Is Glenn Beck A Christian?</h1> <article> <h1>Is Glenn Beck A Christian?</h1> <p>Pastor Bill — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 13:49:00 GMT</p> <p>I have been taught from the moment I became a Christian that Jehovah Witness' and Mormons were not Christians. It all stems back to scripture - particularly 2 John: <em>7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world <u>who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh</u>. <u>This is a deceiver and an antichrist</u>. 9 Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the <u>doctrine of Christ</u> <u>does not have God</u>. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. 10 If <u>anyone</u> comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do <u>not receive him into your house nor greet him; 11 for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds. </u></em>(emphasis added)<br /></p> <p>So, where does Glenn fit into all of this? The Mormons do not believe Jesus is God but "a god". They believe He is a son of God - a creation of God as is Lucifer (the Devil). and that Jesus was created along side of him. All I am saying is be careful. Every one in the USA has religous & political freedom. I just believe it is against scripture to equate him with Christianity or to look at him as a leader of a Christian movement. </p> <p>Something to think about. </p> <p>Read the following...</p> <p><a href="http://www.onenewsnow.com/Perspectives/Default.aspx?id=1141100">http://www.onenewsnow.com/Perspectives/Default.aspx?id=1141100</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.glennbeckmormon.com/">http://www.glennbeckmormon.com/</a></p> <p>Have a great week.</p> <p>PB </p> </article> <article> <h1>Bill and Tabitha are back from Haiti - Check out the pictures, video and recaps!</h1> <p>Doug Donovan — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 22:23:00 GMT</p> <p><font size="7">Haiti Trip recaps:</font> <br /></p><p><font size="6"><a href="http://hillviewchurch.com/community/photos/haiti_2010/default.aspx" target="_blank">Click here</a> to view the Pictures </font></p><p><font size="6"><a href="http://hillviewchurch.com/community/impulse/Haiti_0001_low_res.wmv">Click here</a> to watch the Recap Video</font></p><p><font size="6"><a href="http://www.hillviewchurch.com/community/sermons/wma/2010-03-07_2_HaitiTrip.wma">Click here</a> to listen to streaming audio of Bill and Tabitha's report on the trip during Sunday's Worship Service</font><br /></p> </article> <article> <h1>Evangelism 101 - c</h1> <p>Pastor Bill — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 13:39:00 GMT</p> <p><a href="http://hillviewchurch.com/community/blogs/bill_hayes/evangelism.jpg"></a><a href="http://hillviewchurch.com/community/blogs/bill_hayes/evangelism.jpg"></a>We experienced another person accepting Christ for the first time at Hillview this past Sunday. PTL!!!!!!! God is good and has blessed us. We need to continue to invite people who do not know Christ to church so they can hear the word of God. With that said, I want to comment about people coming forward in a worship service.</p> <p>The Bible says, <em>"How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?" (Romans 10:14)</em> Now, I could get the big head and take a lot of the credit for the ones who come to the altar. But is it really my ministry that draws them? Here's what I think. The vast majority of those who come forward and accept Christ can trace the credit back to the person who was a friend to them and invited them or encouraged them to come. I just get to put the toppings on the desert. It's not me. It's YOU! You make the impact. You live the life. You are the open Bible people see and read. That, along with the moving of God's Holy Spirit (which is essential) is what does the trick. Then, they hear the word and accept Christ.</p> <p><em>Matthew 5:16 "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."</em></p> <p>Let's keep the wave going. Invite someone to church this weekend that you've never invited before and watch God do His thing! </p> <p>PB</p> </article> <article> <h1>Evangelism 101 - b</h1> <p>Pastor Bill — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 16:00:00 GMT</p> <p>What is a friend? Proverbs 17:17 "A friend loves at all times..." Friends are there no matter what. They support you, care for you, help when needed and pray for you. They are honest. They tell you things that may be difficult to bear because they love you. Specifically, a friend wants what's best for you.</p> <p>Mark 2:1-5 says, "And again He entered Capernaum after some days, and it was heard that He was in the house. Immediately many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door. And He preached the word to them. Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men. And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven you." Jesus not only healed the man physically but he forgave his sin.</p> <p>If you knew the Master could heal one of your friends of an incurable disease, wouldn't you take him to Him? This weekend, you have the opportunity to see your friend healed - healed spiritually! Wouldn't it be AWESOME to see your friend walk down the isle of the church and come forward to accept Christ into their heart for the forgiveness of sin and see Him heal their life?