Sevier Heights

Ok...this would have come earlier, but i decided on a whim to go to Georgia for a Chick-fil-a grand opening with a buddy of mine(which i'll probably blog about sometime soon...like probably tonight or tomorrow).

Let's get down to it:

I got there early to the 930am service, and checked in at the visitors booth, introduced myself and asked for directions to the Bible Fellowship(read: sunday school) classroom that the class for my age group met at, and was shown to the class by a gentleman named Doug(i think...it's been nearly a week and not a lot of sleep since). After Doug(i'm running with it) walked me back down to the lobby(narthex, foyer, lounge, corridor, gathering area) of the church, he asked me if i had any questions that i could answer for him(which i didn't, seeing as i am both anal-retentive and methodical to nearly a fault), and then i went into the sanctuary. I chose a seat in the back half, in the end of the first third of the rows on the riser at the back, about 4 seats to the inside of the right side of the section. I was bookended by two couples, one retired(on my right), and another expecting(on my left).

The service started with organ. Let it be said here: the only organ that i like is a Hammond B-3 played through a Leslie speaker. That was not that kind of organ. Not a good start for the Baptists. The music was blended, and really done well. It's a big church, with a big budget for this kind of stuff, and it shows. Instrumentation was performed by a full orchestra, and was backing what was at least a 250 member choir. (Adam, if you're reading this...a good summary would be: take everything that your dad has ever tried to do musically at Salem, and do it better than anyone could ever imagine possible.)

The pastor of the church spoke about money, which i don't mind...but i don't know...when you're making as much as i've heard he makes...it sort of sounds a little hollow. But i digress-the sermon wasn't really all that interesting anyway.

After the service, I went to the Young Singles class that met at 1100am. I had a good experience, some of the folks were friendly to me, and i was clinging rather closely to the cup of coffee that i had run across in the hall. However...i just don't think it's what i'm looking for. If you're looking, be warned...the church does present itself to be a little more contemporary than it really is. The print stuff that i've seen from there(all the visitor mailings i received this week) is phenomenal. And the facilities are brand new and have that sort of "modern evangelical" look to them. However, it's only a really good Southern Baptist Church. There's nothing wrong with that, and if you're looking for that, then you've found a good one there. But it does not make it to Round 2.

The Great Church Search Of 2008 pt.1

So...in the time that has passed inbetween posts, quite a lot has happened.

I ended up lasting on staff at my last church for about a month and a half longer, before my staff parish committee decided not to renew my contract, in favor of opting for a more traditional worship style. I'm often tempted to flame my former employer and church, but...i'm better than that(i think...). At any rate, i was nearly bending over backwards to fulfill the requests given to me, and i know that i could not have gone any further down the road towards a traditional style service and been happy and felt like my gifts were at all being used.

I also flirted with a possibility at another Methodist church in Maryville, but i didn't follow through with it because it didn't feel right. 

So that places us here, at my current conundrum.

I am a worship leader, lead YoungLife at a local high school, work at a homeless shelter...and i don't have a church.

So i've compiled a list of 10 churches that will hopefully sort out to just one in the coming months.

Oh yeah...i almost forgot: I'm choosing where i go each week by drawing names out of a hat. 

Here's the list, if you're interested(and we all know you are). (and these are in no particular order.)

1. Cedar Springs Presbyterian Church-

This was my first official church visited in the Great Search Of '08. I went last week, and was really encouraged by both the worship and the sermon, even though it was apparently the b-team on both fronts because of traveling by both the senior pastor and the worship pastor, and i also had an encouraging conversation with the folks in the visitor lounge(i was the only visitor to show up, which kind of surprised me, actually).

2. Fellowship Church-

I used to go here, until i started in a small group. I didn't know any of the guys or the leader, and they made a marginal attempt at best to get to know me outside of the group, and then they started trying to speak things into my life(granted, i believe that the Holy Spirit binds the church together, and complete strangers can be given knowledge by the Spirit for each other(i've seen it happen), but still...), and without that relationship outside of the small group to build on, their advice didn't really sit that well on my heart. However, the pastors and worship folks i am very familiar with, and hold in high regard. So there's that.

3. Antioch Community Church-

I also used to go here, and still have many friends(and some family) that i care about that go here. I was deep in the fabric of the church, and in some leadership stuff there(lived in a discipleship house, led worship for a small group), but God grew me a different direction than the church was growing. I also differ with the leadership on a number of points of methodology, but i dealt with that stuff for 2 years, and i'm not really interested in dealing with the same differences of opinion again. However, Antioch is on the list because of the folks i know there, and because i'm not about to tell God what he's doing. 

4. Powell Church-

My friend Greg Adkins is the worship pastor here, and because of that, Powell Church is on the list.

5. Knoxville Life Church-

Most of the churches that are on this list fall into a specific category: They are all recent plants(meaning they are new churches). This makes it on the list b/c of that. Oh, and they're also located downtown. That helps bunches.

6. Redeemer Church-

Yet another church plant, Redeemer is of the Presbyterian persuasion, and is located in the Fort Sanders district of Knoxville near downtown which is enough good stuff to land on the list.

7. Sevier Heights Baptist Church-

I don't think I'm going to end up at a Baptist church, but i've been to their college service a couple of times and felt welcomed and really enjoyed it, so i feel like i need to at least go and give it a try. 

8. Grace Community Church-

I would be lying to you if i didn't tell you the real reason this is on the list: a girl. But then again, it's only gonna get picked if God wants me to go there on a sunday.

9. Crossings Church-

My friend Bill Wolf is the worship pastor there, and they will be moving their services to the Square Room on Market Square downtown at the beginning of the year.

10. All Souls Church-

If they met on Sunday mornings, this would be my church. Their pastor is great, and i've got some good friends that go there. But, they meet at 6pm on Sunday evenings, and since i still live in Halls, that would mean going back home and sleeping, and then waking up for church, and the additional driving would not be kind to my bank account.

Well, that's the lineup. Maybe it won't take me two months to post an update.

(actually, i'm probably going to do one middle of the week about this morning's experience-so look for that.)