hbcuth

VBS Experiences

Brian Sargent — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 04:23:33 +0000

HBSM

Parents, Students, Workers & Staff, please take a few moments and share with us all how you have seen God work through the 2010 VBS program, “High Seas.”

Bro. Brian

video responses

Brian Sargent — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 08:15:20 +0000

Hey everyone. The Video below will be shown, Wednesday Night, 9 June 2010, in the Teen Service. Please check out the video and give us your comments and thoughts.

online sermons

Kevin Landers — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 04:01:36 +0000

Soon, a new section will be rolled out called… “Sermons”. It will provide everyone with the ability to share, review and catch up with sermons or lessons taught at Horse Branch. We will test the waters with this new section by using recordings from our recent revival series. As the “Sermons” section takes off, we will rotate new material in and older material out. We will announce the full launch of this system shortly.

Features of this system include the following:

Sermons can be searched by topic, preacher, bible passage or date.
Full podcasting capabilities, including custom podcasts for individual users.
Sermons uploaded in mp3 format can be played directly from the website.
Embedded videos from sites such as YouTube or Google Video.
Other file types can also be uploaded, including PDF, Powerpoint, Word, text and RTF. Multiple files can be attached to single sermons.
The full Bible text of the passage being preached on can be included on each sermon page (nine different versions, including ESV).
You can read or “listen” to the Bible text!
Simple statistics show how often each sermon has been listened to.

Want a sneak peek of what the system looks like? Here you go…

forgot your bible?!?

Kevin Landers — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 12:25:52 +0000

Ever had that moment? You are all excited about going to church or elsewhere to worship with your fellow Christ followers. As you get ready, all you can think about is the amazing time you will have in praise, worship, prayer and new incites into God’s Word. You get in your car and head to your destination. The whole way, you are on the phone with your closest friends talking about your anticipation for the day’s service. You drive up, bolt out of your car and head for the door.

Suddenly, you get that sick feeling in the pit of your stomach. You realize you forgot something. It takes you a moment to consider all the items that you might have left. Earrings, Check. Keys, I drove here, Check. Phone, of course not, Check. What about my fly? A brief glance. Check. Ok, ok. Maybe I was just imagining it. You move on into the building. You greet your friends. You make your way to your seat. Services start. The music is amazing. The prayer time is intense. Then… it begins. It is time for the speaker/pastor to deliver the message from God’s Word. DING DING DING! The bells go off. I forgot it! I knew it! Where is my Bible?!? *Imagines the image of it sitting on the table back home.* Grrr…. How could I have forgotten it?

Well, never fear. Enter the beautiful world of mobile technology. Thanks to various ministries and gracious individuals, there are mobile Bibles available for you to access on your cellular phones. Depending upon the type of phone you have, the Bibles will differ in their appearance and functionality. (Again, a shameless plug for and cunning reason to convince your parents to get you an iPhone) .

(Don’t have a cellular phone or a “smart phone”? Keep reading….)

One Bible available via cell phone is brought to you by YouVersion (http://www.youversion.com). When using your cellular phone, you can download the YouVersion app specific to your type of phone (iPhone, iPad, Blackberry, Android, Palm) or you can access their mobile web version at http://m.youversion.com (open this link in your phone).

Here is a blurb about YouVersion:

YouVersion.com has given you the ability to engage with Scripture like never before, and with YouVersion mobile you have access to the Bible, corresponding contributions, reading plans, and online community no matter where you are.

With YouVersion mobile the Bible is with you…during your morning commute in the tube, while waiting in line at the grocery store, or in church on Sunday. YouVersion gives you the power to engage in 41 different translations, in 22 languages, on one device that rests in the palm of your hand. Download the free App and enjoy regular time with the Bible, right when and where you need it.

Other Bible options are available. These include:

OliveTree BibleReader: http://olivetree.com/ (iPhone/iPod Touch, Blackberry, Palm, Android, etc)
Logos: http://www.logos.com/iphone (iPhone/iPod Touch only – wink wink, nudge nudge)
Mantis Bible Study: http://mantisbible.com/ (iPhone/iPod Touch only – not bias, I promise)
Got others? Let it be known in the comments area!

Okay, for those without cell phones, no worries. We’ve got you covered! Most of the Bible software mentioned in this post are also available via an iPod Touch or similar device. Others are even available via the web on your laptop computer (such as BibleGateway (http://www.biblegateway.com) or for download on your computer (like e-Sword – http://e-sword.net/ – for your PC, or MacSword – http://www.macsword.com/ – for… guess… your Mac).

