Construction Update

This week in construction we will see the last of the framing completed.  Electrical and plumbing work will also continue and I think we may possibly see some sheet rock start to go up.  The HVAC installers should also make significant progress, as well as, the sprinkler company...

Excitedly Ecstatic!

I am as excited--make that ecstatic--about ministry as I have ever been.  The church has caught a wave of momentum that is unlike anything I have ever experienced as a pastor.

Today, we had our monthly New Attendees' Brunch and we ran out of seats!  As quickly as possible, we added three more tables and then we almost ran out again!  It was an unforgettable moment for me as I got to see first-hand, people displaying interest in the ministries HPC has to offer.

All three services were also packed today and I don't know where this thing is going to end up, but I sure am glad that I've got a ringside seat for it.

Greater things are truly yet to come, as by grace, we make Jesus famous throughout all of Lake Cumberland!

Can't Sleep...

I can't sleep tonight as I am absolutely ecstatic about tomorrow...

Several things will be happening:

1) Our stage will be studded up inside the new sanctuary. Yay!

2) Several of the necessary furniture items will be ordered to help furnish the new facility. (We've got some really cool things planned.)

3) I get to visit the fastest growing church in KY tomorrow night with some HPC friends.

4) An early UK game allows be to watch the Cats take it to UT in the middle of all the other great happenings tomorrow. ;)

Joy comes in the morning and I'm setting my clock for an early wake-up call!

Wow!

Awesome night last night! Packed house during a mid-week service is an amazing thing and I don't take it lightly. God is up to something. His presence is being experienced in a very real way during our gatherings. And get this..... Greater things are still yet to come!!!

Building Update

Construction is in full-swing as we race towards April and Easter Sunday.

The entire building is almost studded up and will most likely be completed by the end of the week.

Next up is sheet-rock and the drywall process.

Check out the HPC fan page on Facebook to see pics!

Compromise in Disguise?

The American Church, while feasting--without discretion--on all culture has to offer, has become a glutton at the table of relevance. The result is a generation of believers who live in shady places rather than being an easily distinguishable light unto the world.

Believing the lie of politically-oriented correctness, we are led to believe that we must PARTAKE in order to RELATE. However, Jesus lived a life without sin and yet seems most comfortable in Scripture when seated among sinners.

We find ourselves attempting to be relevant, motivated by the desire to relate to the world we are trying to reach. Now, the Holy Spirit pulls back the covers of our slumber to reveal that we are in bed with two mistresses: Relevance & Excellence. Both can be pure, but have in most cases become corrupt.

We have elevated our desire for the applause of man above our passion for the approval of heaven. Now priorities are out of kelter. We have become irreverent to our God and relevant to our culture.

Prophets have become parrots quoting the Scripture-twisting pirates of our society rather than decreeing the Truth. False freedom reigns as we raise up relevant churches absent the power of the Holy Spirit.

Bad religion holds to a form of godliness that leans toward Bible study and church attendance, amid formatted worship services, while ignoring the need for an actual relationship with the presence of God. This results in aborting the power of the God among us, according to the Apostle Paul. With a sincere desire to avoid an approach like unto the Pharisees, contemporary ministries have arrived with the intent to be breathtakingly moving, with unparralelled excellence. (In many instances offering for free on Sunday theatrical presentations that would cost $50 at a dinner theater on Saturday night.) However, is it possible that with good intentions we have accidentally produced a religion of relevance that is just as powerless as the Pharisees form of godliness?

Focused primarily on change and being different, have we ultimately become just a new-fangled version of that thing which we hate?

While different in method from traditional religious practices have we developed our own form of godliness?

Focusing primarily on good works and the tickling of man's ears have we forgotten the basic tenant of worship--holiness? (I.E. The Pslamist's commission to worship God in the beauty of holiness.)

In all of our fleshly attempts at relevance have we failed to heed James command, "abstain from even the appearance of evil..."?

I grieve with a repentant heart that we have simply ordained the unholy as acceptably relevant to our cultural times, in hope that no one will realize that we ourselves can not abide by the standard Christ has left for us to follow. Thus, disguising compromise as relevance we have lost clean hands, pure hearts, and renewed minds.

May God have mercy as thousands potentially experience false conversions, via enticing words and man's wisdom, into a religion of good works and culturally relevant concepts. Sadly, without sincere, reverent dedication of their lives to the will of the Lord of all, Jesus Christ.

