Harrodsburg Road Blog & Events

I am blessed to have four-year-old twins: a boy and a girl. They couldn’t be any different from each other. My daughter Sophie is mild-mannered, easy-going girl, and does what her mommy and daddy ask her to. My son Riley... not so much. The other day he did something particularly disobedient and I had to give him a spanking. He usually spends a few minutes trying to convince me that he doesn’t need a spanking because he will listen and obey this time – if I don’t give him one. And I tell him that he should have decided to do that before he got in trouble. Then he always says, “But daddy, I don’t want a spanking!” No one does. But even though he doesn’t fully comprehend this, I do it because I want the best for him.

“Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” Hebrews 12:9-11

I think back through my life at the times that my Father has had to discipline me. Surely he didn’t enjoy it, in the same way that I don’t enjoy disciplining my son. But I know that God disciplines me because he loves me, and He must really love me a lot! Because as my wife would quickly point out, Riley is just like his daddy. So unfortunately, I need to be disciplined often. But as I recall all of the times that the discipline has been tough to deal with – the times I’ve been told no, or not yet, or suffered a setback – all of those difficult times have made me better. I probably spent time pleading with God, making promises of future obedience if this would just go away. I’m sure I probably even told Him that I didn’t want it this way. And He probably whispered back, “No one does.” And even though I don’t always fully comprehend it, God disciplines me because He wants the best for me.

My prayer is that it produces in me a righteousness and peace that can only come from the training of discipline.

Kelly Jennings
Richmond Road Producer

Sometimes in the hustle and bustle of busy family life it’s hard to find time to just stop and enjoy each other. That’s why I love our annual Spring Family Picnic. It’s just a cool, casual night to hang out at Southland and connect with other families.

Bring a blanket and lawn chairs and come crash with us by the pond at the back of property for a laid-back night of family fun. We’ll have several inflatable bounce houses for different ages, face painting, cotton candy, popcorn and drinks. Feel free to pack a picnic meal or we’ll have pizza available to purchase by the slice.

So slow down and enjoy the spring and invite some friends to come join us on May 10, at 6pm, at the Pond for Spring Family Picnic!

Jason Byerly
Children's Pastor

Waiting. Waiting for anything seems to become more and more difficult these days as our culture bulges with quick fixes and instant gratification at every turn. While we may not be good at waiting, we all would defend that there are things worth waiting for, and that many times the things or people we’ve had to wait on, are the things or people we value the most.

Scripture encourages waiting and even offers insight into how to wait and some of the benefits of waiting. We wait on the Lord, but sometimes, I believe He waits on us. Certain requests God makes of His people do not require waiting, they simply require doing.

We’ve been introducing a new song lately called “Here and Now.” This song calls us to action and says, “I want these things to be true for us right now. These are things we don’t have to wait for, these are things we can be and do in the here and now.” For me, this song creates a modern day creed for the church or manifesto...

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Amanda Carter
Worship Leader

As we settle into the new campus at Richmond Road, the vast majority of people I encounter are very positive about the look and feel of the new building. They also are supportive of Southland and our mission in the community. Occasionally, however, I talk to people who are highly critical about the amount of money we "raise." "The church is always asking for money," they erroneously add.

I strongly disagree. You know why? Because it simply isn't true. In reality, it's the world, not the church that always ask for money. When was the last time you went to the grocery store and they didn't ask you for money? When was the last time you received a note from your mortgage company that said, "Don't worry about making a house payment this month, it's on us!" The church doesn't withhold 15-35 percent of every dollar you earn; the federal government does. In fact, there are no "free lunches" anywhere in the world...except at church! People come and go week in and week out; no admission charge whatsoever. If you're sick, we will visit you. If you need counseling, we will provide it. All of our classes are free. All of our ministries to the community are free.

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Gary Black
Richmond Road Campus Director

I love how God uses creative people to design and produce memorable, life changing experiences at churches all around the world. At Southland, I believe we truly have some of the best. Each week we see their dedication and talent at work, creating moments where we can have a fresh encounter with God. We want God to take the efforts of the brainstorming, planning, message preparing, music arranging, light cue programming, video production, band rehearsing, and many other areas of creativity, and multiply them outside the walls of our campus buildings. 