</p> <p>Be praying and thinking now who you could invite this weekend to hear the greatest story ever told. Make a difference in your friends life. Show them you care!</p> <p>Praying for you all! </p> <p>PB<br /><br /></p> </article> <article> <h1>Financial Peace University Canceled Tonight!</h1> <p>Doug Donovan — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 15:12:00 GMT</p> <p>Due to the snow, we are canceling the FPU class tonight (2/9). The course will continue next Tuesday evening.</p><p>Nick & Doug <br /></p> </article> <article> <h1>Evangelism 101-a</h1> <p>Pastor Bill — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 14:28:00 GMT</p> <p>In my daily Bible readings this past week, I read the last chapter in the book of Matthew where it says, "Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matthew 28:18-20) Pretty self-explanatory.</p> <p>We have a mandate to go. We have a motive to go. Do we have a mind to go? The word "go" is a verb - an action word. It assumes there is going to be action on the part of the one using the word. Jesus expects action on our part. </p> <p> Now, let's understand something. I'm not talking about carrying a Bible under your arm everywhere you go. But I am talking about carrying God's word around with you at all times "in your head." Having a moderate understanding of salvation as explained by Jesus is important. That way whenever anyone approaches you or you are able to speak with someone, you won't fumble around on the important stuff.</p> <p>HOMEWORK - go read and memorize one verse of scripture: JOHN 3:16. We'll start there. If you memorize that verse and break it down, you have all you need along with your personal testimony of how you accepted Christ.</p> <p>See you tonight in our Elder led prayer meeting.</p> <p> PB</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><br /> </p> </article> <article> <h1>"I'll Pray For You"</h1> <p>Pastor Bill — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 15:38:00 GMT</p> <p>Doug Donovan spoke at our Men's Breakfast this morning and did a fantastic job. He talked a lot about prayer and it brought something to mind that I have to share. So often when someone brings a situation or problem to us, we say "I'll pray for you." I worry this is often used as a casual response and there is a danger of it becoming nothing more than a <span class="fn">cliché</span>. How serious are you when you say those words?</p> <p>They are powerful words. Prayer is a powerful thing. We move Heaven and God moves earth and its events when we pray. I made a commitment a long time ago not to lie. When I tell someone I'm going to pray, as soon as I possibly can I stop what I'm doing and pray as I promised. We receive prayer requests from a lot of different avenues: personal requests, FaceBook, Twitter, the Hillview Prayer Blog and many others. We need to be more serious about prayer.</p> <p>We had our first elder led prayer meeting this past Wednesday night and there were only a handful in attendance. It is so sad that God's people don't recognize where God's power is displayed so tremendously in our life. Prayers are more powerful than atomic bombs or hurricanes. Prayers have moved armies, healed the sick, helped on a school test, changed the course and direction of our lives and brought us to where we are. It's time we get serious about prayer.</p> <p>We are postponing the series on I-Family until later. God has a message for all of us to hear. Be here at Hillview tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. for Sunday School and 11 a.m. for church to hear what God has to say. Begin praying now that God will use this time to change all of our lives!</p> <p>Love you all.</p> <p>PB</p> </article> <article> <h1>2010 Church Budget Proposal</h1> <p>Pastor Bill — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 14:56:00 GMT</p> <p>We will be voting on this budget draft on Sunday morning December 6, 2009. Proceed to the Members Area to see the budget proposed by the budget committee.</p> </article> <article> <h1>Church Financials Update October 2009</h1> <p>Pastor Bill — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:33:00 GMT</p> <p>The church finances are now up and can be viewed in the members area. If you are a member and cannot access them, please e-mail <a href="mailto:411@HillviewChurch.com">411@HillviewChurch.com</a>.</p> <p>Hillview Web Development Team</p> </article> <article> <h1>Hillview Has Had A Great Week!</h1> <p>Pastor Bill — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 22:12:00 GMT</p> <p>Trunk or Treat and the Chili Cook-Off were a huge success. Over 100 people attended Wednesday night and it was the first time for many of them. The kids and even the adults were all dressed up. There was a lot of excitement in the air. The tension ran high as our three highly qualified judges tasted each entry. The winner for the Chili Cook-Off was Carol Meeker and boy was her chili good! <strong>There are over 60 pictures in the PHOTO section of the web-site so go and check them out.