HELP WANTED

Posted on April 3, 2021 by highlandlakeschurchofchrist
Photo by Anna Tarazevich from Pexels

The kingdom of Christ has the following positions available for immediate employment:

Ambassadors (2 Cor. 5:20) – Must be willing to represent Christ honestly, honorably, and faithfully.

Bakers (Matt. 13:33) – Must be able to add leavening properly.

Farmers (Matt. 13:3) – Must be willing to rise early and sow the seed in all kinds of weather.

Fishermen (Matt. 4:19) – Must be very patient and skilled.

Guards (1 Tim. 6:20) – Must be able to stay alert at all times.

Harvest Workers (Matt. 9:38) – Must be able to work hard when the harvest is ready without complaining.

House Builders (Matt. 7:25) – Must be skilled and knowledgeable of proper foundation work.

Investment Bankers (Matt. 25:14-23) – Must be willing to take risks for maximum return.

Merchants (Matt. 13:45-46) – Must be honest and well-respected.

Messengers (2 Cor. 8:2-3) – Must be consistent through wind, snow, sleet, or hail.

Priests (1 Pet. 2:9) – Must be the epitome of faithfulness and service.

Soldiers (2 Tim. 2:3) – Must be willing to fight to the bitter end.

Stewards (Titus 1:7) – Must be loyal and zealous in service.

Students (disciples) (John 8:31) – Must be dedicated to much study.

Teachers (Rom. 12:6-7) – Must be patient and concerned toward others.

Treasure Hunters (Matt. 13:44) – Must be willing to look long and hard for that perfect treasure.

Watchmen (1 Thess. 5:6) – Must be able to stay awake through the night if necessary.

Wrestlers – (Eph. 6:12) – Must be tough and unyielding.

No experience is necessary. Pay and benefits are out of this world. Inquire within the New Testament for full details.

P.S. If you feel that you do not qualify for any of these positions, general labor positions are also available (1 Cor. 3:9).

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WEEKLY NEWS, APRIL 4, 2021

Posted on April 3, 2021 by highlandlakeschurchofchrist

WEDNESDAY PM BIBLE CLASS

April 7 . . . .The Value of Affliction . . . . Ken Darnell

April 14. . . . Job Appeals to God . . . . . Ken Darnell

WITH SYMPATHY

Howard Johnson, Judy Womack’s Dad, passed away on Sunday, March 28th in Pearland, Texas. He was 90 years old. Funeral services were held on Friday, April 2nd, at the Westside Church of Christ. Interment followed at the Confederate Cemetery at Alvin, Texas.

Our heartfelt prayers, love and condolences go out to Judy, Barry and everyone in the family. God bless all with His comfort in their time of sorrow.

BEAUTIFUL FOOTPRINTS

“And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”” Romans 10:15

Photo by Adrianna Calvo on Pexels.com

We are excited to hear what has been going on in SE Asia from our missionaries there. The report is divided into three parts. Keep the named prayers and work there in your prayers. For the elders, Ken D

Part 2 of a report from the Welches in Cambodia.

GREETINGS

Blessings from Cambodia. We pray you are well and experiencing much peace and joy in your day-to-day activities. We continue to be extremely grateful for your prayers, love and ongoing support. We serve an amazing God who is always taking care of our needs and blesses us richly.

POSITIVE INTELLIGENCE TRAINING

Recently we completed a free-to-coaches program concerning Positive Intelligence. It was interesting to learn about defense mechanisms from our early childhood that attempt to sabotage our quest for abundant life. Because we are children of God we spiritualized this experience, allowing the Holy Spirit to reign in us. We came out of the program with more awareness, self-control, hope and joy. Please pray with us that through self-control, awareness of Satan’s fiery arrows, and living by the Spirit we can all grow up into the character of Jesus.

Photo by Dennis and Sharon Welch

MISSIONARY HOLIDAY LUNCH

As has been the tradition for many years, yet this year delayed by COVID-19, we gathered with the other missionaries for a holiday fellowship meal together. It was so wonderful to hear each of them share about their lives and ministries here in Cambodia. Interestingly, while several families have returned to the States over the years (and another has plans to return in 2021), we have not had any newcomers in over five years. We’re curious to discover whom the Lord is calling and preparing to come next. Please pray about this.

Photo by Dennis and Sharon Welch

COACHING

What’s up with coaching? The short of it is that we both continue to coach others. Dennis is very active in helping others learn to coach and is also active in several online communities of practice. The Academy of Solution Focused Training has sponsored us to join an upcoming workshop entitled, “Explore Your Interactions: Applying Microanalysis in Your Conversations.” We’re confident it will be helpful in all of our interactions with others. We ask you to pray that we can always be love, salt and light to all of our relationship world-wide.

