How can you tell? Part 2

It seems to me in the theological/religious world we are more interested in being right than being like Jesus. Most of our discussions spiral downward into debate then simply into arguing. Often we (me included) are more caught up in our "position" on certain theological issues than we are consumed with the nature and character of Christ. So often have I been so wrapped up in the debate that when an example of Christ comes into my view, it hits me like a bucket of cold water, shocking back to clear vision, even if only for a brief while.

Consider the nature of Jesus that is being exemplified in the tragic Amish school shooting. Following the shooting donations from all over the country have poured into the community. They now exceed more than $1million. When asked how the money will be spent the leaders stated that a portion of the money will go to the KILLER'S family! The Amish consider the family of the killer to also be victims of this horrendous crime.

If an Amish religious leader and I were to sit down together, we would probably have numerous disagreements on how to interpret certain scripture. We would most likely disagree on numerous doctrines. But what I could not deny, is that the nature and character of Jesus is being reflected in a community when it is willing to not only forgive the family, that brought so much grief, it also blesses them. Sounds a lot like what Jesus did for me on the cross.

May the character and nature of Jesus be also alive among those of us who worship with the Western Hills family!

In HIS Grip,

Scott

How can you tell?

"They will know you are my disciples by your _________." This statement found in the Gospel of John is,at the same time, one of the simplest and difficult statements by Jesus. It seems that so often we have tried to fill in the blank with many things Jesus never intended. In my life and experience some of the things we have tried to fill in the blank with are...

• doctrine
• clothes
• church buildings
• sign
• college
• tracts
• political party

Unfortunately none of these are what Jesus said. He said the world will know we are disciples of his by our LOVE. This is the way that Jesus himself tells us we will be recognized, because it is LOVE that most clearly reflects the nature of Jesus. In the end it is more than our belief system but our behavior to others that sets us a part from the world. This is why I am so excited about our Carnival in Wayman Manor. We will go into the community and show the love of Jesus. And if we take Jesus at his word they will recognize who we belong to!

See Ya Sunday,
Scott

Wearing our Hearts on Our Sleeves

Our Fall Carnival is just a little more than 2 weeks away (Sunday, Oct. 29). This event is for our us to go into our community and be a blessing. As a church we not only believe in Jesus, but we go and BE Jesus to our community. We will go to Wayman Manor to show them the love of Jesus. To help us be clear about our message we have designed some T-shirts that say "WE LOVE WAYMAN MANOR." We will wear our hearts on our sleeves. The shirts will be available for pre-sale this Sunday at the Coffee Spot for $5 apiece. Supplies will be limited so if you would like one then bring your money and reserve your shirt asap.

Remember we still need candy and your ideas for a booth. Just contact Scott Seela to let him know how you want to be involved.

I am proud to be a part of church that is willing to go where Jesus would go!

Scott

New Message Series Coming Soon...

Starting on a Sunday, Oct. 29 we will begin a new message series that will explore all that Jesus has to say about our MONEY! It is hard to believe, but Jesus actually said more about money than he did grace, baptism, and salvation combined. You can not be a devoted follower of Jesus and ignore all that he had to say about your finances. Our spiritual lives are not seperate from our financial lives. Jesus teaches that they are intimately interwined.

I want to challenge you to think about someone who you can invite to hear this series. This will be a group of messages that will be relevant and practical for all of us.

See you on Sunday!

Scott

New Bible Seminar Rotation

I've heard many positive comments about our new Bible Seminar format. Neil Haney & Larry Matthews have done a great job kicking off the new format with their two series!

I wanted to let you know about the next two series that begin on Sunday, October 15.

In the Fellowship Room Venue, a series titled Chasing After the Heart of God: A Study of the Life of David will be brought by Jason Bullock. Scripture paints a picture of David as a man who struggled to be a faithful follower of God in a chaotic world. Although clearly a servant of God, David made some very public mistakes. This series will focus on David’s relationship with God through the peaks and valleys of his life. Of all of the heroes of faith, it is David who is referred to in Acts as a man after God’s own heart. What lessons could we learn from the life of David that might one day allow the same thing to be said of us?

In the Family Life Center Venue, a series titled A Legacy of Spiritual Discipline: Guess Who's Watching will be brought by Mike Stirman. When it comes to spiritual disciplines, what we hear and what we see often don’t match up. This series will address the importance of practicing spiritual disciplines as well as some “how-to’s”.

So don't miss out on what's coming. Join us at 9:00 am, grab a cup of coffee at the Coffee Spot and pick a series to join.

Hope to see you there!

-Scott Seela

The remodel effort continues to move forward quickly. Here you can see the work on the pulpit extension, the steps, and the work on the back wall. Things are shaping up quickly. Continue to keep the effort and your prayers.