</strong></p> <p>Today, we had work day at the church. We had about 20 of the Hillview faithful and a lot was accomplished. It won't be long until the new "state of the art" Audio/Visual room will be on-line.</p> <p>I want to say a special thanks to EVERYONE who made this week so AWESOME by participating in the church-wide activities. It's people like you who show your love for God and a heart for Him and His church.</p> <p>I also want to thank Kyle & Jessica Topy and Dwayne & Angela Young for their effort in the success of the Trunk or Treat. Special thanks to trustee Jerry Young and the crew for their hard work today for Work Day.</p> <p>All of you are loved so much! Blessings.</p> <p>PB</p> </article> <article> <h1>Hang On To Your Gun</h1> <p>Pastor Bill — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 17:16:00 GMT</p> <p>I was watching the movie "All Through The Night" with Jackie Gleason as Starchy and Humphrey Bogart playing Gloves Donahue. Gloves was <span class="synopsis_text">tracking down a Nazi spy ring.</span> An old movie but worth the watch. There was one scene where Gloves was being chased by the bad guys. He shoots at one of the villains several times and then runs out of bullets in his six-shooter. He looks frustrated at the gun and pitches it into the woods. That caught my attention. I've seen a lot of movies where people throw guns away when there empty. Why? Guns are expensive. They should hang on to them just in case they run by a place where they can buy bullets. Seems like a waste to me.</p> <p>As parents, sometimes I think we throw the gun away too soon. Someone in the family has their heart set on doing something you know they shouldn't do or go where they shouldn't go. We give our defense, argue, and listen as they cry and beg and, sometimes, get very upset. So, against our good common sense, we give in and let them have their way. Is that wise? </p> <p>Proverbs 19:18 says, "Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying." (KJV) WOW! Solomon put it very plainly. He knew the mind and attitude of the common teenager even way back in his day. In reality, children are the same now as they always have been. My wife wisely advised me one time to "pick your fights." If it's worth standing firm, stand and don't let the tears distract you from what's right. If it's something that is not distracting or dangerous, sometimes it's best to give in. But when you know it is not in the best interest of the child or family, stand your ground. Hang on to your gun and don't throw it away - proverbially speaking.</p> <p>God Bless You! We're in this together.</p> <p>Bill<br /> </p> </article> <article> <h1>Half Empty? Half Full?</h1> <p>Pastor Bill — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 15:12:00 GMT</p> <p>We just concluded a series of services within our local conference called a "revival". Neil Gilliland from the International Missions office of our denomination spoke and did a phenomenal job. His messages were so practical and to the point. One of the things he referred to a few times during the revival was our attitude towards life. </p> <p>It seems that a lot of people, maybe the majority, always look at the glass being half empty rather than half full. Now I know that we all encounter instances that are sometimes severe - like the loss of a job or the death of a loved-one. Remember this: our understanding of how big God is and the power He has is seen in our response to those "severe" times. </p> <p>My dad was married to my mom for over 30 years. During the majority of her life with him, she had Multiple Sclerosis (MS). She was not even supposed to see me enjoy my 12<sup>th</sup> birthday but she did. Later on, she was diagnosed with *** cancer - a cancer that took her life at the young age of 54. During all of this time my dad was a pastor. He not only had the care of the church he was responsible for but the care of his wife - my mom.</p> <p>In all of that time, I never heard a word of regret come out of his mouth. He was happy with his beautiful wife and his job as a pastor and just trusted God that He would take care of these "severe" situations. </p> <p>Whenever a situation occurs, we have a choice. We can look at it with the "half empty" mentality or we can try to understand that God has His purpose - His will planned for every situation and event in our lives.</p> <p>Trust God. I know times get tough. I have been and will be there again. I have learned this past week from Neil that in all things, I need to be content and just trust the One who loves me and gave His life for me (Hebrews 13:5).</p> <p>Blessings!</p> <p>PB</p> </article> <article> <h1>A Grain Of Sand</h1> <p>Pastor Bill — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 12:41:00 GMT</p> <p>Once again tomorrow, I will be conducting a funeral.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes;"> </span>I don’t know how many I have done in my life but I’d say it’s approaching 100.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes;"> </span>This service will be a little closer to my heart because it is the great aunt of my wife, Cheri.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes;"> </span>There will be several family members there that I know God wants to speak to so I want to make sure I do it right and let God have total use of me.