We are currently looking for women to lead our small group Bible studies. We will offer DVD and book based studies. If you would like to participate or lead a study please visit the women’s table in the foyer or contact Barbara Parker at women@hillcrestbc.com.

Acts 2:1-3 tells us what the first church looked like. There was unity and participation. There was proclamation. There were new converts who were discipled. And we see the Lord added to the church. In the planning and building of our new  Educational Building I saw many of these characteristics. There was unity among our ministry teams in proceeding with this expansion. There was great participation when many of our members gave an enormous amount of their time to help  in the planning, supervision, and construction of this new facility.

Now we are ready for Sunday School teachers to proclaim God’s Word each Sunday in four new classrooms. Our prayer should be that many new converts will enter these new rooms and be discipled in their spiritual growth. And pray that we will see the Lord add to the “church.” Not the church as a building, but the “church” as the body of believers. Along with the responsibility to build we have the responsibility to build back up our Trust Fund. On May 6th we are going to bring a Special Offering to retire our Who Is Willing Campaign. Our goal is $150,000 for this Sunday.

As you begin to pray about what you can give to this Special Offering on May 6th, I would ask you to remember the words of Psalm 50:10: For every beast of the forest is Mine, And the cattle on a thousand hills. God already owns everything of  value, but He wants the hearts of His people to be generous with the resources He provides to them.

Paul wrote to the Corinthians in II Corinthians 9:6-7: But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.

Do you know what it takes to build a strong church?

It takes people who are willing to sacrifice. People who are willing to serve with various gifts and callings. People willing to submit to a moral calling and self-less giving. I thank God daily for the opportunity to serve alongside of you, the  members of Hillcrest Baptist Church.

To God be the Glory!

We are excited to announce that our new Educational Building (Building J) is now complete! Thanks to your faithful giving, we received enough funds for the purchase of the chairs for our new education building. With this fund drive  complete any excess funds or additional donations will go toward the purchase of chairs for the next phase of our Education Complex on the west side of our campus. Chairs have been delivered, white boards installed and our new building is now ready to begin holding Sunday School classes! Several of our Sunday School classes will be relocating starting this Sunday, April 22.  Please check the listing below to see when and where your class will be moving.

Do you enjoy working with media? Your help is needed! The Media team is seeking volunteers to help with our weekly worship services. Areas of service include sound, lighting, stage managing, and video projection. If you are skilled in any of  these areas, or are interested and would like to learn, please contact Jeff Gray at media@hillcrestbc.com.

We are all aware of the devastating tornadoes that ripped across the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex on Tuesday, April 3, 2012.  You may be asking yourself, how can I help those affected?  The Texas Baptist Men are responding to many of the affected areas, including our neighbor city to the east, Lancaster.  Click here to read more information about Texas Baptist Men efforts.

Click here if you would like to donate to Texas Baptist Men to help with their relief efforts.

Saturday, September 22

We need your neighborhood projects as an outreach ministry during Love Loud Saturday. Send your ideas to info@hbcloveloud.com. Mark your calendars and spread the Good News! Love Loud is a perfect way for Hillcrest to show God’s love to our community.

It has been well said that there are three constants in life, “change, death and taxes.” Of course we all are keenly aware of the “TAXES” as April 15 looms ever closer. Hopefully you have given “Uncle Sam” all that you needed to throughout the year and there is no residual payment needed.

On April 1, Palm Sunday, we will be remembering with humble and grateful hearts the death of our Lord Jesus Christ, as we will observe the Lord’s Supper in both of our morning worship services. Certainly we will never cease to be amazed by the truth that “God commended His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”  (Romans 5:8) Yes we will remember the death of Christ on Palm Sunday, but we will CELEBRATE Him defeating our last enemy, death, on RESURRECTION SUNDAY, April 8. On Easter Sunday we will have three services for you to choose from: 8:00AM, 9:30AM & 11:00AM. Last year we were blessed to have over 1,600 as we celebrated the resurrection of Jesus from the grave.

The third constant of life is CHANGE. For those of us that have been blessed to live another year, you guessed it, we are older and continue to age. There is no doubt that in the life of Hillcrest we have witnessed and  experienced a great deal of change, and we are grateful that much of our change has been very positive, especially in the area of growth. However, when you are a growing church it means that we must also be  providing additional space. Our most recent construction project, educational space on the West side of the campus, will be opening soon. However, we are now planning to move forward with a second building within the next couple of months. These new facilities will provide much needed space of our Adult Sunday School and weekday activities.

In order to continue to be a church that is growing and not incurring any OUTSIDE DEBT we are planning to receive a special offering on MAY 6, 2012 during our morning worship services. This is the only offering for building projects that is planned for 2012. I am simply asking that you begin now to prayer about what the Lord would have you to give and plan to give that amount on or before May 12.

You will be receiving additional information about our next special offering for our building programs during the weeks ahead, but in the meantime, please pray that the Lord would direct “ALL” of our hearts about  giving an amount that would be pleasing unto Him.