Author: janicevance

by Justin Morton

This past week, my family and I were blessed to be in Sevierville for the annual Polishing the Pulpit (PTP) conference.  Each August, thousands of Christians gather there for Bible classes, worship, study, and fellowship.  It is one of my family’s favorite weeks of the year.  Our family is thankful for PTP and for the encouragement it provides to members of the Lord’s body.  If you have never attended, I hope you will have the opportunity to do so in the future.  If you have any questions about this event, Miranda or I would be glad to share more about it with you.

Writing to the Christians in Rome, the apostle Paul said, “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17).  Our faith is strengthened as we receive the Word of God.  As disciples of Jesus, we should be eager to hear what He has revealed in His Word and intentional about placing ourselves where His Word is taught.  We are blessed with many opportunities to listen to Bible classes, sermons, podcasts, Gospel meetings, and events like PTP at almost any point in the day.  What a blessed privilege we have, one that many others do not have.

One of the continuing blessings of PTP is the availability of the audio and video recordings after the event.  All of the recordings are available on all podcast platforms for free, which provides a great way to listen on the go or to share God’s Word with your friends and neighbors.  In the coming weeks, many of the sessions will be uploaded to the Polishing the Pulpit 365 website.  This valuable resource is available to us at Walter Hill through the generosity of our elders.  If you would like video access, please reach out to Janice, and she can point you in the right direction.  These lessons offer hours of helpful teaching to encourage us in our understanding of God’s Word.

Friends, we are very blessed to live in a time when the Word of God is so readily available.  May we seek every opportunity to hear it, learn from it, and obey it, trusting that God will use His Word to strengthen our faith and bless our lives.  This week, why not commit to spending a little more time in His Word?  You will not regret that decision!

by Justin Morton

Last Sunday was a memorable day for our Walter Hill family.  Together with friends and family from years past, we celebrated the completion of our building expansion.  A good number of former members joined us, and we were blessed to have 424 people present for worship.  How awesome is that?  After our Bible classes we shared a wonderful time of fellowship and enjoyed plenty of delicious food together.  All in all, our homecoming was a joyous occasion many of us will remember for years to come.

As wonderful as last week’s homecoming was, it gives us only a small glimpse of the greater homecoming that awaits.  How grand it will be to gather with brothers and sisters from every nation, tribe, people and tongue, most of whom we have never met in this life, and yet all of us will be united together by the blood of Christ.  On that great day, any distance, language or background that separates us will be gone, and God’s redeemed people will worship together around His throne.  What a beautiful reminder that the family of God is far larger than any one congregation, and that one day the faithful from across the world will share together in the joy of heaven.  What a homecoming that will be!

The promise of that eternal gathering gives us comfort and hope as we travel along this road of life.  What makes that homecoming even better than the one we just experienced is that, unlike the gatherings we enjoy here on earth, that great homecoming in heaven will never come to an end (I Thessalonians 4:17; I Peter 1:3-4).

Our homecoming together last week ended after only a few short hours together.  We eventually had to say goodbye to friends and former members who have moved away.  Now we are left looking forward to the next time we may see them.  But thanks be to God, the gathering that awaits us in heaven will be different.  It will not be limited by time, distance or even goodbyes.  It will be a far greater homecoming than the one we just experienced…one that will never end.  How magnificent that day will be!

Homecoming is a time when family and friends gather, memories are shared, and we give thanks for the blessings God has given through the years.  Some of us have been blessed with being able to worship together for many, many years, while others may be joining us for the very first time, and still others may have been away from us worshipping elsewhere.  Whatever your circumstance, we are excited you are here and appreciate you being with us today!

Homecoming also reminds us of the parable of the prodigal son found in Luke 15:11-32.  Here Jesus reassures us that it is never too late to come home.  The invitation is always open and other verses in Luke 15 tells us of the joy in heaven when those that are lost are found.

Days such as this also remind us that this world is not our permanent home.  What awaits us is a far greater Homecoming.  For those who faithfully follow Christ, there awaits a day when we will gather in the presence of God our Creator forever!  There will be no sorrow, pain, separation, or death—only eternal joy in the presence of God.  What a glorious day that will be when the redeemed from every generation are finally together in our heavenly home!