Building Update

Much is happening on the hillside and the building is coming along nicely.  If you would like to see pics of the progress sign onto facebook and enter, Higher Praise Church, into the search box. You should find our fan page.  Once on the page click to be a fan in the upper left-hand corner and explore the pics of the new building!  (Or scroll down the left-hand side of this blog and simply click on the Higher Praise Church badge for direct access.)

This week we have poured over 20,000 square feet of concrete and the studding up of walls has begun.  The HVAC pads have been poured and the electrical boxes are beginning to be installed.  It's happening!

Don't forget that today our existing main sanctuary is open all day for those who would like to join us in prayer.  We will close out the day with a corporate prayer time at 5pm.

Where does your Light Shine?

Just heard a quote that I think is incredibly powerful on the subject of light and darkness, "What good is the light if all we do is shine it in each other's eyes?"

Selah.

Light vs. Dark

A Scriptural thought that will not escape my mind, "What fellowship hath light with darkness?"  This question was asked of the Church at Corinth by Paul in his second letter to them. I have had multiple conversations about the subject myself lately (a random thought about the Scripture which I posted on Facebook actually took a life of its own) and below I am including an email correspondence I had with someone recently on the same topic...
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The enemy comes as an angel of light. He opens us up to things when they seem somewhat trivial, even good, and then he moves that which we have become attached to, toward a progressively dark place. Because it seemed OK to begin with, we many times ignore the conviction to remove ourselves when it is time to get out.

There is good and evil in the world; and both stand apart from Godly. Evil was on the tree in Eden, but so was good. You can eat of either and still be separated from God. Its not to say that you can't learn valuable life lessons without the specifics of the Gospel. It is to say that anytime we do not try to move people from compromised areas into pure Godly lifestyles we risk allowing the light in us to take up fellowship with darkness.

I understand the concept of using some elements of culture that have positive undertones--but are predominately dark--as a conversation piece to open a conversation about purity, but we must be careful to not leave out the need to help transition people away from anything that is not Christ-like.

Good magic, black magic, and demonic creatures of the dark fill some of culture's most popular genres today... What a man sows to so shall he reap. Very intriguing that Christians have time to read entire fictional series that are filled with worldly concepts but yet most have never read the Bible through. Priorities are out of kelter.

Relevance can be devastating to the salt of the word, when it becomes the foundation of what we are attempting to communicate rather than just a vehicle to reach our desired point. This much Scripture has made clear for us, "light hath no fellowship with darkness."

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Thanks for reading.  I welcome your comments. :)

Greater Things Are Yet to Come

I quote it often.  I think about it even more often.  Contemplate with me, Jesus' 2,000 year old declaration, "Greater works shall you do, than even I." 

Jesus opened blind eyes, unstopped deaf ears, he even raised dead people back to life. He has left an impressive resume to top.  Yet, the God who can not lie has laid the path of destiny before us:  Greater things are yet to come!

I feel as though this week I have seen great things. Attendance records have been broken, healings have occured, relationships have been reconciled, souls have been saved, financial breakthroughs have occured and yet Jesus leaves us to believe that we have only begun to touch the tip of the iceberg.  Our exceedingly great God fully intends to continue to reveal himself to us in exceedingly great ways!

Greater things are yet to come!

Redeem The Time

The new blog, with an exciting list of guest bloggers is now up and running.  Check it out daily as new posts are added every morning. 

The blog is written in devotional format as we walk through the Book of Acts, chapter-by-chapter. We are also seeking to encourage the fellowship of believers at Higher Praise Church as we move through 40 days of focus and purpose with fasting and prayer.

You may access it directly via:  http://www.redeemthetime.org/

A New Blog Arrives Tomorrow!

The building project has moved into high gear and I find myself being stretched a bit thin as of late, but I want to keep encouraging you as we move forward through the last-half of our corporate 40-day Fast. So.... I have invited some friends to be guest bloggers over the next few weeks.

Debuting tomorrow will be Jason Hood! Don't miss it as he shares a devotion from Acts 4.

You will be able to currently access this new blog which will be specifically focused on our corporate 40-day Fast via this link:

www.hpc40dayfast.blogspot.com

However, later this week you will be able to conveniently reach the site using www.redeemthetime.org

Thanks for joining on this journey into the greater things of God!