Pray.

Pray.
For children who don't understand what it means that their parents are dead.
Pray.
For sisters who haven't heard if their brothers are okay.
Pray.
For mothers whose baby was ripped from their arms and is now nowhere to be found.
Pray.
For rescue workers who are trying desperately to find and help those who survived.
Pray.
For rescue workers who are trying to find someone to recognize the dead body.
Pray.
For rescue workers who are just praying that the dead body they are about to turn over isn't their mother.
Pray.
For the high number of people whose homes are flattened, and wander around with no where to go.
Pray.
For those whose entire town of their childhood-school, neighborhood, community- completely wiped out.
Pray.
For parents whose children are in college and can't get in touch to make sure they are alright.
Pray.
For the hand of the doctors and nurses who care for so many victims.
Pray.
For the doctors and nurses who have to break the news to a wife that her husband didn't pull through.
Pray.
When all you feel like doing is blaming God.
Pray.
When the world comes crashing down around you.
Pray
When you realize you are blessed because your family is still safe and alive.
Pray.
That someone comes to know Christ through the devastation
Pray.
That someone comes BACK to Christ through the devastation.
Pray.
That Christians wake up.
Pray.
For EVERY soul affected in any way by this tragedy.
Pray.
Pray.
Pray.

Search and pray for opportunities to lend a hand.

If we are ever going to become a "City on our Knees," NOW is the time.

(This was written in response to the April 2011 tornadoes that destroyed parts of Alabama).

The Unbreakable Vow

On December 18, 2010 I made a permanent vow. This vow is a promise that is written in stone on God's records. I like to go back and remind myself of the things I promised that day from time to time. There are days when I wonder what on earth I was thinking. There are days when I ask God what He was thinking. There are days when things feel so "hum-drum" that I don't know if I can take it anymore. And it's days like those that I like to re-read these vows and re-live that day, and all of the feelings and emotions that I associate with it. And no matter how I feel now, good or bad, I can look back and remember. And I can know that this is real, true, God-ordained and God-arranged love, partnership, and friendship. And I can recommit myself to making the most of the time that God allows me to have with this wonderful man. My "gift from God." The promise is so special and so important. And no matter what happens to us, nothing will change this covenant. It is done. It is forever. Nothing breaks it except death. That's a big responsibility. But it's urgent that I keep it both to God, and to my husband. So, here is what I promised the two greatest men in my life on December 18, 2010:


"Matthew is a Hebrew name, meaning 'gift from God.' A gift from God you truly are to me. You really are my prince, as you have rescued me in many ways. I am reminded of Ephesians 3:20—21: “Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations.” Before I ever knew you, I spent many hours praying for you. God answered my prayer fully, but also infinitely beyond anything I could have ever thought to ask for or imagine. For this I am eternally thankful. Because you are God’s gift to me, I enter into a lifetime covenant between God, you, and myself. I pray that I will always strive to be the help meet that God created me to be especially for you. I promise to faithfully and unconditionally love you, respect you, and be submissive to you as the head of our home, for the rest of our lives."

Modesty: From the Hearts of Men of God

I exhort you: Be the Proverbs 31 woman.

People Are Like Incense.

People are like incense. You burn it, and it gives off some kind of an aroma.

I have seen and smelled a lot of different kinds of incense. Some of it smells fantastic. On the other hand, some of it smells like . . . well, a lot of things that are a little too crude to write in a blog post.

Like incense, sometimes we are brought to the fire. And when we are, we will undoubtedly produce an aroma.

The million dollar question is this: when YOU are brought through the fire, what is your aroma?

James 1:2-4 says:
"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."

There is no question about it "WHEN you meet trials." Not "If." Sometimes things happen in our lives and we don't know how to deal with it. Sometimes God lets us come through the fire because He sees something beautiful beneath all of the slag and impurities, similar to the process of purifying gold. He knows that after we come out of the fire, the ugly parts will have melted away.

But what about while we are in the fire? Like with incense, when we are in the fire we will give off an aroma. Will it be a pleasing aroma? Or will it be on that disgusts others and sends them away holding their nose?

2 Corinthians 2:14-16 says:
"But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of Him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life."

We need remember that we are like incense. When we are in the fire, we have a strong aroma. And we need to decide what kind of aroma we want to saturate our surroundings with.

As Christians, we have a responsibility to be mindful of our aroma. When others are around us, our "Christness" should be so strong that we blow people away by it. It should be so strong that after we walk past someone, the scent lingers.

So just remember. People are like incense.

Heritage Christian University--The "Best Kept Secret in Town"

It’s the only career where the work you do carries on past this life on earth. It’s ministry. Real-world ministry. And Heritage Christian University can prepare you for exactly that.

