Category: Article

by Justin Morton

Well, the holiday season is upon us, and I don’t know about you, but I am thrilled.  This time of year provides so many wonderful opportunities to enjoy great food, spend time with those we love, and take a little time to rest and reflect.  Over the course of the next few weeks, your schedule will likely fill up quickly, but in the midst of the busyness, can I encourage you to do a few simple things?

First, take time to slow down and enjoy being with those you love.  The older I get, the more I realize what a gift each day truly is.  James reminds us “life is but a vapor” (James 4:14).  Many of us know the pain of losing someone dear and sometimes suddenly.  One minute they were here, and the next they were gone.  So as you rush from one event to another, remember to pause and cherish the family and friends God has placed in your life.

Second, make it a priority to gather for worship every opportunity you can.  It can be easy during this season to neglect worship and Bible class because of all the other things going on.  Let’s not allow ourselves or our families to skip meeting together with God’s people.  The writer of Hebrews encouraged his readers to not neglect meeting together (Hebrews 10:25).  I want to encourage you to do the same.  We need one another’s encouragement all year long.

Finally, amid the chaos and noise of this time of year, take time to reflect on the many ways you have seen the goodness of God in your life this year.  Then spend some quiet time in prayer, praising and thanking Him for His goodness.  As James wrote, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above” (James 1:17).  We are truly blessed, and we should never stop giving God the glory for all He has done.

So go ahead and shop until you drop, wrap those presents, and enjoy all the gatherings that come your way.  But while you do, take time to slow down and savor the moments with your loved ones, gather faithfully with your brothers and sisters in Christ, and lift up your heart in praise to God for all His wonderful blessings.

Exciting Days Continue for Our Walter Hill Family!

  As we move through the final weeks of 2025, and it’s hard to believe that it is already November, our Walter Hill family has much to look forward to!  We continue to be blessed with visitors, fellowship, ministry opportunities, and exciting progress on our building project.  The next phases of our building project will occur around several scheduled events.

  First, mark your calendars for our Annual Gospel Singing on Friday, November 14, starting at 7:00 p.m.  We’ll enjoy an evening filled with singing, encouragement, praise, and fellowship.  Please invite friends, neighbors, and family—this is a wonderful outreach opportunity to share the love of Christ with others.

  The week following our Gospel Singing, our general contractor will begin constructing a temporary wall inside the auditorium.  This will allow work to continue safely and efficiently on the build-out of our new pulpit area.  We will lose some seating capacity, so we need to make sure we try to consolidate seating as much as we can and move to the center of the rows to allow room for our visitors.  We will have an overflow room available, but we should make every effort to make room for all who want to worship with us.

  Next, make plans for the little ones to join us for Cookies with Santa on Saturday, December 6.  More details of this event will follow, but it is another outreach opportunity and will bring many visitors to our facility and provide an opportunity to teach the gospel.

  Immediately following our Cookies with Santa event, the general contractor will begin demolition of the small kitchen area and the Adult 1 and Adult 2 classrooms.  The existing pulpit and baptistry area will remain and that demolition will occur after the new pulpit area is mostly completed.   As of right now, we are not anticipating having disruptions to our Sunday morning assemblies.                                                                       

  The entire construction and remodel process is moving along smoothly, and we thank everyone for your prayers, support, and flexibility.  Our remodel and expansion represent more than a physical update—it’s an investment in the spiritual growth of our church family and an opportunity so spread the gospel in our community.  Our goal is not to build walls and classrooms, but to convert souls to Christ!

by Justin Morton

          Last Sunday evening we had a great time at our Annual Fall Fellowship and Trunk or Treat.  A lot of folks stayed after our Bible classes and enjoyed some good food, fellowship and fun.  We want to say a BIG thank you to the Fall Fellowship committee for the time and effort they put into making last Sunday night such a successful evening.  We would also like to thank each and every one of you who brought food, candy for the kids and stuck around even though it was wet and cool.  We are blessed with a great congregation of the Lord’s people here at Walter Hill!

          Don’t forget the shepherds have asked us to consider and pray about the appointment of seven men to the role of Deacon here at Walter Hill.  Those seven men are Doug Argo, Greg DeMario, Trey England, Kip Nickell, Ed Phillips, Brandon Thomson and Jake Wilbanks.  Let’s prayerfully consider these men based on the qualifications mentioned in I Timothy 3:8-13.  Should there be no scriptural objections to these men serving in the office of Deacon, they will be appointed as Deacons of the Walter Hill congregation next Sunday, November 9^th.  Please be praying for these men and their families as they consider working in this important role.

