Skip to main content

Church Basketball

Written by admin on . Posted in basketball, church members, prayer. 2 Comments on Church Basketball

Norm (Josh’s Dad), Todd, Dudley, Tan, Rick, Big Josh, Calvin
Just wanted to throw in a picture of the recent CHAMPIONS for the Shepherd of the Hills Basketball Summer League 2007. If you don’t recognize me, I am the old guy in the middle…. hahahahaha

Big Joshua (the TALLEST guy) is the Sports Director here at our church. He is doing an incredible job here at church by using the venue of sports to reach people for Christ. In a way, this team has become my small group.

The gentleman on the far right recently lost his 38-year-old sister to a tragic homicide just a few days ago… We gathered around Calvin and prayed for him and his family, as they struggle through these difficult days. It was, for me, the REASON why we have a sports ministry – because not everyone in the picture above is saved. But that night, after the game, everyone was standing in a circle around Calvin, as we lifted him before the Lord. There wasn’t a dry eye in the group. As I left the church that night, I prayed that those who did not yet know God would feel the burden and sorrow Calvin felt. Even more so, I prayed they would truly know, through the prayers offered up by the team, that ONLY the LORD GOD can bring comfort and strength, and that TODAY is the day of Salvation!!! Maranatha!!!

Ephesians 4:11-16

Written by admin on . Posted in Easter, Ephesians, prayer. 5 Comments on Ephesians 4:11-16


This weekend I will be preaching from Ephesians 4:11-16. We are moving from the TREASURE section to the TALENT section of the year. I want to encourage you to read through Ephesians 4 and plan on joining us this weekend.

There is soooooooooooooooooooooo much going on with the Passion Play upon us, and all of the work that is needed for Easter at Pauley, that I just want to ask you again to be in prayer concerning the next several weeks. I am very excited about what God is doing in our midst. I have seen people truly give the reins of their lives over to Jesus Christ. Visible transformation is a sign that God is at work.

Will you please pause ……………… this very moment …………… and ask God to work mightily these next couple of weeks as we prepare to tell the world about the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Looking forward to seeing each of you this coming weekend.

Recall Notice

Written by admin on . Posted in prayer, sin. 4 Comments on Recall Notice

The Maker of all human beings is recalling all units manufactured, regardless of make or year, due to a serious defect in the primary and central component of the heart. This is due to a malfunction in the original prototype units code named Adam and Eve, resulting in the reproduction of the same defect in all subsequent units. This defect has been technically termed “Subsequential Internal Non-Morality,” or more commonly known as S.I.N., as it is primarily expressed.

Some other symptoms include:
1. Loss of direction
2. Foul vocal emissions
3. Amnesia of origin
4. Lack of peace and joy
5. Selfish or violent behavior
6. Depression or confusion in the mental Component
7. Fearfulness
8. Idolatry
9. Rebellion

The Manufacturer, who is neither liable nor at fault for this defect, is providing factory-authorized repair and service free of charge to correct this SIN defect. The Repair Technician, Jesus, has most generously offered to bear the entire burden of the staggering cost of these repairs. There is no additional fee required.

The number to call for repair in all areas is: P-R-A-Y-E-R. Once connected, please upload your burden of SIN through the REPENTANCE procedure. Next, download ATONEMENT from the Repair Technician, Jesus, into the heart component. No matter how big or small the SIN defect is, Jesus will replace it with:

1. Love
2. Joy
3. Peace
4. Patience
5. Kindness
6. Goodness
7. Faithfulness
8. Gentleness
9. Self control

Please see the operating manual, the B.I.B.L.E . (Believers’ Instructions Before Leaving Earth) for further details on the use of these fixes. WARNING: Continuing to operate the human being unit without correction voids any manufacturer warranties, exposing the unit to dangers and problems too numerous to list and will result in the human unit being permanently impounded.

DANGER: The human being units not responding to this recall action will have to be scrapped in the furnace. The SIN defect will not be permitted to enter Heaven so as to prevent contamination of that facility. Thank you for your attention! You may contact your maker any time by “kneemail.”

Favorite Christmas Card

Written by admin on . Posted in Christmas, Christmas Card, picture, prayer. 2 Comments on Favorite Christmas Card

Every year on Christmas day, after the children have unwrapped their gifts, I settle down for a couple of hours and read through all the Christmas cards, notes, and greetings that friends and people from the church have sent me. I always enjoy reading the cards and personal notes that are written by so many of you. I look at every card and read every note.

