Read Part One.
I must first express my sorrow at being unable to attend church during Lent (that blasted film) and how I forgot in my busy-ness to observe Lent at all. I felt it deeply when Easter arrived and the celebration of the Glorious Resurrection lacked without a Lenten preparation in my life. Now that I have experienced Easter with Lent, I can't stand going back to a life without it.
I went to Santa Barbara for Good Friday. Partly to get out of the Valley and partly because I was interested to know more about the Orthodox Church. St Athanasius thus became my destination. My interest was peaked mostly because I was curious what was drawing Zak and Kellie. I also wanted a more somber Good Friday service. I am tired of Good Fridays that are happy peppy and the like because the churches want to give a good impression to the people who don't come to church that often. Let us feel deeply the grief of Christ's death, so we may celebrate his Resurrection all the more on Sunday morning.
The Orthodox Church, to say the least, is quite foreign to me. I don't know what the symbolism is or why they venerate and kiss the scriptures and the burial cloth. I did not know that the entre service was sung. I'm still contemplating these things and wishing that the History of World Christianity class I took at Westmont would have covered the Eastern tradition as well. In fact, they should rename the class History of Western Christianity.
But that is a tangent. Orthodoxy on Good Friday. I had trouble following the liturgy and learning the tunes and finding meaning in the icons. The part of the service that impacted me most was when we walked in a circle around the sanctuary chanting "Holy Mighty God" and some other lines that I can't remember now before walking under a cloth and back to our places. This time and the chanting was a time for meditation on the prayers and the incense and the death. I forgot about my insecurities in such a new environment. Despite this, I felt very confused about what I had witnessed as I left the church. It was a humbling experience because it forced me to recognize that I'm not a big know it all. I am left with more questions than answers, and that fact can be a little frightening.
Easter morning was spent at St. Stephen's Episcopal. The choir director chose a mix of traditional organ-led hymns and piano-led praise songs including a favorite of mine written by the Gettys: The Power of the Cross. It is a favorite because of my association to having first heard it at Westmont. And because I believe the Gettys' music reflect what I wish for in the church: a blend of the old and new. New music with old hymnal structure.
Incense and female priests and gender-inclusive language and real wine for Communion. All things that I love to discover in churches. Yet, the sermon was boring. Even though Easter was only a week or so ago, I don't even remember what he said he thought Easter was about. In fact, I probably forgot it that afternoon.
Here is a question I've been considering: what is the purpose of the sermon? Is it to evangelize, condemn, question, exhort, teach? What is it? How should a pastor or priest address a congregation? Should they only say things the congregation agrees with? Do we really need someone to validate pre-conceived notions about the world? Do we really need someone to condemn all our sins so the people wallow in a guilty shameful penitence? Can't we just speak the Truth?
This is why I enjoy listening to Rob Bell's podcasted sermons from Mars Hill Bible Church. He engages his audience in the fantastic narrative of God relating to his creation. I believe he speaks the Truth. And the Truth is compelling because it questions, it condemns, it exhorts, it teaches, it evangelizes all at once. I think a sermon should focus on speaking the Truth of the Gospel to a people and the rest will follow.
I had an argument/discussion with my ex-boyfriend some months ago about the presentation of a sermon. He preferred the logical explanation of points and that using emotionally engaging rhetoric cheapened the sermon and its speaker. While I understand the criticism, I cannot agree. As sermon needs more life and blood than simply a logical checklist. But it does not follow that a sermon lacks logic. Didn't the Apostles speak in Acts with the intent to engage people in a life with God? Where down the line did the sermon become something boring that must be endured? God is bigger than both logic and emotion. He is bigger than sermons.
I also appreciate Cornerstone for similar reasons to Rob Bell. This brings me to last Sunday.
Part Three is to come.
Friday, April 16, 2010
Recent Church Musings: Part One
I must confess that this blog has been written with a certain element of pride. This has occured to me over the past few weeks as I have been reading a book by Brian McLaren entitled A New Kind of Christian. I'm noticing a kind of arrogance present in my life when approaching the denomination of my spiritual birth -- evangelicalism. It was an occasional recognition of this arrogance in McLaren's book that helped me see my own; however, I must make the point of saying that he tries to avoid it especially by calling evangelicals his "brothers and sisters." It is a lippery slope to be so ready to reject evangelicalism, but still recognize them as part of the body of Christ, because they of course are. And I am not entirely devoid of the evangelical in my way of thinking or my way of life. But included is this entire issue of modernity where we're trying to prove each other wrong in order to be right and that's something I must move away from. That kind of fight is useless. I also want to comment that it is the fighting and the group labeling that I have issue with and that in general there is a distinction between right and wring that must be made, but I think it's more complex than most people assume.
