Austin City Life

Austin City Life meets on 6th Street at a club called The Parish (or The Parish room). It's an upstairs club that features live music during normal working hours. The name, of course, is perfect, for the gathering of Christians as well (although they have only been meeting here about two months, so I don't think there was anything purposeful in it).

It's a little odd to enter a church from 6th Street, climb stairs, and walk into a bar. However, somehow this works. It's warm and inviting. I was greeted immediately upon entering by several people, a coffee station was set up, and music was playing overhead. At least two of the people I spoke with appeared sincerely interested in how I found the place, if I'm looking for a church home, etc. In fact, I found myself kind of dancing around the fact I was here to chronicle this experience on the blog. I was also given a free copy of the book, Don't Waste Your Life, by John Piper. Although the website of the church states services begin at 10:00, people stood around and visited with one another until about 10:15 or 10:20. The church is mainly made up of young people and families. I saw some babies (they had two births this week), teens, and young adults. There were a few people over 50 or so, but not a large number. Overall, I would guess there were about 80 people in attendance (but as I've said before, I'm horrible at estimating numbers - it could have been 60 or 100).

The band that led worship was pretty amazing. I want to first say, up front, I'm not a big fan of female lead singers. Most of the music I grew up listening to, and even music I listen to now, is tilted more towards guitar and male singers. This band has two young ladies who sing and they were simply awesome. One of them had one of the most soulful, beautiful voices I have ever heard live. The other harmonized beautifully. I used the word "soulful" because the music was simply that - it moved the soul. I found myself a little surprised at how deeply I was moved by their voices, the lyrics, the music, and the people worshiping. We were invited to worship in whatever way we felt comfortable - stand, sit, hands raised, hands down, etc. As they played, people appeared completely oblivious of any judgment or pretense and just worshiped. I saw a couple of people on their knees, others stood and raised their hands, others sat quietly in their seat.

Let me take a sidebar here for a moment. One of the reasons I conduct this journey is because I love observing how people relate to God. I love joining them and being a part of that experience. I had difficulties observing people in this particular setting because I felt myself caught up in the experience part. I simply closed my eyes and felt the presence of God moving among His people.

After the music ended, one person got up and shared an experience she had ministering to international students at University of Texas. A visiting pastor got up and shared what was happening in their church in Belton (a church that shares a kinship with this one). One of the points being driven by the various people at the church was they had two purposes. To love God and, through that love, love people. The pastor, Jonathan Dodson, mentioned more than once the yearning to love those in the Austin area and see the culture of Austin changed by that love. He said that the city of Austin didn't need to hear the Gospel anymore. It needed to see it and it will see it through the love of the people who follow Christ.

Jonathan's sermon was the beginning of a series about the Three-Dimensional Gospel. In brief, the Gospel has three dimensions. It has a theological/doctrinal component. It has a personal component. Finally, it has a social component. The doctrinal component changes what you believe. The personal one changes who you are. The social one changes where you live. He made the point of stating that having only one component of the gospel indicates we aren't experiencing it to the fullest and it distorts the purpose of the the Good News. It is quite clear from his sermon and from activities going on with this church, that remaining outwardly focused is a very important part of their walk with God. For example, they have mission trips to Uganda and Mexico coming up. They talk openly about impacting those around them. The sermon made a point to indicate that a personal transformation alone, without an impact on people around you, is not enough. They talked about loving others and demonstrating that love. John is great to listen to. He is extremely sincere, kind of quirky, and really has a heart for what he does. There is nothing pretentious about him or the people in this church. The place is laid back (wear jeans, not a tie), open, honest, and much deeper that one might expect from a place that meets in a bar.

Putting together the whole experience, I think this church manages to do something I don't see very often. They deliberate deeply, not avoiding hard discussions and study, yet they don't take their Christianity at just an intellectual level. There is a very sincere, deep, quiet way in which they worship God both in spirit and in truth. That's not always easy. Churches often either are too caught up in their programs, too caught up in their theology, or too caught up in making their worship experience perfectly choreographed. This church just lets it happen and let's God do the rest. It's so peaceful and moving, I don't think one can go there and not leave unchanged in some way.

St. David's Episcopal Church

St. David's Episcopal Church is a beautiful church located in downtown Austin. It's a very active church, with multiple services all during the week. I was looking forward to this service as my personal experience is that the Episcopal Churches have possibly the most beautiful liturgy in the world (of course, that is merely my opinion). Parking is in a parking garage right next to the church. I recommend the church post signs explaining what to do once you pull into the garage. I wandered a bit, finally walked around the side of the building, stepped over a couple of homeless people sleeping on the sidewalk (yes, something felt strange about stepping over a homeless person on the way to worship), and came in the back door. I take these little cards with me and drop them in the offering plate after I visit a church. I had forgotten my card, so I went back out and around the building, into the garage and got the card. I then realized some people were taking the elevator and I went that way. (Again, no real indication on which floor to take). I went up a level, walked around a corner and then found the entrance to the church, which is kind of counter-intuitive because it's the entrance that faces into the block rather than the street. Of course, then I couldn't find my way to the sanctuary! Fortunately, I looked lost enough that a very nice lady asked me if I needed help and she gave me directions to the sanctuary. So, I finally got back to my seat and was able to take in the atmosphere.

The building is beautiful. What is most interesting about the stained glass windows is the dates when they were dedicated. Many were in the 1800s. The church, on the inside, simply does not look that old. It's very well kept and, although large and breathtaking, really has a cozy feel to it. Another thing I noticed is that there was a large number of people of all ages. I have been in many Episcopal Churches in which the crowd appeared to be mostly elderly. This was definitely not the case. The people appeared fairly enthusiastic about being there.

The music in the church is outstanding and everyone in the service was singing. In fact, I initially thought they were piping in voices or had the choir miked with speakers in the back, but it was obvious that the singing was coming from all around. Throughout the service, the people were truly engaged with the Scripture readings, the responsive readings, the prayers, and the sermon. During "the peace" people were walking all over the building to greet each other. At one point, the person behind me introduced herself and asked if I was new. She said she used to attend here before moving and she missed the place very much. She went on to say how great a church it was. Again, lots of enthusiasm.

The service followed the Book of Common Prayer liturgy. Something they do that is the first time I've seen in an Episcopal Church is they put the entire liturgy in the bulletin. That way, you don't have to flip back-and-forth through the BCP to figure out where you are. In fact, a common joke among Episcopalians is you can tell who has been in the church the longest based on whether or not they have the liturgy memorized (that's the longest), whether or not they know how to follow the order of service (that's a little newer), or whether or not they are flipping back-and-forth lost most of the time (that's the newest people). Not having to navigate the BCP allows one to focus on the service. Very nice touch!

The Scripture reading from the Old Testament was about the bronze serpent Moses raised up for the Israelites to look to as a cure for the snakes biting them. The Gospel reading referenced it as well. The sermon was delivered by Amy Moehnke, who is the Director of Youth Ministries. She talked about how the people were told to look to the serpent rather than avoiding the snakes biting them and how this really required suspending rational thought and trusting in the cure. She went on to apply that passage to Jesus, as He did Himself, in the Gospel reading. It was a little surprising, and I think appropriate, to hear an Episcopal sermon telling people to suspend their rational mind and trust in something that doesn't make sense. Typically, the knock you hear from outsiders on Episcopalians revolves around their denial of some of the tenants of the faith due to rational and logical arguments. However, this sermon demonstrated this is most likely an exaggeration of Episcopal theology. Amy is an engaging speaker and was very enjoyable to listen to.

Communion was served. All who believe in Christ were invited to participate. Music continued through communion and then the service closed. I really enjoyed the service. It's great to be among people who, although following a structured liturgy, do not appear to be just "going through the motions." Put that in the context of this historic church, beautiful building with reminders of their past as well as evidence of a vibrant, present life, and you will find this to be a great place to worship. Add on top of that the inclusive, loving and inviting hearts of the people and I think you'll find this a place most anyone could call home. I will probably take advantage of the multiple opportunities each week to worship to return to this church again.

