Author: janicevance

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.

What a great week it has been at Walter Hill.  A special Thank You to everyone involved in putting VBS together, from all those who had a part in the planning, kick off dinner on Sunday, leading singing, skits, Bible class teachers, decorators to the Ice Cream supper on Wednesday evening.  Everyone’s efforts made this a successful VBS for Walter Hill.  We are grateful to everyone who was able to attend and support the hard work that went into making this a great week.  Our Auditorium speakers did a fantastic job with their presentations each evening.  A special Thank You to Chris for his leadership in directing VBS.  Our prayer is that the congregation has been strengthened and the young people that attended will have learned valuable lessons about God not giving us a spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind from 2 Timothy 1:7.

Today is June 14^th.  Many of you may have noticed on your calendar that this is Flag Day.  This seems to be a holiday we often overlook or do not give a lot of consideration.  We often think of Betsy Ross when we think about the flag, but there are a lot of interesting facts about the flag and its purpose throughout history.  Flag Day is a holiday in the United States that celebrates the adoption of our national flag.  It is a day to honor the principles of freedom, unity and patriotism.  The stars on the flag represent the fifty states and the stripes recognize the original thirteen colonies.  The colors also have meaning, Red symbolizes hardiness and valor, White symbolizes purity and innocence and Blue represents vigilance, perseverance and justice.

The origin of Flag Day can be traced back to the late 19^th century.  After the adoption of the flag in 1777 it took a long time before an official observance of Flag Day began.  On August 3, 1949, National Flag Day was officially recognized by an Act of Congress signed into law by President Harry S. Truman.  This legislation established Flag Day as a national observance to encourage all citizens to display the flag and recognize what it represents.  It is a day to honor the history and significance of the American flag as a symbol of freedom. 

As great as the freedom our Flag represents, we have a greater freedom in Christ.  Jesus went to the cross to give us the greatest freedom known to man – freedom from Sin so that we can live with Him eternally.  I encourage you to read passages such as John 8:31-36 and Romans 6 through 8 and reflect on the freedom God has given us through His Son and the sacrifice on the Cross.

2 Timothy 1:7 ^“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind”.

Youth Invasion is where we as teens go and “invade” a restaurant each week by going together and eating with one another and we want you to be there as well.  Youth Invasions are a very significant way to minister to teens, families of the church, and the surrounding community here in Murfreesboro.  Youth Invasion provides opportunities for teens to fellowship with one another, strengthen friendships, and help everyone within the congregation grow together.  They can also encourage spiritual growth as all ages are invited to participate in youth invasions.  Youth Invasions create an atmosphere where relationships can be built across generations.  From children to primetimers, everyone can enjoy sharing a meal together.  Rather than the youth group being separated from the rest of the church, or other groups like the prime timers, half timers, etc., Youth Invasions help integrate teens and children into the church family and allow them to be seen as vital members of the congregation.

One of the greatest strengths of Youth Invasion is this intergenerational connection that is created.  Younger children are able to look up to the teenagers and see examples of Christian friendships and involvement while we all fellowship together.  Parents are encouraged when they see older teens taking leadership roles, interacting respectfully, and participating in wholesome activities with everyone in the church.  Elderly members of the congregation also benefit because they are given opportunities to spend time with younger generations in relaxed and enjoyable settings outside of regular worship services.  Many times, older members may not have regular interaction with teens, but Youth Invasions can create natural conversations and relationships that strengthen unity throughout the church.  Youth Invasions are as much for the younger and older people as for the teens.  These Youth Invasions can help break down generational barriers that we might not even know are there!  It reminds everyone that the church is one body made up of all ages working together for Christ.  It also gives teenagers valuable opportunities to learn from older Christians who have years of wisdom, experience, and faithfulness that can encourage and guide them spiritually through conversation or simple observation.

