”...
Saying Farewell
As many of you know, our Administrative Assistant, Shelley Kruse, started her journey to go back to school to pursue a degree in nursing almost three years ago. Becoming a nurse has always been a dream of hers and through hard work, determination, and great discipline she graduated in December. Since then she has been searching for a job and a couple of weeks ago she accepted a nursing position. As a result of this new opportunity, she has resigned from her position here at South Hills after more than ten years on our staff. It certainly is bittersweet for her, and us, but we are excited for her and this new adventure....
Seniors and Looking Ahead
Thank you for celebrating our graduates! If you were unable to be with us Sunday, Cody Berlin, Ralph Jones, and Peyton Peavler are graduating from high school this year. We celebrated with Shelley Kruse, Melissa Rust, Tom McChesney, and Shaun Svetlecic who each completed other courses of study....
What Prompts Your Worship?
What prompts your worship? What catches your heart off guard and points you to Jesus? What thoughts about God interrupt your daily life and set you on a path toward praise? What truths lead you to express your love and gratitude for Jesus in obedience?...
Pursuit
What a great day of worship we had yesterday. We kicked off a new series entitled “Pursuit.” I don’t know about you, but I can easily get sucked into the trap of watching a good police pursuit....
The God Who Leads
The children at South Hills, ages K-6, have been studying their way through the Bible in The Gospel Project. They just finished a unit entitled “The God Who Leads.” They learned that the early church’s rapid growth lead to some disagreements and problems....
Reckless Love
I’m going to take a break from sharing about the new songs that our congregation is singing to let you know about the genesis of the special worship service coming up on April 29....
Easter All Year
What an exciting weekend we had celebrating Easter recently with our Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday services! Thank you to everyone who helped make it an impactful weekend. There’s something extra special about celebrating the Risen Jesus on Easter Sunday. I am left in awe and wonder thinking about the magnitude of the scene at the empty tomb that first Easter morning. My prayer is for this awe and wonder to never fade, but grow with time as our relationship with Jesus grows. Let us strive to celebrate the resurrected Jesus all year long....
Hallelujah! He Is Risen!
The knowledge of our risen Savior and Lord fills my heart with joy and excitement. I love Easter and the hope that the season brings....
Preparing for Resurrection Sunday
We have the Men’s Cake Auction on April 22 at 5:30pm. In the words of Donkey from Shrek...”Cake! Everybody love cake!” Come support our students as they continue to prepare for camp. We will be experiencing the camp theme “I Am.”...
Glorious Day
This past Sunday, our Vocal Team introduced a new congregational song, “Glorious Day.” Actually, it wasn’t brand new. Our students learned it at DiscipleNow a few weeks ago. We are taking a cue from them and will be singing this song through Easter....
Spring Break
Spring Break is here! We always look forward to Spring Break in our house because that means the boys get a whole week at home with mommy to relax and have fun. No school. No early morning alarms. No homework. This week will be refreshing for all the teachers and students as they gear up for the final push towards summer. Though I am planning to take a little time off to enjoy my family this week, I am also working hard with our staff to continue to plan and prepare for Easter....
By the Mercies of God
“Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, this is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:1-2...
Disciple Now
Our Disciple Now weekend was a success! We had sixteen students who were challenged to Renew their lives daily. A big thank you to Shane Burlison and the band for leading worship, and to Jeff Buell for speaking the truth and life of Scripture to the students....
"I Won't Be Ashamed"
I have received a positive response from those who have used our YouTube and Spotify playlists of “Songs We Sing at SHBC.” Please use this resource. This link to the SHBC Worship Ministry website will help you access lists of the Hymns and Praise Songs that we sing in worship. Ideally, listening to these will help you become more familiar with our songs, allow you to focus on God more clearly in worship, and also inform your personal, daily worship time with Christ....
Those Who Wait
I have often heard people say “Good things come to those who wait.” There have been many times in life where this has certainly been true ...
Called to Teach
My first newsletter article as your Children’s Minister! What a privilege to be able to share with you each month. Actually, I think the boys just wanted an extra week to not have to write. :-)...
Let's Grow
What an amazing day of worship! In Small Group, the students studied that a commitment to Christ would naturally push us to encourage others to have a relationship with Christ. We entered worship and celebrated with Cade and Ralph as they were baptized, and Pastor Chris led us in a study of Ephesians 2:8-10. As we grow in our relationship with God, we grow in grace. When we grow in grace, as the Church, then SHBC will grow....
His Mercy Is More
Happy New Year! I’m going to start featuring new songs we sing in my newsletter articles this year. The first song we will teach this year is called, “His Mercy Is More” by Matt Boswell and Matt Papa. This Sunday, as Chris begins his new sermon series, “Let’s Grow” we will recall that all of our endeavors for the Kingdom are based on His grace....