</p> <p></font>Every funeral reminds me of the brevity of life.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes;"> </span>I was thinking yesterday that if you would take the whole of our life from birth to demise and compare it to the hard to understand concept of eternity, it would be like contrasting a single, solitary grain of sand with <strong>ALL</strong> the sand in <strong>ALL</strong> the world.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes;"> </span>Life is so short yet we seem to focus so much on that little grain of sand we call our life.</p> <p></font>God doesn’t look at life that way. A couple scriptures give us insight into God’s perspective: <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal;">James </b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal;">4:14</b> “whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a <u>vapor</u> that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal;">2 Peter 3:8</b> “But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord <u>one</u> day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as <u>one</u> day.” <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal;">Psalm 116:15</b> “Precious in the sight of the LORD Is the <u>death</u> of His saints.”</p> <p></font>All these verses teach us that God looks at our lives with an eternal perspective.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes;"> </span>He is aware and involved in our extremely short life here on earth but is more concerned about our grain of sand within the realm of the kingdom – within the realm of eternity.</p> <p></font>After reading Psalm 116:15 above, I guess God gets all excited and looks forward to our death so we can be with Him and see all He has prepared for us.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes;"> </span>I wonder - should we change our perspective? Absolutely! Let’s be less concerned with the grain of sand and more concerned about the eternal impact we make for God while we have the opportunity - before our vapor disapears.</p> <p></font>Ecclesiastes 7:1 “A good name is better than precious ointment, <u>And the day of death than the day of one's birth.”</u> </p></font></i>Have a great day with the proper perspective!</font>Bill</font> <p> </p> </article> <article> <h1>P.I.G.</h1> <p>Pastor Bill — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 13:15:00 GMT</p> <p>For the past few Wednesday nights I have been challenged by a few of the young boys in our youth group to play a game that I played when I was young - P.I.G. That's the game where you shoot a basketball from somewhere on the court and, if you make it, the person following you has to make the same shot the same way. It's a little easier than its counterpart H.O.R.S.E. Needless to say I beat all four of the boys hands down two weeks ago. NO! I did not let those little boys win!!! I do have a little competitiveness in my blood (though not much). Then, this past Wednesday, I lost. A little 10 year old boy, Justin Coffey to be exact, destroyed me! I P.I.G.'ed out and he didn't even have a P. It didn't even take but about eight minutes until he had me crawling off the court with my tail between my legs.</p> <p>I've learned a lot from these boys. Danny, Ray, Austin, Justin - all of them - they love to win and they LOVE beating an adult at their own game. They are good at P.I.G. and they are good boys. I learned something else. Kids like to play games and they enjoy playing with adults. In fact, it makes them feel special. Funny how we see this at school and when they are involved in recreational sports like football, softball and soccer but we miss in at the church. We think church is just for the spiritual. Well, in a way, it is. Can P.I.G. be a spiritual thing? Even though I may get a little carnal out on the court, spending quality time with the boys and showing them that I love them is a very spiritual thing. </p> <p>I've worked with the children in church since I graduated high school. In fact, I spoke at a church on a Sunday night a couple weeks ago and the pastor of the church was in my Junior Boys Sunday School class and children's church over 20 years ago. I am so proud of him and the work he is doing for the kingdom. The trouble and struggles he gave me as well as all the time I spent with him were well worth it now that I see how God is using him. Amazing what level of impact we can have on those we minister to.</p> <p>I want to encourage every parent, grandparent and attender to get involved with the youth of the church in some way or another. It's one of the greatest and funnest ways to make an impact on a soul. They need us! They <strong>WANT</strong> us and our involvement in their lives. Today, say a special prayer for the young people of the church. School has begun and they need those passionate prayers as they traverse through the halls of our totally secular schools. Pray also for the teachers, youth pastors and workers who invest their time in their lives.</p> <p>Well, tonight will be another game of P.I.G. Watch out guys. I'm ready to beat your socks off!</p> <p>Have a great day!