So I apologize to my readers, though I know you are few especially since I have not posted in several months. The structure I formulated does not feel like the right thing to do anymore.
Since my last post, I've only attended church a few times. My filming schedule put me off for a while. So I'm going to give you a summary of my recent spiritual musings.
Grace Baptist Church is the evangelical megachurch of the Santa Clarita Valley. It's been a few months since I was there, so forgive me if I lack specificity. I guess what I remember most is being bored. I couldn't focus on the music, the sermon, or anything. I felt like I was in a space that spent too much money on the "cool new toys" for the sake of showing off the cool toys. For example: there was an audio system set up outside with hidden ground speakers playing rock worship music along the sidewalks. I felt like I was at Disneyland. It was during this service that it became clear to me that my motivations for visiting church and giving them ratings on a blog had more to do with edifying pre-conceived judgments on Calvary Chapel-esque services rather than an honest and humble exploration. While I sat in the cushioned pew, I kept thinking "what am I doing here?" I recognized this place of judgment was simply too easy, too convienient, and (to use an evangelical phrase), I was floating around in my comfort zone, rather than challenging my faith. I realized it was time to step out of that.
I long for a way of melding a contemporary understanding of the world with the rich perspective of traditional faith. This brings me towards a desire of diving back into the Episcopal Church like I did three years. Maybe that's why I toss myself between Episcopal and evangelical. Because I want both in one church.
This brings me to my next two experiences, both of which live in Easter weekend.
Read Part Two.
--------------------------------------
Glory be to the Father. Amen.
Glory be to the Son. Amen.
Glory be to the Spirit. Amen.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be forever. Amen.
So I apologize to my readers, though I know you are few especially since I have not posted in several months. The structure I formulated does not feel like the right thing to do anymore.
Since my last post, I've only attended church a few times. My filming schedule put me off for a while. So I'm going to give you a summary of my recent spiritual musings.
Grace Baptist Church is the evangelical megachurch of the Santa Clarita Valley. It's been a few months since I was there, so forgive me if I lack specificity. I guess what I remember most is being bored. I couldn't focus on the music, the sermon, or anything. I felt like I was in a space that spent too much money on the "cool new toys" for the sake of showing off the cool toys. For example: there was an audio system set up outside with hidden ground speakers playing rock worship music along the sidewalks. I felt like I was at Disneyland. It was during this service that it became clear to me that my motivations for visiting church and giving them ratings on a blog had more to do with edifying pre-conceived judgments on Calvary Chapel-esque services rather than an honest and humble exploration. While I sat in the cushioned pew, I kept thinking "what am I doing here?" I recognized this place of judgment was simply too easy, too convienient, and (to use an evangelical phrase), I was floating around in my comfort zone, rather than challenging my faith. I realized it was time to step out of that.
I long for a way of melding a contemporary understanding of the world with the rich perspective of traditional faith. This brings me towards a desire of diving back into the Episcopal Church like I did three years. Maybe that's why I toss myself between Episcopal and evangelical. Because I want both in one church.
This brings me to my next two experiences, both of which live in Easter weekend.
Read Part Two.
--------------------------------------
Glory be to the Father. Amen.
Glory be to the Son. Amen.
Glory be to the Spirit. Amen.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be forever. Amen.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
What do you mean by 'Church?'
I did not attend a church service today. I listened to a podcast from Rob Bell. There are a couple of points I wish to share with you from the sermon.
"What do you mean by 'Church?'" he asks. Do you mean your own personal sliver of an experience? Or do you mean violent wind, tongues of fire, intoxication with the divine? He says we should be left with more questions than answers once we encounter the divine.
How, in any way, does my life even show that it is transformed? Most of the time, I'm just rushing around trying to get my schoolwork done while distracting myself from any real concerns about life and the world through facebook. I'm so concerned about what others think of me, so I'm reluctant to truly share my opinions unless I'm comfortable with that person. How is hiding away behind a cross necklace truly representative of Christ? How can I make sure that what I believe plays out in my everyday life?
