Shoreline Christian Center

One of the biggest challenges in doing a project like I'm doing is not being judgmental. It's easy to talk about an experience when you feel the Spirit of God alive in the service. It's easy to describe a service in which you were personally moved, whether spiritually or emotionally. It's not easy to talk about a service in which you came away feeling the way I did today. As I stated before, some entries on this blog will end up being more about me than about the churches I visit. However, I will do my best to both describe my experience (for that's the only perspective I am fully qualified to speak from) and to describe the worship service at Shoreline Christian Center objectively.

I'll begin with the service. Shoreline Christian Center is one of several megachurches in Austin, claiming a membership of over 8000. I intended to take pictures of the outside of the building, but forgot to do it. However, you can take a virtual tour of the entire property online. When you enter the building, it can be pretty overwhelming, although there are multiple greeters at every door, blessing you, thanking you for visiting and offering assistance. They have their own Starbucks and also serve breakfast tacos there. The name of the Starbucks is...get this...Holy Grounds Coffee Shop. Yes, it's kind of hokey. Name aside, it's really a Starbucks, including using Starbucks cups and the regular items you see on their menu. There is also a full Christian bookstore, similar to what you would see in the mall - bibles, books, shirts, jewelry, CDs, etc. The walls are literally covered with advertisements for upcoming events, activities and information regarding the church. The place is vibrant, hectic and active.

The worship center is large. It has stadium seating as well as seating on the floor in a horseshoe shape around a stage where there is a full band and choir. Spotlights shoot out over the crowd and on the stage, multiple video screens are showing various band members and praise leaders as well as pictures and colors that match the mood of the music. It's all quite spectacular. This church leaves nothing to chance. For example, the entire service is carefully and deliberately choreographed to facilitate and drive the mood of the service. There is a time in which people can come forward for prayer. "Prayer partners" meet them (either at the front or in front of the high-rise seats) and ushers stand behind them with kleenex, ready to give them out to people moved to tears. The music during this time is quiet and the lights are low. Then, the spotlights come back up, shooting across the stage, then the audience and the music rises up to once again energize the service. We had commercials during a break in the service in which various activities and opportunities around Shoreline were shared. The pastor made a plea for money, talking about tithing and giving in general, especially to help with the ministry and building of their new building. He talked about how if you tithe, God will bless you, but seemed to imply these blessings would be earthly as well as heavenly (I think at one point he even said you would be rewarded with business contacts, but don't quote me on that - I could have it wrong).

The service had a theme related to joy. The music spoke of joy, the pastor's wife got up and gave a brief sermonette about joy and they even had a singer come up and sing Joy to the World (the Three Dog Night version, not the Christmas hymn). The sermon was the beginning of a series on joy. The pastor talked about how we should pursue joy and that it glorifies God when His people are joyful. He gave several examples from his own life and often drew from experiences with his father, wife and children. The impression I got from him is that Christians should demonstrate this joy all the time and, if not, God's very glory is at stake. There was an altar call at the end and people were invited to "invite Christ into their hearts" or re-dedicate their lives to Christ.

What was my personal experience? Well....not so good. First, I'm not a big fan of marketing God. However, I realize He's being marketed in our consumer-driven society all the time. Something about walking into a church and seeing a bookstore selling all kinds of "God paraphernalia" troubles my soul. Now, I'll be the first to admit that maybe I have the wrong idea about this. I'm sure there are perfectly good reasons to charge people for sermons and WWJD jewelry in a place set aside for the worship of God. I've seen bookstores in other churches and not been offended. However, when I walk in and feel like I've stepped into a marketplace rather than a place of worship, passages like John 2:13-16 come to my mind.

Second, the service itself felt more like a big "let's get happy" conference than church. Well, maybe it was more like a concert with a motivational speaker closing it. People are walking around, carrying their Starbucks cups, waving their arms about to the music, while the guy in charge of the music carries on like he's in concert. He often played up to the camera and dramatically flitted about, performing for the audience. The pastor actually has introductory music as he approaches the stage and people cheer for him. The service felt more like emotional manipulation than worship to me. Oh, we would occasionally "Give God a hand,", etc. but there was much more cheering for the performers than the One who created them. I do not think there was one moment in the service in which people aren't milling about, walking in and out of the service, and drinking coffee.

Personally, I felt someone was trying to manipulate me emotionally and because I wasn't buying, I didn't really get anything out of the service. Don't get me wrong. The service was quite impressive. It was extremely professional, well-choreographed and kept you entertained the entire time. I think that was the problem. It was entertaining more than anything. One person gave me a term that I think best describes it: worshiptainment.

What should you, the reader, do with this? Well, first, remember this is merely my experience and my opinion. I am only one person and this only reflects my experience at this church. In fact, there are thousands of people at Shoreline that will tell you I'm full of it, judgmental, etc. and that God does indeed move in the spirit and life of that church. I don't doubt it. The Spirit does move where and when He chooses. My opinion doesn't change that. Second, I am not a theologian, scholar, professional or expert on how church should be conducted. That is between God and His people. I am merely a person who wants to understand and see how God moves among His people. Unfortunately, I appear to have a blind spot when it came to this weekend at Shoreline. I don't get it.

Lastly, if you enjoy a church that is exciting, entertaining, has an excellent speaker for a pastor and gives you a mini contemporary Christian concert each Sunday, this may be the place for you. Like I said, the service was impressive. It is amazing, in a sense. I just hope and pray my impressions are wrong and that the people of Shoreline are right where God wants them. It does reinforce, for me, the belief that we all worship in different ways and take things away from services differently. That's one of the great things about this journey in Austin. I may have gotten nothing from this experience, but quite a number of people dedicated themselves to Christ today at Shoreline. Maybe there's something there for them that just isn't meant for me.