</p> <p>PB</p> </article> <article> <h1>Time To Get Fit Part 2</h1> <p>Pastor Bill — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 15:44:00 GMT</p> <p>I'm back. Wow. Wasn't as bad as I thought. Probably need to get a new bicycle seat though (ouch). The prayer time was great. Several people waved, said Hi and even spoke to me. That surprised me! It took me 30 minutes to go the 5 miles. Is that good? Bad? I peddled the whole time.</p> <p>1Timothy 4:8 says, <i>"For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come."</i> Paul doesn't say "exercise is of no profit" so it must have benefit. I guess if I want to hang around this world and get as much as I can done for Christ, I should probably exercise as often as I can. I think I'll start out with riding the 5 miles every other day and increase from there.</p> <p>Setting priorities is always a challenge. Many times, our activities and interests set our priorities for us. A man, woman, boy or girl that is proactive and sets their own priorities will have greater success than those who don't - who go with the flow. I think I'll move exercise up on my priority list - but not too high. God, family and many other important things need to stay at the top.</p> <p>Well, I'm off to grab the peanut M&M's I used as an illustration in last nights sermon. Should be able to finish off the remainder of the 42 ounce bag I bought for $9.98 in less than half an hour! </p> <p>Have a great day!</p> <p>PB</p> </article> <article> <h1>Time To Get Fit</h1> <p>Pastor Bill — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 13:45:00 GMT</p> <p>Well, I think the time has come!</p> <p>I have been hyper all my life. When I was a kid, they always said my brother, the docile one, would be the preacher of the family. They never said that about me. I couldn't stay in one place for more than a minute and I would dart to the next adventure. To this day, my mind travels faster and further than my body ever could.</p> <p>Enter 40 something! Still hyper and a little A.D.D. and O.C.D but the body is struggling to keep up. So, I've decided to day o commit to get fit (or at least try to). There are several of my friends on Facebook that are constantly bragging all the time: "I walked 4.5 miles today" or "Got my five mile run in this morning-feel great". I hate those people. But, I guess I should think seriously about my health and do something about it.</p> <p>So, I am going to ride my bike. Let's start with 5 miles. While I'm at it, I'm going to make it a prayer ride. I am going to pray using the PRAY acronym (P-Praise R-Repent A-Ask Y-Yield). OK. Her I go. I'll finish the blog when I get back. Hmmm... sure is hot out here. Pray for me that I don't get hit by a car or die of a heart attack!</p> </article> <article> <h1>In The Presence Of My Enemies</h1> <p>Pastor Bill — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 16:52:00 GMT</p> <p>Have you ever thought that you may one day be asked to be a martyr for the cause of Christ?</p> <p>I just finished the book <em>"In The Presence Of My Enemies"</em> by Gracia Burnham. Gracia and her husband Martin were missionaries for New Tribes Mission organization in the Philippines. It is the account of her and her husbands kidnapping at the hands of the Abu Sayyaf - an extremest Islamic terrorist group located in the Philippines with connections to Al Qaeda. For over a year, they endured hunger, hardship and even torture. They were among several others that were kidnapped while in the Dos Palmas resort in the southern Philippine islands. I encourage you to pick-up a copy and read it. It's one of those books you just can't put down.</p> <p>Reading this book brought tears to my eyes several times and reminded me of some of the statements Jesus made regarding the subjects of persecution and martyrdom. Matthew 5:10-12 says, "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you." It's mentioned in Matthew 24 and Luke 21 as well as many other passages. The majority of the apostles, including Paul, were martyred. Should we expect to confront this in our lifetime?</p> <p>Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (2006) says that an average of 171,000 Christians worldwide are martyred for their faith per year. <a href="http://www.persecution.com/" target="_blank">Voice Of The Martyrs</a> is constantly reporting on persecution and martyrdom around the world. Most American Christians have no idea of what many missionaries endure at the hands of those who literally hate the name of Christ. Distributing Bibles, having a church gathering, conducting a Bible study or just giving a cup of water in Jesus name can result in prison, torture or even death.</p> <p>Whenever I hear of another Christian going to his or her death because of Christ, I remember the story of Stephen and how Jesus stood up to welcome the first martyr and possibly first Christian to enter Heaven under the new covenant. As he gazed at Jesus standing by the Father awaiting his arrival, he fell asleep. I hope current day martyrs who have given their livelihood and their lives for the cause of Christ experience the same welcome.