We've seen great success in what has been the Southland Hour on WTVQ 36. Our tv program will still continue each Sunday morning at 10am, but beginning this Thursday, April 11, you can watch our service online as well! It is part of a greater vision of reaching people with video services.

Each Thursday, at noon and 8pm, you and your friends are invited to join in on our weekend service, in it's entirety, at southlandonline.tv. Whether you missed an entire weekend, or want to participate in worshipping with us again through the message and music, we have you covered! Also, this is a less intimidating way of inviting a friend to check out Southland before attending a campus.

So join us for Southland Online and connect with God and his Word as we worship Him together! See you April 11th at noon!

Mike Vandemark
Programming Director

Tuesday night we had another amazing Kid Splash at Harrodsburg Road. 124 kids and parents came together just to hear the greatest news on the planet that God loved the world so much that He gave His only Son to bring us the big gift of eternal life.

The worship at Kid Splash was a blast. The storytelling was dynamic and powerful. But my favorite part? Watching all of those kids and parents sitting at tables together talking about Jesus. The conversations are natural and easy and often spill out the door and continue in the car on the way home.

Parents who felt nervous about talking to their kids about salvation walked away confident knowing that God believes in them and will give them everything they need to help their kids take the next step in faith.

At our first Kid Splash in 2009 I remember a dad telling one of our team, “I understand the whole relationship with God thing for myself. But when it comes to my kids, I just don’t have the right words. I don’t have the language to explain it.”

Kid Splash gives parents the words. That’s all. We just create a common language that families use to talk about the deep truths of faith.

In the last four years over 1,000 kids and parents have gone through Kid Splash and walked away talking about what God is doing in their lives like it’s the most natural thing in the world. That’s because it is.

Yeah, the worship and storytelling and beachballs were a blast. But of all the fantastic things that happen at Kid Splash, the best part happens at home as conversations unfold for weeks and months to come.

Jason Byerly
Children's Pastor

On March 3, Financial Planning Ministry will host a seminar at Southland for anyone who would like to attend. This a unique opportunity to learn from experts on how to establish your living trust fund.

Designing Your Legacy will allow you to:

Pass on your values - Preparing for the future reflects good stewardship and protects the things that mean the most to you.

Save yourself and your beneficiaries time and money - Establishing a living trust may lower your estate taxes and will eliminate probate. On average, this saves your loved ones 9 months to 2 years and $16,000 to $60,000 in probate, alone.

Have peace of mind - In your legacy plan, you can ensure your desires on medical decisions, guardianship of your minor children, and distribution of your valuables will be fulfilled. Your instructions are legally binding and guaranteed to be followed.

There is no pressure, no commitments, and no cost.

Join us on Sunday, March 3, 11:15am in Building F, Room 116F at the Harrodsburg Road Campus

We’ve all heard the old Chinese Proverb, “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” That same philosophy is the foundation for our new Financial Care program.

We used to “give away fish” (provide financial assistance) here at Southland – now we’re teaching folks how to fish. And we need fishing instructors (Life Coaches) to walk alongside folks who need help to become financially stable.

Our life coaches meet with clients three to six times. They assess needs, evaluate current financial condition and provide tools to help families get a handle on their spending, project future expenses, and life within a budget. Our goal is to help families become healthy and enjoy a sustainable future.

Join us to see how you can become a life coach! You don’t need a financial degree or a career in banking, just common sense and a desire to help.

Our next training will be held at 6pm, Wednesday, February 27 at our Danville Campus. If you would like to attend, please contact me.

Be a part of the solution!

Candy Williams
Helping Thru Him & Financial Care Coordinator

We're kicking off a new series on February 2/3 called Married-ish. No matter where your marriage is on the spectrum of health, God has a blueprint for marriage, and a plan to make your marriage better.

We've got some homework for you beforehand. Watch the video above to get more info.

