I didn’t know this church existed until my wife stumbled onto this charismatic church during her online research for our adventure. Their Facebook page says they’re “a charismatic, faith-filled, and Bible-believing church.” I’ve never been to a charismatic church service. However, I have attended charismatic conferences, so I think I have a general idea of […]
It’s Father’s Day and we visit our fourth Baptist church in ten weeks. Like two of the others, this one is both a small congregation and an older congregation. They’re friendly and welcoming, but an absence of younger people points to a bleak future. Despite efforts to keep the facility nice, there remains subtle reminders […]
This Sunday we visit a United Methodist church with two traditional services. We go to the second and I’m expectant for what I will learn. Two greeters hand out nametags to the regulars; they offer us welcome stickers and we write our names. The nametags are a first in our 52 churches journey, an appreciated […]
This week we visit another new church, our third one so far (the others are Church #2 and Church #7). This one is essentially a church reboot, with the intent on offering a more accessible gathering within a traditional, conservative denomination. It’s a bold experiment. The decor is by far the nicest we’ve encountered. Everything […]
Sunday we visited a newer church. Their website says “multi-generational contemporary worship service”—and it is. They’re also non-denominational “because God has called all believers to unity.” I like that. We walk in and people are informally mingling; several introduce themselves. Of all the churches we’ve visited so far, this is the most effective at pre-service […]
It’s a quintessential country church and our third Baptist congregation in six weeks. With no online presence, what we know is from their sign out front: its name and service time. The sanctuary is smaller than I expected. One lady greets us warmly and another scurries to fetch us a bulletin. We fill out the […]
When I tell people we’re visiting Christian churches, they often assume Protestant and are surprised our plan includes Catholic gatherings. That’s where we head today, to our first Mass. The most noticeable difference is an ornate crucifix in the sanctuary. I’m pleased to see many lay people helping lead the service. There’s a nice range […]
The church is a traditional-looking building, constructed of brick and stately in appearance. In checking out the sanctuary, I anticipate the service will be just as Facebook promised. It said “a blending of traditional and contemporary.” Will they have the right mix of music? The service begins with several familiar choruses. A few people lift […]
“This won’t be a typical service” cautions a friend who greets us when we arrive. The church suffered a tragedy, just three days before and not all the members yet know. The service will communicate this news and provide some needed God-perspective on the situation. I appreciate the warning, while wishing our visit could be […]
This Sunday we visit a nondenominational church. It’s three years old and I know a bit about it and its pastor, who I perceive as a mostly postmodern guy possessing a modern theology. I suspect the church will mirror that. Located in a small strip mall, I find a parking spot near the door. Only […]