</p> <p>Is it coming? Will it happen here? In my opinion, it's getting closer every day and approaching more rapidly than ever before. Let's prepare ourselves, our children and our grandchildren for what lies ahead. Let's do all we can to make sure they stay true to Christ and the faith and don't become a statistic of 1 Timothy 4:1, "Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith..."</p> <p>God Bless You!</p> <p>PB</p> <p>P.S. Take a moment and subscribe to this blog. You will see the "SUBSCRIBE" field in the column on the left.</p> </article> <article> <h1>Maturing as a Christian</h1> <p>Pastor Bill — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 14:05:00 GMT</p> <p>I turned 47 last week. I can't believe it. It seems like just yesterday I was in my 20's with all kinds of goals for the future. Amazing how fast time flies. In my mind, I am still in my 20's. But in my body, I can tell I am in my 40's. </p> <p>We all grow older. That's a given. The object is to not just to grow older but to <u>grow up</u>. This process is called maturity. As in life, so in our Christianity. God requires growth in our relationship to Christ, His word and His will. God wants us to mature. 2 Peter 3:18a says, <i>"but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." </i>God's plan for your life is that every day, you mature - you grow.</p> <p>Growth, healthy growth, brings fruit. It may take a recently planted young apple tree a few years before it generates enough apples of the right quality to be used in a pie. Growth and maturity take time. But, if we don't grow and put processes in action to continue that growth, nothing will happen. We may look like a healthy tree but, in actuality, we are not.</p> <p>Jesus passed by a fig tree one time that looked good but had no fruit on it. He stopped and cursed the tree. When He and the disciples came by later on, remarkably, the tree had withered and died. God wants fruit from our lives and in order to do that, we must grow at a healthy rate. He demands growth so He can enjoy our fruit.</p> <p>The primary menu item in the diet of spiritual growth is <u>reading the word of God</u>. Sorry, but there is no way around this one. You may think you'll do fine without it but I promise you won't. God developed this diet plan. It's not a church or pastoral recommendation. It's a directive from God himself. Take time - make time today to spend just 15 minutes or more in God's word.</p> <p>One of the darkest times in Christianity was due to a lack of the word of God and the pastors were making it up as they went along. You are so blessed to have a copy of God's word at your fingertips. Why not take time to soak in some juicy spiritual nutrition today. You'll be surprised what instantaneous growth you'll see. </p> <p>PB</p> </article> <article> <h1>Passionate Christianity</h1> <p>Pastor Bill — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 15:35:00 GMT</p> <p>This Sunday I will begin a series called Passionate Christianity. It is born out of my experiences this past week while on my mission trip to Costa Rica. The people there are so passionate about everything - especially worship.<br /></p> <p>Passion should be in every area of every Christians life as we serve our Savior. Lukewarm, mediocre worship, service or ministry is totally unacceptable. What should build our passion? Why be passionate? What does Godly Christian passion look like? Feel like? Act like? Sound like?<br /></p> <p>Feel free to chime in and comment me on thoughts you have about passion. Let's do this together and see God work amazingly in our lives.<br /></p> <p>PB</p> <p> </p> <p>** While you're here, why not subscribe to this blog. Over in the column on your right, there is an option to subscribe. Thank You! </p> </article> <article> <h1>Costa Rica - We're Home!</h1> <p>Pastor Bill — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 14:52:00 GMT</p> <p> </p> <p>The last two days were bitter sweet. We went to service Sunday morning and John Beverly did a fine job preaching. Henry, our new friend in Costa Rica, interpreted for him and did very well. The service, like most, lasted almost 2 hours. There was a lot of singing and praying and we thoroughly enjoyed it. It was difficult saying goodbye to our new friends and tears were not a few. I think Tabitha was taking it the hardest - wanting to be home with family but wanting to stay with her new friends. We all felt the same way.</p> <p>We spent the rest of the day vacationing at the beach. John, Diego and Henry showed their athleticism at the volleyball court. Of course, John was at least 12 inches taller than everyone there and the net. Some played in the water and some sat in the shade and read a book. We all had a good time.</p> <p>We finished the day buy splitting up and going to our two favorite eateries. Some went to Piccolina Pizza. You would not believe how awesome their calzone's were. And the price - very reasonable. The rest went to La Tertulia, a hamburger joint. Pablo says they are the best hamburgers in the world. In Costa Rica, they actually put ham on their hamburgers. We watched the Steelers beat the Ravens while we ate.