Journey Imperfect Faith Community

Journey Imperfect Faith Community is an emergent church designed specifically for people to feel safe, at home, and comfortable. That is really their bottom line. They pull it off like I've hardly ever seen before. The community (they prefer this terminology to church) meets in a warehouse. As you enter the place, you see a sign directing you to the Living Room, which is the equivalent of their sanctuary. Walking in, you'll see regular chairs, couches, easy chairs, etc. Lighting is fairly dim and there are quite a few candles, etc. around the room. This includes a cross, with candles along the top, etc. The backdrop consisted of sheets hanging up, with a hand painted picture of the world.

The community is very, very warm and friendly. I didn't see one person sitting alone or not talking to someone, including me. I was greeted by a lady who talked a little about the place and herself. She made a point to explain that every service is different and you never know exactly what's going to happen when you attend. Everyone is friendly. They hug, laugh, talk, cry, etc. together. This is about the closest church (in terms of relationships with each other) I've ever seen.

The service began with everyone being invited to turn and face east for a call to prayer. It was explained this is a Muslim tradition. A chant was played as we did this and a bell rang. It was a great moment to center oneself and focus on the upcoming service. David Gentiles led the service (apparently, some of the men were away on a retreat, including their pastor Rick Diamond - I wonder if Rick has been told he has the ultimate wrestler name). David is very personable, very frank, and very down-to-earth. He shared a story about growing up and the nicknames various people had for each other. Although the nicknames were applied as part of the initiation into their circle, his wasn't exactly politically correct. He explained that, in his limited world at the time, it never occurred to him and it was only later that he realized it. I'll withhold the nickname here as David himself seemed a little embarrassed while sharing his ignorance as a young man. He's very honest and sincere. In fact, I initially was thinking, "This guy isn't gifted with Obama-like speaking skills." But within minutes, I realized I (and I would guess most everyone there) was hanging on his every word.

I'll get back to David's point in a little bit. Prior to David's message, passages were read from various sources, including Islamic and Hindu sacred writings. Additionally, writings from skeptics and atheists regarding Christianity were read. One was particularly striking from Nietzsche. You can go and read the passages shared here. David's point in his sermon was that we often only see things from our limited worldview and don't understand things that are beyond that view. He then tied this back to the passages read. It's interesting to consider how those who practice other religions are also children of God and they are just seeking to follow after Him in the best way they can, just like we are. (This really appealed to my Christian Universalist slant). The service was not about who is right or wrong, but about understanding the world we know and the world we don't.

The final part of the service was very interactive. We were invited to approach various prayer stations in the Living Room. One represented Islam, one represented eastern religions (mainly Hinduism and Buddhism), one represented Judaism, and the last one represented Christianity. At the final one, we each lit a candle. As people moved about, quietly, they were hugging one another, greeting one another, etc. Again, this is about the warmest, closest group of people I think I've ever seen. The service closed with music.

I returned on Wednesday for Ash Wednesday. The church was open for any to come, pray, receive ashes and a blessing, etc.

This place is amazing. They truly embrace the fact we aren't perfect. We all come as we are, with no judgment or pretenses. It's a safe place to explore your relationship with God and with fellow journeyers, as they call themselves. You find yourself drawn to them and drawn to wanting to be one of them. Sometimes you go to church and see people who are doing their time there out of a sense of obligation, guilt, or whatever. Although I'm sure this is the case with some, you would never guess that by looking around and interacting with the people there. They all seem to be there because they want to. They have a purpose and a calling. I invite anyone who is burned out on church or thinks they just don't belong in the standard worship service to give this place a try. It's truly a place where you don't feel the need for labels, don't feel the need to fit within a certain mold, and don't feel the need to "play church." You can come as you are and they are just fine with that. Oh, and you'll be truly blessed. You will feel the presence of God, if not personally, at least through His people here.

Our Lady's Maronite Catholic Church

The Maronite Church is one of the Eastern Catholic Churches in communion with the Pope, but allowed to operate autonomously. They are largely Lebanese, having roots tracing back to a monk named St. Maron, for whom they are named. Separate from Rome for many years, they later became affiliated with the Pope around the 12th century.

Our Lady's Maronite Catholic Church is largely Lebanese, but not exclusively by any means. I have passed the church on several occasions and have been curious about visiting. The building has a style similar to what you might see at an Orthodox Church. As you approach the entrance, you pass a memorial garden that's attractive enough that you almost want to just go sit there for awhile. Entering the building, I immediately smelled the familiar smell of incense throughout the place. If you have been in liturgical services that use incense, you understand how that smell can immediately put your mind and body in a place where you are ready to worship. Although the people were generally warm, no one greeted me coming in and I found my way to the service books and into the sanctuary on my own. The church isn't very large, so this was no problem.

The sanctuary is absolutely beautiful. It has stained glass windows with pictures of various saints and depictions of key scenes in the life of Christ throughout. There is an altar, which sits behind a curtain up front (it is similarly positioned as an iconostasis is in an Orthodox Church). The ceiling has a large icon of Christ on it and the ceiling above the altar has one of Mary. The sanctuary is not particularly large, but it is wonderful to be in! You can really feel the presence of God while sitting there in a place that has been specifically designed for worship and reverence of Him.

The service was equally beautiful. The Maronite Rite feels like a cross between an Orthodox and Catholic service (which makes sense, given it's an Eastern Catholic Church). The service has an ancient feel to it, with chanting, incense and beautiful music. There are quite a few prayers as well. Although the liturgical language of Syriac is used some, the services are largely in English. It was very heavenly and being a part of the service really brought me to a great place of worship. The prayers, chanting, music and all really bring you to a place where you appreciate and remember the greatness of God (and kind of makes you feel silly that you sometimes pray for things like your football team to win).

The focus of the service was on those who have died in the faith. There were pictures on display of family members and others. The homily also revolved around loved ones who have died. The minister was fairly brief and very interesting to listen to. There was also a baptism. This, of course, is always a special moment in the life of the church. The child was cute and cried several times, reminding us that in the midst of this life-giving sacrament, we are still just human. The baptism rite included the congregation renewing their baptismal vows. One thing the minister said about baptism that stuck in my mind was that it was like plugging in a lamp. It plugs us into the energy source. However, as he pointed out, we still have to turn the lamp on. That's our response to God and our baptism.

Anyway, I can't recommend this church enough. I wish I was more eloquent and could describe the service in a way where you can picture it, but instead I will just say this: You will truly know that you have been in a holy place set aside to honor God for worship as you leave.

Calvary South Austin

The Calvary Chapel churches are a group of evangelical churches founded in the 1960s. They number over 1000 worldwide. Calvary South Austin is a fairly young church on South Congress, having just started in the past decade. Often, the term "evangelical Christian" is misused in the political realm to mean the large group of conservative Protestants who tend to vote Republican. In the case of this church, it is truly an evangelical church. For example, this Thursday they will be starting a street ministry in which they are going to First Thursday on South Congress (a popular shopping event where merchants and vendors keep their doors open late and much shopping and drinking abound). They will be sending teams of people down there to witness to people on the street. Opportunities are being offered to those who are not well-versed in witnessing by pairing them up with an experienced person who will share the Gospel with people who are open to hearing it. But, I'm getting ahead of myself.

Entering the church, I immediately noticed a large number of young people. In fact, I would estimate that 90% of the congregation is under 40. Additionally, dress is very casual, as you would expect in South Austin. Most people wore jeans. The pastor, Bunjee Garrett, wore jeans as well. The people were generally friendly. I was greeted by several of them and made to feel comfortable. There are two worship services - I attended the late one - and I would estimate there were about 60-70 people present. However, I'm not very good at "crowd estimates" so that could be off a bit.

The music was led by a lady on guitar, accompanied by drums and a bass. She has a very pleasant voice. The style was praise-type music, but pretty laid back. It was almost folk or country at times - kind of Sheryl Crow style. Announcements included the above-referenced initiative to go witness on South Congress. Also, the church is very "family" in nature. Several times, mention was made of being a family. They have regular potluck dinners, for example. They have a marriage seminar, which includes food, coming up. There are various other activities - women's bible studies, men's prayer breakfasts, etc. It appears the church is quite active and close nit.