I want the church I attend to be a communal experience. A place to help me grow in my faith. A community. A place where I can give to help those in my community. I've mostly been attending Cornerstone Church since I last posted on here. This provides an interesting problem. Since Cornerstone is a 30 minute drive from my house, it becomes very easy for me to simply skip out on the community aspect I so greatly desire. I desire it and fear it. To know and be known is one of the most thrilling yet scary things a person can do. Because Cornerstone is far away I can say that I don't have time. I like Cornerstone because Francis Chan's sermons help me see God. I can identify with the music. It is a diverse church, full of different ages and ethnicities. But is this simply a tiny sliver of my experience?
But tomorrow doesn't have to be the same as yesterday.
I've been considering, once more, to go looking for a church closer to my house, as a way to discover community. I just hope I might find one that puts God before their families in this supposed suburban paradise. I have three picked out for future adventures: St. Stephen's Episcopal, Royal Oaks Four Square, and Living Hope Evangelical.
On a side note, Rob Bell mentions at the beginning of the podcast that we mean to recapture the importance of the sermon and that the sermon really stems from what he calls an "ancient primal art form, it's the original guerrilla theatre." I appreciated what he said on the subject because I recently had a debate with a friend about whether a pastor should communicate emotions and get caught up in the message he brings to the people. My friend said it was a bad means (emotional communication) even if the end result is good (communicating the Gospel). I said that getting caught up in something isn't a bad means at all, it can help express the point better and help people connect with the message. I think Rob Bell would agree with me in that sermons should be part of the living breathing word that God gives us to spread his love. The poetry of prophets. Sermons do not need to be games of logic. Logic plays an important role, but is not the be all and end all.
"What do you mean by 'Church?'" he asks. Do you mean your own personal sliver of an experience? Or do you mean violent wind, tongues of fire, intoxication with the divine? He says we should be left with more questions than answers once we encounter the divine.
How, in any way, does my life even show that it is transformed? Most of the time, I'm just rushing around trying to get my schoolwork done while distracting myself from any real concerns about life and the world through facebook. I'm so concerned about what others think of me, so I'm reluctant to truly share my opinions unless I'm comfortable with that person. How is hiding away behind a cross necklace truly representative of Christ? How can I make sure that what I believe plays out in my everyday life?
I want the church I attend to be a communal experience. A place to help me grow in my faith. A community. A place where I can give to help those in my community. I've mostly been attending Cornerstone Church since I last posted on here. This provides an interesting problem. Since Cornerstone is a 30 minute drive from my house, it becomes very easy for me to simply skip out on the community aspect I so greatly desire. I desire it and fear it. To know and be known is one of the most thrilling yet scary things a person can do. Because Cornerstone is far away I can say that I don't have time. I like Cornerstone because Francis Chan's sermons help me see God. I can identify with the music. It is a diverse church, full of different ages and ethnicities. But is this simply a tiny sliver of my experience?
But tomorrow doesn't have to be the same as yesterday.
I've been considering, once more, to go looking for a church closer to my house, as a way to discover community. I just hope I might find one that puts God before their families in this supposed suburban paradise. I have three picked out for future adventures: St. Stephen's Episcopal, Royal Oaks Four Square, and Living Hope Evangelical.
On a side note, Rob Bell mentions at the beginning of the podcast that we mean to recapture the importance of the sermon and that the sermon really stems from what he calls an "ancient primal art form, it's the original guerrilla theatre." I appreciated what he said on the subject because I recently had a debate with a friend about whether a pastor should communicate emotions and get caught up in the message he brings to the people. My friend said it was a bad means (emotional communication) even if the end result is good (communicating the Gospel). I said that getting caught up in something isn't a bad means at all, it can help express the point better and help people connect with the message. I think Rob Bell would agree with me in that sermons should be part of the living breathing word that God gives us to spread his love. The poetry of prophets. Sermons do not need to be games of logic. Logic plays an important role, but is not the be all and end all.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Cornerstone Church
Denomination: non-denominational. btw this is Francis Chan's church.
Date attended: October 11, 2009
Service times: Sundays 9am, 11am, 5pm, 7pm (I attended the 11am)
Location: 30 minute drive from me.
Anonymity/visitor factor: Rather large church. Very easy to escape in and out. However, I had the pleasure of being surprised by Mr. Hayward's presence that morning. Yay for coincidence!
Environment: Large and spacious. Stone tiled flooring in the foyer. Muted colors. Large wooden cross hangs on the back wall of the stage. The stage is very wide, lots of room to run around.
