The journey for a new church continues. We decided to visit a “friendly church”. One church that advertised itself as a friendly church was unfortunately not very friendly.
As we turned into the parking lot, we noticed several orange cones near a side door. This was actually the main entrance as the church was meeting in the back of a warehouse. This was not a problem for us; we’re pretty cool with unusual places. One of our church plants in the past was in a storefront shared with a plumbing business. However the signage at this friendly church was either inadequate or non existent. There was no one to greet us in the parking lot or to help with directions.
As we entered through the door, we found the pastor pacing back and forth in the lobby. I recognized him from scanning the church’s website prior to visiting. He briefly spoke because we literally ran into him. But no one else greeted us before or after the service even though there were several people in the lobby.
The lobby was very nicely decorated, however, the signage indicating the location of the sanctuary was non existent. There were several doors that were similar since it was a remodeled warehouse. No one volunteered to assist us, so after finally checking a couple of doors, I found one that opened to the sanctuary.
The lights were dim, which was cool like a club, but it was hard to see the lay of the land and where to sit. Again no one, such as an usher, volunteered to help us find a seat. The young lady who led the worship seemed angry and shouted the lyrics. All of the band members seemed to be going through the motions. There was a short video about some kind of small group event. Then the pastor entered the stage.
He was dressed in blue jeans, long hair, converse, and a jacket. He kept his hands in his pockets a lot and again, paced back and forth on the stage. His sermon seemed disjointed and he preached about all the things that the friendly church was going to do. The service ended with him saying a prayer and then he sat down.
A young man stepped onto the stage and began to talk about another event at a park that everyone was invited to attend. Then another prayer and we were all dismissed. Everyone seemed to file out quickly and I didn’t notice anyone hanging around to talk.
The overall atmosphere seemed to be one of a body that was struggling to find its identity. According to the website, the church had recently renamed itself and re-launched under this new name. I don’t think they have yet to find their voice.
It was a strange experience for someone that is used to more interaction and fellowship. It was ironic that the church billed itself as friendly. I wonder if they were trying to speak into existence, rather than try and model it. We did not feel the need to attend another time.
Next stop…a church with a very creative communicator.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Monday, June 30, 2008
Journey to a New Church
Well, we've been searching for a new church the last couple of months. No, I will not say anything negative about our last church that we attended for over 4 years. They have a wonderful pastor and we pray blessings on them. But it was time to search for our next post.My wife asked me what it was that we were looking for in a new church. After some quiet time I realized that it all boiled down to three things.
1. Practical Word: A word that is not only rooted in God’s Word, but one that could be relevant and practical for me today. And it wouldn't hurt if it was also communicated in a way that was animated or at least interesting.
2. Passionate Worship: Worship needs to be practiced and I know, somewhat scripted. But there’s also an element of spontaneity that “flows with the Spirit”. And it doesn’t hurt if the worship leaders on stage look like they are really enjoying the presence of the Lord and not just a performance.
3. People that Care: I believe that the church should be built on a foundation of not only the Word, and worship, but also a authentic, caring fellowship among the body.You would think that based on these three simple points; there would be a bunch of churches that could fit the bill. After visiting four churches, (and in all fairness we tried to stay within a five mile radius of our home…one word: gasoline!) on more than one Sunday (everybody has a one bad day), I’ve come to realize what a rarity it is to find a church that has these three basics.
Over the next couple of posts, I will relay our experiences visiting these churches. Stay tuned.
1. Practical Word: A word that is not only rooted in God’s Word, but one that could be relevant and practical for me today. And it wouldn't hurt if it was also communicated in a way that was animated or at least interesting.
2. Passionate Worship: Worship needs to be practiced and I know, somewhat scripted. But there’s also an element of spontaneity that “flows with the Spirit”. And it doesn’t hurt if the worship leaders on stage look like they are really enjoying the presence of the Lord and not just a performance.
3. People that Care: I believe that the church should be built on a foundation of not only the Word, and worship, but also a authentic, caring fellowship among the body.You would think that based on these three simple points; there would be a bunch of churches that could fit the bill. After visiting four churches, (and in all fairness we tried to stay within a five mile radius of our home…one word: gasoline!) on more than one Sunday (everybody has a one bad day), I’ve come to realize what a rarity it is to find a church that has these three basics.
Over the next couple of posts, I will relay our experiences visiting these churches. Stay tuned.
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