Prior to the sermon, people were asked if they had their bibles and, if not, were supplied with one. Given the location of the church, the laid back music, and the casual dress, the sermon was surprisingly formal. It was a little strange to look at a pastor in such casual attire and style and hear a 45 minute lecture-type sermon, complete with 3 points and a poem. The sermon was very Calvinistic in nature (the words depraved or depravity were used three times in the first 10 minutes). The basic point of the sermon was that, before salvation, man is completely worthless. The pastor compared us to the stench of raw sewage, for example. He spent approximately half the sermon hammering this point home. Man is worthless. Man can do nothing without God. Man is depraved. In fact, he believes all people who have not yet experienced salvation through Christ are energized by Satan, a real entity acting in this world. They get their energy and their actions are moved by Satan. As the sermon developed, he then told how God's grace rescues us from this condition and, it is only through this grace, that we are able to be saved and do good works.

The sermon was really more a lecture (which I think was the pastor's intent - he referred to it three times as a "study"). At the end, he invited anyone who had not experienced salvation to come down to the front after the service to talk to someone who can meet with them and show them the way.

My overall impression of the service was that the sermon was a little lengthy. The first half hour appeared very well-prepared, with the pastor often referring to his notes, but he seemed to wander a bit in the last 15 minutes, pulling two additional examples from Scripture. This, in my opinion, diminished earlier points and dragged the service out too long. However, I didn't see people fidgeting or looking at their watches, so I'm guessing this is not only expected, but welcome here. If I were to give any advice to the pastor, it would be to put your Scriptural references on the big power point screens. I had no trouble looking up the various passages, but I grew up in a Baptist church. If someone were new to church, they would have been completely lost going back and forth between various books of the Bible while trying to listen to the sermon.

If you are looking for serious Bible study and an evangelical church with a burden for reaching others, this is the place for you. The people are friendly, they appear very family-oriented and I'm quite certain one would feel at home here if they were to become a member. However, I don't think you'd be very comfortable if your goal was to sit quietly and not get involved. I don't think they would let you (that was meant tongue-in-cheek).

Redeemer Lutheran Church

Following my visit to Austin City Church, I made a point to look more into the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. That led me this week to Redeemer Lutheran Church. They have five worship services per week (which is nice for the working commuter). I attended the 10:45 a.m. one, which is identified as the Praise Worship Service (Contemporary/Christian Music). They also have a traditional liturgical service and a blended worship service. Communion is offered every other week at alternating services. This week Communion was not offered, which was okay with me as the LCMS typically practices closed communion.

If you check out their website, you will see that this church is very involved in many ministries. They have small groups that meet, bible studies for various topics as well as for various age groups, programs reaching out to those who are elderly and homebound, conferences, retreats, mission trips, etc. They also do work with people with mental retardation, the homeless, etc. They consider themselves a "missional people." The definition is, "A missional person is a living demonstration of Jesus and His love in their own situation and place." They invite people to share their missional stories.

As I entered the building, I saw a welcome center for visitors to get more information about the church, the Lutheran tradition, etc. There were quite a few people standing around, talking, etc. that were coming out of the previous service. Additionally, quite a few more were entering the sanctuary for the service coming up. This is a fairly large church. Although the number of baptized members rarely means anything, the average attendance is a meaningful number. Their average church attendance is 1300. The sanctuary is beautiful, with stained-glass windows and the altar surrounded by the people on three sides (with the musicians and singers in the back). It kind of has a "theater in the round" feeling to it. There is a cross hanging prominently above the altar area as well.

Although the impression you may get is the Praise Worship Service would not be liturgical, it does follow a liturgical order. I was also blessed to see a baptism this week. The baby was the cutest little girl and she was very good - no screaming or crying during the baptism! We recited the Apostles' Creed. They use the term "holy Christian church" rather than "holy Catholic church." I pondered that for a minute and wondered if that was necessary since most people know that "holy Catholic church" is not a reference to the "Roman Catholic Church" but to the full Body of Christ. However, there is something that feels a bit more inclusive about it. I guess it includes my non-catholic Baptist friends as well!

The focus of the service was "friendship." There was a children's message revolving around friendship as well as a singing of "What a Friend We Have in Jesus." Boy, that old hymn brings back some memories! The singing was congregational and the music was very good (how many times am I going to say that on this journey?). Everyone really seemed to be happy to be at church and their praise of God showed that. The minister was very engaging. He has a very down-to-earth, almost goofy-in-a-charming-sort of way delivery that is sincere and heartfelt. You can't help but be drawn to his words as he preaches. He emphasized how Jesus told the disciples (and by extension, has told us), "No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you." The closing song was one that I first heard when visiting Riverbend Church. It's entitled "Wonderful Cross" and uses parts of "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross" as well as a contemporary theme. I'm sure there's a musical description of that technique, but you get the picture. It's a beautiful song and was a great one to end with.

The people are friendly, the worship was relaxed and reverent (but not in a boring way), the message was meaningful, and the focus of the church is on the Cross of Christ. I usually have a particular experience at a church and try to characterize it or boil it down to a word or two. I may feel blessed, at peace, energized, relaxed, excited, challenged, or any number of different things while on this journey. The one thing that hit me about Redeemer Lutheran Church is I felt like I had come home. The place just felt like home. I was glad to be there.

Mesa Community Church

Mesa Community Church is part of the Anglican Mission in America (AMiA), a missionary outreach of the Province of the Episcopal Church of Rwanda. The bottom line reason the Anglicans in Rwanda are planting and overseeing missions in the United States is because of the ongoing feud within the Anglican Communion over decisions made by The Episcopal Church. The biggest issue, of course, being homosexuality. This background, however, seems fairly irrelevant when you walk into Mesa. They aren't arguing politics or wearing shirts with anti-gay slogans. It's interesting now that I have visited churches on both sides of the Episcopal controversy. St. James Episcopal Church, as I experienced it, was alive and vibrant. Mesa Community Church is no different! It just goes to support the old adage that all church is local. Bishops can fight and leaders of denominations can challenge one another, but neither is strong enough to kill followers of Christ, bound together in love.

Mesa meets at the Murchison Middle School on Sunday mornings. They also have numerous groups which meet during the week. They describe these groups as the "heart" of their community. Upon entering, I was greeted at the door and then had several people come up and introduce themselves to me. Rwandan coffee was available in the back, as was literature about the AMiA as well as Mesa. If you plan on sneaking into a service and blending into the background, this would not be the place you would want to visit. I would guess that close to 10 or 12 people came and spoke to me in the 10 minutes prior to the service starting. Generally speaking, the age range of this church is fairly young, but I also observed people who were in their 40s, 50s and possibly older. The place is fairly lively, with people talking excitedly, laughing, hugging, etc.

The service is liturgical in nature, with responsive readings, Scriptural readings, etc. The music was praise music, with some traditional hymns as well - sort of the "unplugged" version, with a keyboard, acoustic guitars and conga drums. The music was very meaningful and very God/Christ centered. During the singing, quite a few people raised their hands. The musicians were very sincere and not "showy."

Matt Kessler is the pastor. Matt loves what he is doing. It's obvious by watching him. He speaks with passion and sincerity and it is definitely from the heart. The sermon was the second part of a two-part message, but also appeared to be part of a larger series on worship. Matt talked about how our worship will allow others to see Christ in us - that our worship is our testimony. He stressed the importance of Mesa being a worshipping community and how that will impact their witness on others. What was interesting about the sermon is I got to see that very principle in action. Everything about this church is Christ-centered. Everything. The music, the worship, the prayers, and definitely the sermon. Jesus Christ is the savior of the world. This message is the center of everything they are doing at Mesa and it is obvious the people believe it.

Following the message, there were prayers and then the Peace, which consists of people greeting one another, usually with a "peace be with you" or some other greeting. The church is like one, big, happy family. Everyone pretty much greeted everyone else. They all really seemed so happy to see one another. I was greeted warmly by many. Communion was served, followed by another praise song. It was interesting during this last song what occurred. I don't know if this is their norm or just something that happened, but the children had re-entered the worship (they are dismissed early for their own children's oriented activities) and during the last song, many of them were running around, tagging each other, etc. Having just received communion and now singing a lively praise song, with children running around, laughing and playing, you really felt like you were in the backyard of the house at a family gathering. It was just so relaxed and warm and welcoming! Cookies and goodies were being put out, coffee was brewing, children were playing and we, God's children, were singing praises to Him. They turned this little middle school into the House of God, not with bricks and mortar, but with songs of praise and prayers of thanksgiving! Their worship, as Matt promised, showed Jesus Christ to others. I know I felt His presence while there.

