Connectivity

It's a buzzword we all hear: Connectivity. Now that we, as a culture, are turning our heads toward a new semester as our neighbors, children, or grandchildren head back to school, we must acknowledge there is going to be a lot of connectivity happening. So lets explore the term and see how it fits us
The dictionary's definition is straight forward:
con·nec·tiv·i·ty

n. pl. con·nec·tiv·i·ties

1. The quality or condition of being connected or connective.

There are two things that jump out immediately -
1) To be CONNECTED. In other words, to be a part of a community. We believe that is a universal need among God's people and an innate human desire. THF believes that we best achieve this through our LIFEGroup ministry. It's our way of letting people naturally associate via affinity (place in life). Our LG, as we call it, meets nine months out of the year (with summers off), and is a great way to meet people, share experiences, find support and encouragement, and really immerse into a genuinely loving, accepting culture.

2) Be CONNECTIVE. As a friend of mine often says: be amenable.  Over the past decade, our experience at THF has shown us that we've had thousands of visitors come check out THF and our "deliberately different" paradigm. Many of them stayed and invested their lives, but a lot moved on. There is one element we see over and over: if a person doesn't "connect" with the THF Family, he or she moves on to another community (or even gives up) within about 12-18 months. It's a sad, but true, reality.
THF begins a new season of LIFEGroup ministry in just a few weeks. Sign ups begin the end of August and the LIFEGroup season begins in mid-September. Are you looking for a really dynamic comminity? Are you wanting to "plug-in?" Are you connective? Here is a great opportunity to explore. You can follow this link and and jump directly to our LG page.
Or, stop by the THF Mall some Sunday morning between now and September and see for yourself.
Acts 2:42-43!
Pastor Mike

Making Community

It is basic human behavior to be social. Last decade's swell of connectivity with email and this decade's explosion in social media both strongly attest to this truth. The fact is that God knows us and intends that we be a part of a community. He wired us for it. Community is something we take very seriously at The Heights.

Recently our THF Media team enhanced the community option available to THF attenders. There are two new facets on the THF Online experience: The Table Project and THF Online Portal.

The Table Project is one of our most exciting community makers. It is going to help us answer some of those daily needs to 1)Find stuff and to Find help within the community, or 2)Give stuff and Give help as a part of our personal ministry mission. Go check it out! It's VERY cool. Follow this link to
THE TABLE PROJECT to find out more!

Another community maker for THF Attenders is the THF Online Portal. It basically allows you to see and be seen at a comfort level you control and like. You can register for THF events (i.e. Children's Camp, Youth Camp etc.), sign up for life groups, connect with your LIFEGroup, opt in and out of the THF Directory, and more. Over the next few months we will be integrating many more opportunities within the portal such as scheduled online giving and even access to view your past contributions. You can find out more and make the connection here: THF ONLINE PORTAL.

I'm reminded of this verse as we journey forward together:

You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor. James 3:18 msg

Obscurity

We live in a day of celebrity…when people are famous for "being famous." Huh! It creates this vicious cycle where people think they have to do something, anything to be noticed. Good, bad, legal? We don't care. We live by some 11th commandment that states "any kind of press is good press."
There are several problems with this:
1) It shortens our usable life. After your 15 minutes of fame, then what? By world's standards, you're cast on the refuse heap of used news and passed by for the next "big thing."
2) It creates false living. If I'm notorious for (blank), then I have to keep doing (blank) - or up the ante to stay relevant. We face increased pressure to live up to the image.
3) It robs us of greater purpose. If the end of "me" is to be notorious, then I've missed my calling, my purpose, and my reason. It is rather empty, when you think about it. And, in turn, it creates despondency and hopelessness.

The Bible gives us the perfect antidote for empty living. There is a great thought slipped into the pages of scripture. In a little letter penned to some friends in Corinth, Paul, the missionary wrote this:

26 For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; 27 but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, 28 and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He maynullify the things that are, 29 so that no man may boast before God. 30 But by His doing you are inChrist Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, andrighteousness andsanctification, andredemption, 31 so that, just as it is written, “LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD.” (1 Cor 1:26-31 nas)

Life is a DIVINE work...not a human struggle. It's "by His doing" that we are, "by His doing" that we become, and "by His doing" that we sustain.