Are you the type of student HCU is designed for? Are you a diligent Christian who wants to make a difference in the kingdom of God? Are you self-motivated, hard-working, dependable and mature? Do you have defined goals while at the same time being open to God’s will and going where He guides you in your life? Do you want to know more about the Bible and about theology? Do you want to dedicate your life to God and His kingdom, and prepare yourself to make a difference in eternity?

There is a school that is specially designed for this kind of person. It is a school that is created to attract a certain audience in order to “provide a biblically based education, promote spiritual growth, and prepare communicators of the gospel.” Since its establishment in 1971, Heritage Christian University has offered four-year Bachelor’s degrees in Biblical Studies. It began with the purpose of providing only Biblical degrees so that the program could have sole-focus and therefore be the best Biblical studies program available. Higher degrees in Biblical studies have been added since.

Why choose Heritage Christian University?

Design. If you are the type of student HCU is designed for, you need to be there. The audience that HCU targets has a good personality, but knows when to be serious. He or she is more interested in evangelism and ministry than in wasting time on trivial things. This student is not seeking a school that provides the “fun, college life” but rather school where he or she can stretch and grow. The student would become restless and frustrated in a place that wasn’t designed for him or her. This student would flourish best at HCU.

Academics. The education at HCU is one of excellence. The school offers a “balanced, comprehensive, practical education.” Students are challenged academically, their passion for ministry is enhanced, and their skills for service are strengthened. HCU offers a variety of programs to fit the needs of each student. Degrees offered are: AA in Biblical Studies, BA in Biblical Studies, Master of Arts, and Master of Ministry.

Faculty. HCU is blessed to have the best faculty around. Instructors at Heritage have degrees from schools including Brite Divinity School, Hebrew Union College, and Brandeis University, among others. With instructors specializing in everything from general education to practical ministry to Old Testament to New Testament to Counseling, and more, HCU instructors are a tremendous asset to the school and will not disappoint you.

Finance. Because HCU is a donation-driven school rather than a tuition-driven school, the supreme education it provides can be offered at about half the cost other schools offer Biblical Degrees in. Heritage is blessed with a hard-working President, Dennis Jones, who travels and works hard to make and maintain relationships with people and churches who see the students HCU turns out and desire to make financial contributions. There is also a donations office dedicated to making sure the school stays in good financial order. Besides those working on the donations side of things, a financial aid office is run by Mechelle Thompson who can help you with scholarships, grants, loans, etc. She will make sure you are getting the best deal for your education that can be provided.

Real-World. Not only does HCU give you the head-knowledge you need to be prepared for ministry, but the school also is a hard believer in hands-on learning. Part of the curriculum asks the student to always be involved in some form of Christian Service. This includes anything a variety of things: Bible-class teaching, preaching, door-knocking, jail ministry, etc. There are always new opportunities in this area. Besides the Christian Service program, HCU also organizes opportunities for students to go on campaigns each Spring and each Fall to “get in the field” and use the skills and knowledge HCU is providing. The real-world aspect of HCU ensures that the student will not graduate and go into the field without knowing what to do. It ensure success in ministry.

Distance Learning. Because ministry is so demanding and time-consuming, HCU offers the opportunity for students to get their education online. Students can watch their classes through Tegrity and communicate with instructors and submit assignments through Populi. This allows flexibility in the students at HCU. Michael Jackson is in charge of this department and he keeps things running smoothly for these students. No need to worry about “technical difficulties.” Michael Jackson and Alana Marks know the system backward and forward, and will always have an answer to your question. And if not, they will find the answer.

Students. The students at HCU will relate with you. They share your passion for God. They share your passion for seeing souls saved, learning more about God, and making a difference in the kingdom. Students at HCU work together to make the world and the school a better place. They have a family-like relationship with each other that can be found no place else.

The bottom line: I grew up in the Florence area and graduated from Mars Hill Bible School. I was actively involved in my youth group and in all of the area teen events. And I never knew that Heritage Christian University was designed for me. I had plans to attend another school, but God intervened. He brought my husband into my life through at HCU campaign and that’s how I learned that I was the type of student HCU was designed for. I changed my plans and came to HCU. And I want to get the word out. Because I am so thankful everyday that I decided to continue my education at Heritage Christian University.

Here is a link to the HCU website if you are interested in finding out more:
Heritage Christian University

-Hannah Burleson

Why Am I a Christian?

My husband does the bulletin for church each week. We are trying to emphasize evangelism a lot. He put a section in the bulletin for people to "Testify" and tell others why they are a Christian. He asked me to write the first one.