Worship: Very familiar to me. Sang some David Crowder, some hymns set to rockish music, all things that I knew. Reminded me a lot of Westmont. I felt like the space they created welcomed true worship.
Outreach: lots of global and local things mentioned in the service, the program and on their website. I also appreciate that they have community pastors for each of the regions they serve. That is unique.
Orthodoxy: spot on. Read on for more.
Communion: not offered
Offering: drop box in the foyer.
Gender: the band and the leadership are all male. Women lead the kids and women's ministries. This is highly disappointing.
Singles: They call it "Non-Marrieds" which right off the bat makes me like them. I think I might try going to a meeting sometime to see if it's really a ministry or if it operates like singles classifieds.
Sermon: Being Francis Chan's church, sermons are a near guarantee to be amazing. Some things I wrote down to highlight the sermon...
Conclusion: 9/10 for orthodoxy and a commitment to serving their outer community as well as inner. I will probably go back. (though something I wonder, do I like it because it's familiar, or because it is true? I think I need to go again to find out. Francis is starting a series on 2 Peter!)
Date attended: October 11, 2009
Service times: Sundays 9am, 11am, 5pm, 7pm (I attended the 11am)
Location: 30 minute drive from me.
Anonymity/visitor factor: Rather large church. Very easy to escape in and out. However, I had the pleasure of being surprised by Mr. Hayward's presence that morning. Yay for coincidence!
Environment: Large and spacious. Stone tiled flooring in the foyer. Muted colors. Large wooden cross hangs on the back wall of the stage. The stage is very wide, lots of room to run around.
Worship: Very familiar to me. Sang some David Crowder, some hymns set to rockish music, all things that I knew. Reminded me a lot of Westmont. I felt like the space they created welcomed true worship.
Outreach: lots of global and local things mentioned in the service, the program and on their website. I also appreciate that they have community pastors for each of the regions they serve. That is unique.
Orthodoxy: spot on. Read on for more.
Communion: not offered
Offering: drop box in the foyer.
Gender: the band and the leadership are all male. Women lead the kids and women's ministries. This is highly disappointing.
Singles: They call it "Non-Marrieds" which right off the bat makes me like them. I think I might try going to a meeting sometime to see if it's really a ministry or if it operates like singles classifieds.
Sermon: Being Francis Chan's church, sermons are a near guarantee to be amazing. Some things I wrote down to highlight the sermon...
- Grace isn't something that God gives us and that's it. We must live like God and give grace to others too.
- We have control over the stress, anger, and anxiety. God gives us the ability to rise up under it and be free. Anxiety is not circumstances, it's a choice. Freedom in the Holy Spirit.
- Prayer is key. Believe in prayer.
- We are adopted, we are not slaves.
- It's not about what we did or did not do, it's about faith working through love.
Conclusion: 9/10 for orthodoxy and a commitment to serving their outer community as well as inner. I will probably go back. (though something I wonder, do I like it because it's familiar, or because it is true? I think I need to go again to find out. Francis is starting a series on 2 Peter!)
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Crossroads Community Church
Denomination: non-denominational
Date attended: September 20, 2009
Service times: 9am and 10:30am (I attended the 10:30)
Location: In a business shopping center like place. There were signs and so it was relatively easy to find.
Anonymity/visitor factor: Walked in and out without speaking to anyone. Programs were on a podium for you to pick up yourself. Shake hands and say hello after a few worship songs. The woman next to me said I had a nice singing voice. Yay. The congregation likes each other because they had a hard time quieting down even when the worship leader started talking again.
Worship: I really enjoyed it. I knew most of the songs and it reminded me of Westmont a little in that they sang a Keith Getty song and the worship leader took a old hymn and set it to new music. They made a big deal of announcing that the father and brother of the worship leader were visiting and playing with them that morning. I found that announcement to be very awkward.
Outreach: The website and program mention that they have outreach and ministries, but they didn't talk about it much or say what it is.
Orthodoxy: Pretty decent. See "sermon" heading for more.
Communion: not offered
Offering: Drop box by the door. They made a big deal out of an offering they will take in a couple of weeks that is to benefit meeting the needs of expansion.
Gender: One or two women on stage singing. Men singing and playing instruments. The only female leaders are heading up kids ministries and women's ministries.
Singles: There a young adults ministry that meets 3 times a month and a young marrieds that meets twice a month. I don't know if the young adults is focused just on college age or not.