Keep Checking In,

Scott

The work on our worship center continues. Most of the work so far has focused on the remodel and construction of the front area and pulpit area. Steps have been added, the stage extended, and the walls are being prepared to apply sheetrock and the stone.

The work is on schedule because of your generosity. Neil Haney, one of our elders who is leading this effort, reports that a total of $127,489 has been given and pledged. So many of you have invested in the mission of God in this place. God continues to do amazing things here in this place.

Keep Checking In!

Scott

Party Time

Plans are already being made for our next Jesus party! This year we are going to Wayman Manor and have a good ol' fashioned carnival (or "fall festival", depending on how you were raised) Carnivals this time of year are something numerous churches do, what makes ours different? Ours is unique because instead of hosting the event in our gym, just for us, we ask the question...If Jesus were to host a carnival in Temple, TX, where would he go to host it? When we stop and consider that question, we think Jesus might go to Wayman Manor and throw a party there. Why Wayman Manor? Because no one is throwing parties there.

So now is the time to start cranking up the creativity! ALL Western Hills folks are invited to join in the fun. Groups can get together and come up with ideas for booths and games. (Just let Scott Seela know what you are planning on doing). Families are invited to bring their children to come and enjoy the carnival. Together we will go and have a blast being the hands and feet of Jesus.

Love Ya Much

Scott

New Features and Latest Updates

5 Years

5 years ago I was standing in the living room of my newly purchased, still-moving-into house. Erica, pregnant with Cayden, was already at school teaching her classes. I was getting dressed to come into the office of my job I had been at for 11 days. The TODAY show was on TV when they cut to local news and the local channel six reporter said a plane had just hit one of the towers. When they returned to the TODAY show they were then carrying the story. With all eyes and cameras trained on the towers the second plane hit. It seems that was the moment we all changed. By the time I had arrived in the office the Pentagon was in flames and flight 93 had crashed.

In a strange twist of irony I was heading to a funeral that day. A precious girl, Amber, in my youth group from Southern Hills in Abilene had passed away and her service was that afternoon. It was a day full of tears and terror. The only thing that seemed to make sense to everyone was to pray.

We must continue to pray. We must continue to follow the way of the kingdom and seek the path of the cross.

What do you remember about that day?

Scott

For Our Little Ones

As the work continues on the auditorium I realize that many may not know that the construction/changes go beyond the worship center. Our nursery area is also experiencing a facelift!

We have been blessed with many wonderful babies & toddlers at Western Hills and we want to have a place that is just right for them. Windows are being added to the hallway, the stairwell ceiling is being raised, the nursery bathroom is getting a facelift and all of the walls will get a bright new update.

As the remodel plans took shape, the elders challenged the remodel team to include the upstairs nursery area. It's a wonderful thing that this church has leaders that continue to think about all our people... including the little ones!

-Scott Seela

Change is Happening

The scaffolding is up and the walls are coming down. The transformation of the worship center is underway and on track. Not only is the structural side of things coming along but also the financial side. Western Hills continues to be a generous church as more gifts and pledges from the "Dare To Move" Campaign are received. Your sacrifice and dedication to this effort has allowed us to come far in a short period of time. Thank you.

More pics to come, keep checking in!

Scott

A Look Back

Thought you might like to see the auditorium in its original state. This picture was sent to me by Mike LeFan and shows our worship center circa 1964. While this remodel effort is needed to continue our mission of proclaiming the message of Jesus; this picture reminds me that God has been at work in this church for a long time. It took men and women of vision to see the need for a larger facility and begin to dream of relocating from Ave. G to our present location. It took men and women willing to make great financial sacrifice to build our current structure. We are in some of the most exciting times this church has ever seen, but I do not want us to forget that we stand as heirs to the blessings of faith of countless saints who have gone before us.

Thanks to God for a legacy of faith and vision here at Western Hills,

See You on Sunday,

Scott

Some Personal Thoughts

10 months ago I transitioned from the role of the youth minister to the role of preaching minister for this church. I am not sure how everyone else has experienced this transition but I'd thought I would share some of my reflections.

1st - The most amazing experience has been it seems that I am have many of the same conversations as when I was youth minister...Except now the person talking to me is older. It appears no matter how old we are we are still concerned with "Do people like me?", "Can God forgive my mistakes?", "How can I grow my faith?", "What does the future hold for me?", "Why is life so hard?".

2nd - I no longer have the luxury of being older/more mature than everyone I am speaking to. One guarantee about youth ministry was that I was sure to be older than anyone in the youth group. If nothing else I at least had age and experience on them. Now I find myself week after week speaking to an audience where roughly half has far more experience, expertise, insight and wisdom than I possess. Many of these seasoned saints can provide more Godly answers than I attempt to serve up each Sunday. I am humbled simply by the lives of the faithful that sit before me each week.