Youth Invasions can also positively impact the Murfreesboro community economically and socially.  When large groups from congregations regularly visit local restaurants and businesses, they contribute financially to those restaurants and support local workers.  Restaurants benefit from the increase of people.  This creates a connection between the church and the local businesses while also helping the local economy in a small but meaningful way.  In addition, seeing large groups of Christians gathering together in love and fellowship presents a positive image of the church within the community, and with the workers of these restaurants.  It can lead to conversations and curiosity about the congregation, with people recognizing it as “the church where everyone loves each other.”  In many ways, Youth Invasions become both an opportunity for intergenerational ministry, and a form of outreach that strengthens the church while also positively influencing the city of Murfreesboro.

by Justin Morton

A smile to a visitor, a distracted attitude during worship or a calm response during a stressful situation may seem small, but these moments often leave lasting impressions.  Every day, whether in worship or in daily life, we communicate something to the people around us.  Our words, choices, behaviors, and decisions either point people toward God or away from Him.  We know the saying, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.”  This is true not only when it comes to strangers we meet for the first time, but also in our daily relationships.

From the moment of our first encounter with someone, we form an opinion simply based on our experience.  Perhaps this is not entirely fair, but this is what happens.  And for a lot of us, we will never forget that first impression.  That one interaction can leave a lasting impact.

The question we must consider is, “What do people see when they see me?  What kind of impression am I making on others?”  People are watching what our lives communicate about God.  In worship, do they see someone engaged in the study of God’s Word or someone apathetic?  In daily living, do they see someone who takes God and His Word seriously or someone who lives as if he doesn’t really care about God?  Paul told Titus that there were people who, “Profess to know God, but they deny him by their works” (Titus 1:16).  We certainly don’t want this to be said about us.

We may be tempted to say, “I don’t care what people think when they look at my life,” but we should care.  Scripture calls us to care about what our lives lead others to conclude about God.  Jesus said we are to live in such a way that it causes others to glorify God (Matthew 5:16).  The apostle Paul told the Corinthians, “You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on our hearts, to be known and read by all” (2 Corinthians 3:1-3).  The Bible teaches us the power of impressions.

Friends, every day we have an opportunity to make impressions on the people around us.  Those impressions can be positive and godly or negative and worldly.  This week, choose one deliberate step to make your faith more visible: come to worship prepared and engaged, speak words that build others up, and make one daily decision that puts obedience to God ahead of convenience for self.  Then at the close of each day, ask yourself, “What kind of impression did I make today?”

Fear, Worry, and the Peace of God

We live in a world filled with uncertainty.  Concerns about health, finances, family, the future, and the burdens of everyday life can easily weigh heavily upon our hearts.  Even faithful Christians sometimes battle fear, anxiety, discouragement, and emotional exhaustion.  Yet God never intended for His people to carry these burdens alone.

The apostle Paul wrote in Philippians 4:6-7, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.”  What a comforting reminder that God invites us to bring every care, every worry, and every burden before Him in prayer.  The peace God provides does not always remove the trial immediately, but it strengthens the heart to endure faithfully.

Jesus Himself understood the troubled hearts of people.  In Matthew 11:28, He lovingly said, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”  The Lord desires for His people to find comfort, strength, and hope through Him rather than carrying life’s struggles in silence.

As Christians, we must also remember the importance of encouraging one another.  The church is not simply a place we attend—it is a family.  In difficult seasons, we need each other’s prayers, kindness, and support.  Sometimes one encouraging conversation, one prayer, or one act of compassion can help lift a weary soul.

There may be times when discouragement becomes overwhelming and you feel isolated or alone.  Please remember that struggling does not mean you have failed as a Christian.  Even faithful servants of God experienced moments of fear and weakness.  What matters is continuing to turn toward God and allowing fellow Christians to walk beside you.

As elders, we deeply care about each member of this congregation and the burdens you may be carrying.  If you are struggling with worry, fear, discouragement, or personal difficulties, please know you do not have to face those challenges alone.  The elders are always willing to listen, pray with you, encourage you, and help in any way we can.

by Justin Morton

No one likes to be corrected.  Recently, I have been working with the boys on their baseball swings.  They have always been pretty good hitters, but I wanted to help them make a few small adjustments to improve even more.  We have worked on this several times a week over the past couple of months.  While I do believe some of those corrections are beginning to pay off, I will admit, it has not been easy.  There are times when the boys do not want to hear what I am saying, not because of how I say it, but because of why I say it.  Even when correction is helpful and for their benefit, it is still uncomfortable to receive.  The truth is, nobody enjoys being corrected.