Sermon: Text came from Ephesians and he talked about predestination. Not easy stuff to cover. The thing that stood out in my mind was when he told the story about someone he knew who had adopted a child and how he/she "always forgets that they're adopted" because they are so apart of the family that there is no distinction. And that God is like that when he chooses us to be in his family. He also made the point that because we are chosen, we must live differently, we are chosen to be holy. The emphasis was more on grace than on love. He told a lot of little stories throughout the sermons that felt more like quips than anything that helped bring his point across. Spoke very well to the middle aged family centered crowd.
Other things: Brownie points for the above mentioned woman for the compliment. There was a guy outside chatting about the seminars they offer. He had multiple tattoos and piercings. I thought this was hopeful. There was a mention that they order an In-N-Out truck after the 10:30 service. They also offer seminars on Sundays during the services. The seminars revolve around tough topics like end times, homosexuality, etc. I find this to be a very nice idea. I want to go to one sometime to see how they interpret these issues and to see if it is someone talking at you or if there is opportunity for discussion.
They have a ton of info available on their website for exactly what they believe.
Conclusion: 7/10 stars. For being theological sound. I would come back if I couldn't find a place where I think I belong better.
Date attended: September 20, 2009
Service times: 9am and 10:30am (I attended the 10:30)
Location: In a business shopping center like place. There were signs and so it was relatively easy to find.
Anonymity/visitor factor: Walked in and out without speaking to anyone. Programs were on a podium for you to pick up yourself. Shake hands and say hello after a few worship songs. The woman next to me said I had a nice singing voice. Yay. The congregation likes each other because they had a hard time quieting down even when the worship leader started talking again.
Worship: I really enjoyed it. I knew most of the songs and it reminded me of Westmont a little in that they sang a Keith Getty song and the worship leader took a old hymn and set it to new music. They made a big deal of announcing that the father and brother of the worship leader were visiting and playing with them that morning. I found that announcement to be very awkward.
Outreach: The website and program mention that they have outreach and ministries, but they didn't talk about it much or say what it is.
Orthodoxy: Pretty decent. See "sermon" heading for more.
Communion: not offered
Offering: Drop box by the door. They made a big deal out of an offering they will take in a couple of weeks that is to benefit meeting the needs of expansion.
Gender: One or two women on stage singing. Men singing and playing instruments. The only female leaders are heading up kids ministries and women's ministries.
Singles: There a young adults ministry that meets 3 times a month and a young marrieds that meets twice a month. I don't know if the young adults is focused just on college age or not.
Sermon: Text came from Ephesians and he talked about predestination. Not easy stuff to cover. The thing that stood out in my mind was when he told the story about someone he knew who had adopted a child and how he/she "always forgets that they're adopted" because they are so apart of the family that there is no distinction. And that God is like that when he chooses us to be in his family. He also made the point that because we are chosen, we must live differently, we are chosen to be holy. The emphasis was more on grace than on love. He told a lot of little stories throughout the sermons that felt more like quips than anything that helped bring his point across. Spoke very well to the middle aged family centered crowd.
Other things: Brownie points for the above mentioned woman for the compliment. There was a guy outside chatting about the seminars they offer. He had multiple tattoos and piercings. I thought this was hopeful. There was a mention that they order an In-N-Out truck after the 10:30 service. They also offer seminars on Sundays during the services. The seminars revolve around tough topics like end times, homosexuality, etc. I find this to be a very nice idea. I want to go to one sometime to see how they interpret these issues and to see if it is someone talking at you or if there is opportunity for discussion.
They have a ton of info available on their website for exactly what they believe.
Conclusion: 7/10 stars. For being theological sound. I would come back if I couldn't find a place where I think I belong better.
Higher Vision Church
Denomination: non-denominational
Day attended: September 27, 2009
Service times: Saturday 6pm, Sunday 9am & 11am (I attended the 11am service)
Location: feels like the middle of nowhere, but what isn't the middle of nowhere in the Santa Clarita Valley? Though it was easy enough to find thanks to Google Maps Street View and the multitude of cars in the shopping center. Yes, it's in a shopping center.
Anonymity/visitor factor: Super easy to slip in and out of the building unnoticed. There is the obligatory introduce yourself to your neighbor bit, but I got ignored by some who were around me.
Environment: Discovered that this is only the second Sunday that they have been in their new location. And it looks new. Dim lighting for worship and sermon. Video screens everywhere (which, the announcements were done with the video screens and a voice over. No one paid attention to them). Comfortable chairs.