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year! 2018 is off and running and I hope you are excited to venture into this new year and see what God has in store for your life. For some of us, we did not want 2017 to end because it was a great year for us. Others of us could not wait for 2017 to be over in hopes that 2018 will be much better....
Behold the Savior
How great it’s been, for the last two Sundays, to focus on the meaning of Christmas Carols through the preaching of God’s Word! I’m so thankful to God for a Pastor who approaches weekly sermons creatively and carefully. This coming Sunday, our church family will have the opportunity to encounter and respond to Biblical truth in song for the entire service, under the leadership of our Worship Choir, Vocal Team, Worship Band, and AV Team....
The Star
Last night, after a great day of worship, my family went to see the movie “The Star” that opened recently in the theaters....
Thanksgiving and Christmas Project
I pray each of you had a great Thanksgiving with family and friends. We have so much for which to be thankful. I’m thankful for each of you, but also thankful to Pastor Chris giving me the opportunity to preach/teach....
Hospitality
This is a time of year that provides our church family with another opportunity to choose where our focus will be. As Thanksgiving and Christmas approach, we tend to “get back to basics” and “focus on the things that are truly important” such as “family and friends.” I suggest that this is the perfect season in the life of our church to rededicate ourselves to an outward looking focus....
His Faithful Love Endures Forever
Yesterday in my message I spoke briefly about the tension that sometimes exists in our hearts when we think about God’s sovereignty and His love. I was speaking about God’s power and wisdom and how He knows what is best for our lives. We know this to be true, but when we find ourselves in difficult or confusing circumstances we can quickly experience feelings of fear and frustration. It is often hard to understand how bad things happen in our lives at the hand of a God who loves us and has the power to change them, yet chooses not to do so....
Reformation Day
This coming Sunday is Reformation Sunday. Just two days later is the 500th Anniversary of the start of the Protestant Reformation, which began when Martin Luther nailed a document of his top 95 (!) arguments with the way church leaders had been running things, to the door of his local church on October 31, 1517. In retrospect, this document was his own version of “I Am a Church Member.”...
Fundraising and Trunk or Treat
Our first Youth Camp Fundraiser went well. Thanks to your generosity and appetites, we raised $600 for students going to camp. This fundraiser would not have been possible without the leadership of Andrea Frailey. She not only organized this fundraiser but also recruited parents and leaders to meet her at 7 am Sunday morning to cook. Thank you to Andrea Frailey, Meshelle Peavler, and Margaret Nyoni for giving your time to cook so early. Thank you to our students who worked hard, and to our church family for your generous gifts and fellowship during the taco lunch....
Community in the Body
One of my favorite aspects of “I Am a Church Member” is the opportunity our Sunday morning Small Groups have to reflect upon and apply the theme from the previous week of the sermon series. As I reflect upon the overall discipleship goal of our church (that we become and build disciple-makers to the glory of God) I continue to marvel at the awesome way that small groups of 8-24 people can accomplish that mission....
Unity in the Body
Yesterday was another great day of worship at South Hills Baptist Church as we entered week two of our church-wide series “I Am a Church Member.” There has been a lot of excitement leading up to this series and now we are experiencing even more excitement as God is teaching us how to be effective, Biblical church members....
One Body, Many Parts
We had a great day of worship as we began the new sermon series, "I Am a Church Member." As Pastor Chris reminded us what it looks like and means to be a Church member, I felt God was talking to me....
Please Pray
“Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” ...
I Am a Church Member
As I shared on Sunday, I will begin a new sermon series about church membership on September 17. This sermon series will be based on the Biblical themes addressed in the book “I Am a Church Member” by Thom Rainer, president and CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources....
Seattle Mission Trip and Student Ministry
Thank you again for your support of the Seattle Mission Team. Thank you for allowing us to share how God used South Hills Baptist to minister to and with The Landing Church....
What's in a Name?
It was my privilege to join with Pastor Chris in meeting with the Small Group Leaders after worship yesterday. The subject of our meeting was a new opportunity for connecting an upcoming sermon series with what we teach in our Small Groups....
Response to Charlottesville
Racism in any form is sin. These displays of white supremacy are satanic. There is no place for racism in Christianity or the church. We must speak out and live displaying the grace of Jesus Christ. Every race, ethnicity, and nationality are welcome at South Hills....
Summer Mission Trip and Students
This summer has been exciting for the Student Ministry. God has been teaching students and leaders many things as we spend time studying His Word in venues from camp to Small Group and Bible Study in FireFall....
Embrace Grace
What an amazing journey Embrace Grace has been! Our first semester had exactly zero attendees. Though disappointing, we knew God put this dream in our hearts to continue with this ministry. The next semester, we had two lovely ladies, followed by four, then three, and now…six! Six beautiful girls will be treated to the largest baby shower we’ve ever hosted!...