Following the service, Matt and his wife greeted me in the back (actually, I had already met her prior to the service) and then he introduced me to two or three other people. He asked how I had found the church and said he'd like to get to know me better. I went through this uncomfortable moment where I wondered if I should 'fess up about the blog, but I decided I could live with keeping this to myself. (Sorry, Matt, if you're reading this). Anyway, Matt said if I wanted to get together for coffee or lunch one day, he'd love to get to know me better. As if that wasn't enough, he followed up with an email saying the same thing. I may take him up on the offer.

Impressions? As I said earlier, everything this church does points to God. Christ is a real person who has truly touched them. Not only are they excited about this, but they want to take that experience to others so they, too, can experience it, too. The people here are truly a family of God's children, bound together with a bond of love and worship. If I felt as close to them as I did in this one service as a visitor, I can only imagine how meaningful and close the relationships are in their groups!

Penning for Jesus Cowboy Church

Charismatic churches should carry warning labels. I decided that yesterday when I visited the Penning for Jesus Cowboy Church. It's not that I have a problem with people who choose to practice speaking in tongues. It's just that it's something I've never done. It's also something I have not really been around. Wandering into a church with the expectation it's going to look a lot like the little country Baptist church you grew up in and not realizing until they've started that it's charismatic can really catch you off guard. But, I'm getting ahead of myself, so let me back up and tell you about the Cowboy Church.

Driving out on the farm road to the church, I got stuck behind a slow moving tractor hauling hay. This gave me some time to take in the countryside and enjoy the life Spring is breathing into Central Texas right now. The church is located outside of Bastrop, back among the trees. Entering the church, there was quite a bit of chatter and talk going on. Country-style gospel music was playing over a P.A. system. The people were very, very friendly and pleasant. Quite a few of them approached me, introduced themselves, etc. A dog also attended the service. I actually sat by him and he was just as friendly as the rest of the bunch! The services are held in a pavilion-type of building, with windows all around, which makes sitting there among the trees, quite pleasant. These windows were designed like garage doors and I'm assuming they can be opened, which would then give you an open air pavilion. The altar is made of bails of hay, with blankets over them.

The music was your standard praise music, with a group up front leading the singing. Surprisingly, it wasn't gospel or country. It was enjoyable and the people really got into the singing. These were your typical country people, cowboy hats, wrangler jeans, etc. Again, some of the friendliest people you will ever meet. Between songs, not only were there shouts of "Amen!" but there was quite a bit of what I would call whooping and hollering. By the way, if you aren't from Texas, that's pronounced "hoopin' and hollerin'." I found the service to be quite enjoyable and the people to be truly excited about being there. The lady leading the singing then sang a solo song (growing up, we always called "the special") - Daddy's Hands by Holly Dunn. By the end of the song, most of the people were either singing or mouthing the words.

The minister today was a visiting evangelist, Phillip Baker. I would have loved to have heard the pastor as he spoke a little before the sermon and he seemed like a good 'ole country fatherly type, watching over the congregation entrusted to him. Phillip opened up by sharing some tapes that were available for purchase in the back, related to healing ministries and finding your place with God. I was ready to be turned off instantly at this "pitch" but he then quickly said he didn't come here to talk about tapes and launched into a brief talk about his experiences as an evangelist and then into the sermon. I decided later that it was actually very tactful and there was absolutely no pressure on people to purchase anything.

Phillip announced that wherever he goes, supernatural things happen. He has seen it throughout his ministry. He said supernatural things were going to happen at the Cowboy Church if the people wanted them to. He then gave a very interesting sermon from the Book of John related to the disciples. He compared their various reactions to Jesus announcing one would betray Him to various people found in churches today - and ultimately various churches found in society today. The main thrust of his sermon was that a worshipping church is a church that will be blessed by God. I really enjoyed his sermon. He has a "down home country style" and his points were good ones - not just fluff. He started preaching at about 11:35 or 11:40.

What happened next is where I think that warning label would've been helpful. At the end of his sermon, he talked about how the altar no longer represents worship in modern churches and how the only people that come to the altar are usually those in trouble or with problems. He said all needed to come to the altar and worship. He demonstrated how standing in the pew, checking your watch, is how many "worship" now and that this isn't falling before God and worshipping Him. Worship needs to involve doing something physically. He then invited people to the altar, whether or not they were troubled, to worship. I didn't go up. I didn't feel moved to do so. However, most of the congregation did. He then directed them to raise their hands and really worship God. He stated he was going to take a moment and do so himself. He then started speaking in tongues. He encouraged others to pray in their "prayer language." Sorry, folks, my prayer language is mere English - however, I did pray. He continued to tell people that to be a worshipping church ALL needed to come to the altar. He called on men to come forward, etc. Well, now the entire church is up there, raising hands, calling out to Jesus, speaking in tongues and laying hands on one another.

All, but one...me.

I'm three-quarters of the way back, sitting in my pew, feeling very conspicuous. I did lean forward, with my head down, in a prayerful manner, so as to not be disrespectful, but there is something about being the "lone hold out" when the preacher is saying for the church to be a truly worshipping church everyone needs to come down that makes you cringe. This continued on and on. People were speaking in tongues, the preacher was announcing someone with a heart condition had just been healed, someone with arthritis had just been healed, etc. I quickly checked my watch and it was moving past 12:40. I didn't mind being there for a lengthy time, but there I am, the guy in the back. The guy who isn't filled with the spirit.

I take that back. I wasn't totally alone. The dog was with me. His owners were up front, but I guess he wasn't filled with the spirit either because he laying there, looking up at me while I looked back at him.

Periodically, the preacher would look my way and I just knew he was going to call out to me and say I have lack of faith or something like that. (By the way, he didn't really look threatening or anything, it was my anxiety at being in this situation that created that thought). At about 12:55, the preacher called for ushers to come over and he then started to put his hands on people's foreheads (Benny Hinn style) and knocking them backwards (the ushers would catch them). When the first person hit the floor, I hit the back door. I decided that (1) this was too weird for me, (2) I was a distraction at this point and (3) if someone came back there and laid hands on me or tried to help me get the Holy Ghost, I would freak out. The last thing I wanted to do was offend anyone as I was their visitor.

I have no idea how long the service continued. I have no idea how many people were healed, blessed, etc. I have no idea if I offended anyone by sitting there in the back until finally walking out when they were in the most meaningful portion of their service. I do know this. We all have a comfort level when it comes to theology and worship. This one was outside of my level of comfort. I say this because I feel I would be remiss in not warning people who aren't used to charismatic services that there are times where you really don't know what to do, but hope you don't embarrass yourself or anyone else in a service. On the other hand, if this is your style of worship and fits your theology, you won't be disappointed among these friendly, warm people. They are as sweet and welcoming as you will find anywhere.

Austin City Church

Let me begin this post with a confession. I found Austin City Church because I did a Google search with the words "theology" "pub" and "austin." Yes, I was looking for a place where people drank beer and talked about God. That search led to this link, where I found three churches in Austin which have theology pubs. Like many people, I've been following the emerging or emergent church movement and wondering if it is merely the latest fad or a true uprising of the picture of 21st century Christianity. Only time will tell, I guess. But, I digress...

Austin City Church describes it's Theology Pub in this way: Can God redeem the pub? We believe the answer is yes. The theologions of old, C.S. Lewis and others used to meet at the Pub after lectures and it was there that the really deep issues came out. Our group continues the tradition. This group is an open forum for any theological issue to be discussed. Bring your Bible, and your burning questions. I admit. That intrigues me. So, after having a late brunch at the South Congress Cafe, I decided to take a second trip this past Sunday and visit the church (not for their theology pub, but for their regular service, which takes place on Sunday evenings).