</p> <p>Sunday was a travel day and that's saying it mildly. We got up at 5:30 a.m. (except Jerry & Dwayne who went to the bakery at 5 a.m.) to load the bus. Edwin, our driver, and Mario, the owner, drove us the 4 hour trip up the Costa Rican mountains to San Jose to board the plane. All in all, the trip was good except for a large amount of turbulence coming into Huston. Needless to say, we were not looking forward to leaving 85-90 degree temperatures for 12! Especially Don who didn't have long pants and had to wear shorts. </p> <p>The mission trip was highly successful. We made new friends and have memories that will last a lifetime. We were able to feed people who had literally nothing and clothed many who had very little. We worked hard putting a roof on the church and enjoyed doing Bible school and playing games with the children. James 1:27 says it best: <em>"Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world."</em></p> <p>We will never forget the names Carlos, Henry, Anna, Luis, Pablo, Diego and many, many more. God has blessed us and we can't wait to see what more HE has planned for us and <strong>Impulse International </strong><strong>Mission</strong><strong> Trips!</strong> Thanks to all of you who helped make this trip a reality and a huge success.</p> <p>Check-out the pictures in the <a class="" href="http://hillviewchurch.com/community/photos/jan_09_impulse_costa_rica/default.aspx"><strong><u>"PHOTOS"</u></strong> </a>section of the web-site!'</p> </article> <article> <h1>Costa Rica - 011709</h1> <p>JenBrooks — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 04:11:00 GMT</p> <p>A day through the eyes of Jenn, this should be interesting... Today started out with the group going to breakfast at Los Chorros, a restaurant with the a scenic overlook of the mountains. It was one of the most gorgeous views. That is something that has been said alot this week. After breakfast we headed over to Pastor Pablo's church to pick up the food the ladies from the church had prepared for the Indian village; as well as some of the congergation that was going with us to help.</p> <p>Then we headed to the Indian village to serve lunch and distribute bags of food for 40 families. Once we got to the village we served lunch which was followed by a short message from the preacher that works with Indians. After his awesome message John Beverly, from Chapel Hill, gave a message out of John 3:16 to encourage the Indian tribe. As far as we know John is the first American to preach in the village. Following the service some people handed out the bags of food to the 40 families. After the food was handed out we distributed the supplies that were donated to the kids and families. </p> <p> To end the day Jenn, Sarah, Katie, and John decided to climb Mount BaBa. What an expedition! We followed a worn narrow path straight up the side of the mountain through high grass and rocky terrain. It was well worth the view though. You could see across the whole countryside and the village looked miniature from where we stood. Near the peak was a large flat rock that Jenn, Sarah, John & Aaron posed for an infamous O-H-I-O shot. John felt he was so close to heaven that it would be appropriate to deliver Jesus' sermon on the mount. Jenn didn't think the journey had been quite interesting enough yet so she tried to roll down the mountain and take Sarah and Katie with her. Thankfully they caught her fall and no harm was done :-) We returned to the village and said our farewells just before evening.</p> <p> </p> </article> <article> <h1>Costa Rica - 011609</h1> <p>Pastor Bill — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 13:27:00 GMT</p> <p>We had a very full day yesterday and was not able to blog until this morning. The construction crew continued the work on the roof, a team of people cleaned up the grounds, the church and the park and 4 others went shopping. We have purchased enough food for 40 families in the Indain village we will visit today - thanks to your heart of giving.</p> <p>We went to the Friday night church service which was in the park. Around 100 people were there including us. It was lively and passionate to say the least. Jerry and Dwayne helped out by playing the drums and bass since their musicians were off finishing the coffee harvest. I preached through Henry the interpreter. It was a great service and very interesting for those who had never been in a Carribean style worship service.</p> <p>Today, we're off to the Indain village. Pray for us as we minister to the people. They will be walking about three hours to meet us. We will feed them and give them bags of food to take home.</p> <p>Adios for now!</p> <p>Bill</p> </article> <article> <h1>Costa Rica - 011509</h1> <p>Pastor Bill — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 03:55:00 GMT</p> <span style="FONT-SIZE:10pt;FONT-FAMILY:Arial;">Hola! Katie here tonight, filling you in on today's happenings down here. This was my first day helping out with the VBS, the past couple days I've been working on the construction part (a natural fit for my tomboy personality) - hey someone has to show these guys that a girl can hold her own. I have to admit I was a little unsure about working with all the ankle biters, but I had a lot of fun!</span><span style="FONT-SIZE:10pt;FONT-FAMILY:Arial;"> Cindy taught some of the local kids how to do a puppet skit, so they performed that for the rest of the kids. Then Tabitha taught a lesson on Saul to Paul and the kids made a butterfly craft to show how a worm can be transformed into such a magnificent creature. After that it was game time...