In the series, "Obscurity," we are look at some people in the Bible you've probably never heard of. They are, as we say, "Obscure - but not obsolete." They are people who discovered that the secret to really living is not being in the face of the paparazzi, but being in the grip of their Creator God. And because they are in His grip:

1) It extends life. They find a lifetime of usefulness and service. They find an eternity of hope in Glory.
2) It stabilizes life. I'm no longer trying to navigate the treacherous path of public opinion. Instead, I'm on a journey that has a divine initiative and direction. I'm playing by eternal principles that have never changed. I can walk forward with confidence.
3) It propels living. Life is no longer about image...it is about glory - HIS glory. Divine Purpose is a much more fitting motivator to the human condition than paparazzi or press.

Oh, and by the way - these obscure people - thousands of years later, we're still talking about them…. Think about it.

15 Days of Prayer

Wednesday, September 28th, was a BIG day. It's the annual observance of See You at the Pole, when believing students from all over the world gather around their school's flag pole to pray for their schools, their peers, their teachers, adminstrators, and their culture. The night of Sept. 28, THF had the pleasure of hosting a community wide SAW You at the Pole rally here in the THF building. We had multiple youth groups and hundreds of students gather for that event. We introduced something of which I wanted to include you. It's called 15 Days of Prayer

The concept is simple. September 28th (See You at the Pole date) was a Wednesday. Two weeks after See You at the Pole is another community-wide (see also - South Plains-wide) event for Students. It's called Fields of Faith, and its really being prompted and organized by area FCAs. They are praying for and expecting between 4000 and 6000 students from all different communities, schools, and Christian denominations to attend at Lowery Field on October 12th. Those students will hear a very clear message about the love and truth of Jesus Christ, be encouraged in their faith, and see first-hand that while they may be outnumbered in this world, that they are never, ever alone.

Including Sept 28, it is precisely 15 days between the prayers of See You at the Pole and Fields of Faith. It's 15 Days for God's people to show what they really believe - not by protesting or marching or arranging a Wall Street Sit-In...but by simply praying that the God of the universe, the miracle-working God who transforms us, would inhabit the prayers of His children and reach a generation. It's just that simple...

We encouraged your - our - students to take the 15 Days of Prayer challenge and begin to pray for a mighty moving of God leading up to and at the Fields of Faith event. I want to include you in that effort as well. Because, when God moves, we all need to be a part of it.

Here's how. Go to this website http://15day.textify.us and become a part of the journey.

Technology and the family of Christ get a glimpse of heaven

John, the Revelator, gave us a glimpse of heaven in Revelation 7:9-10 -

"After these things I looked, and behold a great multitude, which no one could count from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; and they cry out with a loud voice..."

I've been blessed by God over almost 30 years of ministry now to go on many mission endeavors in a lot of places. One of the highlights is to get to worship with the folks we share ministry with in those places and to worship with them in their terms and their sounds. I've worship with chants and clapping, with a bolt for the main worship instrument, in Africa. I've worshiped with accordions (yes, even accordions) in Ukrainel. I've worshiped in a lot of languages. It is just amazing to get to sing the common song of the greatness and grace of God and know that culture and language will not always separate those who rally under the cross of Christ.

Its been a long time dream of mine to be able to bring the local communities of faith together to worship as one - simultaneously. Until recently it was just physically unattainable... But this last Sunday...well if you were in second worship celebration you already know...we got to do that. It was largely due to the diligent ministry of our THF Media team. I'm so grateful to get to serve with a church and with men and women who constantly press the envelope of what we are "able to do" toward "what God would enable us to do." I know of no other place that what happened Sunday could have happened so quickly. This is one of the things that I believe makes The Heights Fellowship truly and deliberately different.

Last Sunday was the single most awesome and special moment of worship I've ever shared corporately. I was moved to tears and still tear up when I remember it. Thanks Media team, thanks THF family, and thanks be to our great God who gives us human pilgrims the ability to share in the journey. It was truly special to get to taste a tiny bit of what heaven may be.

Here is the link if you want to view it or share it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3RQEL4U_3E

Pastor Mike

Dealing With It...

It seemed innocent enough. It was a simple observation that led to an even simpler (I thought) solution. My wife said, "I don't like the wall paper in the Dining Room." I said, "Hey, babe! No problem there. Watch me take it off the wall, snapping fingers, just like that."

A few turns of the wall paper remover, a few squirts of water, and little tug here and there and it was done!!!

