Vision - January 2010 Series
It was Martin Luther who said:
“Live as if Christ died yesterday, rose this morning, and is coming back tomorrow.”
-- Martin Luther
Can you imagine living that intentionally? What if you lived with that much focus and passion?
How would your worship be impacted this morning if Jesus had died yesterday, rose this very morning, and if He were returning tomorrow – guaranteed ... no doubt about it? We wouldn’t be worried about whether we have a Chris Tomlin voice. We’d just be singing His praises with all of our heart. We would truly be worshipping Him with our all of our heart, our soul, our mind, and our strength.
What about growing in Christ? Check.
How about serving others in need and doing unto the least of these acts of kindness and thereby serving Jesus Himself? Check.
However, the area of our life that would be impacted would be in the area of sharing our faith. In the area of being witnesses for Jesus Christ, no one would be able to shut us up. Now I’m not wanting to induce a guilt trip here, but let me ask:
- When is the last time you shared with someone how they could become a Christian?
- Do you share your faith consistently?
- Do you believe God intends for you to share the gospel with other people?
Let me give you some context concerning the world around us:
- There are twelve million unchurched people in Texas alone.
- On any given Sunday morning there are a million people in churches just like this church.
I mean churches of the Baptist variety. That’s not counting all the Bible churches and the many other Bible-believing churches even though those churches certainly count in God’s eyes.
Those stats tell me two things. Number one – the challenge is incredibly daunting. Every single day, our state becomes more and more unchurched. However, those stats also tell me there’s an incredible amount of hope. One million-plus believers in church every Sunday morning means huge potential for sharing the message of Jesus. Do you realize if every follower of Jesus just shared the gospel with one unchurched person this year, that would make a major dent in changing those stats and changing the eternal destiny of countless lives?
WHAT IF YOU ENGAGED ONE PERSON IN CONVERSATIONS ABOUT JESUS IN 2010?
Engage One. That’s what you’re going to hear us talking about this year. Engage One.
You’ve heard us talk about Engage 1000 – our goal ... our dream ... of seeing 1000 people from our church engaged in relationship-based ministries where we serve other people outside the walls of this church by the end of 2010. What will our community look like at the end of 2010 when 1000 people from The Heights family are engaged in serving as we build those relationships?
What a great goal!
This year we’re going to continue to champion Engage 1000. The first weekend in May, we will have another Engage Sunday where we’ll meet at the church ... but not to sing songs and hear a sermon. No – we’ll meet at the church so that we can go out and be the church. Last August we did that, and had over two thousand people who went out. I hope we surpass that number this year.
But this year, we’re also going to be talking about Engage One. As we’ve engaged with people in serving them ... building relationships with them ... we also want to begin to stress how important it is that we not just serve, but we also share our faith ... share the gospel of Jesus Christ. Yes, we need to serve people. But as we build a relationship ... as we get connected ... we also need to share our faith.
However, that won’t just happen. We’re going to have to be very intentional if we are all going to share our faith this year with at least one person. We’re going to have to understand the urgency of the situation. And yes, the situation is urgent. No, Jesus didn’t just die yesterday. And He didn’t just arise this morning. And He may or may not be planning to return tomorrow. But the fact remains He did die ... He did rise from the grave ... and He is coming again. And when He does, He will separate the sheep from the goats. He will separate His followers from those who have rejected Him. The Bible says He will cast a huge segment of the population into the lake of fire, because they have never confessed Jesus as Lord, and have never received forgiveness for their sin. He will dismiss a huge segment of our population with these words:
“... ‘I never knew you. Away from me,’ ...”
-- Matthew 7:23 (NIV)
Yes, Engage One is going to be a huge focus this year. Sharing the gospel is central to what God has called us to be about as a church. So how do we get started?
Join us Sunday as we unfold the next steps of our ENGAGE strategy so that you too can move from ENGAGE 1000 to ENGAGE ONE.
God Bless,
Gary
P.S. For more information on how The Heights strategy of ENGAGE 1000 leads to ENGAGE ONE, click here... http://www.theheights.org/serve/engage
SERVE 2010
If you missed the SERVE video from last Sunday, Click Here to see how you can Serve Intentionally in 2010. Would you like to find out more about ENGAGE 1000 serving opportunities, Click Here.