The church meets at the Local Color Austin Art Gallery. Actually, it was difficult to tell if they share the space or if the church meets there or what, but after doing a little research, I found this brief article in the Austin American-Statesman, which says it's both. The setting is wonderful. As they say on their website, We are a church that meets in an art gallery. Old cathedrals in Europe have stained glass. The changing art on the walls is our stained glass. All proceeds from the gallery go towards fighting for social justice here in Austin (Micah 6:8).

Entering the church, I was immediately taken in by the beauty of the place. Paintings hung on the walls on each side, there were candles burning, with very low lighting, at the far end of the church and people were standing around and sitting on couches, talking. I walked around and looked at the paintings, which were done by an artist named Anna Marie Adoniya. You can read about them here. They are amazing! The paintings had a hint of iconography and each one felt very meaningful. Up near the stage was a small table, with bread and wine for communion. Before going into the service, let me share a couple of things I noticed prior to the worship time. First, at the entrance were Lenten Fasting Guides. You'll note the directions suggest considering the spiritual direction of your church and the medical direction of your doctor or Whole Foods herbalist. If you don't live in Austin, you probably can't appreciate that as much as those who do! Second, sitting behind me before church started, I eavesdropped (I know, I know) on a couple of guys sitting behind me talking about fasting. One was giving the other some pointers (and excellent advice). He talked about various ways to fast (you can look at the fasting guide for further information on the partial, daytime and full fasts). He also stressed the importance of it being a discipline which points you to God and told the other person not to worry to much about getting it perfect or if he messes up. "What's important is that it is meaningful to you." I was impressed at the sincerity of the people at this church. All really appeared to be searching for meaning, discipline and for the love of Christ. Conversation flowed about spiritual matters - not deep, theological abstracts, but practical daily living for Christ.

The service opened with, "In the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit" and everyone crossing themselves. It followed a liturgy, with the reciting of the Creed as well as responsive readings. We whispered the Lord's Prayer (apparently, that is a Lenten practice, although it's the first time I have heard of it). The band played and there was congregational singing. Again, beautiful music abounds in Austin and this was no exception. The music was contemporary, but not heavy rock style. The pastor, Jim Mueller, said something very meaningful prior to the reciting of the Creed. It was something like this: "As this creed has unified Christians for over 1600 years, let us pray it unifies us." That's not exact, but it's close. The church was made up of a very young group of people - I would guess the average age of the group would be about 23-27 years old. There were a few of us "older" people there, but it is largely a young group. There was a guest preacher (I think he used to be there and has now moved to another congregation) who talked about why the Gospel doesn't excite people like it used to excite the Apostles and early Church. His point was that many see the Gospel like bumper stickers you often read (he gave a few humorous, but very real examples). They see the Gospel as a means to one day "get to Heaven," rather than something that is in and among us at all times and everywhere. It was a very "here and now" message. That is the Gospel that the early Church was willing to lay down their lives for. Communion was also served, in litugical fashion, but not in a long, drawn out way. Following the service, they gathered for a soup supper (a Lenten soup supper).

My impression? Wow! This was probably one of the most moving experiences I have had in years. There was a point in the service in which I knew the Spirit of God was moving among us. You could feel it! The people are so sincere in their faith and it is so exciting to see people of this age taking their walk with Christ so seriously. I don't mean serious in a somber fashion, but in a sincere and honest way. There is something very special about being with people who are open, honest and truly themselves. No putting on airs. No checking to see what others are doing. Just opening their hearts to one another and to God. It is the gathering of those people where God can do truly amazing things and certainly I felt His presence in the hearts and lives of these people. If this is what an emergent church is all about, I can promise you it will transcend any trend or fad that passes through the Christian churches.

During the service, we prayed Psalm 51. In that prayer is the line, Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation. Standing in this beautiful place, among these beautiful souls, in the presence of and worshipping a beautiful God, that prayer was answered. I truly felt the joy of my salvation! This church, in many ways, is similar to Mosaic, another emergent church, in Austin. Both have an emphasis on relationships, on finding meaning, on expression of love through the arts. What a joyous experience at Austin City Church! If you are looking for a place to find true meaning and enhance your relationship with God, this place will challenge your mind and stir your soul.

A postscript to my visit. After getting home and reading more about the church, I discovered a little gem that was initially surprising, but actually made perfect sense, given the liturgy we experienced. Austin City Church is a mission of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod. This connection really gives them a larger-than-local strength to support their very local approach to Christianity.

Gateway Church

Gateway Church is a member of the Willow Creek Association. This is a large association of churches (in Austin alone, there are 29), who call themselves action-oriented churches. They are known (I'm sure this varies among the churches) for their well-planned, strategic visions and for their efforts to reached the unchurched. Many times they are labeled as "seeker-sensitive" and the focus of their services is to bring in those who wouldn't ordinarily be comfortable in a typical church setting. In fact, I didn't realize until I was researching the Willow Creek Association for this blog entry that Riverbend Church is also a member. I'm not surprised, however, as Riverbend also has a focus on reaching the unchurched. You can read about my visit there at this link. As a side note, I have also seen Gateway Church listed as Gateway Community Church. I am guessing they have changed or shortened their name.

Upon arriving at Gateway Church, it's good to follow the signs that lead you to the parking lot. I parked in an area that I thought was up front (because it was very close to the entrance), but I ended up having to walk around to the back of the building to get to the entrance. It wasn't a long walk or anything, but I could've saved myself a few steps by paying attention. I decided to attend the 12:30 service (there are three on Sunday) because, quite frankly, it's nice to be able to sleep in and still make it to the morning service. There is a courtyard area where quite a few people had gathered and were talking. Upon entering the auditorium, it really feels more like a movie theater. There are large screens up front with a stage and stadium seating (with cup holders). People dress comfortably. I saw everything from your typical "church clothes" to people in jeans and even shorts. The atmosphere is very relaxed. On stage, there were band instruments and also some props that emphasized the theme of the sermon series, which was money. In fact, prior to the service starting, there was an old educational video about currency (the kind you used to see in school) running. It was interesting noting the preparation for the theme.

The music was very good. The band played contemporary Christian music. I'm starting to think you have to work really hard to find bad music at a church in Austin. This city is so full of musicians! After a few songs, announcements were made, the offering was taken up (with Seven Nation Army playing during that time - first time I've ever heard that song in a church service!). Strangely enough, I did a little research and found out the Seven Nation Army is what the writer of the song used to call the Salvation Army when he was a little kid. Who would've thought that song had anything to do with Christianity? You learn something new everyday!

The sermon was the fourth in a series on money. The series was called Ka-Ching-Onomics. Before I go into that, let me mention that during the taking up of the offering, there was a video with two guys talking about churches trying to get money out of people. It was pretty humorous, but also interesting. The point of the interaction was basically that one didn't have to feel obligated to give money if they didn't want. The pastor at Gateway, John Burke, delivered the sermon. John comes out in jeans (at least I seem to remember jeans - if not, maybe I put that in my head) and a simple shirt. He is very relaxed and personable. Listening to him talk is like sitting across the table at lunch and chit-chatting.

The entire sermon, which was about 35-40 minutes, was based on tithing. John said up front that some people may be offended at this teaching and he made it clear it was not his goal to get people to give out of guilt. From what I could tell, the entire series seemed to revolve around not letting your life be controlled by money and to have your priorities in order. John said people tithe for 4 reasons (with each reason being a "higher reason" than the previous). Guilt is the bottom motivator (and shouldn't be an appropriate reason to tithe). Second was to fill a need. People see a need and want to help out. Third was out of spiritual obedience. Last, and what John said it was his goal for people to give for, was love. Love for God. That was the basic sermon. Since the service was mostly preaching, I'll comment on the impression I got from his sermon.

First, I thought it was a gutsy sermon. For a church that has a reputation for being "seeker sensitive," John didn't pull any punches when preaching on one of the most difficult topics one can preach on. There is no doubt this sermon offended some. However, he felt God led him to preach it and he did. Second, John talked about his experience growing up and seeing television evangelists rise and fall and the corruption that was associated with them. He assured the congregation that Gateway has an "open book" policy and that anyone who wants to know where every penny goes is free to ask. He then talked about all the many ministries and activities going on at Gateway and laid out what percentage of money brought in goes to what ministry. Third, he issued a challenge. He challenged people to try tithing for three months. He said he was sure they would be blessed. He made a point to say, "This isn't God lotto." However, he believes God has promised to take care of those who tithe. He also said that if you try it and something disastrous happens, come to the church and they will bail you out! He also said if you weren't comfortable with Gateway or didn't trust them, tithe elsewhere. Give to another church you do trust. Last, John made it clear that visitors didn't need to feel obligated in any way to give. He recognized there are seekers among them and he felt it was more important they have an opportunity to learn about God.

