As we reflect on this summer, we are filled with gratitude for the incredible opportunities we had to serve and connect with communities locally and globally. From Serve Day to GrowLeader Conference to Motion Conference, this month has been a testament to the power of unity and commitment to seeing the Great Commission fulfilled. Here are some highlights of what God has done through the opportunities the Highlands College family has had to make an eternal impact.
Serve Day – July 15th, 2024
Each year on the second Saturday of July, the sight of red shirts adorns neighborhoods, cities, and communities across the world. Serve Day is more than an event; it provides churches worldwide with opportunities to serve their local communities. It’s the perfect opportunity to share the love of God through practical acts of kindness—because simple acts of selfless love can open hearts to Jesus.
Alongside Church of the Highlands, the Highlands College Team got to serve individuals across the city of Birmingham.
Restoration Academy
This was the third year that our team got to serve the wonderful community of Fairfield to clean up the interior and exterior of the Restoration Academy, a K-12 Christian school. The Restoration Academy was established in reaction to divisive influences like violence and crime, guided by the principle that every child deserves access to a quality education. It was an honor to serve this community as the team moved classrooms, decluttered, painted interior walls, did landscaping, and anything to help them prepare for the upcoming school year.
Inverness Elementary School
Our team had the privilege of serving the wonderful community of Inverness by enhancing the exterior of Inverness Elementary School. With 37% of students relying on free lunch and the school being classified as a tier-three school, they receive minimal government funding. Our team engaged in various activities to uplift the school’s exterior. We cut down dead trees, repaired a water feature, and pressure-washed the sidewalks and retaining walls. It was a privilege to help create a more inviting space for the students and staff.
Family Fun Day at the BHAM Zoo with Refugee Families
The Highlands College Team partnered with the Birmingham Cross-Cultural Community Center (BCCC), a faith-based, non-profit, local partner of Church of the Highlands that provides services to refugees moving to the Birmingham area from all over the world.
The BCCC expressed a need for a family fun day with their current refugee families, allowing them to visit the zoo and build relationships cross-culturally right here in our city.
Here is a testimony from one Teammate who served families at the Birmingham Zoo:
“Our Serve Day team had so much fun hosting refugee families at the zoo and for lunch! It was incredible to see God use our teams’ entire families to connect with other families and show them a great day. One person said this was their first time getting to interact with people from a different country who have not had much access to the Gospel, and he loved it. Our partner said that the families were gushing with gratefulness, and one family even said, ‘We never get to go out and do fun things like this. We almost had TOO much fun today!’”
– Jackie Pettus, Missions Coordinator.
GrowLeader Conference
At GrowLeader Conference, pastors and church leaders from around the world gather in Birmingham, AL, to be trained, equipped, and refreshed. They learn how to implement GrowLeader’s resources in their churches while experiencing an encouraging and life-giving culture with fellow pastors and leaders.
Highlands College is always honored to be part of GrowLeader. Our mission and vision are to fulfill Luke 10:2 by sending leaders into the harvest field and equipping the church with leaders of competence, character, and spiritual maturity. We celebrated one of our graduates, attending GrowLeader, who has been serving in the local church since 2023:
Recently placed graduate Logan Teague was at GrowLeader Conference with leaders from the church who hired him. We celebrated him by holding a Seal Ceremony, and his campus pastor shared how invaluable Logan is to their church. He said, “When Logan went to help launch another campus, we realized we needed a Logan at EVERY campus because he is invaluable.” After Logan’s celebration ended, he immediately jumped into an interview room and began interviewing HC graduates to join his new campus as a worship leader. It was a perfect example of the vision of Highlands College in action!
Motion Conference
Over 15,000 middle school, high school, and college students gathered in downtown Birmingham, AL, for the annual MOTION Student Conference. From students to teammates to alumni, we were thrilled to see the entire Highlands College family unite to serve the next generation, knowing we are better together!
We believe the opportunity for revival on our planet has never been greater. On Friday, our Chancellor, Chris Hodges, shared his powerful testimony of being called into full-time ministry. He shared his heart and deep conviction to raise up the next generation of Christian leaders, stating that if he could only do one thing for the rest of his life, it would be to pour his life into this generation.
“The local church is the hope of the world, but it’s only as good as the people leading it at that time. And I believe those leaders are in this room.”
– Chancellor Chris Hodges
We believe that in that moment God called many students in the room to ministry. If that was you, Highlands College may be your next step. To visit campus, start your application, or connect with our team, go to highlandscollege.edu/admissions.
MOTION Student Conference was nothing short of extraordinary. Students experienced life-changing moments in God’s presence, resulting in 1,329 individuals committing their lives to the Lord and many others embracing a call to full-time ministry. Students collectively contributed $158,147.23 toward translating the Bible into different languages in partnership with IllumiNations. We know that everyone in the room was left forever changed.
It was so good to be in the room with our Highlands College family; we loved seeing all the Highlands College Alumni who are fulfilling the Great Commission and living out their calling to build the local church as they served their youth groups, led worship, and more. We honor you for the way you serve and encourage the next generation.
This month has been a powerful reminder of the impact we can make when we come together with a shared purpose. By serving local schools and refugee families, equipping church leaders, and inspiring the next generation, we have witnessed the transformative power of unity. We believe we are better together, and as we look ahead, we are excited for the continued opportunities to serve, lead, and transform lives for the glory of God.
