Latest News

HT Fantasy Football League

2008-08-30T17:51:58-06:00

Friends,

There is a single spot in the HT Fantasy Football League. Email me TONIGHT to get it!

The draft is tomorrow at 2:30pm CDT.

In Christ,

Pastor Borghardt
Conference Executive
Higher Things, Inc.

P.S. HT Radio is coming this Thursday Evening (6pm) to Pirate Christian Radio. Check it out at here.

myHT: Grace for an Idol

2007-03-29T13:26:45-06:00

There is a lesson in grace happening before our very eyes, in a very unlikely place. I’m talking about American Idol. Now that we are watching and listening to the finalists, the contestants are supposed to be the best of the best. Yet, in the last two weeks, audience votes have saved from elimination someone who is not the best.

Now, Sanjaya is a nice boy. Many think he’s rather cute. He is sweet and sentimental, crying when his sister did not make the cut during “Hollywood Week,” and shedding tears of sympathy for those cut in the weeks leading up to the Final Twelve. But, as Simon would remind us, “This is a singing competition!”

Simply stated, Sanjaya is not the best singer on the show. He has talent that was enough to pass up many earlier contestants, but he has reached his limit. There are eleven others, two of whom are already gone, who could attest to that fact. And yet he remains. Why?

Some suspect there is a conspiracy going on. Whether star-struck girls are voting for their latest celebrity crush, people following the whims of mischievous D-J’s, or just a bizarre twist of popular opinions, Sanjaya has gotten enough votes to stay on the show in spite of his level of talent.

Yet, whatever the reason, this fluke of secular entertainment can remind us of God’s grace! Grace is the undeserved mercy and steadfast love of God. We deserve nothing but death and punishment for our corrupt, sinful thoughts, words and deeds. We are, by our very nature, enemies of the Lord. But He desires not the death of the sinner. His Son is the Substitute in the punishment and death we deserve, He showers us in His grace. In Christ, He desperately reaches out in boundless love and no-strings-attached mercy.

Sanjaya, good kid that he is, does not deserve to continue in the American Idol competition. However, he still receives the benefits of the media attention and exposure. He is undoubtedly enjoying the televised fame. He has name recognition – millions across the nation know him just by his first name! Opportunities will likely present themselves for his future in the coming weeks.

You, good person that you are (in the eyes of the world at least), do not even deserve to be in Christ’s Holy Church . However, you still receive the benefits of the Lord’s attention through exposure to the gift of His Gospel. You have name recognition – the Father in heaven knows you personally, through His Son, and places His Name upon you in Holy Baptism. Opportunities abound for you to enjoy this baptismal life, centered in His Holy Supper

Not a single human being deserves God’s grace and love. Yet here we are: baptized children of God, living Eucharistic lives, receiving this grace through Christ’s holy and precious Gifts – Gifts given for you!

The Reverend Rich Heinz is the Senior Pastor of St. John's Ev. Lutheran Church & School in Lanesville, IN. He is the new editor of the myHT project (B.A.M.B.I.) which you will be hearing about in the next few weeks. We voted for him to stay on Idol, but Sanjaya knocked him off too.

Strange Similarities....

2007-03-13T23:58:33-06:00

We give special thanks to the FemLems for this one....

HT Site Design Contest

2007-02-09T11:48:50-07:00

Higher Things wants to redesign our website, and we need your help!

On Reformation Day, October 31, 2005 we introduced the current website. This coming Reformation mark the two-year anniversary of this design. Its about time to redesign our website again, and we want your help doing it. For the next two months (until April 1st) we'll be taking submissions of ideas for the site's design.

A panel from the Higher Things Internet Services team will evaluate and judge the ideas and pick one that will provide the basis for the new design of the entire Higher Things website. The winner will receive a complimentary Higher Things Hoodie, and if attending one of Higher Things 2007 conference, the winner be introduced during the one day's morning announcements. Submissions should be sent to: webmaster@higherthings.org

Note: All submissions are subject to consideration and use by Higher Things. By submitting an image, the designer(s) agree that said design is the sole property of Higher Things, Inc. and can be edited and used at the discretion of Higher Things. Furthermore, upon submission the designer(s) legally transfer full ownership rights of the image to Higher Things, Inc. and release themselves of any claim to legal ownership. Higher Things reserves the right to use any and all submitted design and/or portions thereof, and may do so without reservation.

Free the Lemon!

2006-09-22T11:35:08-06:00

Stan Lemon, our beloved webmaster, has been locked in the official Higher Things Internet Services Bunker in Cabot, PN for three solid months. Stan makes the magic happen behind the scenes. He was on the many reasons why the Higher Things website is the most bodacious youth website on the planet.

We finally allowed him to take a day off. Check out the before and after shot...

Don't you think we should let the Lemon out more often?