In some ways, I felt like I had entered a private conversation between a pastor and his people. Listening him talk about all the many, many things Gateway was trying to accomplish was inspiring. I didn't get the impression he was bragging - in fact, he continued to tell the people, "This isn't mine. This is what you've done and are doing!" Listening and watching this unfold, looking at the bulletin given to me when I walked in and seeing all the activities going, I couldn't help but feel that being a part of this church is truly being a part of something bigger than yourself. I can't stress "action oriented" enough. They are doing something, not talking about it. They are moving forward, not making excuses. They believe in relationships and cultural relevance, not individuality and irrelevance. They are making an impact in people's lives through their many ministries, groups, teachings, and opportunities for service. If you want to be part of something big, this is a great place to dive in.

Stay tuned! As I said, I took in a second service this weekend at Austin City Church. I'll be posting about it very soon.

First Baptist Church of Austin

It isn't often that one gets to attend a liturgical Baptist church. Although Baptists are known for a very wide range of worship styles, I have never been to a church that had a formal liturgy, followed the liturgical calendar, etc. So, having someone hand me a program that had "First Sunday of Lent" on the cover and a very structured worship service inside was intriguing, to say the least. Unfortunately for me, that was about as good as it got. Let me back up a little, however, to give some context for my foul mood walking out of the First Baptist Church of Austin on Sunday.

I had to be at the airport at 12:30 on Sunday. Now, I'm smart enough to know that you never want to go to church worrying about the rest of the day. However, I really wasn't that worried since I consulted the church's website before deciding where to go. You'll find right here, it says, Our Sunday morning worship services are held each week at 11:00 a.m. Our services generally last one hour, but occasionally last until 12:15 p.m. Given this, I really wasn't that concerned about getting out late. I knew that if church ended at 12:15, I would have no problem making it to the airport. So, I didn't enter thinking there would be a problem.

When I arrived at the church, I followed the sign that directed me to the visitor's parking lot. Unfortunately, it was full. I wasn't able to find a place to park and ended up having to drive nearly a block away and park on the street. The church is a large, cavernous sanctuary. The choir was standing in the back at the beginning and some quiet music was playing a traditional hymn. After the choir sang a hymn (they were quite good), there was a congregational song. This was followed by a prayer, reading from the Book of Matthew, a brief singing of "Glory Be to the Father" and a greeting by the pastor. According to the program, we had passed through "Preparation for Worship" and "Praise and Adoration of God" and were entering the "God in our Midst" portion of the liturgy. This is where things started to turn a bit odd.

In the program, the next portion was entitled, "The Moment for the FBC Foundation." An elderly lady (who I later looked up online and discovered is a wealthy and well-known Austinite) got up and spoke for a lengthy time about how we should be preparing our estates by leaving money in our wills and trusts to the First Baptist Church Foundation. She spoke for a long time. I didn't time her, but I would guess she spoke at least 20 minutes and that, in fact, her presentation was longer than the sermon given that morning. She talked about how she was leaving her entire estate to various charities and that the Foundation was one of them. She went on about how to set up a will and what a trust is. The longer this apparent commercial for the FBC Foundation went, the more astounded I was that they would put aside such a lengthy period of time in the middle of this very formal, high-church liturgy. I found it to be very inappropriate. Just looking around the room, it appeared others were either bored or not listening as well. She spoke past 11:30. When she was through, it was quite obvious she is leaving quite a bit of money to First Baptist Church. The minute she stopped speaking, the next Scripture reading occurred.

In some sort of bizarre, ironic twist, the very next thing read (I kid you not), the very next words heard after she walked down were from Matthew 6...“Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly." I nearly fell out of the pew! I'm sorry for laughing at the irony, but you can't make up something that good!

Unfortunately, I found the church to be a bit cold and aloof. There were a few other hymns, a children's sermon and also a song by the children (which was very cute), but the people just didn't seem to be all there. I found it exhausting to sit among them. In his sermon, Dr. Paynter talked about Lent and how the church would be examining the Sermon on the Mount for that period. I never really felt the people connecting to him. He was very sincere in his presentation and I really appreciated some comments he made about reading from the heart, not just intellectually, but it seemed the air had been let out of the tires and no one really was stirred by his words. Let me throw in here that, by this time, my attitude was probably getting pretty negative. The pastor didn't get up to preach until about 11:55 and I was suddenly realizing I was not going to be able to stay for the entire service. So, I had my head about halfway out the door and this may have affected the way I was viewing the rest of the service. This is the reason I wanted to give you the context of this service early on. It may not be completely fair.

Looking down at the program, I realized, as Dr. Paynter wrapped up his brief sermon, that I was going to have to leave before communion, as it was already past 12:15 and there were 5 hymns set aside for communion alone. During the passing of the peace, there was little movement among the people, other than turning to their immediate neighbors. It was at this point, I left. I regretted doing so as I feel it's rude to just get up and walk out, but unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) Southwest Airlines is not as flexible with their schedule as First Baptist was this Sunday.

I don't know if they have a "Moment for the FBC Foundation" every Sunday there or if that was a special occasion. I hope they don't. It is something that would be fine for a special night to promote or for a Sunday School class to take the time one Sunday to learn about. In my opinion, it had no place in the worship service. Certainly, to put it in a section entitled, "God in our Midst" is misleading at best.

This is a good church. I'm convinced of that. You can tell by the many things they are doing in the Austin community. You can tell by the public stands they have taken over the years. Unfortunately, there was something missing this past Sunday. If part of the problem is with the church, I hope my experience helps them find what it is they've lost. Most likely, I bear as much of the blame as anyone as I tried to "squeeze church" into a busy day. That most certainly never works. In the end, I found myself wishing I had slept in a little later last Sunday rather than getting up and going to church.

Church of the Holy Trinity

For Ash Wednesday, I chose to attend Church of the Holy Trinity, my second trip to a church who is part of The Episcopal Church. The service is intentionally low key and is intended to direct us to Lent, the period of time in which Christians are to spend their time in self-examination and sacrifice. The church is designed like a small chapel, giving it a really intimate feel when you enter. Not only is it cozy, but the people there are very warm and intimate as well. In thinking about it, the best comparison I can come up with is (sadly enough) that of a pub. If you have ever been to The Draught House in Austin, you'll get it immediately. It is a local pub that has all the feel of "where everybody knows your name" to it as the neighborhood people gather there, sometimes with pets, sometimes with friends, to hang out. Holy Trinity has much of the same feel. For example, during the exchange of the peace, everyone hugged, greeted each other by name, etc. and appeared on truly friendly and intimate terms with one another. It was obvious we were visitors and people introduced themselves and recognized that fact.

The church was dimly lit for much of the service (as I said, it was intentionally low key for Ash Wednesday) and this really was a good opportunity to slow down, put aside the hectic day and just focus on prayer and worship. The people there sing beautifully. My experience has usually been that about 25-30% of the people in a congregation actually sing out. The others usually just listen or mumble. This church fully sang. I'm willing to bet that at least 90% of the people were singing. Their voices filled the place, including one song that was sung in men's and women's parts which was just wonderful to listen to. Music was led by a lone guitarist and that was really all that was needed. Some of the music was a style I often refer to as 70s campfire music. Not in the cheesy way, but in that praise hymn type, with repeats of a chorus or line in the song. This fits well in churches which use a liturgy that has responsive readings because it seems very natural to have responsive music of this type. After the imposition of the ashes, we had a regular worship service, with communion being served.

This entry is shorter than many of my entries, but I think part of that is a reflection of the fact Ash Wednesday is really about self-examination. I think Holy Trinity helped me to do some of that as I felt I was more focused on myself rather than on their service. The brevity of the post, however, should not take away from the service itself. As with most Episcopal services, it was very well done and this was a really a good place to be.

