Rolling Hills Community Church - Columbia Campus

Christmas lights are more than decorations—they are a vivid reminder of the story of God’s light breaking into our world. From creation to Christ’s arrival, Scripture shows that light cleanses, guides, and symbolizes hope. Jesus calls His followers to shine that same light, illuminating a world that often feels dark. As we see homes and streets glow this season, we remember that the Light of the World lives in us and shines through us.

Before the turkey, the family, the friends, the football and the fun, let’s truly take time to enter His courts with Thanksgiving. This coming week, take some time to truly be thankful. Carve out time with the Lord each day in prayer, reading His Word and journaling your blessings. Express your gratitude to your family and friends. Let them all know how thankful you are for each of them. And, live out your Story of Thanksgiving this week. Let’s pray this is our best Thanksgiving yet.

There is such joy in Thanks and Giving. This is where we have the opportunity and privilege to grow in our relationship with Jesus as we thank God for what He has done in our lives and as we invest in His Kingdom. For followers of Jesus, Thanksgiving is not just one day, but every day of our lives. Our call is to invest in what is eternal. May we be found faithful in building God’s church and raising up the next generation in Christ. Let’s be generous and make a significant impact for the glory of our great God. We have been blessed not simply for ourselves, but to be a blessing. Let’s invest together as we build God’s Kingdom today. This is our time.

This is the Thanksgiving Season. Thanks and Giving are dear to the heart of God. All of us have so much for which to be thankful for in our lives - first and foremost is salvation in Jesus Christ. We are truly loved, redeemed and restored. Then, out of an overflow of gratitude, we want to give. We are most like God when we give. As a church, we have the opportunity to give God thanks for what He has done and to invest in building His Church to impact others. This is truly our time to live out our Thanks and Giving. Let’s invest generously in what God will do NEXT.

Revival is not over; Revival has just begun. Come, Holy Spirit! Our God is moving in a powerful way in our lives, His Church, our nation and world today. For all of us, the time has come to live in revival. To learn to live by the power and Presence of the Holy Spirit in you. When you accept Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, God places His Spirit in you. Now, we are called to live in the Spirit every day. To learn to hear His voice and then be obedient to what He calls us to. This is where the joy and the fruit is in the Christian life. Now is our time to grow in Christ. Revival is here!

Revival // The Presence of the Holy Spirit

The power of God is not found in our own attributes—it comes from the Holy Spirit. What’s in us is not enough, but who is in us is more than we will ever need. The Spirit empowers believers not only to speak of Jesus but to become more like Him, transforming observers into witnesses and consumers into participants. When the Spirit moves, the gospel does not sit still—it reaches from our neighborhoods to the ends of the earth. True power is not found in striving but in abiding, as we ask daily, listen intentionally, and step out boldly in faith.

The love of Christ urges believers to live with purpose, remembering that true faith is never without compassion. Every human need finds its fulfillment in Him: He is Living Water, the Bread of Life, our Refuge, our Value, and our Hope. To live in light of this truth is to embody mercy and goodness, meeting needs around us while pointing to the deeper hope found only in Jesus.

True leadership begins with leading ourselves under Christ’s lordship, so that we can serve others with humility. Spiritual leadership resonates with culture by living out the gospel with readiness for good, reminds us of our desperate need for grace, and refocuses us on God’s call to do good works because of the good done for us. Salvation is never random or earned—it flows from God’s love, kindness, and mercy. In Christ, our desires are not erased but redeemed and redirected toward Him. The world is hungry for this kind of leadership, and God is calling us to step into it.

God has called every Christ-follower to be a spiritual leader. Spiritual leaders lead by example. Our “walk” should equal our “talk.” If we say we are a Christian, then people should see it in our lives. As spiritual leaders we have a responsibility to pass our faith in Jesus on to the next generation. Let’s be the spiritual leaders God has called us to be and lead with confidence in the Lord. Our God is with us and He is for us. Leaders lead. Now is your time, so lead.

Our God is a God of joy. God wants us to experience His joy and peace in this world. True joy only comes as we give everything to Him - all our worries, fears and concerns we lay at the foot of the cross, and know our God is Sovereign over it all. The result is a peace that passes understanding. True contentment comes in Christ and Christ alone. Will you choose joy today? Think about all Jesus has done for you and know that He will never let you go. You are forever His - your eternity is secure, your sins are forgiven, so let’s choose joy today.