More Like Christ
What are some of your favorite gospel accounts or scripture verses that reveal Jesus’ character? Is it His interaction with the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4? Is it the way Jesus rebukes religious hypocrites in Luke 11? Is it the way He restored Peter in John 21?...
Baptisms
I'm so thankful we worship together every week. Sunday was exciting as we began our worship service with baptisms. I wish we could do that every week. There are four people waking up today with a new perspective and commitment to Christ....
Galactic Starveyors
I love VBS! Not only was Small Group and Worship Service a great time to connect with God and His Family, but VBS was just amazing last night. I am so proud of our brave and committed VBS Workers!...
Student Camp in Orange Beach
We have made it safely to Orange Beach, AL for Student Life Camp. Thank you for your prayers! Here are a number of ways to pray for us......
Worshipping in Spirit and Truth
Every Wednesday evening (with few exceptions) I have the privilege of conducting the rehearsal of our worship choir. Anywhere from 10 to 30 of us spend an hour (7:30-8:30) in the Choir Room (Rm. 100) preparing anthems and new worship songs we will lead during our weekly Sunday worship gathering and occasional special worship services. ...
Summer Begins
We have made it to the final week of school as the month of June is around the corner. Summer is here (though the first official day is June 21st) and with summer comes a variety of emotions. Teachers and students are celebrating and rejoicing greatly with excitement. On the other hand, some parents are excited while others may not be nearly as excited for various reasons. Yet, for others summer only means hotter temperatures and less school traffic to and from work....
Youth Camp Bound!
We are three weeks away from Youth Camp. We have 22 students and six leaders going to Orange Beach, AL June 11-15. Our students are excited about camp....
Trust in the LORD
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; think about Him in all your ways, and He will guide you on the right paths. Proverbs 3:5-6 (HCSB)...
God Is on the Move
God is always at work in our lives and in our church, though we often do not see it. When we see God doing great things, we should always seek to celebrate as many of these ways as we can....
Final Push before Summer
We are drawing closer to the close of another school year. The sounds you hear in the background are the students screaming for joy, or may be the parents scrambling to finish the summer schedules. Our schedules are full leading into the summer as the students and leaders prepare for the final push of fundraisers....
Pray for Ukraine
Due to not publishing a newsletter last week, here is Aaron’s article written just before he left for his mission trip to Ukraine....
Passion Week
This week is one of my favorite weeks of the year. It is important for us to take time to reflect and remember the life of Jesus as He prepared to take our sins with Him to the cross. ...
First Impressions
We would like to announce an exciting and dynamic restructuring of our Greeter Ministry. To begin with, it will be known as First Impressions. The mission of the First Impressions Ministry will be to connect in a positive way to all guests and members at South Hills Baptist Church....
Ukraine Bound
I am so grateful for the ways that my SHBC Family has supported and partnered with me in the ministry work as Worship & Discipleship Pastor. Beyond this, though, you have supported my work as husband and father, especially through the difficult days of Theresa’s fight against colon cancer. Today, I am asking for your support in a very specific way....
Who to Invite?
Easter 2017 is just around the corner in a few short weeks! We are excited about planning a meaningful worship experience on Good Friday evening where we will observe the Lord’s Supper and focus on the sacrifice Jesus made for us on the cross. Then on Easter Sunday morning (April 16th) we will rejoice in the resurrection power of Jesus. Every Sunday we get to worship Jesus and celebrate how He has changed my life is exciting, but there is something extra special about worshiping together on Easter Sunday....
I thank my God every time I remember you
We have many things for which to be thankful. I am thankful for our last sermon series, "No Regrets." My prayer for us all is that we will not allow our relationship with Christ to be or become routine, we will invest in our relationships with God and others, sharing Christ as we go, and what we do is seen or filtered through Scripture....
Choosing to Lead and Follow
Such an important part of growing in Christ is the investment of others in our lives. I am so thankful for the investment that my parents made in me, but I’m also very grateful that others took the time to disciple, mentor, and influence me, pointing me toward Jesus....
You Will Be My Witnesses
“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8) In yesterday’s sermon I referenced this verse to remind us we are empowered by the Holy Spirit to share the good news of the gospel. This verse also reminds us of the mandate we have as believers and the church to share the gospel right here in our neighborhoods, this region, state, nation, and all over the world....
Looking Ahead and Looking In
Typical Texas, we have only had one week (maybe two) of winter, and here we are ramping up talk of Youth Summer Camp. The Chili Cook Off Fundraiser is Wednesday, Feb. 15. Please bring your chili and/or your appetite as we try to warm up from these “winter temps.” We will have toppings and desserts. ...