Sometimes when traveling, I like to drop in a local pub or bar and watch a game that's on. Usually, I'll find other fans of my team and we'll have a little 2 or 3 hour bonding experience during the game. I'll return back to my room and, for that time, realize I wasn't missing being home because I found a place to belong for a bit. That was the feeling I had at Holy Trinity. While traveling along this journey, I found a neat little place where a group of friends gather at their neighborhood church to worship and enjoy fellowship together. I got to stop and have that experience with them and, just for a bit, felt right at home.

Grace Covenant Church

Grace Covenant Church is a large and growing church in Austin, with a membership of around 2000 people. A stereotype I often hear about large non-denominational churches is that the sermons are typically shallow and generic, designed to give people a pleasant experience, offend no one and keep them entertained. Otherwise, they may not come back. I don't know if that's a fair characterization, but I've heard it spoken more often than not (usually by people in small denominational churches, now that I think about it...). Regardless of whether the stereotype is true, I can tell you that Grace Covenant Church does not, in any way, shape or form, resemble that stereotype. In fact, one of the first things that came out of my mouth when I walked out of the service is that my faith in the human race (and Christianity) has been restored.

Driving onto the "campus" of Grace can be a little intimidating until you get your bearings. It's like walking around a small college setting. People are walking in all directions at once (I'm assuming it was between services). In fact, after finding visitor's parking, I walked into the wrong building. Walking back out, I started to head towards the visitor's center and then saw a prominent "Worship Center." It's not really that hard to get around, but this is a warning to visitors. Do not assume visitor parking is directly in front of the sanctuary. If you don't make that assumption, you'll get around just fine.

The service opened with contemporary praise music, similar to what you would hear on a Contemporary Christian music radio station. With the exception of the offertory hymn, the singing was congregational. The band was talented (from what I can tell) and wasn't showy. The service I attended was packed and, although all ages were represented, it appeared the people were largely young singles, young couples and young families. The place is rather lively (not in a charismatic, raising hands, dancing around way) with quite a few people joining into the singing, sometimes clapping at the end of songs, etc. There are many activities going on here (which seems to be a theme in the last few churches I've attended), with women's retreats, men's retreats, youth retreats, missionary work, marriage seminars, small groups, etc. The church is led by a group of pastors and elders.

Senior Pastor Matt Cassidy preached the sermon. I noticed a couple of interesting things in the bulletin just before Matt stepped up to the pulpit. The first is that it had the title of the sermon, an outline and a place to take notes. At the bottom, it had the title of next week's sermon with homework for the church. The homework was two chapters of a book related to the sermon. The second thing I noticed was that the adult learning communities brochure really emphasized things like Bible-based classes, learning community, solid biblical teaching, and studying the Bible inductively and chronologically. An insert in the bulletin advertised a marriage roundtable discussion (which is related to the sermon series). When Matt rose to speak, he said something like, "Now we come to the teaching part of the service..." I can't remember the exact words, but it was something of that nature. It is very clear this is a church that is highly invested in training and equipping it's members with Biblical knowledge and experience. In fact, the visitor's guide has a reference to one of my favorite passages about the role of the pastor, which is to "equip God's people for works of service" (Ephesians 4:12).

What followed was a sermon that I would compare to a speaker at a seminar. Matt is intelligent, well-studied and well-versed in the Bible. He is very down-to-earth and relates very well to the people there. However, his sermon was filled with Biblical references, references to original languages, and had an expository style. The sermon was on marriage and was brilliantly delivered, talking about how to strengthen relationships through reliance on and seeking God. He had humorous anecdotes, serious reflections, quoted everyone from folk singers to philosophers and really brought his points home well. However, it was not all book knowledge. He reached a point where he then talked about application and how to apply the principles taught to your everyday life, regardless of whether you are single or married, have children or not, etc. It is clear this church does not just emphasize learning the Bible, but also applying what you've learned to your life. The sermon was thought-provoking and conversation-provoking. It would be difficult to attend and not come away talking about it and digging deeper into the meaning.

As I looked around, hearing this sermon, I was amazed at the number of people who were listening, taking notes, hanging on to what was being said. As I said above, it served to restore my faith in the human race and in Christianity. To see young families eager to learn more about the Word of God, eager to embrace the sometimes hard teachings of Christianity and eager to apply it to their lives was exciting. I grew up in a small town, in a Bible-based church, where you memorized Scripture, studied the Word with a certain deliberateness and did more than just drop into church on Sunday morning to get through the hour and go home. I have often wondered if that type of church is a thing of the past and if the current trend in Christianity (as I often see it) is to "dumb down" the message so this generation of sound-bite, fast-food people can get it. This week, I saw that the message is still powerful, the words still have meaning, the people are still eager to learn and the Scriptures are still relevant.

Riverbend Church

For me, the experience of Riverbend Church begins about 3-5 miles before arriving. As you pass through the beautiful rolling hills of west Austin and cross the bridge over Lake Austin, you immediately feel drawn to the sheer wonder of the land. That is followed by driving up to a church that is near breathtaking in size. Just to the right of the entrance, you see an entrance to Remembrance Gardens, described by the website as a sacred place, interweaving nature, memory, and spirituality. I have taken some time to walk through them and they are really a great place to get away and spend some time in your own thoughts. The church, as you can see from the picture, is quite impressive. The sanctuary is called the Home for Hope, a fitting name for a place in which the stated mission is to serve the bruised, battered, broken and bored (note: they have recently added the "blessed" to that list). Once you enter the Home for Hope, the inside view is equally breathtaking. Riverbend Church is another of the mega-churches in Austin, with a membership of over 4000. However, even in the midst of this large sanctuary, the place has a warm and homelike feel to it. It's difficult to describe, except you almost feel like you are in a big, warm lodge up in the mountains.

The service opened with praise-type singing, followed by prayer and a welcome by Dr. David Haney, the pastor (although I get the impression he is just "Dave" to the congregation). The music is performed by an ensemble, consisting of various instruments. This week, they had a baby dedication service. Interestingly, Shoreline Christian Center had a baby dedication the week I attended there and St. Martin's Lutheran Church had a baby baptism the week I attended there. Obviously, the theme of family is very important in the Austin Christian community. Following the baby dedications, the church was treated to by a visiting vocalist, Donna Hightower, who sang a song called He is Worthy, backed up by the choir and ensemble. She has a great voice and her singing really was moving. There were two congregational songs, which were traditional hymns rearranged to give a more modern feel. Ms. Hightower also sang a song called Ordinary People during the collection of the offering.

Dr. Haney delivered a message that is part of a series on "religion-free spirituality." This week he talked about loving those that are unloveable. Using Jesus' famous sermon about loving your enemies, doing good to those who persecute you and doing unto others as you would have them do unto you, he encouraged the people to be kind and generous to those who are not always kind and can't always pay us back. He talked about how hard this teaching is and that one of the purposes of the church is to carry out this teaching together (it's difficult to do alone, but as a group, we can encourage one another and strengthen one another to carry out this mission).

He also talked about how the concept of doing unto others as you would have them do unto you is, by no means, unique to Christianity. He gave quotes from Plato, Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism and Judaism that were nearly identical, pointing out this concept is so important it is found in nearly every religion and philosophy in human history.

The most profound thing for me was when he talked about how when someone comes to Riverbend and feels unloved, it's not what he says while preaching that will make a difference. It's how the person is treated by the people. "By you," he said. It was a call to the people to express this love of others. He asked everyone to think about those people they find hardest to love and to pray for them and do good to them. Then, he closed in prayer.

A side note: Dr. Haney is a fantastic preacher. He is both so down to earth while at the time so clearly educated and well-studied. He is a delight to listen to.

I was struggling with what feeling to describe as I was driving back through the canyons into Austin and I kept wanting to say "calm." I felt calm after being there. Then, it hit me. Peace. I felt such a sense of peace. I have stated before that this is not my first time to attend Riverbend, but I wanted to return, with a fresh perspective on what it means to me when I go there. The entire service is very professional and well-done. It's obvious much time and effort is put into it. However, it is a church that isn't flashy, isn't showy, and doesn't focus on itself. It truly calls on you to focus on your relationship to God and to those around you. Finally, as I have said, attending Riverbend brings a sense of peace in a busy and often hectic world. Whether it is through the music and worship service or while walking in the Remembrance Gardens, your soul is nourished with quiet and purposeful time with God and His people. A time to reflect on how you have been blessed and a time to reflect on what you can do to then be a blessing to others.