As we celebrate today, we are also thankful for the completion of our auditorium renovation, along with the additional fellowship and classroom space.  These improvements will provide wonderful opportunities for worship, Bible study, fellowship, and special occasions for years to come.  We look forward to how these facilities can serve our congregation and our community.

At the same time, we must always remember that the church is never defined by bricks, steel, or sprinkler systems.  The church is people.  It is the family of God, redeemed by the blood of Christ and committed to serving Him together.  Buildings are valuable only because they help us fulfill the mission Christ has given us.  They are tools that enable us to teach the truth, encourage one another, serve our neighbors, and reach those who have not yet come to know the gospel of Jesus Christ.

May we enjoy this Homecoming with grateful hearts, celebrate the blessings God has given us, and renew our commitment to use every opportunity—and every resource He provides—to glorify Him until the day we experience our eternal Homecoming with our Father in heaven.

by Justin Morton

It is hard to believe we are coming to the end of summer.  It seems like yesterday the kids were getting out of school, and all of our summer plans lay ahead of us.  Now, here we are in the first few days of August, with the start of a new school year on the horizon.  Yes, I know, even reading that sentence may strike a little fear into the hearts (and perhaps stomachs) of our students and teachers.

As we prepare for the fall and all that lies ahead, let’s revisit some of the highlights of this summer for the Walter Hill congregation.  First, our building expansion was finally completed, at least the auditorium portion of the project (we are oh so close).  The additional space, new sound system and video equipment have been a wonderful addition to our facility.  Second, we had a great VBS and summer camp, not to mention the other activities our youth were able to enjoy.  We want to thank Chris and our summer intern, Jacob, for all of their work and dedication this summer.  Third, last week we installed two additional elders to serve our congregation.  Please keep these men and their families in your prayers as they begin this important work, and continue praying for all of our elders and their families.  Finally, we have been blessed by a wonderful summer series centered on our congregational theme, Rise Up and Build.  We look forward to the final few weeks of these Wednesday evening lessons.

We have so much to be thankful for here at Walter Hill, and we understand that all these blessings come from God (James 1:17).  As we close out the summer and reflect on all the blessings we have experienced, let’s also turn our attention to what lies ahead.  Next Sunday (August 9), we will celebrate our Homecoming.  We will worship at 9AM, have Bible classes at 10:30AM, enjoy a meal together, and then dismiss for the day.  This special occasion provides a great opportunity for us to invite our friends and neighbors to join us.  Perhaps you know some former members who are no longer actively attending anywhere.  Why not reach out and invite them to come home?  It is going to be a special day.

As summer draws to a close, let’s set our sights on what is ahead (Philippians 3:13-14).  Like God’s people in Nehemiah’s day, may we say, “Let us rise up and build” (Nehemiah 2:18), taking every opportunity to serve Him and bring Him glory.

by Justin Morton

We are blessed to have four godly men currently serving as elders for our congregation. They, along with their wives, do so much on behalf of this congregation, much of which is never seen or recognized. We are deeply grateful to these men and their families for their years of faithful service, and we look forward to many more years of their Christ-centered leadership.

While our current elders are doing an outstanding job of shepherding the flock, each one of them understands that the work is much bigger than any one individual. They desire to see God’s kingdom continue to grow, not only today but for generations to come. They also recognize that, for this work to continue, more faithful servants are needed to help advance the cause of Christ.

A couple of weeks ago, our shepherds presented Brad Byrd and Charlie Davidson to the congregation for consideration as elders. They asked each of us to prayerfully examine the qualifications for elders as revealed in the New Testament (I Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9). I have no doubt that many of you have done exactly that. During the past two weeks, no scriptural objections have been raised concerning either of these good brothers. Therefore, at the close of our service this morning, brothers Brad Byrd and Charlie Davidson will be appointed to serve as shepherds alongside Brian Byrd, Randy Cary, Randall Smith and Bob Tracy.