Worship: dim lighting. There was a band with generally upbeat music. Head pastor is also the worship leader. I personally don't like that choice because then it feels like the pastor is running the show. Too much power. He will get overworked someday. Men led and/or played instruments while the women sang. Only knew one song. Video screens were overwhelming and distracting.
Outreach: I think it was almost non-existent. There wasn't any talk about missions either global or local. In the program handed to me at the door there are several headings for ministries that cater to the personal development and growth of the people in the church. Under the headings "Community Care and Outreach" is says "Meeting the practical and spiritual needs for the church family and neighbors in the SCV" and then provides contact info. WTF?? Are we self-help Christians now? Gah.
Orthodoxy: nothing out of the ordinary for your average non-denominational pastor driven church.
Communion: not offered
Offering: Pass the double handled bag type. A lot of money talk. They prayed for the offering before, not after, which indicates to me a kind of guilt pressure more than an honest prayer to God. They also spoke about the expenses of their new facility and that they haven't met their budget yet.
Gender: Men lead men and women. Women lead women. As expected, but still not happy about it. Like mentioned under "worship," the women are only allowed to sing and be beautiful. Dance factor: one of the women danced about as she sang, which made me smile. Why can't we be more joyful when praising God?
Singles: Young adult ministry geared toward college age.
Sermon: The pastor used the analogy of Jesus being like a Custodian. It's part of a series called "No Place Like Home: Helping Families Build Happy Homes." So this week was "Home is where the Custodian is."
I liked the analogy up to a point. He said that you can't get into a building without keys. And who has the keys? The Custodian. And who is the Custodian? Jesus. So Jesus is the one who's going to open the doors to the darker parts of our life. But he didn't say what Jesus does once he opens the door. Did he forget what a custodian's primary job is? Cleaning. OMG, just because you have this nice suburban life, did you forget that custodians clean for a living? That would have been a little more impactful for me. Jesus died so he could help us clean up our lives so we could help others clean up their lives to. And I don't mean "clean up" as in living perfect moral lives to be perfectly strict moral humans. Jesus is about cleaning the deep within, not the surface-y stuff.
The pastor also had a tendency to shout when he got excited. Basic acting lesson: yelling isn't intensity, nor is it emotion. It is yelling (stole that quote from Something Positive, but it is true nonetheless).
After the sermon, he gave an altar call. I wanted to walk out on that, but I did not. I grew up in a church that gave altar calls weekly and I've grown to detest them. Mostly because I heard the same evangelism every week that it made me think I was going to go to hell every week unless I prayed this prayer every week. Again, I cannot reiterate it enough. Church is built on relationship. You are saved through relationship, not just a prayer that you pray and yay! you get to go to heaven. I'm not trying to be high and mighty about this, because I know I don't live 100% of the time according to what I say and believe. May God have mercy on all of us to guide us to better relationships with Him.
Other things:
There was a survey in the program. One side of the paper was whether or not you thought there should be a kids after school program run by the church. Their vision is that moms could just dropthe whole litter off at the church and each kid who go to his or her respective activity: arts & crafts, drama, music, sports, karate, etc. I thought it was a decent idea, but considering the fact that I'm single and without children...
The other side of the paper was asking which slogan they should use for yard signs. They explained that they will go around communities in the SCV, putting signs in yards to encourage people to come to Higher Vision. The slogan (if I remember properly) were: HV Cares, Everybody's Doing It, and...something else can't remember.
I have two problems with this. 1) The Church should be built on relationships, not attendance. I wrote as much on the survey. Posting yard signs to encourage people to go to church is about as impersonal as an infomercial. And considering the voiceovers for announcements, the whole service could've been an infomercial. 2) The slogans were atrocious! "HV Cares" reminds me of HIV. "Everybody's Doing It" is the exact opposite of what it means to be a Christian. We are here to not do what everybody's doing. And that's also the slogan that gets spouted in anti-drug and anti-sex campaigns. We're told from when we're toddlers that just because "everybody" is doing something, doesn't mean we have to do it.
There were two dances performances. One was two teenage girls doing a modern ballet thing to a Christian song. They were modestly dressed, but not the awful velveteen liturgical dance stuff I've seen other churches do, thank God. The second was a bunch of elementary school girls doing hip hop. They were wearing tight gold sparkly shirts and white cargos. It all felt like a performance for the parents in the room to say "That's my daughter! That's my daughter on that stage!!" rather than praising God with dance.