PRAYERS

Once again thank you for being an important part of our story, our ministry and our journey. We praise God for you. We ask you to continue to pray for Cambodia from every facet of God’s work among these people.

Grace, Peace, Love & Blessings,

Dennis and Sharon

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BLESSINGS FROM ABOVE

Posted on March 27, 2021 by highlandlakeschurchofchrist
Photo by Ithalu Dominguez on Pexels.com

Although I do believe the theory of “Trickle Down Economics” in finances is legitimate, I could hardly attach that mentality to God’s blessings. They do come ‘down” from above (Ephesians 1:3; James 1:17), but we certainly couldn’t call the amount of blessings He sends a “trickle.”

Many of us take for granted the things God gives us. If you listen to some folks, God is portrayed as a being who hands out treats in a random fashion to some while ignoring others. It couldn’t be further from the truth!

We as Christians must remember that some blessings are universal. The rain falls on the just and the unjust at times. The seasons come regardless of good living or evil. But, the Christian has been promised blessings and love from above.

“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:33). “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6) God ―adds “and rewards” those who put Him first. This means spiritually as well as physically. If you are a mature Christian, then you know this isn’t “Trickle Down,” but a raging torrent if we are honest.

Christians living in this country are blessed with a stable (?) government and the ability to worship as we please (as God desires). For the most part, we are prosperous and compared to the rest of the world, rich. We have access to clean water and more food than we should eat. We have the ability to see a doctor and go to a hospital with the newest equipment. Many would like to give credit to our government for these things, but that would be a lie. God has blessed this nation and the main reason for this, I believe, is there are more Christians in our population than anywhere else. I am not speaking of what the world calls “Christians,” but what the Bible calls Christians. Because we are blessed, the nation is blessed.

How rich could this country be if we all turned to God again? How prosperous and safe would we be? It could be that God’s blessings may be reduced to a trickle if there are no more generations of Christians on the way! Let us always remember where the ‘spigot” of blessings comes from. Let us never give credit to a government or a man for what comes from above, naturally. – Chris Moor, Clarendon church of Christ, Clarendon, TX

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WEEKLY NEWS, MARCH 28, 2021

Posted on March 27, 2021 by highlandlakeschurchofchrist

WITH SYMPATHY
Our love, prayers and condolences go out to David and Sheri Zoller. Their brother-in-law, Dale Hunter, passed away in Deleon, Texas, last Monday. We are praying for comfort and God’s blessings for the whole family in this time of mourning.

BIBLE CAMP NEWS
News from the Heart of Texas Bible Camp, Brady, TX
The Sunset Ridge Church of Christ in Brady, TX, is hopeful that the yearly camp sessions will be able to take place again this year.
This is the upcoming schedule:
Session One — Grades 4-7 — June 6-11 — directed by Virgil Webb
Session Two — Grades 8-12 — June 13-18 — directed by Robert Baugh and Dale Sheehe.
We hope and pray that it will be possible for those sessions to take place. After a year of challenging times, it would be a great blessing for the children and all the members of the staff. Pray for this good work.

WEDNESDAY PM BIBLE CLASS
March 31 . . . . . . . Bible Lands Video: The City of Dan
2nd quarter April-July . . . . . . . . . . The Poetical Books
April 7…………….1 Value of Affliction…….Ken Darnell
April 14 …………..2 Job Appeals to God…Ken Darnell
April 21 …………. 3 Righteous & Ungodly…Cary Miller
April 28 ………………….….Bible Lands Video Lesson

BEAUTIFUL FOOTPRINTS

“And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”” Romans 10:15

Photo by Adrianna Calvo on Pexels.com

We are excited to hear what has been going on in SE Asia from our missionaries there. Due to the length of the report it will be divided into three parts. Keep the work there in your prayers. For the elders, Ken D

Part 1 of a report from the Welches in Cambodia.

GREETINGS Blessings from Cambodia. We pray you are well and experiencing much peace and joy in your day-to-day activities. We continue to be extremely grateful for your prayers, love and ongoing support. We serve an amazing God who is always taking care of our needs and is blessing us richly.

BACK TO SCHOOL Our lives in the countryside are filled with lots of activities, fun, love and blessings. In recent newsletters we have shared how our girls’ brother, Vichei, his wife and three boys have joined us here at the farm. We are thrilled to be involved in the lives of this precious family. Furthermore, we’re grateful we get to interact in their lives and show them the love of Jesus. The two older boys, Bee and Virak, were able to register for school and are super excited to have the opportunity to learn. If you recall, many children here do not get to go school and receive an education. The both of them looked so handsome in their uniforms and were smiling from ear-to-ear. Thank you Lord Jesus for blessing these two with this life changing opportunity. We ask you to pray for the health, strength and openness to the gospel of this family.

