Heavenly Tweets

As most of you know, my mentor and close personal friend Mark Randall went home to be with the Lord after a long battle with congestive heart failure (CHF).  While preparing for his memorial service, I began to write some tweets complete with hash-tags I imagined and know he we would say based on our 31 year friendship.  I sat in my office with tears in my eyes laughing as I wrote.  “A cheerful heart is good medicine” (Proverbs 17:22, NIV).  I thought if the tweets made me smile and laugh, they might be a blessing to others.  I decided to include them in the memorial service as well as share them with you today.  May we all be as present, focused, and dedicated as Mark in his relationship with Jesus and his ministry…

To close today, I wanted to share a series of heavenly tweets I have received from mark since he went home to be with Jesus. Apparently, his tech savvy has grown and I want to share the tele-tweets with you today…

• By now you know I’m gone – #I made it   #pain-free   #halleLUjah

• Perfect sight – #no more lost reading glasses

• Guess what – no need for money in heaven – #no more lost checkbook

• Jesus is more amazing than I could ever imagine – #my king    #speechless

• Heaven is so beautiful – #Grand Canyon is just a hole in the ground

• Just saw Mom Dad and Jay – #family reunion    #so happy

• Worshipped the Lord with Jerry and Tim – #my voice is aMAZing

• Just corrected Apostle Stephen on some theology – #I’m always right

• Just saw my reflection in the golden streets – #can you say “hot”

• Ran into the thief on the cross – tried to get him saved again – #old habits die hard

• Going to a banquet – #cheese    #mountains and mountains of cheese   #I feel like I’m in heaven    #cheese sandwiches

• Tell my kids I love them – #the greatest group in the world    #world changers    #the purpose of my life

• Tracy is the best sister ever – #amazing    #gone through so much    #strong and godly

• Listen to Pastor Art – #greatest pastor in the world    #don’t make me come down there

• Students don’t forget morning prayer – #7:14   #I will come find you

• This service had better not last more than an hour – #didn’t you learn anything?

• Heaven is real – it’s all real – #don’t miss it    #don’t miss it for anything    #help get everybody you can here.

Skunked

The Warner Brothers animated skunk Peppy Le Pew was one of my favorite cartoon characters as a kid.  You couldn’t help but laugh at the irony and feel a little sorry for the object of Peppy’s affection, a black and white female feline.  For obvious reasons, the cat wasn’t thrilled about getting too cozy with the skunk.  Oddly enough, I notice a lot of Christians who would never have a skunk for a pet have no problem living their lives with a skunky attitude.  Skunk or skunky attitude, the result is the same – people just don’t want to be around you…and who can blame them?

Peppy Le Pew with his unmistakable stench visited Hope Harbor today.  The origin of the aroma, powerful enough to knock you down upon entering the church office suite, was probably outside, but we could not rule out the possibility that the critter was somewhere in the building.  After a little investigation, a staff member (kudos to Rodney, aka “Skunk Man” – after all we are in Kentucky) discovered a dead skunk right next to one of our air conditioning units (the unit feeding the office complex).  The unit repeatedly sucked up and dispersed the skunk smell throughout the office every time it kicked on. 

Our attitude is a lot like the skunk odor.  First, like the skunk, individuals with a bad attitude rarely notice they are the source of the smell.  Second, people with bad attitudes fail to understand how easily it is to fill the air around them with negativity and pessimism.  Like the skunk, it’s amazing how much pollution can come from one person with a lousy attitude.  Third, once in the air, the foul smell is difficult to eliminate.  It’s always much wiser to prevent the skunk from spraying than to deal with the stink once it comes out.

We should monitor our lives daily for the condition of our attitudes.  Do you stink?  Are you the source of the smell?  Are you bombing others with your pungent attitude?  Are you stinking things up at work, in your home, or in your church?  The Apostle Paul said, “But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place” (2 Corinthians 2:14, NIV). We can’t perpetuate the fragrance of Christ wherever we go if we are suppressing His essence with the foul odor of a bad attitude.  

Let me encourage you to “deskunk” your attitude on a daily basis.  First, skunk experts say bathing in tomato juice will neutralize the skunk smell.  As Christians, we know the key to removing any stench and stain is the blood of Jesus.  The moment you smell something coming from your heart that doesn’t belong there like bitterness, resentment, or sarcasm, be quick to repent and apply the blood to your life.  Like the skunk smell, there is not enough perfume to cover up the smell of a sinful attitude.  Second, dip your heart daily in God’s presence.  In the fullness of God’s presence is joy, not belligerence (Psalm 16:11).  The believer who fails to seek God often manifests that prayerlessness through a lousy attitude.  Third, wash your mind daily in the Word of God.  Saturating your thinking to line up with God’s Word is central to maintaining a godly and positive attitude and outlook on life.  Watch and see how much more attractive you’ll be when you smell like Jesus instead of Peppy!

