Thursday, March 26, 2015
Herttenbergers, Bar Church, and Hunter Hanner = why I love my church
On the surface, they would not seem to be related, but I want to tell you about how these three people made me happy and proud of my church last Sunday.
We recognized the Herrtenbergers, my in-laws, for being married 70 years. But that is not why I love Southern Hills. Nor is it because we had a huge turnout for their anniversary party at SH on Saturday. I love this because I was reminded how much our church loves marriage. This was more than recognition. It was encouragement, motivation, and example. It was a message to our young couples to hang in there. It was a testimony to loving God and your mate. It was a living witness to not give up. We live out grace, forgiveness and love. Makes me happy to be part of a church like that.
And we celebrated two years of Bar Church. A lot of people seem to think we were trying to make a statement by planting a church in a bar. Nope, It is not about the image. It is about the people we reach. It is about Christians whose lives blew up. Jail time, families destroyed. And who found a place to come home. To be restored. To experience forgiveness. To do ministry. The original dream was to reach lost people who did not think Jesus and his people were for them. So Sunday I watched Clay Martin talk about relationships and remembered about how he baptized 8 or so people into Christ this summer in his swimming pool. What an evangelist. What a minister. And even better, we don't pay his salary. He is a baseball coach. Reaching people. Making disciples. That is what we do and that is who we are as a church.
Hunter Hanner was there Sunday. If you have kept up much with Southern Hills, you know the story. Life threatening illness. Major and courageous transfusion treatments. Months in the hospital. He was there Sunday. Long way to go, but God has acted to heal. So powerful to hear him talk about the love and support of Southern Hills. But it was about so much more than Hunter. He just represented our belief that our God hears and acts. Cole Watts was there Sunday also. Shot in a hunting accidents. Intensive care for weeks. Multiple surgeries. And he was there Sunday. Healing. Praising God when things are great. Remembering we also praised him when things did not look so good.
So I guess Sunday was really about two things I love. Making more followers of Jesus and living life together.
The Herttenbergers, Bar Church, and Hunter Hanner.
And everyone of these gave the glory to God. Where it belongs.
I love my church.
We recognized the Herrtenbergers, my in-laws, for being married 70 years. But that is not why I love Southern Hills. Nor is it because we had a huge turnout for their anniversary party at SH on Saturday. I love this because I was reminded how much our church loves marriage. This was more than recognition. It was encouragement, motivation, and example. It was a message to our young couples to hang in there. It was a testimony to loving God and your mate. It was a living witness to not give up. We live out grace, forgiveness and love. Makes me happy to be part of a church like that.
And we celebrated two years of Bar Church. A lot of people seem to think we were trying to make a statement by planting a church in a bar. Nope, It is not about the image. It is about the people we reach. It is about Christians whose lives blew up. Jail time, families destroyed. And who found a place to come home. To be restored. To experience forgiveness. To do ministry. The original dream was to reach lost people who did not think Jesus and his people were for them. So Sunday I watched Clay Martin talk about relationships and remembered about how he baptized 8 or so people into Christ this summer in his swimming pool. What an evangelist. What a minister. And even better, we don't pay his salary. He is a baseball coach. Reaching people. Making disciples. That is what we do and that is who we are as a church.
Hunter Hanner was there Sunday. If you have kept up much with Southern Hills, you know the story. Life threatening illness. Major and courageous transfusion treatments. Months in the hospital. He was there Sunday. Long way to go, but God has acted to heal. So powerful to hear him talk about the love and support of Southern Hills. But it was about so much more than Hunter. He just represented our belief that our God hears and acts. Cole Watts was there Sunday also. Shot in a hunting accidents. Intensive care for weeks. Multiple surgeries. And he was there Sunday. Healing. Praising God when things are great. Remembering we also praised him when things did not look so good.
So I guess Sunday was really about two things I love. Making more followers of Jesus and living life together.
The Herttenbergers, Bar Church, and Hunter Hanner.
And everyone of these gave the glory to God. Where it belongs.
I love my church.