What matters most in your life? In Philippians 3, Paul reminds us that true joy isn’t found in achievements, comparisons, or “good Christian” behavior — it’s found in Christ alone. We are called to rejoice in the Lord with a joy that defies circumstances. Paul warns against empty confidence, built on résumés, activity, or self-comparison. Instead, he points us to the greatest treasure: knowing Christ. Life with God isn’t about what we get from Him or do for Him — it’s about being with Him. When we slow down, tune in, ask honestly, and yield to His Spirit, we discover the deep, lasting joy that comes only from treasuring Christ above all.

God wants us to experience joy in this life. God created the world, and He created us. Jesus said, “I have come that you might have life and have it to the full.” John 10:10. True joy is only found in Jesus. Every day we have the opportunity to live for ourselves or to live for Christ. Every day, we face challenges, but with Jesus, we can choose joy. By the power of the Holy Spirit, we can experience real joy in all our relationships as we put Jesus and others before ourselves. God loves you. Will you live for Jesus, and will you choose joy today?

The apostle Paul wrote the book of Philippians from - of all places - prison. He was in prison for being a Christ-follower. Yet, the entire book of Philippians is all about Joy. Paul wrote to the church in Philippi - a church he planted in Acts 16 - and the church had always supported him. Nineteen times, Paul uses the word “joy” in these four chapters. Paul did not plan to be in prison, but He trusted in God and exuded faith in the challenges. Because of Paul’s obedience to Christ, countless people were impacted for eternity. Life will not always go as planned for any of us, and we will all have decisions to make about how we respond - Choose Joy.

God’s vision for your life is to know Jesus personally, to be a part of His Church and to live in the Spirit. This is where we experience the full life God desires for us. We are God’s Church today. God has a vision for us to be devoted disciples. Our God is doing something truly special at Rolling Hills. This is our time to be His devoted disciples reaching out, growing up and giving all for His glory. What if the greatest era of God’s Church is not behind us but ahead of us? Let’s not miss it. Let’s live out God’s vision for our lives and for His Church today.

God is building a legacy through you—right where you are. Like Paul in Acts 28, you’re called to boldly live out the Kingdom of God in your everyday life. The Kingdom moves through your words, your actions, and your obedience. Your next chapter could be your most impactful one. Step into your Kingdom legacy today.

Boldness doesn’t come from personality — it comes from knowing Jesus deeply. Like Paul in Acts 26, we become bold when the gospel becomes personal. Real boldness starts in private with God, and overflows into how we pray, serve, and share hope with others. Who in your life is waiting for you to boldly share Christ?

Paul got it and lived it! And, I pray we will as well. Paul’s life was transformed by Jesus. Paul knew he was a servant of Jesus, and he lived his life on God’s agenda. Paul learned to listen to the Holy Spirit. When God prompted his heart, Paul responded. Paul built God’s Church and invited people to be a part of God’s greater story. Paul knew God was always with him. Even in the hardest times, Paul knew a miracle could happen. Will you live as a servant of Jesus? Will you praise in the darkness and invest your life in building God’s Church for His glory? This is our time. Let’s learn to listen to the Holy Spirit and to live as God’s people today.

​​Paul set an amazing example for believers in showing us how important it is to stand up for the truth of Jesus, while also standing in the gap for those who are young in their faith. The Gentile believers could have easily been swayed into believing a strict adherence to Old Testament law was necessary for their faith, but Paul went to great lengths to continually point them back to the grace of God. Prayerfully, we all have new believers in our lives whom we can pour into and encourage like Paul. In doing so, our own hearts for Jesus grow, and our witness and influence with others grow. 

Paul and Barnabas traveled over 600 miles on their first missionary journey, sent out by a diverse church in Antioch. From political leaders to the overlooked and hurting, they shared the good news with everyone they met — and God worked miracles in every heart. As they preached, they faced both opportunities and opposition, but they never lost sight of the story they were part of: Jesus is King, and His love changes everything. That same call is for us today — to trust God with our next step, to see every person as someone God loves, and to remember that we’re all part of a greater story. Wherever we go, let’s follow Jesus boldly, knowing He’s with us every step of the way.