Church visits

Searching: I’ve been looking for a church that feels relevant to me. In this quest I have visited and worshipped with many streams of religious persuasion.Assuming this may be an issue for many in Anchorage, I offer in this blog brief sketches of my visits. The criteria I use in evaluating my visits are:
• Is the church friendly and warm? Did I truly feel welcomed?
• Was the main teaching relevant to my personal walk and was it delivered effectively?
• Did the music merely entertain or did it deepen the worship experience?


Contributors

Chris Thompson

Chris Thompson

Chris Thompson is an amateur biblical scholar and student of religions. As a member of the American Academy of Religion (AAR) and Society for Biblical Literature (SBL), he enjoys national and regional conferences where he learns from religious scholars from all over the world. A management consultant, skilled in all aspects of 360 degree feedback programs and human resource management systems, Chris operates his own consulting firm, Workforce Consulting. He lives in Anchorage.

Archive

Pressing the Presbys - 5/9/2008 12:03 pm

Why this blog? - 5/5/2008 12:38 pm

Why this blog?

Posted by Chris Thompson

Posted: May 5, 2008 - 12:38 pm

I’ve been looking for a church. Not just any church but one relevant to my own particular walk.

Brought up in a strict, conservative, evangelical church, and educated primarily in church schools and colleges, I felt the need to discover, on my own, the necessary foundations for my belief. In this quest I have visited and worshipped with many streams of religious persuasion.

Occasionally, I’ve discovered some great belief communities, only to realize later that there was something amiss at the core.

During my journey, of necessity I have been exposed to many churches and congregations. As entrance conduits to various religions, I have sometimes become disenchanted with how many of them failed in attracting hungry hordes, desperate for the meaning religion can bring to one's life. Often this failure starts at the church front door and is detectable, by an outsider, with a simple visit.

An amateur biblical scholar and student of religions, I probably come to churches knowing “too much.” My wife and I have searched, seemingly in vain, for a religious community we both can share, one that brings relevance and structure to our lives.

We are not alone. I feel a brief review of a typical church visit, and its impressions upon an observer, can be a real service to people looking for a faith community.

This blog is launched to create a meaningful dialog and useful conversation for those seeking meaning in religious worship.

The key criterion for these reviews is:
· Is the church friendly and warm? Did I truly feel welcomed?
· Was the main teaching relevant to my personal walk and was it delivered effectively?
· Did the music merely entertain or did it deepen the worship experience?

The Associate Editor of Christianity Today observed last week, “Would anyone in our community notice if our church stopped meeting?” This is a great question, one that I hope we address in this blog.

Here’s to a great conversation!


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  2     May 7, 2008 - 5:25pm | s_thyng

It's called "Burger King" religion. . . .

when you are looking for something that fits you. Recall that slogan, "Have it your way. . ." ? That's why there are so many denominations.

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  May 7, 2008 - 8:05pm | wineglass

Don't understand the Burger

Don't understand the Burger King response.

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  May 8, 2008 - 8:03am | akvalleygirl74

My understanding of the response

is that instead of looking for a particular religion that teaches Truth in it's deepest form, you look for one that makes you feel good when you are there. That's why there are so many different denominations. There are all sorts of personalities in the human race, and what one person gets out of it another person doesn't like.

I think the Burger King poster was trying to say that there maybe should be a search for a Universal Truth instead of basing your liking of a church on feelings. Feelings are neither right nor wrong, whereas Truth is Eternal. (Having never met or had a convo with the poster I'm guessing on all of this though, since that's where I would be coming from as well.)

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  May 8, 2008 - 12:17pm | concerned

Being welcomed is important.

Unfortunatley when you have a child feelings do come into play. In this world that we all live, people do like to worship in a place that will be welcoming. My partner and I could care less if someone doesn't want us in their congregation. We are just looking for recommendations for churches to check out.

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  May 12, 2008 - 9:54am | akvalleygirl74

I understand.

Isn't it sad that the mantra "and they'll know we are Christians by our love" is somehow stunted when people of other sexual orientations suddenly appear? I'm sad for you and your partner that you've had that reaction from "christian" churches. And I'm even more sad to say that you'd probably get the same reaction at my church because of what our doctrine teaches.

That being said, have you ever attended a Unitarian church? I hear they are very openminded and don't pass judgement on sexual orientation or anything else. I hope you and your family find a welcoming loving church that you feel at home at.

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  1     May 7, 2008 - 2:29pm | concerned

Where can we go!

My partner and I have longed for a church we can take our child and worship in Anchorage. Because we are gay we have found we are not welcomed in most congregations. In some cases we've actually been told we would not be welcomed back.

So much for love thy neighbor.

I know in God's eyes we are loved all the same. Where can we worship and be accepted into a church and not be judged based on our sexual orientation? Any suggestions?

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  May 8, 2008 - 12:58pm | kirkak

Where can we go

Study your bible when you get it right you will find a church.

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