Casting Call

 

I am excited to announce the Broadway musical, “It’s a Wonderful Life,” will be presented this December 5-7, 2014 at 7 pm nightly at Hope Harbor Church.  Come be a part of our presentation of one the most transformational family friendly stories in the history of motion pictures and the stage.  All interested potential cast members, crew members, technology team members, set designers and builders, and house volunteers are encouraged to contact Hope Harbor Church at 270-753-6695 or info@hopeharborchurch.com.  Casting auditions are open to the community and will be held beginning September 21st.  Make plans to spend part of your Christmas season reaching out to others with the good news of God’s life-changing love.  

Faith on iTunes

I’m excited to announce that the radio Hope Harbor Show and our brand new Hope Harbor podcast called “The HHC Hopecast” are now available free through the iTunes Store. Within two days you will be able to find the podcasts in the iTunes Store by searching under “Hopecast” or “Hope Harbor Show.” Until then please use the links below to find the podcasts on iTunes. You can subscribe to the Hopecast and the first episode will begin to download. Subsequent programs will be downloaded automatically to your iTunes. Now you can download these hope-building programs directly to your computer, phone, or iPod.

Our goal is to make use of every available voice to spread the gospel and the iTunes platform makes the uncompromising Word of God all that more accessible to hungry believers. Let me encourage you to fill your eyes, ears, and hearts with the Word of God like never before. There’s something on you…it’s the blessing

THE HHC HOPECAST (inspiration and encouragement from God’s Word)

http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/hopecast/id408935152

HOPE HARBOR SHOW (iTunes version of the radio Hope Harbor Show)

http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-hope-harbor-show/id408964543

HOPE HARBOR CHURCH (the teaching ministry of Pastor Art Heinz)

iTunes link coming soon…

SOS…Dinner and a Life Change

I want to encourage you to join us each Wednesday evening for School of the Spirit (SOS) featuring a simple dinner at 6:00 p.m. and a tremendous slate of classes for the entire family starting at 7:00 p.m. In addition to our nursery, kids, and youth classes, we are offering seven powerful adult electives this quarter including The Expanding Church, Men of Victory, Women of Destiny, Adventures in Faith, Laugh Your Way to a Better Marriage, Anchor of Hope (for new folks attending HHC two years of less), and the Growth Course. We know it’s hard to deal with school, extracurricular activities, work, dinner and church, so we thought we would make your life a little easier on Wednesday nights by helping you to skip a step and enjoy some fellowship at the same time. The meal is provided for a suggested (not required) donation of $2 per person ($5 for a family of three or more – you can’t even get that at McDonald’s). Please see a member of our hospitality team for more information when you come or call Sue at 753-6695 for more details. Make plans now to join us each Wednesday for SOS – a powerful and life-changing midweek pick-me-up.

There’s something on you…and it’s the blessing!

Paducah Here We Come!

HHC MC Auditorium Space

I can’t count how many times I made the commute from Southern Illinois to Murray, Kentucky as a Murray State Student. Every time I crossed over the Ohio River bridge I would sense something in my spirit about Paducah and McCracken County. I’ve desired to see a life-giving church established in the Paducah area for years and now we are on the verge of launching the McCracken County site of Hope Harbor Church.

I had the pleasure today of signing a lease for a 12,000 square foot building that is perfect for our initial needs as a church plant. Once again the Lord Jesus Christ has affirmed our direction by providing us with suitable space to serve as a base for reaching the unreached and growing an awesome body of believers. Once again the Lord has provided a partner for this ministry that is as excited to have us coming as we are. Once again the Lord has given us a tremendous deal financially.

Our Paducah team has been meeting together for over a year now preparing their hearts for this awesome adventure. Please join the team in prayer as plans are finalized for the renovation of the building, outreach, and the Sunday morning launch time line. Praise God for this new life-giving church in McCracken County!

P.S. There’s something on you…it’s the blessing!

HHC Henry County Building Permit

These are exciting days in the ministry of Hope Harbor Church. Nearly 18 months after the launch of HHC Henry County (Paris, Tennessee), we have secured a permit to begin the renovation of our miracle 7200 square foot ministry facility just off Highway 79 North in Paris. The church in Henry County, averaging nearly 80 people each Sunday morning, has become a source of hope and inspiration to many in difficult and troubled times. Because the renovation is limited to the interior, we are hopeful that the construction process can be completed for an early fall celebration and dedication.

