Church of the Highlands | Grants Mill Campus — Attraction in Irondale

My sister and I had one of the most traumatic experiences of our lives at this church. We both have a heart condition for which we've had heart surgery for. During a service there, my sister felt her heart rate rising because of the loud music and other reasons. I also have a medical background as a paramedic. So my parents asked me to bring her outside to help her calm down. So I brought her outside and we were sitting on the grass talking. I was asking her about her day at school and her heart rate was coming down. Shortly after we got outside, an Irondale police car pulled up by us and asked us what we were doing. I tried explaining the situation but this officer told us we couldn't be outside and couldn't be in the grass. There wasn't any signage that said we couldn't sit on the grass so I didn't understand why it was a big deal. (I was 24 years old at the time, so an adult, and could decide if I wanted to be outside during service.) But we were told we had to go back inside. I also had a walking cast on because I'm disabled and recently had foot/ankle surgery. We got up and started walking, very slowly though because of my foot and because my sister's heart rate was getting really high again but this time because this officer was scaring us. As we were walking along the sidewalk, he was following us in his car. He had his window rolled down and was telling us to go faster. I was trying to tell him why we couldn't go faster. He got out of his car, said to stop making excuses, threw me up against a wall and told me he was going to arrest me! For not listening! I was doing everything he was asking but because he couldn't go as quickly as he wanted, he abused his position. By the time we got back inside, Denny Hodges (Head Pastor's brother) was there and I was desperately trying to tell him what happened. I didn't want that officer near us. He took the cop's side. He was the last person that should've been handling a situation like that. My sister ended up going into a cardiac event, but now it was brought on by the cop with a power trip! The very thing I was trying to help her avoid all along. So they had to call for medical help for her. Everything I told that cop was true. He never asked me how old we were. A few weeks later, Denny and another pastor from the church asked to meet us. Basically, Denny just wanted to see if we were going to attempt to pursue legal action against the church. He didn't care about how me and my sister were doing. He told us he had a talk with the officer. That was it! Barely a slap on the wrist for horrifying and threatening innocent young ladies with one being a child! Denny had the gall to tell my mom that to the officer's defense, her daughters look really young. So I guess because we look young, that's a good enough reason to treat us like criminals. Like I said, he never bothered asking our ages. He incorrectly assumed we were both children. The very last place you should be threatened is your church!! I was telling them the truth the whole time and yet no one believed me. I even worked at the Pelham campus doing childcare once a week and when I told him that, he looked at me like I was lying. This was the most terrifying thing I've been through. I've never, ever been in any kind of trouble. Not even a speeding ticket! And yet while I'm at church, trying to help my sister, I'm threatened and physical assaulted! Denny said the cop was there because he works at a school and is good at picking out problem kids and dealing with them. If my sister and me looked like a problem, he needs to retire. There's nothing about us that looks problematic. We didn't even have any bags or purses with us. Afterwards, I dealt with all kinds of issues. I had to lock my door to my bedroom at night because it was the only way I could get to sleep. I didn't feel safe. I also had nightmares for a while. All this from church. It's so wrong! There's more to this experience but I told the bulk. This experience did happen several years back but I've never been back to this church. I...

An honest review devoid of hatred. I know several people who attend Highlands, I have been a few times, and have listened to ruffly a dozen sermons. All that to say that I speak from experience and have seen a very serious contrast between Highlands and, what I consider to be, biblical churches. My honest opinion is that this church lacks the more important proscribed, and implicitly displayed, dynamics of a biblical church, and specifically in their teaching. My experience with Highlander's is that they are a very excited group that tends to be marked by service. On the negative side I have seldom met any who are able to navigate, interpret, and apply the scripture in an effectual way per whatever topic.

I would discourage anybody from going to a church that more often than not turns scripture into allegory/metaphor to satisfy a sermon's topic. The shallow teaching seems to produce disciples who are unable to examine a variety of subjects biblically, and therefore significantly effects the necessary apologetics for evangelism and a variety of other areas that I believe scripture explicitly commands us to be pursuing in maturity.

I have read some reviews of the Highlands that, although true in their criticism, are significantly lacking a more loving expression. It is my honest opinion that someone seeking a healthy and biblical church that equips believers with sound teaching for ministering to the body should not attend Church of the Highlands.

I feel that Church of the Highlands fails in a very serious way to follow what is described in Ephesians 4:10–16 (REFERENCED BELOW) and have had enough experience with members to see how a lack of fuller teaching effects some very practical areas of the Christian walk. When I discuss the function and structure of the church with Highlander's who are zealous for the Highlands, I tend to hear a greater frequency of personal preference rather than their interpretation of what they see in scripture when it comes to church. Another significant thing I have noticed is a lack of meaningful and engaged conversations that confront sin outside of the groups. It does not seem to be a general mark of the church for its members to be in hot pursuit of confession and repentance. (I speak to the dozen or so I know personally without contempt, just as an observation)

I truly feel that these kinds of churches ultimately create more false converts through what appears to be more of a social club than a church. Again, I am not saying this with a heart of hatred. Hope this is helpful.

[10] He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) [11] And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, [12] to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, [13] until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, [14] so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. [15] Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, [16] from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up...

(YES, it’s a novel so due to a limit, I have to make this in 2 parts. PART 1:)

A church should practice what it preaches; Highlands does that and MORE. 20+ years ago, Pastor Chris Hodges envisioned opening 50 churches but I see this church spreading, nationwide. (Worldwide would be attainable but in a way, via the internet IS reaching worldwide already. In all honesty, it’s my belief the Rapture will happen before COTH gets churches all over the world but… back to my review!)

Besides being in various locations, COTH is also in a number of “Alabama State Department of Correctional Facilities” (Chris NEVER refers to it as “jail”, kindly, while those there are identified as being extensions of the Body of Christ). Those of us watching via internet are also included as being part of the Fam, which is especially nice.

We’re not made out to be heathens by ANY stretch of the imagination. THIS is a positive, joyful, encouraging and uplifting church because frankly, that’s Who and What God, Himself, is. (The Father in the Prodigal Son story.) EVERY part of the Bible is believed, discussed and explained in ways that cause the blind eyes to see and make the deaf ears hear. PC (Pastor Chris) lovingly shows us the relevancy of God’s Word in our lives, today.

COTH offers a multitude of Small Groups for the sake of people actually uniting and DOING things together; whether that be gardening, hiking, serving the community, Bible Study, visiting those in the Correctional Facilities, etc. Every hobby and interest you could possibly think of, and all for the sake of people within the church BONDING; actually BEING a church, the way God intended The Church to BE. A unity and not just for each other but for the surrounding areas and for those not involved with the church, as well. (!!!)

There’s a (huge!!) Serve Day, where literally thousands join together in spreading out all across Alabama (and the world); Chris has gotten thousands of other churches involved as well…most recently, over 1,200 churches!), painting where painting is needed; planting and building, improving the state of wherever they are needed. Fixing up, cleaning and improving ANY area for the sake of truly helping the community at large, church attendance or membership not required. (There’s additional, smaller scaled serve days every 1st Saturday. Is that something or what?!)

This church is like no other I’ve ever experienced and it’s safe to say, nor will you. EVERY SERVICE leaves you feeling and being BETTER than you were before. There’s no condemnation (“..now therefore for those of us in Christ Jesus”, Romans 8:1) meaning, Jesus is about SAVING, cheering us on, loving us and lifting us UP…not the opposite. Other churches have been known to condemn, point the finger and threaten Hell within their sermons but that’s not what COTH is about, because quite frankly, that’s not what...