St. Martin's Lutheran Church

St. Martin's Lutheran Church is part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States and is in full communion with the Episcopal Church. The ELCA is also a member of the Lutheran World Federation. Just a short browse through St. Martin's website and you can see they have quite a bit of activities going on there, from small group meetings to conversational spanish classes to sewing circles to yoga. They are also involved in outreach ministries throughout the city of Austin, but also as far away as Honduras.

Upon entering the church, I was immediately drawn to the physical beauty of the place. The floors are stone, there are beautful stained glass windows with various symbols and scenes and at the front is a beautiful, carved structure behind the altar. I didn't take pictures, but you can follow this link and see pictures taken from last Christmas to give you an idea of how beautiful it is.

The service opened with a prelude played by horns. One of the things I like about the Lutheran liturgy is where they place the prayer of confession and forgiveness. It's at the very beginning of the liturgy. For me, it's like coming into the presence of God in a penitent manner and immediately seeking His forgiveness in order to remain there and worship Him. For me, I'm guessing that's how actually meeting Him face-to-face would be. First, realizing how unworthy and sinful I am, then rejoicing in the moment as He accepts me regardless.

The liturgy is what most would call "high church" - fairly formal, but not stiff or cold in any way. Most of the songs are sung by the congregation, for example, so there's active participation in song as well as the responsive readings. A special treat this Sunday was the baptism of a very cute baby. Not only was it a touching moment, but it was worth the entire experience to watch the father's face. That man was one proud papa! After the communion hymn was sung, there was a choral chant which was absolutely beautiful. The choir is in a loft behind the congregation, so their voices floated above us, giving them an angelic quality.

The sermon was about love and friendship. The preacher talked about how most people who find church do so through friends and he talked about the qualities of friendship that are important, reflecting on the reading from I Corinthians 13 regarding love. It was a heartfelt message, with a great story about two six-year-old boys he witnessed having a disagreement about one of them breaking the other's toy. This church has a beautiful liturgy, with music, prayers and readings that definitely move the soul. The people were friendly and the place is brimming with activities and ministries for people to get involved and remained involved.

Okay, two things I just have to make a point to mention that were in this service. The first is there was a recognition of a lady who has worked in their children's program for over 50 years! Wow!! She has been a faithful member, never refusing to pitch in, always there to help others and has been a real inspiration to their church. As everyone stood and applauded her, it hit me that probably many of the people standing there recognizing her were probably taught or ministered to by her as they grew up there. It was very touching.

The other thing I have to point it may sound a little weird because it focuses on just one person, but I feel compelled to do so. The presiding minister over the service was, I believe, a lady by the name of June Wilkins. If I got the name wrong, someone can correct me when they read this. June is one of those people that lights up an entire room when they smile. Everytime she prayed, gave a blessing, or spoke, you could just feel the Spirit of Christ in her. Her voice is filled with love and joy. I don't just mean happy, but true joy. Although I know many, many people who are loving Christians, just spending some time worshipping with her was a wonderful experience. As she was headed to the back (at the end of the service), she looked at me and smiled and I could just feel the love of Christ radiate from her. These people are blessed to have her there as one of their ministers.

All in all, St. Martin's Lutheran Church is a joyous and beautiful experience, both spiritually and aesthetically.

One last reason to visit here...the Blessing of the Animals. Apparently, this is something they do every October. I will definitely be taking my animals to this! They could use it!

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.

Mosaic

This week I visited Mosaic. They are currently meeting at the First Baptist Church in Austin on Sunday evenings at 6:00 p.m. However, they have acquired some property and are planning on moving into it in the near future. After looking their website over, I was completely in the dark on what to expect when I arrived. I do have to admit that I have a skeptical streak in me when it comes to churches that are out of the ordinary. I realize "out of ordinary" is completely subjective, but regardless, I just couldn't get a good feel of what they would be all about. They clearly are into the Austin culture. Usually when I hear someone say that, they just mean they are proud to be weird. To add confusion to this, they use the term "liturgy" on their site so I was even more curious as this implied more than just a gathering of people, sitting around in a circle, talking about changing the world. That was my mental image on the way up there. In fact, I figured they would do more talking about what they ought to be doing rather than actually doing anything. Like I said, I can be quite skeptical and, for whatever reason, I was just feeling like this was going to be one of those goofy experiences where Christianity was stretched a bit too far for me to appreciate anything other than the fact we have a wide range of weirdos in the world. Fortunately, I was wrong. So, if nothing else, I have learned not to make assumptions about others' worship before actually going and experiencing it with them. I have also learned that some of these entries on my blog will end up being more about me than the church I visit. That's probably a good thing. It means God is actually speaking to me and teaching me through this experience!

So, what about Mosaic? When I arrived at the church, I noticed quite a few people standing around, chit-chatting, etc. while others were sitting in the area they have occupied, listening to music. There were some couches and chairs in a half circle and people were scattered about, greeting one another and finding their seats. Also, to the side was an art station. I kid you not. Various pictures were also on the walls that appeared to be originals done by members there. A table was up front, with wine and bread.

The members were fairly young, ranging (my guess) from late teens to mid-30s, with some young couples with babies and a couple of people my age (older than 40). The music was very different than music you typically hear in a worship service - it was more abstract and poetic - kind of a Dave Matthews Band style. The first song or two was done by the musicians up front with minimal congregational participation, but it wasn't like a concert. People weren't clapping at the end of the song or anything. They were quiet, either listening, meditating or praying. With the rest of the songs, people sang along quietly. The music was pretty engaging. With the exception of one song, I am guessing they were originals and were very heartfelt and poetic. At one point, one of the worship leaders got up and told people they could feel free to go to an art station, write, sing, etc. - however they choose to worship. There was a responsive reading portion and a small discussion on Epiphany and it's importance to the church calendar. (Yes, this was a liturgical service; it was very local, very personal and very Austin. I loved it!).

The sermon was delivered by a young man who was also very sincere and engaging in his demeanor. He obviously knew his audience and kept people listening, not with great eloquence, but with a simple, personable style. The main thrust of the sermon was about how people come close to a full commitment to Christ as Lord, but don't always make the full journey. The speaker used his own personal experience as a marathon runner and also used several biblical examples. It was a challenge to the people to make that trip to Christ to the fullest.

Communion was served following the sermon. It was interesting because the person who gave the usual "This is my body, this is my blood" pronouncement invited us to the Lord's Table in a way that bordered on an old-fashioned altar call. This actually, for whatever reason, was probably the most moving moment for me. His invitation was not just to experience the Blood and Body of Christ, but to come into a relationship to Christ in doing so. It was also at this point I realized the opening song, the sermon and this invitation were all very closely related. They closed with a poem by T.S. Eliot.

I didn't mention my biggest surprise - there were somewhere between 50 and 70 people present. I'm not a good estimator, but I think that estimate is fair. I don't know why, but the website led me to believe they were smaller. Probably just something I made up. They talked about some goals they have in doing things for one another, such as shared childcare, etc. before closing. All were then invited to join one another at Freebirds after the service for a meal. Unfortunately, I was not able to go. However, it was clear this church is largely based on their relationships and working to support and love one another and this meal at Freebirds is probably just as important to some of them as the liturgy. You get the feel this is more than a gathering of Christians. It's a gathering of friends. In fact, it reminded me of when I was in college (I went to a Christian college). We'd often sit around for hours into the night, talking about God and what He's done in our lives, talking about our goals and things we want to accomplish. It had that kind of feeling to it. A feeling of intimacy and friendship.

The service was intimate. It was quiet. It was worshipful. It was poetic. I was reminded of Brian McLaren's observation in which he mentions the movie Contact and how Jody Foster's character is describing what she sees. She states, "No words to describe it. Poetry! They should've sent a poet." I almost felt like I wasn't the right person to try to describe the service because they should've sent a poet. Truly, this experience was music and poetry to the soul.