Thank you for your continued prayer and for sowing financially into this amazing church planting effort. If you have a construction skill and would like to volunteer some time to help make this dream a reality please call Bill Barger at 270-753-6695. Hope Harbor Church…One Church in Many Locations!

The Hope Harbor Show on WSIL TV

In anticipation of moving North to establish our first Hope Harbor site in the State of Illinois (we wont hold the recent governor woes against them), we have begun broadcasting the Hope Harbor Show on WSIL TV channel 3 in Carbondale, Marion, and Harrisburg. Residents in Western Kentucky can also view the broadcast on that station. Our current broadcast time is 6:30 a.m. on Sunday mornings and has the potential of reaching several hundred thousand homes with the uncompromised Word of God. What an opportunity to reach the unreached and tell the untold that God is good and has goodness stored up for them (Psalm 31:19). Thanks for joining with us in prayer for God’s blessing on the outreach of television in Southern Illinois. God has great plans for this area and for Harrisburg and Saline County in particular. Our strategy is to use televison as a tool for launching new Hope Harbor sites, to provide a sense of connectivity from site to site, and to minister to the hurting with the hope that can only come from the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Super Sunday at Hope Harbor

I’m still rejoicing over all the amazing testimonies from the service last night at Hope Harbor. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. We need to hear the word of God taught and preached but we also need to pause to reflect about how God has shown up and shown out to manifest what has been preached. When Jesus identified himself in Luke 4 as the anointed one mentioned by Isaiah, he emphasized that the anointing is for the purposes of (1) preaching about what God wants to do, and (2) demonstrating what has been preached.

It’s obvious that the anointed one has been busy and active in our midst. Individuals shared stories of supernatural provision, healing, emotinal restoration, and personal spiritual growth. Let’s all remember that we are all overcomers and we are taught in Scripture that we overcome (1) through the blood of the lamb – our covenant with the Father through the blood of Jesus Christ, (2) the word of our testimony – bearing witness to our personal salvation and the various ways that salvation impacts our lives, and (3) loving not our lives even unto death – living as though we were dead to self and allowing Jesus to live through us daily.

Keep those testimonies coming. Feel free to leave your comments here and tell us how God has been showing up and showing out in your life. God is good and we want to rejoice with you!

There’s something on you…you know…it’s the blessing!

Hope Harbor Internet Radio

I’m excited to announce the launch of our 24 hour a day internet radio station, Hope Harbor Radio. Hosted, programmed, and produced by Tim Heinz, Hope Harbor Radio features the best in praise music, contemporary Christian music, inspirational devotions, interviews, and faith filled teaching. Your heart will be encouraged and your capacity to believe God will increase every time you listen. Hope Harbor Radio is available 24 hours a day no matter where you are in the world. How awesome is that?

Check out our internet radio by going online at http://www.hopeharborchurch.com and clicking the media button. Look for the internet radio tab and you’re there. Let us know what you think. You can request prayer, music, and even teaching topics by writing to Tim at theinz@mchsi.com. Hope Harbor Radio…all faith…all the time.

Great Job Trigg County

Hope Harbor Church Trigg County in Cadiz, Kentucky hosted the life-changing drama, Last Chance the first weekend in March. Around 50 individuals raised their hand to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. We are praising God for the impact of this ministry on the Trigg County community and on the volunteers who gave of their time and resources to make this powerful event a reality. Trigg County will never be the same. Thanks for your servant heart and thanks for praying for those who accepted Jesus that they will get plugged in to a local church and that they will grow in their faith and in their relationship with Jesus Christ. Great job HHC TC and thanks to the volunteers from the Murray and Paris sites for lending a helping hand!

Every Available Voice

Last Saturday marked a milestone in the ministry of Hope Harbor Church as we began broadcasting the thirty minute Hope Harbor Show on WPSD Local 6, the NBC affiliate. We are thankful to God for the opportunity to present the uncompromised Word of God to the market served by WPSD (around 900,000 people). The broadcast is airing on Saturdays at noon following the Saturday morning cartoons (yea, I know). You can also view the broadcasts by going to our website www.hopeharborchurch.com  and clicking on the “HHC Media” tab. The broadcasts will be archived by broadcast date.

Reports have been coming in from around the area including of course the greater Paducah area, Calloway County, Christian County, Trigg County, Marshall County, even a Wal-Mart break room in Princeton, Kentucky. My prayer is that the revelation of what Jesus has done for all of us would explode in the hearts of every person viewing the broadcast. I thank you for your prayers as we launch out into this ministry. I know the Lord has great things to do in us and through us.