Photos by Dennis and Sharon Welch

PRAYERS Once again thank you for being an important part of our story, our ministry and our journey. We praise God for you. We ask you to continue to pray for Cambodia from every facet of God’s work among these people.

Grace, Peace, Love & Blessings, Dennis and Sharon

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WHO IS YOUR TWIN?

Posted on March 21, 2021 by highlandlakeschurchofchrist
Photo by Edwin Ariel Valladares on Pexels.com

A young girl of 14 gave birth to twins in a small town in Ohio. Afterwards, she disappeared — never to heard from again. The twin babies were adopted by two families in separate towns in Ohio.

Jim Springer and Jim Lewis grew up not knowing each other although they had heard that each had a twin somewhere. At the age of 39, Jim Lewis sought to find his brother. Finally, the courts released their adoptive names and they finally got to meet.

Picture this. One day, a man you’ve never met knocks at your front door. You open the door, and on your front porch is a guy who looks exactly like you. This is what happened to the two Jim’s.

The brothers reported that it was like looking into a mirror. They discovered that they talked, looked, thought, and acted alike. It was even a little spooky. Both men had the same hobby of woodworking; and both had just finished building wood furniture for their homes. The first wife of each man had been named Linda. Both had divorced and remarried to women named Betty. And of course, both had been given the first name “James” by their adoptive parents.

Did you know that the name, “Christian,” means some who “clothes himself or herself to Christ?” To wear the name means that when you look in a mirror, you see Christ looking back at you.

Do you remember this old song?

To be like Jesus To be like Jesus All I ask – to be like Him, All through life’s journey From earth to glory All I ask – to be like Him.

This is the intent of such passages as:

“Whoever says he abides in Hm ought to walk in the same way in which He walked” (1 John 2:6).

“For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in Hs steps” (1 Peter 2:21).

“Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1).

Larry Fitzgerald Woodlawn church of Christ, Abilene, TX

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WEEKLY NEWS, MARCH 21, 2021

Posted on March 20, 2021 by highlandlakeschurchofchrist

THANK YOU NOTE
Dear Church Family,
Thank you for the prayers, cards, phone call and transportation to and from Austin Heart Hospital. We appreciate and you. We are blessed by our wonderful church family!
Love, Danny & Nancy Hankins

CAMP NEWS
The Heart of Texas Bible Camp, Brady, TX
The Sunset Ridge Church of Christ in Brady, TX, is hopeful that the yearly camp sessions will be able to take place again this year.
This is the upcoming schedule:
Session 1 — Grades 4-7 — June 6-11 — directed by Virgil Webb
Session 2 — Grades 8-12 — June 13-18 — directed by Robert Baugh & Dale Sheehe
We hope and pray that it will be possible for those sessions to take place. After a year of challenging times, it would be a great blessing for the children and all the members of the staff. Pray for this good work.

WEDNESDAY PM BIBLE CLASS
March 24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cary Miller
March 31 . . . . Bible Lands Video: The City of Dan

BEAUTIFUL FOOTPRINTS

“And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”” Romans 10:15

Photo by Adrianna Calvo on Pexels.com

This is the current newsletter from Kaylee Hankins, whom we help support. Please keep Kaylee and her prayer requests as well as her mission work in your prayers. For the elders, Ken D

Photo from Kaylee Hankins

Adventures in Missions, Kaylee Hankins, Lubbock Edition, FEBRUARY 2021

Hey y’all, I know it’s been a minute. I have been going through so much. So many things have been going on back home in my personal life. I decided to step back from AIM to be there for my family. We’ve been struggling as a whole, and my parents have had some downs as well. Since I’ve been home, I’ve been surrounded by peace and love not only from God, but by God’s family as well. I ask prayers for healing, growth, guidance, and peace in my family. If you have any questions, I will answer them to the best of my ability.

Photo by Kaylee Hankins

I’ve been seeking God’s guidance through all of this. He led me to fulfill ministries at the Well, which is known as the college ministry. After being here a couple weeks, I received a call from the director of AIM. He asked if I would like to finish my AIM time in Lubbock because what’s going on in my family isn’t in my control. Of course I took this opportunity with a grateful heart!

I do so many things throughout the week, and it’s all things I love to do! I feel God’s presence everywhere I go. I might’ve not trusted the process at first, but I know this is where God wants me. I absolutely love the activities I’m involved in and helped start!

