One of the area’s megachurches has intrigued me for years. At one time I was a regular podcast consumer of their weekly messages, which usually featured their founding pastor. A gifted communicator, he conveyed truth with a fresh voice and looked at spirituality from new vantage points. His perspectives moved me toward the spiritual more […]
Today, we head to one of the area’s larger churches. In the past, they had a visible presence, but I’ve not heard much about them recently. Their website boasts that we’ll find “a warm and friendly group of people.” I bristle. It’s like telling someone you’re humble or you’re honest: if you have to say […]
Another New Church During our 52 Churches journey, many people suggested we visit today’s destination, but with their location falling outside our self-imposed ten-mile limit, we skipped them—all the while feeling we were missing something. When the building’s former occupants became too few to carry on, one of the area’s largest churches (Church #52, “Playing […]
We planned to visit this congregation for 52 Churches but couldn’t—because they didn’t exist then. Back then, two churches—one we skipped and one we visited (Church #25, “Embarking on a Metamorphosis”)—planned to simultaneously shut down for a few months and then reopen as a new, merged entity. It took more than a few months, and […]
One of our goals in 52 Churches was to visit all ten churches located in our local school district. After 52 Churches ended, that number increased to eleven. The primary marketing for this new church is yard signs, spread throughout the area, suggesting a different kind of church. We make a mental note to visit. […]
Someone once quipped, “There are more books about emergent churches than there are emergent churches.” That seems like hyperbole, but my experience confirms it. I’ve read several books about the emergent church, but I’ve never actually been to one. Tonight’s experience may change that, but I’m not sure. My wife, Candy, and I have an […]
Our journey of visiting fifty-two churches in a year is over. I’m sad and excited at the same time. Our reunion with our home church community looms large. We will be home for Easter Sunday. It’s Easter, and we’re returning to the people we love and have missed. I expect a joyful homecoming and a […]
For 52 Churches, my wife and I spent one year visiting a different Christian church every Sunday. It was an amazing journey that allowed us to experience the vast scope of Jesus’s church. The experience expanded our faith as we celebrated God in various local branches of his church. Yes, the worship practices varied and […]
Top Church Attendance Tips In my post “How to Be an Engaging Church” I shared from my book More Than 52 Churches. Now we’ll look at three tips on how to go to church. When going to church—whether as a visitor or a regular attendee—there are three keys to having a successful, meaningful, and spirit-filled […]