Highlands offers a 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Sunday service at the BCC, a Sunday night service and Wednesday night service at their office complex located off McFarland Blvd.
College pastor for Highlands Tuscaloosa, Bubba Massey, said the year has kicked off with great numbers.
“Last Sunday we had a little over 2,800 people,” Massey said. “It’s a crazy number.”
Massey said the office complex is used for work space, yet they also use the 250–seat room to host the smaller services. He said they had about 700 students at last week’s college service. Although they have a variety of different options at the moment, The Church of the Highlands is preparing to eventually move all services to one place. He said The Church of the Highlands purchased 28 acres off Rice Mine Road and has begun to break ground for a new building.
“It’s wonderful,” Massey said. “Hopefully they’ll have the project done in less than a year and a half.”
He said he is looking forward to having the potential to hold up to five services on Sundays after transferring to the new location. The new building will have 1,250 seats, allowing the numbers to continually grow.
A special feature that will be included in the new building is a cafe which will allow students to come and study from 3 p.m. to midnight every night. Massey said he is excited for college kids to have a place to hangout.
John Paul Snead, a server on the church’s dream team, has been attending since he was a student at the University. Snead has since graduated but has stuck around to help anywhere and anytime he can.
“It’s always been unique, but this year is something,” Snead said. “I don’t know how to explain it, the atmosphere is just different.”
Tiffany Hildreth, a sophomore majoring in nursing, has been attending the church since fall 2013. She said over the past year, growth has been outstanding, and the Highlands keeps up with the escalating numbers.
“I think it’s organized very well because even if I can’t come, I usually always watch it online,” Hildreth said. “That helps me a lot, especially being a college student.”