         Lastly, we have a big announcement for all the children and young people of our congregation.  Starting this month, they have an opportunity to begin collecting Bible trading cards.  Apologetics Press, a great company associated with the Churches of Christ, recently produced Discovery Bible Cards.  Our shepherds have graciously allowed us to purchase several boxes.  Each child who wants a pack, will receive a starter pack of 10 cards.  From then on, our young people can earn additional cards in various ways.  Each month we will let our children and parents know all the ways additional cards can be earned.  I plan to talk more about it this morning, but for now, maybe have your kids grab a sermon notes handout and fill in those blanks – wink, wink.

         There is a lot of excitement and good things going on at Walter Hill.  May we not grow content or stagnant, but instead always be looking for ways and opportunities to help spread the love of Christ.

by Justin Morton

Recently, the airwaves were flooded with people talking about the ceasefire agreement in the Middle East and praising our President for his help in negotiating the agreement.  And while that is certainly worth talking about, there was something else our President said in the aftermath of his visit that caught my attention.

 While answering questions on Air Force One, the President was asked if helping with the agreement would get him to heaven.  The President said, “I don’t think there’s anything going to get me in heaven”.  He went on to say, “I think I’m not maybe heaven-bound, I’m not sure I’m going to be able to make heaven”.

The President of the United States made those comments for all the world to hear.  For the last several days I have been thinking about that statement.  If one of the most powerful men in the world feels this way, then you know there are many others who do not hold such powerful positions who feel the exact same way.  They go throughout their daily lives thinking there is no hope of eternal life for them.  Perhaps we even have friends or family who feel this way.

To all those who may feel hopeless, the Bible promises JESUS CAN SAVE YOU!  While God is a God of justice, He is also a God who delights in forgiveness, not punishment.  Micah the prophet said, “Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance?  He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love” (Micah 7:18).  God delights in steadfast love or mercy.  Mercy is what God is willing to offer anyone who will repent of their sins and obey His will (Matthew 7:21).

God sent His son, Jesus, to shed His own precious blood, so every one of us can have forgiveness of our sins and hope of eternal life (John 3:16; Ephesians 1:7; I Peter 1:18-19).  No one deserves to go to heaven.  There is not a single person who is “good enough” to “earn heaven” based on their works (Ephesians 2:8-9).  All of our righteous deeds are like “a polluted garment” (Isaiah 64:6).

“BUT GOD!”  Those are two of the most beautiful words we read in our Bibles.  “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved” (Ephesians 2:4-5).  No “good deed” is going to get anyone into heaven, but Jesus can.

If we know someone who thinks they have no chance of heaven, let’s share the hope we have in Jesus Christ.  He can and will save anyone who submits to His will and obeys.  Friends, no sin is too big for God’s grace.  Jesus is enough to get “anyone” into heaven.

In Justin’s bulletin article last week, he wrote about how exciting it is to finally have our building project underway, and he is correct, it is an exciting time.  Over the course of the next several weeks and months, you will see many changes taking place with the building.

With those changes comes challenges and adjustments.  Some classrooms will become unavailable for use, e.g., Adult 1 and Adult 2 will be demolished to allow for the auditorium to be expanded.  Also, a wall between the teen room and the 2-3 year old class will be removed which will give the teens some much needed additional space.  One more change that will be very noticeable is the installation of a temporary wall in the auditorium.  This wall will be 8’ from the north wall and run almost the length of the auditorium.  With that change, a few chairs will be removed while construction continues behind the wall.

The elders, the renovation committee, and the contractor are working to keep our auditorium available for worship during construction, but it may require some of us to temporarily use a classroom for overflow if there is insufficient space in the auditorium.  We have done this before, and we are confident that we can do it again while construction is ongoing.  God has greatly blessed Walter Hill with growth and the opportunity to expand our facilities.

We will see some classes moving to other rooms temporarily and some classes combining with others, but the good news is that we will have classes for everyone.

We will do our best to communicate with you as these changes take place.  As with any building project, schedules and plans are subject to change.  We need not ask for your patience as we know how much you show your understanding and your trust all the time.  Your commitment to the Walter Hill church family is evident by the love and fellowship you show for one another.

As the building undergoes renovation and expansion, maybe it is the right time for us to evaluate our own lives.  Are there changes we need to make in our lives that will bring us closer to God and closer to one another?  Living the Christian life is not a static state.  We must continue to self-evaluate to make sure we are faithfully walking in the light.

Paul tells us in Romans 12:2, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Let us all strive to be transformed daily, shunning the temptations of the world, and living a life that seeks the will of God.  Our Savior, Jesus Christ, will walk with us every step of the way!

by Justin Morton

It has finally started!  After a lot of dreaming, planning, praying and waiting…construction began on our building expansion this past week.  What an exciting time for Walter Hill!  It seems like forever ago the elders and ministers were sitting down talking about what Walter Hill needed in terms of our current facility.  While we still have a long way to go to get to the finished product, our remodeled facility will soon be a reality.