Married-ish Resources

• Subscribe to Daily Devos
• Meaning of Marriage by Tim Keller

Derrick Purvis
Communications Director

This past weekend, we were challenged to pray together as families every day for the next month. We genuinely believe that God reveals Himself in prayer; and by simply praying together, we think the next thirty days could change the course of the families here at Southland.

But what if the whole idea of prayer is kind of new to you? What if you haven't prayed in a while, and it feels a bit rusty? We've set up a learning environment called Simply Prayer for the next few Wednesday nights to explore just those kinds of questions.

Derrick Purvis
Communications Director

It's not often you get second chances in life, but in Children's Ministry, that's just how we roll.  If you missed last month's family Drive-In Movie Night, now is your chance to come join us for some serious family fun.  We're talking worship, snacks, movies, prizes and all around family awesomeness!  

Jason Byerly
Children's Pastor

Last week hundreds of people came out Tuesday and Wednesday nights to both Southland campuses for the first of our summer Drive-In Movie nights. Not only was it a blast to see families come together , worship and just hang out, but the home-made cars they brought were unbelievable.

Kids and parents went over the top creating their cardboard masterpieces. One of the hoods actually opened to reveal the engine inside and at least a handful had real working headlights. Our team estimates that we had around 75 different home-made cars between the two campuses. These families were all in!

The best part of this, of course, is that families spent a lot of time together to make their cars and, in the process, made something much more valuable, a special memory they’ll carry with them the rest of their lives. And that’s really what it was all about, giving families a fun excuse to sit down and spend time together.

At Southland we value sacrificially serving our families, and that can take many different shapes, but all of them start with the same key ingredient – spending time together. Being available to our kids is the price of admission for having real spiritual influence in their lives. So don’t underestimate the spiritual pay-off you may someday experience because you sat down and made a cardboard car with your child. That’s the relational investment that earns you a voice in the person they’ll someday become.

If you missed the first Drive-In Movie night, or didn’t get a chance to make your own car this time around, be sure and join us next month, 6:30pm, at the Harrodsburg Road campus or in Danville.

Jason Byerly
Children's Pastor

It seems like the good ol’ World Wide Web is here to stay. We all know how helpful and harmful it can be.

So, how should we handle the internet when it comes to keeping our kids safe from what could be lurking just a couple of clicks away? Ultimately God can best guard their hearts but we want to help.

We've created this unique opportunity for you to come and gather some wisdom from a panel made up of an IT professional, a student pastor and a children's pastor. Join the conversation with other parents at this Internet Safety Workshop happening at 10am, this Sunday, June 24 at 10am in Building F, Room 116.

If you have questions, contact Wende.  Otherwise, we'll see you there!

Nathan Head
Executive Pastor of Ministries

My dad was a hero. He was a loving father to me and my four siblings.

A decorated military officer and brilliant man. Not a perfect man, but a good man. He lives with Jesus now, which makes those of us who loved him amazingly happy.

My husband is a hero, too.

A Christ-follower first and foremost. A loving husband, and faithful father to our two kiddos and three grandchildren. Generally an all-around good guy – everyone says so. Not a perfect man, but perfect for me. Next to Jesus, I love him best and most! 

This weekend we celebrated fathers and men. This weekend we called you, visited you, and gave you crafty knick-knacks and neckties. But mostly we saluted you. Your role is irreplaceable in our lives. Your God-given DNA has you wired up to lead your entire family in the direction you are walking. That is both an awesome privilege and scary responsibility.

But you can do it. Just walk toward Jesus.

And we have some tools to help you:

1. We're challenging you to sign up for this reading challenge, right here. Read one chapter a day for one month. And you’ll have completed the book of Proverbs at the end of it!
2. We also have Momentum. Now through July 18, guys will be meeting in Building F, 116C at 6:30pm on Wednesdays to talk about battles men may be facing but just aren't talking about. 

Blessed is the man whose delight is in the law of the Lord, says Psalm 1:2. “He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.” (1:3)

Thank you, fathers. Thank you, men. We’re all in your corner, praying you on! You’re our heroes. May you live long and prosper. 

Rebecca Hatton
Formation Team Leader