I hear Vizzini from "The Princess Bride" here: "You'd like to think that wouldn't you!"

Then came the cabinets, the counter tops, the new lighting, the rewiring, the heating and air. Floors, finishes, paint...lots and lots of that. New appliances because the old ones just wouldn't do. And the drywall...always the drywall. It's in the house, in my nose, my eyes, every crevice and orifice. It's even in my dreams. Dear God! Someone make it stop!! :-)

To quote good old Vizzini again: "INCONCEIVABLE!!"

Two years later, we're still at it. We've poured through time and energy and lots of money. Sort of like Columbus, we think we can see the shore, but after this long at sea, we're not certain. Two nights ago, my wife uttered these words, "This project just never seems to end!" We can only hope, sweetheart.

That's the way it is in life, isn't it? A seemingly benign turn...a simple decision...an "easy" call. No problem. No worries, right? Then WHAM, you find yourself on a road you didn't plan on. It's always something, isn't it. Maybe it's health, or perhaps its financial. Maybe even your financial health! Or it's your relationships, your job, your kids. Or, maybe you struggle with anxiety, self-doubt, guilt, shame. The burden can be relentless.

Wait a minute, some say. I thought Christians weren't supposed to be anxious! I thought life after Christ was supposed to be a breeze! I mean, the standard answer a Christian is supposed to give when asked, "How's it going?" is "FINE!"

When life isn't fine, how do you deal with it?

Guess what? God's got our backs on this! Really, He does. Listen to Jesus' words in Matthew 11 - "Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly." (28-30 msg)

Give Jesus some props here. He knows about that which He speaks. He's been there.

Come experience the truth of Jesus' yourself as THF looks into its brand new series, "Dealing With It!" You'll be really glad you did.

Called It

One of my "great commuppences" in life happened during my sophomore year in basketball. I had a friend named Larry - a year or two older than I - who was the starting guard on our varsity squad. I started on the sophomore team. Playing the position of guard in the same program meant that we were constantly scrimmaging against one another. By nature and age, I assumed the role of the "younger brother." Those of you who know me will find it no surprise that I was "chatty" and "scrappy" on the court. Yep. I talked a lot of smack.

One day Larry had enough of my talk and challenged me to a game of "one on one" after practice. (See also -"wanted to put the punk in his place.") I was under no illusions who was going to win - Larry was really that good - but I felt like a good showing against my varsity counterpart would satisfy my belief that I deserved a shot at varsity. The short of it is that I lost badly. The point though is that Larry "called" every shot. He literally told me before it happened what was going to happen. He let me know, in no uncertain terms, who the better player - and the player more deserving of that coveted varsity spot - was.

Perhaps no act in sport illustrates dominance over the opposition more than "calling your shot." Think Babe Ruth pointing his bat at the centerfield bleachers and calling his shot against the Cubs in the '32 World Series. Remember that old television ad of Larry Bird and Magic Johnson "calling" their shots in an epic game of HORSE. When you can call it, you demonstrate a complete mastery of your game and your opponent.

Rewind a couple of millennia. On resurrection day the angel told the women who had come to Jesus' now empty tomb - "He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying." (Matt 28:6 nas) It is THE greatest "called it" moment in history. You've got a "chatty" and "scrappy" Satan who has thrown his very best stuff against the Son of God. Satan is self satisfied. He is smug. I mean, you can't argue with death. That's pretty final...

Until the third day - then, Jesus rose from the dead. But then the angel gives us the clue: Jesus called it. Said it before the fact. The Old Testament and the gospels both speak of Jesus' insistence that He would be mistreated at the hands of the Jews, that He would be crucified and die - but that He would raise on the third day. It screams of complete mastery over the universe, over life, over death, and over the power of the enemy. What's that we always hear in sports: It ain't bragging if you can back it up. Well, Jesus didn't just back it up... He called it in advance, well in advance.

This Spring season at The Heights, we are going to focus on that mastery...that Jesus called it. We've launched with a series we have entitled The Road to the Cross. And we will go far beyond the road to the cross. The point of our time together will be that anyone who can show the complete mastery of these things deserves to be followed and worshiped. And not only is Jesus worthy of our attention and devotion, He is able to assist us in the lives that we now lead. He is able to bring us through this experience victorious. And He is able to insure an eternity in heaven. It will be "just as He said."

Join us in that journey. You won't be disappointed.