I hope you will continue praying and asking God to bless us every step of the way in this process.  We want to use our facility to minister to those who need love and help (Philippians 2:3-4).  We hope to fill it with many visitors and those who have never obeyed the gospel of Christ so they can learn about God’s wonderful plan of salvation and the hope we have through Christ Jesus (Romans 10:13-14).  Most of all, we pray we witness countless people respond to God’s amazing grace and accept that wonderful free gift of salvation and then begin lives of service to the Lord (Romans 6:23).

This newly renovated auditorium and classroom space is not so we can beat our chest and say, “Look what we have done”.  No, we want to proudly proclaim, “Look what God is doing!”  Our goal in all of this, is not for the glory of men, but for the glory of God.

We live in a postmodern world that is filled with evil and sin.  But God is still God and His Word still has the power to convict even the hardest of hearts.  The Hebrew writer wrote, “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).  In the midst of all the turmoil in our culture today, more and more people are looking for truth and for the Lord.

In the coming months, after much prayer and planning, our dream will become a reality.  We will have a renovated facility that holds more people.  But what will we do with this space?  Will we just admire its beauty?  Will we just come in and sit in our new “usual spots” as always?  Will we boast about how much more space we have?  Will we sit back and keep focused on ourselves?  What will we do with all this “new” space?

I pray the answer to “what will we do with all this space” is this: I will consider who I can invite to help fill this big auditorium.  Friends, the harvest is plentiful (Matthew 9:37) and we are going to have plenty of space.  The question is “ What are we going to do about it?”

by Justin Morton

We’re excited to announce that this year’s Lads 2 Leaders Theme is “Faith Works” from James 2:17-19. Bible Bowl and the Pearls study guide will focus on the practical books of James, 1 Peter, and 2 Peter. The debate topic is Resolved: The New Testament teaches that people who have faith must also be baptized to be saved by God’s grace.

This year’s Lads 2 Leaders Convention will take place at the Opryland Hotel in Nashville on April 3–5, 2026. The convention is an inspiring weekend filled with events such as song leading, speaking and debate and also recognizing year-round Bible memorization, service projects and artistic expression that students complete throughout the year at home. The convention weekend also provides a great opportunity to fellowship with other members from Walter Hill as well as brothers and sisters from all over the Southeast. It’s a fun celebration of the hard work our young people have put into their study, service and preparation.

Lads 2 Leaders Bible Bowl is open to students in 3rd through 12th grades and offers an opportunity to grow in God’s Word while participating in a fun, competitive environment. Bible Bowl students will read and study the books of James, 1 Peter and 2 Peter at home over the coming months. Then we will meet regularly as a group to review and practice answering questions to prepare for the convention. Depending on the building construction situation, we are hoping to offer a class for those participating in Bible Bowl during the winter quarter.

We encourage all of you to join in with our students as they learn more about these practical New Testament books. The students might enjoy having an adult team or two to compete with as we get closer to the convention!

Please sign up on the EDW board if your child is interested in participating in Bible Bowl.

We’ll hold an informational meeting on Sunday evening, October 19th, right after class to discuss a suggested reading schedule, practice times, and other details to help students and parents prepare for the months ahead.

If you have any questions or would like to learn more, please reach out to Justin or Miranda. Bible Bowl is a great way to learn more about God’s Word, and we are looking forward to working through these books of the Bible together.

by Justin Morton

Abraham Lincoln once said, “I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go.”  Many of us have been there, and maybe we find ourselves there right now.  Whether it’s the loss of a job, financial stress, a broken relationship, a devastating diagnosis, culture, evil, or the death of a loved one, we often find ourselves searching for answers.

In times like these, we try many different avenues to help us cope.  We reach out to friends, family, post on social media, or seek advice from trusted mentors.  But here’s a vital question for us to consider: did you think to pray?

James, the brother of Jesus and author of the epistle of James, emphasizes the importance and power of prayer. In James 5:13-18, the word pray or prayer shows up seven times.  Why?  Because he believed in the power of prayer.  That comes as no real surprise considering historians called him “Camel Knees” because of the time he spent kneeling in prayer.

Let’s be honest though; many believers struggle to pray even though we know we should pray.  The battle is not because we do not want to pray, but because sometimes we doubt prayer will make a real difference.  James said, “The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working” (James 5:16).  The CSB translation puts it this way: “The prayer of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect.”

