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Highland Church of Christ

Christmas is Coming: Mighty (Lk. 1:46-55) Chris Altrock – Dec. 23, 2018

This entry is part [part not set] of 2 in the series Christmas is Coming

The Christmas story, and the very first Christmas song, is about a world filled with problems. It’s about a God who used his Spirit of power to send his son to earth as a baby in order to do something about all those problems. But the song and the story doesn’t end there. That same Spirit of power has been given to you so that you might be given to the world, just as Jesus was given to the world. Jesus was not the only gift given at the first Christmas. We, each, are intended as gifts to be given to the world, empowered by the mighty Spirit, in God’s ongoing quest to make this world a better place for all.

Go: Memphis Chris Altrock & David Jordan November 11, 2018

 

Wednesday night saw another mass shooting in our nation. Twelve people were killed at the Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, CA. This followed the shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue on Oct. 27 when 11 were killed in an attack fueled by anti semitism.  That was followed by Lion Air’s tragic crash of an airliner into the Java Sea shortly after take off, resulting in the loss of all 189 passengers. These have been difficult days.Read More »Go: Memphis Chris Altrock & David Jordan November 11, 2018

Hush: How to Tell if God’s Speaking Chris Altrock – Oct. 28, 2018

I remember my first few years in my job. I felt like I was constantly calling people who knew more than I did, asking for advice. I’d call Allen Black, now dean of Harding School of Theology, with questions about texts I was preaching or teaching. I’d call Harold Shank, former preacher at Highland, with questions about a sermon series. I’d call Evertt Huffard, former dean at Harding School of Theology, with questions about how to handle leadership issues. I felt like I often didn’t know what to do and thus I’d search out someone whom I felt probably would know what to do–someone with far more experience, wisdom and perspective than me.

It seems to me that a lot of us are in a similar spot when it comes to life. Life’s always throwing us something we’re just not quite prepared for. No amount of school–academic or hard knocks–can prepare us for everything. And it’s not uncommon for us to find ourselves facing situations where we’re just not sure what to do. Do we take the treatment the doctor’s recommending or get a second opinion? Do we quit that job that’s stressing us out or just keep pressing on? What do we do with that challenging child? How do we care for that aging parent? What do we say to a friend who has a drug addiction or eating disorder? How do we deal with feelings of same sex attraction?Read More »Hush: How to Tell if God’s Speaking Chris Altrock – Oct. 28, 2018

Uproot: The Sin of Sloth Chris Altrock – 9/16/18

On March 25, 1942 iconic musician Aretha Franklin was born in this home in Memphis, TN. Franklin went on to become the first female artist to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2008 she won her 18th Grammy Award, making her one of the most honored artists in Grammy history. She passed away earlier this year.

The Franklin house is located near the south Memphis neighborhood called Soulsville, a once prominent, working-class African-American neighborhood where numerous legendary soul music artists lived and worked from the 1930s to the 1960s.
Soulsville is now home to some of the most impoverished zip codes in the U.S. In 2012 the city deemed the 1,100 foot Franklin home a nuisance. It was slated for demolition in 2016 because of disrepair.

It’s a sad reminder of what happens when a home isn’t given the nurture and care needed. When it comes to a structure like a house, you can’t just construct it and then leave it. Without ongoing attention, without constant effort applied to its upkeep, the house will fall apart.

The writer of Ecclesiastes reminds us of this truth when he writes this: “Through sloth the roof sinks in, and through indolence the house leaks.” (Eccl. 10:18 ESV) There’s a word, the writer notes, for that tendency we humans have for not providing a structure like a home to ongoing upkeep and care it requires. That word is sloth. Sloth isn’t merely laziness. Sloth is anything that keeps us from attending to the nurture and care of something that requires constant upkeep, like a home.Read More »Uproot: The Sin of Sloth Chris Altrock – 9/16/18