One of the things I enjoy is trying to figure out which cards are my favorites. I had several this year, but my very favorite came from the Manocchio family who sent a picture of their two daughters, Gabriela, age 11, and Julia, age 8.

Look at this picture! Besides being adorable, it is full of meaning, as 2006 was the year of “prayer”. This family wanted to send a message to all of their friends and family that their home had become a “house of prayer.”

So thank you Jon and Niurka (dad and mom) as well as Gabriela and Julia for sending out what I thought was my favorite Christmas card of 2006. You truly blessed me as well as everyone else who received this card.

The words on the card were as follows….. Praying that the Spirit of Christmas and the hope it brings, will be in your heart during this season and the whole year round. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given… and he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

Looking back over 2006

Written by admin on . Posted in baptism, beach, prayer, satan, thank you. 2 Comments on Looking back over 2006



It’s been a remarkable year at Shepherd of the Hills Church.

Where do I begin?

First and foremost our theme for the year…HOUSE OF PRAYER.

I look back over all the sermons, the Pillars of Prayer, the Church having daily devotions going through the book… “Romancing Royalty”, and who could NOT put at the top of their list the “Day of Prayer” where over 1000 people gathered at the church and spent the entire day in worship and prayer. Truly an amazing day that I will never forget and in my opinion the greatest day of my Christian Life.

And a close second would be the Beach Baptisms where over 200 people were baptized into Christ. There is a video we showed regarding the beach baptisms on October 30th, 2006. (Just go to that date on our blog and you can view the video.)

Next would be our two new Church plants, Chris Stevens at “Come as you are Church” and our grand opening of our Westside Campus. http://www.mywestsidechurch.com/

And I was told tonight that during 2006, we’ve had 654 Baptisms, which is another banner year for us. Looking back we have had a remarkable year and I just want to thank the LORD GOD for His blessing and I want to thank EACH of YOU for your willingness to be used of God.

One of the pictures above are of the four pillars that are standing tall in the foyer of our church and the other picture was a creation and gift of my dear friend Bob Hastings. Bob works for Salem Communications, does some sales work for KKLA and his wife is the Administrative Assistant for Lloyd Ogilvie. Bob took this picture at our “Beach Baptism” day and then super imposed the “Declaration of Satan” that we used in a sermon recently. Mr. Hastings is always trying to encourage me in one way or another and this picture actually sent chills up my spine.

Bob, Thank You for your gift that will always help remind me of what an incredible year we’ve had here at Shepherd. Every year I say the same thing that I’m about to say right now. “I can’t imagine how next year can be as good as this past year has been.” And yet EVERY YEAR Gods blessings go BEYOND my imaginations.

Looking forward to sharing with you the Plans for 2007 on the weekend of the 7th.

A Challenge for Dallas

Written by admin on . Posted in basketball, children, Dallas, parenting, prayer. 4 Comments on A Challenge for Dallas


My son, “Sir Dallas James Rutherford,” had a tough day today. He is a junior at Campbell Hall High School in Studio City, and he’s been having some problems with his left knee. After getting some x-rays and an MRI, the doctor informed us that he has a fractured patella. He will be out of basketball for six to eight weeks.

Now for a young man who loves to play basketball, this was NOT good news. He will basically be missing most of his junior year, but hopefully he’ll be able to make it back towards the end of the season. I checked my phone during a break in the middle of my jury trial and it was heart wrenching listening to my son give me this news. Dallas is a fish out of water if he’s not on the court playing a little basketball.

We are doing our best to let him know that God has a plan and that there are a lot of good things that could come of this.

Please keep Dallas in your prayers. He is struggling to discern what God wants for his life. He has been trying his best to honor the Lord recently. God often shapes us through some difficult times and I’m praying that God would do just that. I’ve watched Dallas play basketball many, many times and you can see the joy in him as he runs and competes. I sometimes think of the OLD movie, Chariots of Fire, where God used Eric Liddell to compete in the 1924 Olympic games to honor God. There is such a memorable quote in that movie from Eric. He said, “I believe that God made me for a purpose, but He also made me fast. And when I run, I feel His pleasure.” I’m not sure Dallas has ever totally figured this out, but I do believe he’s at least thinking about it. So hopefully, this will be a time where he can reflect on how to honor God with his life.

I want to thank, in advance, those of you who will keep him in your prayers. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.