Celebrate Recovery
Celebrate Recovery can provide a new start for you to deal with life's issues and build authentic relationships. A women's and men's STEP study began meeting weekly on January 10 at 6:00pm near the Chapel in C101 and C103. The STEP groups focus on the 12 steps and 8 recovery principles found in the Bible. For more information or to order your study book, please email Cathy Randles, catrandles@yahoo.com, or Rob Britten, rbritten1@gmail.com.
Joyland and Worship Quest Choirs
The Winter season is starting for our Joyland (PK 3 and PK 4) and Worship Quest (Grades K-6) Choirs! Time is 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. in the Joyland and KDOG hallways. For 6 weeks, our kids will be learning songs for our February 17th program, "How Can I Keep From Singing?" In these fun filled weeks, we will be teaching hymns and worship songs that have made an impact in the lives of believers from years ago to the present day! If you child has not been a part of Joyland or Worship Quest Choirs this school year, you may register online at www.theheights.org/worship.
Parent Connection - Ask the Experts!
Save the date of January 25th for the next Parent Connection from 6:30-8:00pm. This is an evening for parents and leaders to discuss relevant issues with a panel of professional counselors and specialists who will be here to answer questions. Come gain insight and wisdom as we hear from our guest experts featuring Paul Meier. You can never start too early in parenthood to gain insight for becoming a better parent. Bring a friend and join us for this panel discussion.
Parenting Class—Save the Date January 27!
Parents, are you ready for some new strategies to improve your parenting in 2010? Jumpstart your year by coming to the KDOG Parenting Class starting January 27 in the east side of the Mezzanine at 6:30 p.m. We will study Kevin Leman’s book, Have a New Kid by Friday. You will leave the class each week with a new parenting tool to utilize in your home. Don’t miss out on this exciting parenting adventure! This class will meet each Wednesday for 6 weeks. Contact Lois Osborne in the children’s office to make your reservation and any childcare needs you have, losborne@theheights.org. The cost for workbooks is $9.00.
Discovery Dessert at Pastor Gary's House January 31
If you are new to The Heights and would like to meet the staff and learn more about our vision and ministries, join us for Discovery Dessert at Pastor Gary's house on Sunday, January 31 at 6:30 p.m. For more information or to sign up, visit the information desk in the Atrium, or contact Judy Elkins (jelkins@theheights.org or 972-238-7243).
PRIMETIME (Preparing for Life’s Second Half!)
If you are between 45-65, please join us for the first PRIMETIME of the new year on January 31 at Noon in the Gym for a Sandwich lunch and PRIMETIME workshops that will prepare you spiritually, physically, emotionally and financially for the most exciting years of your life. The cost is only $5.00. Please make your lunch reservation by contacting Pam Nicholson, pnicholson@theheights.org.
The Heights Child Development Center
The Heights Child Development Center, a weekday preschool ministry of The Heights for children 3 months old through transitional kindergarteners, will begin registration for the 2010-2011 school year on the following dates:
- Current students and siblings: Week of Feb. 2nd
- The Heights church members: Week of Feb. 9th
- The community: Week of Feb. 16th
For more information and to set up a tour, call 972-238-7289. To view our brochure and enrollment forms, check out www.theheights.org and click on 'resources' then on "child development center."
Free Job Search Workshop
8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 6, 2010 (*New Date)
The all-day workshop will teach proven job search skills including finding your job focus, resume critique and development, effective networking skills, 30-second elevator presentation, interviewing techniques, 2-minute verbal resume, and more. Free lunch and materials provided.
Pre-registration is recommended due to limited seating. To register, send an e-mail with name, phone and e-mail address to: jobseekers@theheights.org.
Chi Alpha Host Homes
Chi Alpha weekend is coming up February 26-28, 2010. Students will stay in more than 30 host homes. There’s still a need for you to volunteer today to be a host home for a small group of students! It’s a life-changing experience! Call THSM today! 972-238-7243 x 249
THSM Beach Camp
June 20-25 will be a huge week in the life of students who have completed 7th-12th grades. We’ll be going to Beach Camp! Join us as we return to Laguna Beach! Cost is $360 and the earlybird special has been extended to January 31st. Invite your friends and visit thsm.org today to get in on the payment plan.
This Week as We Live Intentionally for Christ...
We Will:
- Worship God with Others
- Grow with Others
- Serve with Others
- Share with Others