Conclusion: 4/10 stars for staying to true to at least the basics of the Gospel. However, they miss the point of the Gospel by being so inward focused.
Day attended: September 27, 2009
Service times: Saturday 6pm, Sunday 9am & 11am (I attended the 11am service)
Location: feels like the middle of nowhere, but what isn't the middle of nowhere in the Santa Clarita Valley? Though it was easy enough to find thanks to Google Maps Street View and the multitude of cars in the shopping center. Yes, it's in a shopping center.
Anonymity/visitor factor: Super easy to slip in and out of the building unnoticed. There is the obligatory introduce yourself to your neighbor bit, but I got ignored by some who were around me.
Environment: Discovered that this is only the second Sunday that they have been in their new location. And it looks new. Dim lighting for worship and sermon. Video screens everywhere (which, the announcements were done with the video screens and a voice over. No one paid attention to them). Comfortable chairs.
Worship: dim lighting. There was a band with generally upbeat music. Head pastor is also the worship leader. I personally don't like that choice because then it feels like the pastor is running the show. Too much power. He will get overworked someday. Men led and/or played instruments while the women sang. Only knew one song. Video screens were overwhelming and distracting.
Outreach: I think it was almost non-existent. There wasn't any talk about missions either global or local. In the program handed to me at the door there are several headings for ministries that cater to the personal development and growth of the people in the church. Under the headings "Community Care and Outreach" is says "Meeting the practical and spiritual needs for the church family and neighbors in the SCV" and then provides contact info. WTF?? Are we self-help Christians now? Gah.
Orthodoxy: nothing out of the ordinary for your average non-denominational pastor driven church.
Communion: not offered
Offering: Pass the double handled bag type. A lot of money talk. They prayed for the offering before, not after, which indicates to me a kind of guilt pressure more than an honest prayer to God. They also spoke about the expenses of their new facility and that they haven't met their budget yet.
Gender: Men lead men and women. Women lead women. As expected, but still not happy about it. Like mentioned under "worship," the women are only allowed to sing and be beautiful. Dance factor: one of the women danced about as she sang, which made me smile. Why can't we be more joyful when praising God?
Singles: Young adult ministry geared toward college age.
Sermon: The pastor used the analogy of Jesus being like a Custodian. It's part of a series called "No Place Like Home: Helping Families Build Happy Homes." So this week was "Home is where the Custodian is."
I liked the analogy up to a point. He said that you can't get into a building without keys. And who has the keys? The Custodian. And who is the Custodian? Jesus. So Jesus is the one who's going to open the doors to the darker parts of our life. But he didn't say what Jesus does once he opens the door. Did he forget what a custodian's primary job is? Cleaning. OMG, just because you have this nice suburban life, did you forget that custodians clean for a living? That would have been a little more impactful for me. Jesus died so he could help us clean up our lives so we could help others clean up their lives to. And I don't mean "clean up" as in living perfect moral lives to be perfectly strict moral humans. Jesus is about cleaning the deep within, not the surface-y stuff.
The pastor also had a tendency to shout when he got excited. Basic acting lesson: yelling isn't intensity, nor is it emotion. It is yelling (stole that quote from Something Positive, but it is true nonetheless).
After the sermon, he gave an altar call. I wanted to walk out on that, but I did not. I grew up in a church that gave altar calls weekly and I've grown to detest them. Mostly because I heard the same evangelism every week that it made me think I was going to go to hell every week unless I prayed this prayer every week. Again, I cannot reiterate it enough. Church is built on relationship. You are saved through relationship, not just a prayer that you pray and yay! you get to go to heaven. I'm not trying to be high and mighty about this, because I know I don't live 100% of the time according to what I say and believe. May God have mercy on all of us to guide us to better relationships with Him.
Other things:
There was a survey in the program. One side of the paper was whether or not you thought there should be a kids after school program run by the church. Their vision is that moms could just dropthe whole litter off at the church and each kid who go to his or her respective activity: arts & crafts, drama, music, sports, karate, etc. I thought it was a decent idea, but considering the fact that I'm single and without children...
The other side of the paper was asking which slogan they should use for yard signs. They explained that they will go around communities in the SCV, putting signs in yards to encourage people to come to Higher Vision. The slogan (if I remember properly) were: HV Cares, Everybody's Doing It, and...something else can't remember.