There are a lot of things that go into the fact that I am a Christian. And I change and grow all of the time, especially since I began my degree in Bible. But I was thinking about it, and trying to put my finger on the reason I am a Christian. And that, I can do. I can put my finger on one person who, if it had not been for her, I would most likely not know Christ, much less be a Christ-follower. Here is the article that I wrote:


"Why am I a Christian? For me, it began when I was just three weeks old. My parents were not (and still are not) faithful Christians. They live a lifestyle that is contrary to Christianity in nearly every way. But for me, it was a grandmother. A grandmother who loved me, and saw the need for me to have God in my life. When I was just three weeks old, she began to keep me on Saturday nights, and she brought me to church every week. She allowed the influence of God and Christianity to come into my life. Even if I only saw the influence from Saturday afternoon through Sunday afternoon. Even if every other influence in my life was completely contrary to that weekly 24 hour period. And it made the difference. It made EVERY difference. Her influence led to the influence of some really great Spiritual giants. Friends, teachers, youth ministers, etc. I probably would not even know my husband if it had not all began when I was three weeks old. And I certainly would not know Christ.

Every Christian was influenced and led to Christ by someone. Who was it for you? And who will you influence and lead?"
-Hannah Burleson


One thing to think about is the fact that there are many other influences on my Christian walk aside from my grandmother. But the point is, she planted the seed and many others watered. And to God be the glory, He is helping me to stretch and grow all of the time. But I can put my finger on that one person who started the process in me. Each of us can be the one to start that process in someone else. Each Christian has the power of one. Don't underestimate your influence. Be empowered by it through God.

There is power in one.

1% of Churches in America are Growing

In one of the classes I am taking, I heard some statistics that shocked me. Did you know that of the churches in America (denominations included) only 15% are growing? And 14% of those 15% are only swelling? Swelling just means that the growth is from people who are “church-hopping” and from growth in numbers due to births, as opposed to growth due to actual evangelism and saving of lost souls. Only 1% of churches are TRULY growing. Not dying. Not swelling. But growing. Just 1%. I knew that it had to be pretty low. But I just didn’t realize that it was really THAT bad!

I don’t understand it. I am led to ask so many questions by these startling statistics. For one, I wonder, are we REALLY Christians? I mean, if we really were, wouldn’t we be UNABLE to keep from telling other people about Christ? Wouldn’t our lives be changed to such a degree that others wanted to know how they could get what we’ve got?

These statistics are very eye-opening. Christians have become entirely too comfortable. We’ve gotten so comfortable, in fact, that we have fallen into a very deep and dangerous sleep. One that, in too many cases, is becoming a permanent sleep. Christians are, without even realizing it, dying.

If we don’t wake up now, what is going to happen?

It looks to me like the only thing that will wake up Christians in America is going to have to be total loss of religious freedom and is going to require real persecution. Because think about it. Christians have already begun to lose some freedoms. Prayers are not allowed in schools. It’s no longer “politically correct” to say “Merry Christmas,” but instead we should say “Happy Holidays.” And these are only the tip of the iceberg.

Still, Christians are asleep.

What will it take?

When I referred to real persecution a minute ago, I didn't mean that your friends point fingers and laugh. I didn't mean that you don't get invited to a party because you are a Christian. What I meant was torturing and killing of Christians. Will it take the literal killing of Christians? I’m afraid if we don’t wake up soon, that’s exactly where America is heading. And at first, it’s scary. But the more I think about it, the more I wonder if that’s not EXACTLY what we need to happen. Maybe then Christianity won’t just be a fad or a social scene anymore. Maybe then, the “nominal Christians” will finally stop destroying the name of Christ and doing more damage than they are good, and the true Christians will finally step up. Maybe persecution is what we need to finally wake us up. And I’m becoming convinced that the church is going to be able to do more at that point than it could even begin to do in the situation we are in now. Because right now, only 1% is actually growing. And while I haven’t done the research to know this for sure, my guess would be that the majority of that 1% probably doesn’t have a “Church of Christ” sign out front. In fact, my guess is that the majority of those are probably community churches.

Come on Christians. Where are you? WAKE UP! Don’t you realize what is happening? Do you even care? Do you really love Christ like you claim to? Going to church 3 hours a week and hearing the Bible doesn’t make you a Christian. And it doesn’t make you an evangelist. It makes you nothing more than a hearer. And James 1:22—25 says “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing."

Stop deceiving yourself into thinking that if you go to a church building for 3 hours a week and listen to someone talk about spiritual things makes you a Christian. And stop deceiving yourself into thinking that inviting someone else to do that same thing is evangelism. If that’s what you think, you are in for a rude awakening.

Just some food for thought. Only 1% of Churches in America are actually growing. Chew on it, and if you are serious about Christianity, maybe you’ll actually begin to do something about it.


(DISCLAIMER: I think I sounded “preachy” at times here. I am not talking only to “you.” I am pointing the finger at myself just as much. Because I absolutely have been guilty of these things as well.)