The Awesome AV Team
Today, I wish to recognize and express public thanks to a vital team who serves within the Worship-Arts Ministry at South Hills: our AWESOME AV Team. This team is incredibly important to the effective work of the rest of our team. In fact, every Sunday Morning at the end of our rehearsal, when our Vocal Team and Worship Band pray for the worship service, we insist that the Sound Tech and Computer Operator for the morning come to the platform to pray with us. They are an inseparable part of our team....
Priority on Prayer
In my first sermon of 2017 I shared my burden for our church to engage in a renewed emphasis on prayer. Prayer is our direct line to God and if we want clarity and direction for ministry and life we must be closely connected to God through prayer. In the sermon I said “No program, personality, or purpose statement will accomplish anything worthwhile apart from surrendered prayer.” I believe our effectiveness is linked to our prayers. We had a powerful worship experience that morning as the end of my sermon became a prayer meeting with the altar full of church members calling out to God....
Moving Forward with No Regrets
The first few weeks of 2017 have been great. We have been reminded of and called to prayer and reminded of needs in our community and across the United States. As we continue to focus on prayer and ministry through South Hills Baptist, I pray we live with no regrets as we serve God. We serve God through our daily jobs and as we attend school. Please continue to pray for, and look for opportunities to share the love of Christ with others. We are moving forward in our partnership with Dallas Park Elementary as we minister to the community....
Think on These Things
In Philippians 4:8, the Apostle Paul says, “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable ...
Happy New Year
Happy New Year! Most of us would agree, though days seem to drag on at times, the years fly by. 2016 was another year full of blessings and challenges for all of us. At the end of each year we can always reflect back and remember some of the incredible blessings, as well as the painful challenges we experienced....
Merry Christmas!
As 2016 comes to a close, we celebrate one of the best holidays, Christmas. We were reminded through "Love Crossed Over" that God loves us and desires a relationship with us. Christ is God's gift to the world for salvation....
Christmas Season
The Christmas season is here! It's an exciting time for all of us, but also a very busy time for most of us. Our schedules are filling up with parties, events, programs, and not to mention our work schedules. I love the Christmas season for so many reasons, but most importantly it is a chance to refocus our hearts on the person of Jesus....
Love Crossed Over
This Sunday is our special worship service set aside to explore the themes of Christmas through music: Love Crossed Over. My heart behind the expression of this service is that it will reflect the multi-generational nature of our congregation. ...
Thanksgiving
I pray you all had a great Thanksgiving. It is always good to use the holiday to get together with family and friends. I am thankful my family and I had the opportunity to camp in God's creation. I am also thankful for our South Hills family, and I am thankful for the opportunity to preach last Sunday....
SHINE in Love Crossed Over
This year, on December 18, the Worship-Arts Ministry will present Love Crossed Over. We are including both children and students in the leadership of this worship service, in order to reflect the multi-generational nature of our congregation. Our children have not only been practicing music and drama with our many volunteers on Wednesday evenings, but they have been working on the music during SHINE....
Vote
Tomorrow is a big day in our nation as Americans will go to the polls to elect the 45th President of the United States of America. In the midst of all the election chaos, frustration, fear, and agony we often forget the incredible privilege it is to have a voice in a free country. I am thankful to have the opportunity to cast my vote for elected officials from the local level to the national level. ...
Fall Festival and The Loft
We had a great weekend at South Hills serving God and our community together. I am thankful for each of you, for the prayers, and preparation from each of you, from our Women on Mission stuffing the bags, many others donating candy, decorating trunks, watching bounce houses, cooking, passing out food, smiles, prayers, and hugs. You all made a difference for Christ....
The Lion and the Lamb
"Then one of the elders said to me, 'Look! The Lion from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has been victorious so that He may open the scroll and its seven seals.' Then I saw One like a slaughtered lamb standing between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders." (Revelation 5:5-6, HCSB)...
Let's Grow
What an amazing day of worship! In Small Group, the students studied that a commitment to Christ would naturally push us to encourage others to have a relationship with Christ. We entered worship and celebrated with Cade and Ralph as they were baptized, and Pastor Chris led us in a study of Ephesians 2:8-10. As we grow in our relationship with God, we grow in grace. When w...
Keep ReadingHis Mercy Is More
Happy New Year! I’m going to start featuring new songs we sing in my newsletter articles this year. The first song we will teach this year is called, “His Mercy Is More” by Matt Boswell and Matt Papa. This Sunday, as Chris begins his new sermon series, “Let’s Grow” we will recall that all of our endeavors for the Kingdom are based on His grace....
Keep ReadingHappy New Year!
Happy New Year! 2018 is off and running and I hope you are excited to venture into this new year and see what God has in store for your life. For some of us, we did not want 2017 to end because it was a great year for us. Others of us could not wait for 2017 to be over in hopes that 2018 will be much better....
Keep Reading