Winning Ways - from Hillcrest Baptist Church, Austin, Texas  Contact Tom Goodman, Pastor
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SMACKDOWN Five Studies of Christ's Power Sunday Mornings at 9:30am and 10:45am A Perfect THEM Day!
by Tom Goodman
September 26, 2007

Don't miss "Beyond the Bars," a dessert fellowship benefiting Network for Life.
It's this Saturday evening!
See more information here and contact Cheryl to let her know you'll come!

Our Connection Celebration Sunday is a few weeks away.  It's a perfect day to bring a THEM.

As you know, we're calling 12,000 households within 3 miles of our church building to invite those who are not involved in a church to visit us on Sunday, October 14.  We hope to "connect" with 200 households on that day.  That's why we're calling this our "Connection Campaign."

In addition to all those telephone calls, though, we're asking everyone who already attends Hillcrest to bring a THEM to our big day.

A word of explanation:  At Hillcrest, we've discovered that the most important word in the Great Commission is the word "them":  "Go to the people all nations and make THEM my disciples.  Baptize THEM in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teach THEM to do everything I have told you." (Matthew 28:19-20,  CEV).  You can't say you've fulfilled Christ's command until you've reached "them," so who are your THEMs?

The Bible says, "Let us invite them to come and join us" (1 Chronicles 13:2).  At Hillcrest, we teach a six-step strategy for doing this, using the acrostic I.N.V.I.T.E.:

  • IDENTIFY your THEMs.
  • NURTURE a relationship with THEM.
  • VERIFY their spiritual condition.
  • INTRODUCE THEM to your church family.
  • TELL THEM your faith stories.
  • ENCOURAGE THEM to cross the line of faith.

If you've been building a relationship with someone in your world, now's the time to take the fourth step and introduce your friend to your church family.  On our Connection Celebration Sunday, October 14, we'll have one combined service at 10:30am, and then you can sit with your friend at our barbeque lunch after the service.  Please note:  This is an outreach lunch, so it's not just for anyone.  It's for our guests, for our Campaign hosts, and for you if you're bringing a THEM.  We schedule other events for church fellowship: this one is for outreach.  So, your "ticket" for the lunch is a guest!

You'll need to let us know you intend to bring a guest because we have to plan seating and serving.  So, fill in the "Just One" card in your bulletin this week, or contact the church office (345-3771 or Melanie@hbcaustin.org).  I look forward to meeting your THEMs!

--Tom

(By the way, we are holding Sunday School and Common Ground at 9:30am October 14.  We encourage you to attend your class before the combined worship service.)

Help Us Welcome New Guests!  On Connection Sunday, October 14, we need greeters, parking lot attendants, and follow-up visitors.  See Herb's article and contact him right away!

Work Day Before Connection Sunday.  Join us for a day of "sprucing up" the facility: Saturday, October 13.

Tabernacle Study.  Bruce Murray has started a study of the Old Testament Tabernacle on Wednesday's midweek service.  Join him in Room A-161, 6:30pm.  Dr. Murray writes:  "A study of the Tabernacle is one of the most enlightening studies in the Bible.  There are more 13 chapters in Exodus, 18 in Leviticus, 13 in Numbers and 4 in Hebrews devoted to its construction, its meaning, the priesthood, and worship instructions.  When you consider that only 2 chapters of the Bible are devoted to the creation, the significance become apparent."

Links to Your World (From my weblog, "Get Anchored")

A wife in Bosnia used the code name "Sweetie" to chat online with a man using the nickname "Prince of Joy."  Each of them spent hours telling each other about their marriage troubles.  Finally, they both showed up for a date -- and discovered they were married to each other.  Sadly, they are divorcing (story).  Didn't they learn anything from Rupert Holmes?

Man fined for driving through a flock of seagulls.  I didn't know they were still performing.

The Drink Debate:  What Christian leaders past and present have said about social drinking -- and where to find them online.  (The statements, not the drinks.)

8500 Days Until Dead:  Wired co-founder Kevin Kelly's life countdown clock—and why he created it.

See more links at my weblog, "Get Anchored" (click here).

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