Prayer has great power, not because of who we are, but because of the One we are praying to.  Psalm 147:5 reminds us that God is “abundant in power”.  The same God who created the stars and heals the brokenhearted is the One who hears our prayers.  So whether you are battling illness, facing trials, feeling spiritually weak, or just wanting to see our world turn back to God, remember prayer is not pointless.  Prayer is powerful because our God is not limited.

Throughout the Bible, we see examples of God responding to prayer: Elijah prayed and the rain stopped for three years (James 5:17-18; I Kings 17 &18); Hannah prayed and God gave her a son (I Samuel 1:1-20); Hezekiah prayed and his life was extended 15 more years (2 Kings 20:1-11).  These were not superheroes of faith.  They were ordinary people who believed in an extraordinary God.

So today, whatever you are facing or worrying about, do not just post about it or talk about it with just anyone.  Pray about it!  Believe that God hears and that He cares.  Then trust that in His power and perfect will, He will respond.

A Few Takeaways from Romans

Last quarter, the Sunday evening auditorium class focused on the book of Romans.  Romans has so much for us to take away, and Romans influences how one views other parts of scripture.  In case you weren’t in that class, this article will recap some takeaways.  For those who were in the class, consider this another reference to aid in further study.

First, we can’t make ourselves righteous.  God does that through Jesus Christ (3:21-26).  Chapter 4 shows that we cannot stand before God pointing to our good deeds to claim He owes us anything.  We are justified by Him alone on His terms, not because of our works.

Second, we serve a Benevolent Master.  As Paul explains, we’re slaves to either sin, leading to death – or obedience, leading to righteousness (6:15ff).  While we can’t make ourselves righteous through works, recognizing what He has done for us ought to cause us to want to do everything we can do in service to the Good Master, who spared nothing from us (8:32).  At the same time, we should strive to leave who we used to be behind (6:4-10).

Third, we can be confident in God’s promises – chiefly, that He will save us eternally.  We should avoid saying things like, “I hope I’ve lived good enough to get into heaven,” which seems to come from belief that our works make us righteous before God.  Instead, we should renew our commitment daily to serve the Good Master who has done and continues to do so much for us.  Biblical hope includes an expectation – and the way we live should demonstrate that we confidently expect God to deliver on His promises – our lives should exemplify the “Blessed Assurance” we sing about.

Fourth, we’re all in the same boat when it comes to sin and justification, regardless of background.  The church at Rome included individuals from both Jewish and Gentile backgrounds, and Paul’s letter indicates they tended to divide along those lines, effectively rebuilding walls that Christ had torn down with His work on the cross.  Who you were before your conversion is not who you are now, and our transformed lives (12:1-2) ought to demonstrate full belief that God’s promise of salvation is open to all (4:9-12; 9:24-26; 10:12).

Fifth, it is critical to understand the context of any book you read.  Without contextual understanding, one might think they’ve found contradictions between scriptures where none exist.  For example, 1 John 3:7 says “Whoever practices righteousness is righteous”, and Romans 3:10 says, “None is righteous”.  Which is right?  They both are, as a contextual understanding of both passages demonstrates.

It’s been said “If you get Romans, Romans will get you.” It’s our hope that these thoughts will help you in your study of Romans and other books of the Bible.

by Justin Morton

We are so grateful for your presence with us this morning.  Whether you are a visitor or one of our members, we are glad you have chosen to be here with us today.  You could have chosen to be in many different places, but you made a point to gather with fellow believers to worship and honor God.  That says so much about you and your desire to please your heavenly Father.  So thank you for making this wonderful decision.

Today, we are beginning a brand new sermon series called “Still God. Still Good: Faithful through the Fire.”  Over the course of the month of September, we are going to address the topic of evil, pain and suffering.  We are going to consider some reasons why we suffer and look at some of the benefits to our suffering.  We will explore the lives of others who suffered and hopefully see that even through all the evil, pain and suffering, God was, is and always will be good.  I hope you will make plans to join us for this important series.

Tonight we start a new quarter for our Sunday night Bible school program.  We have a variety of classes being offered that I think you will find beneficial.  If you have not been attending a class, tonight is a great opportunity to start.  Just decide right now that you will join us and pick a class topic that sounds interesting to you.  Many of us tend to sit in the same spots and in the same classes out of habit.  Why don’t you consider a new classroom, a new teacher or even a new seat?  Going to classes with different people and different teachers can challenge all of us and help us get to know other members of our Walter Hill family.

If you have any questions about what you see or hear this morning or you just want to know more about Walter Hill, please let one of us know.  We would be happy to spend some time talking with you about why we believe and do things the way we do and answer any questions you may have about our Walter Hill family.  Our prayer is that everyone’s faith is strengthened.  Again thank you for your presence with us today!