For many people, correction feels like rejection or failure.  When someone points out a flaw or mistake, it is easy to assume we are being judged.  However, correction is not meant to tear us down but to build us up.  Correction is less about highlighting what is wrong and more about guiding us toward what is better.

Scripture reminds us of this truth.  The wise man said, “Better is open rebuke than hidden love.  Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy” (Proverbs 27:5-6).  In other words, it is better for someone to speak honestly to us even when it is uncomfortable, than to remain silent and allow us to continue in error.  When a friend offers correction, it may sting and be uncomfortable, but those “wounds” are valuable because they come from a heart that genuinely cares for our physical and spiritual well-being.

The Bible consistently teaches that correction is beneficial.  Yet many of us resist it.  When a friend tries to correct us for our own good, we become defensive.  Instead of listening and reflecting on the correction, we react in frustration or anger.  The danger in this response is that we may miss an opportunity for growth.  As Proverbs 15:31-32 says, “The ear that listens to life-giving reproof will dwell among the wise.  Whoever ignores instruction despises himself, but he who listens to reproof gains intelligence” (Proverbs 15:31-32).  Accepting correction is not a sign of weakness, but instead it is a mark of wisdom.

Correction is not something to be avoided but something to embrace.  As we strive to walk closely with God, correction helps shape our character and aligns our lives with His will.  When we reject wise correction, we hinder our own growth.  Proverbs 12:1 puts it plainly: “He who hates reproof is stupid” (Proverbs 12:1).

So the next time someone offers you loving correction, resist the urge to become defensive and angry.  Instead, pause and listen carefully.  You may discover that what feels uncomfortable in the moment is actually a blessing toward continued growth and transformation.

by Justin Morton

Some moments in life are so impactful that we never forget them.  Many things may change over time, but those unforgettable moments are etched into our minds and stamped on our hearts forever.  One of those moments happened in my life just two weeks ago.

On that Sunday afternoon, while I was reviewing for my Sunday evening Bible class, my older son, Caden, came in and asked me if I would be finished soon.  When I asked why, he said, “I want to go to the building and be baptized.”  I immediately jumped up and wrapped him in a hug.

Now, when I say I jumped up and hugged him, you might picture something graceful, but that is not how it happened.  I leaped out of that chair like an uncoordinated deer learning to leap for the first time and held him tightly, like a child who just found something they thought they had lost.  His mother and I had prayed for that moment for so long, and when it finally came I was overwhelmed with a joy I can hardly describe.

I will never forget the immense feeling of elation I felt as I lowered my son down into the waters of baptism.  When he came up out of the water, he was a new person, what Paul calls a “new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17).  Because of what Jesus has done, Caden’s sins were forgiven, and he was added to the family of God.  I could not have been any more proud of him than I was at that moment.  My son, whom I love deeply, was now my brother in Christ.  Even thinking about it now brings a great big smile to my face.

Since that day, I have thought about how I felt watching my son obey the Gospel.  And as full of joy as I was and still am, no one is more excited about Caden’s decision than His heavenly Father.  You see, just as I rejoiced over my son’s decision, God rejoices even more.  The Psalmist writes, “The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love” (Psalm 147:11).  One translation says the Lord “delights” in those who fear him and who “put their hope in his unfailing love.”  That is exactly what happens when one submits to Christ in baptism; he places his hope and trust in God.

God does not just love His children, He delights in them.  He takes pleasure when they choose to walk in obedience. His desire is for all people to be saved (I Timothy 2:4).  And when even one person turns to Him, He celebrates their obedience (Luke 15:10).  Is there a decision you need to make in your life right now so that your heavenly Father is well pleased with you?