Well, what do you all think? Is that sick feeling slowly, but surely, leaving your tummy? Are you feeling a little more in the game and prepared? We hope so. Now, when you forget your physical Bible, you can look all cool and ubergeek when you pull out your smart device and load up your Bible software! How’s that for thinking on your feet? Make all the geekless friends jealous. Wait, jealousy is a sin. We’ll let Pastor Mike and Pastor Brian deal with that one.

Drop your comments. Perhaps you have other links we should know about. Maybe you have other great insights that will enlighten the rest of us. Do share! Please.

Kevin L. (Happy Easter!)

hbcuth on your cell via twitter

Kevin Landers — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 01:48:56 +0000

For those of you who want to follow the youth group’s updates via your phone… but kinda have no idea where to start… your answer has arrived! I have just completed a video tutorial that will walk you through setting up your cell phone to receive our “Twitter” updates. If you are looking at the tutorial and notice that I am using an iPhone, don’t worry. Just follow each step using your normal text messaging on your own cell phone. The process is always the same.

If you have any questions or comments about this tutorial, please let us know! With your help, we can make it even better and cover all of our bases.

Thanks!
Kevin L.

Comments on the Revival

Brian Sargent — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 04:07:13 +0000

HBSM

We would love to hear from each of you on what you thought about Rev. Scott’s messages. What points spoke to you the most? How did the Holy Spirit use Bro Scott to speak to your heart? What did you glean from the revival, and in what ways were you challenged? Speak from your heart.

Bro Brian

“Hold the Rope”

Brian Sargent — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 21:35:42 +0000

Through the quiet streets of a fishing village that lay at the mouth of a turbulent river, a cry rang out, “Boy Overboard!” Quickly a crowd gathered, and anxious eyes looked out over the rushing water to the figure of the drowning boy. Each anxious mother’s heart was asking, “Is he my boy?” A rope was brought and the strongest swimmer in the village volunteered to rescue the drowning lad. Tying one end of the rope to his waist, he threw the other among the crowd and plunged in. Anxiously, they watched him breast the tide with strong, sure strokes, and a cheer went up when he reached the boy and grasped him safely in his powerful arms. “Pull in the rope!” he shouted over the swirling waters. The villagers looked from one to another, “Who is holding the rope?” they asked. But no one was holding the rope! In the excitement of watching the rescue, the end of the rope had slipped into the water. Powerless to help, they watched two precious lives go down because no one had made it his business to hold the rope.

From: Finding Them, Keeping Them

This story represents so well how we too often fail at saving those who are succumbing to the turbulent waters of life right here around us. The villagers were aware of the boy’s needs. There might have even been people posted to watch the river, looking for those in trouble. Once the boy was spotted, the village was alerted. The people rushed to the banks. There was someone willing to go in after the boy, putting at risk, his own life. Those in the village did not simply cry out to the boy to let him know that he was drowning, but they came to rescue, sending one of their own. The villagers were willing to pull the boy to safety; their motives were right and good. Their strategy was sound. So, why was the outcome of this struggle changed from a successful rescue to the loss of not one, but two lives? Where did those safely on the shore go wrong?

Share what you think was the problem. Share how you feel we are letting the rope slide into the water, and allowing those in need of rescue to perish, right here on the banks of Horse Branch.

Bro. Brian

Keep in touch… we mean it….

Kevin Landers — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 16:57:35 +0000

So, Brian S. and I (Kevin L.) were talking about ways to keep in touch with all of you. We want to be able to connect with you, where you are.

There are a lot of things that are going on in the church and in the youth group at all times. How do we keep you all up to date on those things? Everyone has different ways they communicate these days. Let’s see… there is MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google Buzz, blogs, text messages, emails, Instant Messenger, phone calls… oh, and then that old thing called Postal Mail. How in the world do we manage it all and not go crazy?

Enter, TweetDeck. We did a bit of investigating. It turns out, that from within one program we can type a single message and have it do the following:

Updates the youth group’s FaceBook status
Updates the youth group’s Twitter status
Updates the youth group’s MySpace status (we don’t have one yet, but if we did…. then it could….)
Updates the youth group’s website
Sends a text message to those who are following our Twitter or FaceBook via cell phone

One simple message and one sweet stroke of the Enter key and it does all that for us.

So what does this mean to you?

Well, you no longer are left out of “the know”. If you don’t have a cell phone, you can check our website. If you don’t Twitter, you can FaceBook us. And the list goes on…..

You can find us on Twitter and FaceBook!