On Mondays and Tuesdays I normally plan those days for personal growth and meditation, so I start the week with a good mindset! Wednesdays are the busiest for me. I go to Lubbock Impact each morning at 9 and prepare To-Go meals for families. We have a whole process with clothing and toiletries as well! Around 11AM, I go to Texas Tech and we have the college booth set up in the free speech area. We pass out flyers and occasionally goodies, and they sign up for the Well and we get them involved. Then I go to the Well at 5pm and make lattes for all the students and visitors starting at 6pm and then we have worship at 7!

On Thursday, I meet with my Coordinator, Chris Johnson from 9AM-11AM, then I study and prep for our small group at 6pm and discussion can last a very long time, but it’s so good!
Friday morning at 6, a small group of us are going through the book of Romans and it has been so good. And that afternoon, I go over Revelation to prepare for our study that night.

Saturday morning, I started up this women’s bible study. We are going through a novel called “Captivating” by John Eldredge and then we will start “Wild at Heart”. It’s pretty amazing!
Finally, on Sunday we have bible class and worship. Then at 2pm we have our outreach
meeting and following that at 6pm we have our evangelism bible class.

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DRIFTING

Posted on March 14, 2021 by highlandlakeschurchofchrist
Photo by Dan Hamill from Pexels

―” …And remember, brethren, we are drifting.”  With that ominous catchphrase, J.D. Tant closed the many articles he wrote in the early twentieth century for the Firm Foundation and for the Gospel Advocate. He also often used this warning to close sermons in gospel meetings.

Tant was applying to his day the warning of Hebrews 2:1, ―Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things that were heard, lest haply we drift away from them‖ (ASV).

A study of Church History highlights the continual cycle of apostasy and restoration. Religion is always on the move – either aligned with the revealed will of God or adrift in the currents of human opinion.

In his day, Tant saw many budding trends among churches of Christ that later would go to seed in the Progressive movement. As congregations focused more on social acceptance than on biblical fidelity, Tant saw the church leaving the secure mooring of God’s truth; he saw them drifting away from the distinctiveness of simple New Testament Christianity. Seeing this danger he sounded an alarm.

In our day, Phil Sanders has sounded the same warning in his book Adrift and in its companion volume, A Faith Built on Sand. These books will help church leaders and concerned Christians make sense of the kaleidoscopic transformations embroiling churches of Christ.

Sanders’ analysis is important because the world in which we live is quite different from the world of the early twentieth century. Our society has lost confidence in the truth and seeks to find meaning through life’s experiences.

This shift away from objective truth into subjective experience explains the rampant materialism and blatant sexuality overwhelming our culture. People are seeking for meaning in momentary pleasure rather than in eternal truth. This shift in Western culture has affected every religious group, as well.

In this setting, churches of Christ have faced questions concerning the boundaries of the acceptable work, worship, and fellowship of the church. We face doctrinal challenges concerning male spiritual leadership and the inspiration and authority of the Scriptures. Most tellingly, Progressives even question the Lord’s way of salvation revealed in Scripture.

Rather than fighting each battle on its own, the central question posed by Tant and Sanders settles them all. Are we going to remain faithful to the revealed word of God, or are we going to launch out on a course of our own choosing? Every conflict facing the Lord’s church begins at this point. We can either remain moored to the faith once for all delivered to the saints, or we will be adrift in a sea of uncertainty. ~~ Gregory Alan Tidwell, Bulletin Digest

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WEEKLY NEWS, MARCH 14, 2021

Posted on March 14, 2021 by highlandlakeschurchofchrist

SPRING FORWARD – Remember that March 14, 2021 is Daylight Savings Time and we lose one hour!

WEDNESDAY PM BIBLE CLASS
March 17 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cary Miller
March 24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cary Miller
March 31 . . . . . . . . . . . . VIDEO (Joe Winnett)

GUEST SPEAKER THIS MORNING!
This Sunday morning, March 14th, Tyler Meredith will be our guest speaker. He is a SIBI student, whom we help support at that School of Preaching in Lubbock. We welcome you Tyler! We are looking very much forward to the message Tyler will share with us!

WITH SYMPATHY
Our long-time member, Mildred Johnson, was in a nursing home in Round Rock, last Friday, when she peacefully passed from this life into God’s eternal peace. We will miss Mildred! Our love, prayers and condolences go out to son Craig and daughter-in-law, Jan, and to the extended family. No services are planned at this time.

Condolence messages may be sent to:
Craig and Jan Johnson in Kingsland, TX 78639
Memorial gifts may be sent to:
Cherokee Home for Children in Cherokee, TX
Addresses are available from the church office.