We are truly grateful for each of our elders and appreciate their willingness to accept this important responsibility. I encourage you to pray regularly for these men and their families. The work of an elder is not easy, but it is among the most meaningful works in God’s kingdom. They need our prayers, our encouragement, and our support as they lovingly shepherd this congregation.

Likewise, we are especially thankful for the faithful wives who stand beside these men, offering their love, encouragement, and support in countless ways. Together, they are a tremendous blessing to the Walter Hill congregation.

It is our prayer that, under the leadership of these faithful shepherds, this congregation will continue to be a bright light in our community and throughout the world for many years to come. May God continue to bless their efforts, strengthen their work, and use this church for His glory. To God be all the glory!

by Chris Elrod

The apostle Paul wrote to the Philippians to express his gratitude for them, making sure they knew that he thanked God for them often (Philippians 1:3-5).   I understand Paul’s gratitude as I think of the many ways in which you all have worked alongside me this summer to help strengthen our church family.  It has been a busy summer, but God has blessed us in the busyness as we have served Him together.  We have had loads of people serve one another and the Lord this summer.  Thank you so much for all you have done!

Vacation Bible School is always a huge undertaking, but it has been made easy with so many eagerly willing to help and serve year after year!  I have records of our average nightly attendance going back all the way to 2013, but this year we set the record!  We averaged 267 people at VBS.  How awesome to know that many of those people need to know more about God and His will for their lives, and that our VBS was an opportunity for them to learn about God’s Word.  As summer begins to end, I want to encourage us to remember that it doesn’t take something special like VBS to invite our friends and neighbors to.  Our Bible classes and worship services are also an opportunity for people to come and begin to learn the Gospel.  Let’s continue to invite people to join us so they can come and learn what they must do to be saved!

Vacation Bible School went so well!  Not only did we have great attendance and do a great job of inviting folks to join us, but we also had so many people working hard to make a great VBS!  From those who smoked the BBQ for our fellowship meal, to those who helped clean up, we are so grateful for your willingness to work so hard!  There are too many to name everyone who was involved in making VBS a huge success.  So, thank you to all who put in time, energy, and/or money to make VBS a success!

Like VBS, camp takes a lot of effort from a lot of different people!  I am so thankful for all the parents who trusted us with their kids for a week.  I am thankful for the adults who were willing to go and work to make camp a place where kids could grow closer to the Lord.

Camp and VBS couldn’t be done without you!  So, thank you for all your hard work!  The church is truly a body with many members (Romans 12:4-5).  VBS and camp are reminders of how well the church operates when we all play our role and lean into our strengths.

Looking and seeking are two words that are prominent in scripture.  There are over 400 mentions in the Bible of the word “look” or some variation of it.  The word “seek” or some form of variation of it is mentioned over 350 times.

God told Abraham to look towards the heavens and count the stars, as this would be the number of offspring he would have.

God told Moses to look among the able men who fear God and are trustworthy, and place them over people of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.

In Psalms 8:3, David writes of looking into the heavens and seeing the work of God’s fingers, the moon and stars that he put in place.

In another Psalm, the Psalmist pleads for God to turn his eyes away from looking at worthless things, instead requesting life in the ways of the Lord.

The writer of I Chronicles declares, Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually.

Again, in I Chronicles, it says to set your mind and heart to seek the Lord your God.

The prophet, Amos, instructs us to seek good, and not evil, that you may live.

In the well-known passage of Matthew 6:33, we are told to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

The apostle Paul urged the Corinthian Christians to not be looking for the things we can see but look for the things we cannot see.  The things we can see are only here for a while, but the things we cannot see are eternal.

Then Paul tells the Philippian Christians to look not only at our own interests, but also to the interest of others.

To the Colossian Christians, Paul writes, If then, you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is.

The Hebrew writer encouraged all Christians to look to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, the one who is seated at the right hand of God.

What are we looking for and what are we seeking after?  We all should examine our hearts to see if we are looking to Jesus or if we are straying from the paths of righteousness.  Not only are we to look and seek, but God is also looking and seeking those who would follow Him.