I have two problems with this. 1) The Church should be built on relationships, not attendance. I wrote as much on the survey. Posting yard signs to encourage people to go to church is about as impersonal as an infomercial. And considering the voiceovers for announcements, the whole service could've been an infomercial. 2) The slogans were atrocious! "HV Cares" reminds me of HIV. "Everybody's Doing It" is the exact opposite of what it means to be a Christian. We are here to not do what everybody's doing. And that's also the slogan that gets spouted in anti-drug and anti-sex campaigns. We're told from when we're toddlers that just because "everybody" is doing something, doesn't mean we have to do it.
There were two dances performances. One was two teenage girls doing a modern ballet thing to a Christian song. They were modestly dressed, but not the awful velveteen liturgical dance stuff I've seen other churches do, thank God. The second was a bunch of elementary school girls doing hip hop. They were wearing tight gold sparkly shirts and white cargos. It all felt like a performance for the parents in the room to say "That's my daughter! That's my daughter on that stage!!" rather than praising God with dance.
Conclusion: 4/10 stars for staying to true to at least the basics of the Gospel. However, they miss the point of the Gospel by being so inward focused.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
The Official Disclaimer Post
What is this blog for?
It's for my own personal use and entertainment. I hope you may be entertained too. I am starting this blog as a way to recount my adventures in church shopping. It is also a useful way of remembering where I've been. I hope to also use this blog as a forum for thinking about what it means to be a part of the Church.
Why the rating system?
I don't know if you've experienced this, but I certainly have: I visit a church for the first time and there's a checks and balances thing going on inside of my head. "I don't like that song." "The pastor made a funny joke." You probably give a rating to a church whether or not you realize it. In my numerical ratings, I am using a foul system to satirize what happens when one goes church shopping. I recognize the black hole in the human heart provoked by our American consumerist tendencies to go to a church that makes us feel good and feel comfortable. I am at once living and rebelling against the practices of church shopping.
Isn't this...sacrilegious?
Hmmmm...no. We should question the church and its motives. I think we should be ever evolving and changing in order to become more like Jesus. We should not be sitting comfortably in our church pew. The message of Jesus is radical and every aspect of our lives from our eating and sleeping and driving and church going should be just a radical and lovingly awesome as our beautiful Creator.
Is it underhanded to pass judgment on these churches by posting it on a blog without discussing it with the church's leadership?
Maybe. I hope to be respectful in my humor and critiques. And like I said, this is primarily for my personal use and most of what I will post on here will be similar to what I was thinking anyway. This could turn into a whole other argument about the private and public sector, but I think I'll leave it at that.
Your heading is a quote from Martin Luther. What is that about?
I am in no way comparing myself or my journey in searching for a church home with the grandiosity of the Reformation of the 16th century. I think that the 21st century Church is on (and perhaps in) the cusp of a new reformation. With that quote, I am echoing Luther's fervent desire to find the truth about God and the Church.
It's for my own personal use and entertainment. I hope you may be entertained too. I am starting this blog as a way to recount my adventures in church shopping. It is also a useful way of remembering where I've been. I hope to also use this blog as a forum for thinking about what it means to be a part of the Church.
Why the rating system?
I don't know if you've experienced this, but I certainly have: I visit a church for the first time and there's a checks and balances thing going on inside of my head. "I don't like that song." "The pastor made a funny joke." You probably give a rating to a church whether or not you realize it. In my numerical ratings, I am using a foul system to satirize what happens when one goes church shopping. I recognize the black hole in the human heart provoked by our American consumerist tendencies to go to a church that makes us feel good and feel comfortable. I am at once living and rebelling against the practices of church shopping.
Isn't this...sacrilegious?
Hmmmm...no. We should question the church and its motives. I think we should be ever evolving and changing in order to become more like Jesus. We should not be sitting comfortably in our church pew. The message of Jesus is radical and every aspect of our lives from our eating and sleeping and driving and church going should be just a radical and lovingly awesome as our beautiful Creator.
Is it underhanded to pass judgment on these churches by posting it on a blog without discussing it with the church's leadership?
Maybe. I hope to be respectful in my humor and critiques. And like I said, this is primarily for my personal use and most of what I will post on here will be similar to what I was thinking anyway. This could turn into a whole other argument about the private and public sector, but I think I'll leave it at that.
Your heading is a quote from Martin Luther. What is that about?
I am in no way comparing myself or my journey in searching for a church home with the grandiosity of the Reformation of the 16th century. I think that the 21st century Church is on (and perhaps in) the cusp of a new reformation. With that quote, I am echoing Luther's fervent desire to find the truth about God and the Church.
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