I want to say a special word of thanks to John Barrett our Associate Pastor for Creative Arts and Technology Pastor and Bill Barger our Associate Pastor for Multi-Site and Facilities Management for their leadership preparing our facilities and equipment to begin this broadcast ministry. I also want to thank our entire technology and maintenance teams for the outstanding work they have done to make this ministry a reality. You guys rock!

In the near future we will be looking to secure a regular time slot Sunday evenings to broadcast the Hope Harbor Show. In the meantime, thanks for watching on Saturdays and tell your family and friends throughout the region to watch. You can also catch the radio Hope Harbor Show on 89.7 FM, 88.1 FM, 90.1 FM (at 7:30 am M-F) and on 90.5 FM (at 6:30 am M-F) and on our website. You can also download the radio broadcast from our webstie.

I am also excited to announce that 24 hour internet radio is coming soon to our web ministry. Our internet radio programming will feature the finest in faith-filled teaching, in house teaching, and awesome music. Be watching your enews for more details on this exciting venture to get the Word of God out on yet another voice.

Believe with us as we endeavor to get the good news out on every voice available to us as a ministry and remember there’s something on you…it’s the blessing…you are at the tipping point for a chain reaction of the blessing that when started cannot be stopped!

Last Chance

Once again we have the opportunity as a ministry to make a real difference in one of the communities we serve. This March 1-3, 2009 we will be hosting and presenting the life-changing drama, Last Chance, featuring a cast and crew of 50 and some very unique stage and lighting effects. The drama examines the consequences of the personal choices we make to serve or not serve the Lord as we head into the last of the last days.

This Saturday (February 21st) the Trigg County will be meeting at HHC Trigg County building at 9:30 am to prepare to go into the community to distribute thousands of invitational tickets for the three night drama. I want to ask you to pray for the team and for the drama each night and also ask you to come over if you can to Trigg County this Saturday to help get the word out about this amazing evangelistic tool.

Also, if you enjoy using your acting or stage hand talents for the Lord, please email the church at h.harbor@mchsi.comand let us know of your interest. We’ll send you all the details about the big weekend. Thank you for helping to make this outreach a success and helping HHC Trigg County reach the unreached and tell the untold of their community.

Hope Harbor Church and WPSD TV

With the Lord moving at every site of Hope Harbor Church in unique ways (Trigg County and the drama Last Chance, Henry County with its new building project, and McCracken County now meeting at the Country Inn in Paducah) it’s also exciting to see the fresh, bold things happening right in Murray. The auditorium upgrade is nearly complete (see photo) and being made ready for services and for television broadcast.

I am thrilled, after believing God for almost eight years, to announce the time and day of our first broadcast on WPSD TV serving Western Kentucky and Southern Illinois. Make sure you tune in this Sataurday, February 21st at noon (right after all the cartoons – probably a good place for me). Pray with me for the touch of God’s Spirit on the broadcast and on the hearts of those that will be watching. Our first program must be complete (edited with intro and exit) and delivered to the station by Tuesday morning (February 17th) so there is much to do to get ready for this exciting day.

Please believe God with me for a regular broadcasting time slot for the Hope Harbor Show. We would particularly like to have a Sunday evening time slot to minister to folks as they are unwinding from the weekend and getting ready to get back to work. We have so much to thank God for HHC!

Puzzle Pieces

It’s hard to express just how thrilling it is to see Hope Harbor McCracken County coming together. We are now meeting on Wednesday nights at the Country Inn and Suites off of Interstate 24, Exit 4 in Paducah. I’ve been meeting with the team for months going over our vision and values and sharing principles of leadership in the multi-site church context. We’ve been blessed with an extraordinary team and I’m so pleased to be a part of it.

Last night (Wednesday, January 7), Kelli and I joined the team in Paducah to focus on team building. Together with new couples interested in the McCracken County work, our team listened to Kelli enthusiastically teach about teamwork and communication in ministry. The group is truly coming together and I fully expect immediate growth and development of this new church site.

The highlight of the evening was watching four teams try to best each other in putting together a child’s puzzle – a simple illustration of how quickly team dynamics come into play in any human endeavor and how we all need to work together to get the job done. The natural born leader will rise to command the other puzzle pushers. The detail person will be busy making sure the pieces are put down just right. The easy going team member will just comment on how much he likes the colors or the picture. Then there’s always one person that just smiles politely as if to say, “what’s up with the puzzle?”

Piece by piece the new HHC site in McCracken County is coming together and we expect the impact on the community to be truly amazing. As we progress in our multi-site efforts I want to remind everyone that there’s room on the HHC team for you. You just might be that missing piece we’re looking for. Thank you for stepping up to help us git r’ done in McCracken County and beyond. There’s something on you…and it’s the blessing!