</span><span style="FONT-SIZE:10pt;FONT-FAMILY:Arial;">We taught the kids how to do wheelbarrow races. John, Sarah, Jenn, and myself had to demonstrate for the kids, and I do have to say that John and I won by a landslide. The kids loved the wheelbarrow races, they were entertained for a long time by that one (bonus- because it was the only time all day we weren't running or chasing the kids). Then onto good 'ol football (soccer). The kids are crazy about it down here and some of them are really good. The heat did not phase the kids one bit. Sarah misunderstood the rules a 'lil and thought you were supposed to hit the ball with your face and has a nice shiner across her nose to show for it. Okay so maybe the ball ricocheted off quite a few little feet and then a knee to meet her face (and believe it or not it wasn't John that did it, my bad). </span><span style="FONT-SIZE:10pt;FONT-FAMILY:Arial;">The church sits in the valley below the mountains and each day after lunch the clouds roll off the mountain and it cools off some and we might get a quick sprinkle. So when the clouds and sprinkles moved in we were excited for the drop in temperature and kept playing with the kids... then all of a sudden the skies opened and it started pouring rain. We had to scramble to get all of our things together and ran over to the church with some of the kids to take shelter. The rain lasted a while, so we played inside for a while, then the kids slowly wandered home here and there.</span><span style="FONT-SIZE:10pt;FONT-FAMILY:Arial;">Tonight, Pablo did our evening devotion from Ephesians Chapter 1:3-8. Henry, one of our interpreters, came to translate for Pablo which was a good thing. What we've been told about Henry is that he isn't a Christian, but is very friendly and a very hard worker. So hopefully tonight opened up some doors for him and pray that he will keep in contact with Pablo after we leave.</span><font size="3"> </font> <p> </p> </article> <article> <h1>Impulse Costa Rica Trip - 011409</h1> <p>tabitha — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 03:40:00 GMT</p> <p>Wow! It is awesome here in Costa Rica. Today was our second day of Vacation Bible School at the park across the street from the church. Both days there were about 35 children and many parents. God is so good! We didn't get any rain until today and even then when had just finished up.</p> <p>Cindy has been witnessing to a single mother of six. She is from Nicaragua and works cutting down sugar cane. She said she has been to the church a couple of times but to this point has not made a commitment. Please pray for this overwhelmed mother.</p> <p>Day 1, we became acquainted with the children and shared God's message. The children were very enthusiastic and repeatedly asked if we would be back tomorrow.</p> <p>Today, we sang songs, Donna and Cindy shared a skit, and then Donna presented the salvation message to the children. John, Sarah, and Jennifer played soccer with the kids, while Donna, Holly, and I helped the children make salvation bracelets. They love crafts!</p> <p>When playing "pato,pato,gonzo" (duck, duck, goose) Sarah, John and Jennifer were chosen by the kids sooo... much. Sarah fell from exhaustion, but she is ok. HaHaHa</p> <p>A gift given to all was an animal print visor. John got one and said it was his construction hat then proceeded to do construction in it. What a funny guy.</p> <p>The kids also loved playing elbow tag. They are supposed to latch onto your elbow to release the other player. While attempting this they ran full speed into us and each other tackling you. We all had a great time.</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p>Don't forget to look at the pictures on our website.</p> </article> <article> <h1>Day 1 in Costa Rica</h1> <p>Pastor Bill — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 12:13:00 GMT</p> <p>Well, we made it just fine. No problems at all and, for that, we thank God. The drive was a little longer than we expected but we arrived at the hotel Monday night about 8 p.m. The road is full of curves and it is up hill most of the way.</p> <p>Tuesday morning we had orientation and then left for ministry. One group began working to remove the old roof of the church while the other went door to door rounding up the kids for Bible School.</p> <p>The people at the church are tremendous. They are so kind and very hard workers. Two of the deacons of the church were there working when we arrived. It took most of the day but 2/3 of the roof is off.</p> <p>There were about 35 kids for the first day of Bible School. They loved the coloring pages Tabitha Riggle brought. The kids are very artistic.and were well behaved.</p> <p>We arrived back at the hotel about 4:30 exhausted and sunburned. It reached 90 degrees and we were all working out in the sun all day. Thank the Lord no one suffered dehydration. Some went to the pool, some napped and some took a walk. Don Young did our devotion and did a fantastic job.</p> <p>Make sure to check-out the pictures in the photo gallery.</p> </article> </main></body></html>