BEAUTIFUL FOOTPRINTS

“And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”” Romans 10:15

Photo by Adrianna Calvo on Pexels.com

We recently received part of the 2020 Impact Report from the Eastern European Missions which our congregation has helped support for many years. Keep this good work in your prayers as it carries God’s word to so many places. For the elders, Ken D

Graphic by EEM

♥ 2020 Impact Report is here!
♥ We want to thank you for your partnership in the mission and ministry of EEM in 2020. What an unforgettable year for all of us, and for so many different reasons. Most of us would probably say we wouldn’t want to relive 2020. But God took what Satan meant for evil, and he turned it to good, as he always does.
♥ Global Impact of 22 languages, 30 nations, 4,000 public schools and 4,500,000 students.
♥ Thanks to you, we were able to say yes to the record number of requests we received. 1,330,826 people were given God’s Word in their native language! And as we know from experience, they will share the Bibles they received with others.
♥ Because of favorable exchange rates and paper prices, and due to supply and demand, we were able to hold our expenses down while at the same time providing a record number of books. Thanks to faithful ministry partners like you, we also experienced a record year for donations. We now have projects underway that typically would not be pursued this time of year. Thank you!
♥ We always seek to be good stewards of the resources God supplies us, and this year was no exception. As you will see, 85 cents of every dollar goes out the door in our mission and ministry efforts.
♥ You are making this possible by your faithful partnership in praying for and giving to this work of God’s we call EEM. Thank you!
♥ May our God continue to make you ever aware of His countless blessings in your life

Photo by EEM
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WORDS OF TRUTH

Posted on March 5, 2021 by highlandlakeschurchofchrist
Photo by Eduardo Braga on Pexels.com

The people of God desire and strive to honor Him above all else. We wake each morning with the call to “love the Lord your GOD with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30). We understand the need to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:31).

It has never been popular but it has always been right to “fear the LORD your GOD to walk in all His ways, to love Him, to serve the LORD your GOD with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments and statutes of the LORD” (Deuteronomy 10:12,13).

The life that honors God walks within the boundaries of “doing justice, loving kindness and walking humbly with your GOD” (Micah 6:8).

In spite of government atrocities throughout the New and Old Testaments, the people of God knew who the True King really was. In times of tumultuous social upheavals, the basic truth has been — and will be — to “Fear GOD and keep His commandments.”

In the world of today, we humble ourselves in obedience to Jesus Christ, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. We obediently apply the words of 1 Timothy 2:1-4, “First of all that supplications, prayers, intercession, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, Godly and dignified in every way. This is good and it is pleasing in the sight of GOD Our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

May we always encourage one another to live the obedient, prayerful life that seeks to please The Savior and desires all people to be saved.

  • Eddy Pitchford, Coahoma church of Christ, Coahoma, OK

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WEEKLY NEWS, MARCH 7, 2021

Posted on March 5, 2021 by highlandlakeschurchofchrist

WEDNESDAY PM BIBLE CLASS

March 10. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Joe Winnett

March 17 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cary Miller

BEAUTIFUL FOOTPRINTS

“And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”” Romans 10:15

Photo by Adrianna Calvo on Pexels.com

There are frequently quoted passages where the apostle Paul shows fondness for words compounded with the prefix “syn‟ (meaning ‘with’). These compounds have two main functions: one, to emphasize Paul’s union with the crucified and risen Christ, and the other, to emphasize his fellowship with other Christians, especially those actively engaged in propagating the gospel. Our congregation is blessed to have fellowship with so many fellow workers.

This shares a note from our good brother Mike Udam in Nigeria, thanking us of our partnership in the gospel. Keep all of our fellow workers in your prayers. For the elders, Ken D

WE ARE GRATEFUL


Today, my wife and I spent some quality time together and reviewed the giant progress we have made in the vineyard even though as unprofitable servants and we have no option left than to thank you all for allowing yourselves to be used by God to support our work out here. To God be the glory.

Photo by Mike Udam

For 7 years and 8 months now, your support has expanded the impact of the gospel in Northern Cross River state of Nigeria and beyond.

From 27 souls in 2013 July, my congregation has grown numerically to over 250 as of today and the number lost not up to 10 due to sin.

We have impacted the village and indeed the results coming from there is making us not mind the very bad road and all the harsh condition of working there.

We are indeed grateful to you for having faith in us and supporting our work.

Our current needs are a strong vehicle to move around the villages and good health to do the work.

We don’t lack food and shelter. We equally don’t lack the resources to care for the school needs of our three children. Your support has blessed us beyond expectation and we are truly grateful.

Keep us in your prayers and for sure, we will work tirelessly in the vineyard of the Lord as long as the Lord lives Lord willing.

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