Not long ago, one of our regular attenders who drives 40 minutes one way to attend our Sunday service told me that as much as she totally LOVES our church, the drive was just too far.  She thought she'd try some other churches in her area to find one closer to home.

Recently, she told me that she's decided the drive IS truly worth it after all.

She told me:  "There are no other churches even a little bit like BHCC!!!  This church is COMPLETELY unique!"

I must say, I wasn't surprised to hear her say that. I'm just glad she discovered that now and not six months or a year from now.

BHCC is incredibly UNIQUE!  One thing that makes us SO unique is the fact that we have a woman as a founding / senior pastor.  There may indeed be more female senior pastors than ever, but sadly, we are still in a SMALL minority.  But even more rare and unique is to find a non-denominational female church planter.

This is truly pioneering work for a woman.  Too often, even I forget that fact!  I've searched diligently across the country & have found very, very few women who have planted churches.  If anyone knows of any, please do share with me because I would love the fellowship of such a person!

I am still shocked by how OPPRESSED women are in God's church.  I have women come to me all the time and tell me about the unfair treatment they have received in other churches.  One particular church / denomination will not allow women to read ANY scripture in church.  I know that breaks the heart of God!!!

I have had many women tell me they are not allowed to serve communion or attend any leadership meetings in the church.  They are ONLY allowed to take care of children.  Are we really living in the new millenium?  Can women still be sooo oppressed & held back from using their gifts to serve our Lord?  God, have mercy on us!

We are called to be ONE in the Spirit.  We are called to walk in the Spirit and to be LED by the Spirit of God.  It's never been about being male or female, Jew or Greek, it's NOT ABOUT US AT ALL, it's about being a SERVANT of the Lord's!  It's about submitting ourselves to the HEADSHIP of CHRIST!!!  It's about serving one another in LOVE!!!

Well, I could go on and on about that topic, but that is not my only purpose in writing this blog.

BHCC is a church that believes in "MUTUAL SUBMISSION" to the headship of Christ Jesus.  It's not about women alone being church leaders, it's about men and women working side-by-side as servants of Christ.  Yes, just the way it's meant to be in marriage.  That is truly what Paul meant.  For men to love women like Christ loved the church.  How did Christ love the church?  He put a towel around His waiste & washed the feet of sinners.  He died for the church. 

Yes, BHCC is very unique.  We have a message to bring to the world and it has nothing to do with 'women's lib."  It has everything to do with EMMANUEL (God with US) & what it means to SERVE one another in LOVE!  It has everything to do with fulfiling the call of Christ to love the OPPRESSED!  Friends, women have been oppressed for way too long & Christ came to change all that!  He came for the oppressed!

Christ prayed that we would all be ONE, just as He is ONE with His Father.  That includes men AND women.  We are to be ONE in CHRIST. 

BHCC is unique because we believe that every single person, male or female, MATTERS TO GOD!  We believe that God calls men AND women to SERVE His church & to be speakers of truth.  We believe that EVERYONE who is IN CHRIST has supernatural gifts & is called by God to use them for the glory of God. 

We at BHCC are called by God to do incredible, pioneering work here for God in Monroe County & beyond. 

We are unique in our music that everyone tells me is not like any other church's music.  Yes, other churches have contemporary music, but ours is unique.  You'll have to come & listen to make that call for yourself.

We don't try to please everyone.  God has given us a unique vision & purpose.  We are very SINCERE people.  We don't wear masks.  We are not liberal. Our beliefs are conservative & straight forward.  But we don't judge others & our highest value is always, always about LOVE & ACCEPTANCE! 

Our goal is to do church for people who've never done church or given up on church.  We don't exist for the 'saints.'  We're here as a refuge & place of love, guidance & help for sinners.  We're not perfect, we're still a work in progress, just like you and me.  But we are very unique. 

We're on a mission from God & we've only just begun!

In Christ Jesus,

Pastor Lin