So that brings me to number #3

3rd - I covet your prayers and encouragement now more than ever. So many of the congregation have consistently blessed me with encouraging words each week. Many of you tell me you are praying for me. THANK-YOU! I need your prayers now more than ever. I am so grateful for the prayer effort that is behind me each and every week. Your behind the scenes ministry is effective and powerful.

May God continue to bless Western Hills as we journey together.

I am blessed to be a part of this great group of believers.

Thank-you

Scott

Thank-You Unsung Heroes

Each Sunday I am humbled by the numerous volunteers who show up early to make sure the lights are on, AC is blowing, doors are unlocked, coffee is hot, powerpoint is right, sound system is working, communion is prepared, Bible classes are staffed, etc..etc...Each of these elements are critical to our Sunday morning mission of connecting to the unconnected and caring for our people. To an outside spectator these actions may appear small and basically inconsequential. But each of these actions when offered to God becomes the building blocks to life change. Thank you to everyone who serves so willingly. You are making an eternal difference.

If there is an "unsung hero" from our church who is an example of Christ-like service to you, then I encourage you to post a "Thank-You" to them in the comment section.

God Bless

Scott

Going...Going...Gone!

It's official. There are no pews in our worship center. The work is underway. Many volunteers have jumped in to break down, pick-up, and carry out our old seating. The room is now ready for its makeover. One interesting thing to note is that many who have seen the room with pews removed have said it feels smaller. I am excited to think that our new pews with the improved seating plan will actually bring a greater since of intimacy. God will use our new auditorium to help the unconnected find a place to belong.

Keep Checking In

Scott

Welcome!

One of the many cool things that occurred this past Sunday was the grand opening of our new COFFEE SPOT. Patty Thomas and her "First Impressions" team is working hard to see that every person who walks on to our campus is greeted and made to feel welcome. Many people will make a judgment call about us, our church, and God in the first few moments they are in our building.

The question is this, are we willing to do whatever it takes to reach someone for Jesus? If we are serious about connecting the unconnected, then making a positive, welcoming, first impression is key. Each week God is sending new people through our doors. Many are coming to us with little or no church background. Many are coming to us after having been away from God for a long time. Each Sunday God is bringing us people who He wants to reclaim. So we are starting with a cup of hot coffee and a welcoming smile, believing all the time that these simple gestures could be the first steps in someone's relationship with Jesus.

Our First Sunday in the Gym

I don't know about you, but I could feel the energy and excitement in the air yesterday. It was our first Sunday worship in the Gym/FLC and it was great! Scott Meyer kicked off a new series on the Exodus titled "Road Trip: When God Moves His People" and called us to hear and respond to the cry of the oppressed.

As the previous blog's pictures illustrate, the auditorium remodel has begun with the removal of the old pews. Therefore we have begun our soujourn in the gym for worship! Thank you to the many people who made the move possible. Countless hours of work by several people went into converting the gym into a very usable worship venue. Western Hills is blessed to have so many who quietly serve behind the scenes.

August 20th was also the first Sunday of our new Bible Seminar format. I've heard many good comments about the 2 Seminars taking place. Neil Haney's seminar is covering the teachings of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount. Larry Matthew's seminar is titled "Faith Risks" and is examining how people in the Bible have taken risks of faith to serve God.

I believe yesterday was just the first of many times of excitement, blessing and challenge for the Western Hills Church. Thank you again to all those who made it possible. And thanks and praise to God for all He has done, is doing and will do!

See you next Sunday!

- Scott Seela

The work is under way. Here are the first pictures of the effort. God is doing amazing things. I am excited about our first worship together in the Family Life Center (gym) this coming Sunday. There has been a ton of activity around the building to get ready for it. Numerous people are working behind the scenes to make sure everything is ready to go. What a great time to be a part of Western Hills!

Keep checking in...

Scott

It's Begun!

The worship center remodel has begun! Yesterday morning we hosted our last worship service in the current auditorium and by yesterday afternoon an entire section of pews had been removed. (Thanks to the efforts of Jake and Jim). So at this point there is no turning back. We are headed to the Family Life Center (gym). It will be exciting to see the new worship center take shape over the next 3-4 months. Each week during the remodel I will post pictures of the progress here on the blog.

Lot's of other things are going to happen this Sunday. We launch the Bible Seminar. You will have two choices. Check out the website for all of the details. We will also open the COFFEE SPOT. This is one of our many efforts to welcome people as they come into our building. We want to be a place that CONNECTS people to JESUS.