Church visits

Visiting: As a student of religion, I've seen how various factors in a church visit affect spiritual growth and religious attitudes as one searches for a church home. I visit churches to observe, firsthand, how they present themselves to visitors. My visits, with a few exceptions, focus on Christian churches. This blog contains accounts of those visits, and related posts. I look for the following in my visits:
• Friendliness and warmth
• Genuine welcome, true Christian hospitality
• Effective, well-delivered bible-based main teaching
• Music deepening the worship, not just entertainment

Map to churches I have visited.
My email: churchvisits@gmail.com

Chris Thompson

Chris Thompson, an amateur biblical scholar and student of religions, is a member of the American Academy of Religion (AAR) and Society for Biblical Literature (SBL). He enjoys AAR/SBL where he studies, first hand, with worldwide religious scholars. A management consultant, skilled in all aspects of 360-degree feedback programs and human resource management systems, he practices these skills as Workforce Consulting. He lives in Anchorage.

ON THE WEB

Google map with visited churches

As I visit churches, I'll post their locations on this map.

Don't Miss This Great Gospel Presentation!!! February 11, 2012, Last reminder!!! - 2/9/2012 8:15 pm

Five Myths About Youth/Young Adult Church Dropouts - 1/26/2012 11:04 pm

Eagle River Grace: Good Sermon and Prayers, But Not Guest Friendly - 1/24/2012 10:10 pm

Coming Feb. 11 - Steve Johnson’s “A Play for a Purpose: The Gospel According to John Mark” - 1/20/2012 4:22 pm

Why Are Anchorage Youth/Young Adults Deserting Church? Six Reasons - 1/13/2012 10:13 pm

Anchorage Moravian Church: Joyous & Sincere - 1/8/2012 11:33 pm

10 Things I’d Like Anchorage Churches to Tackle in 2012 - 1/1/2012 8:42 pm

Baxter Road Bible Church Ends “It’s Not Your Birthday” Giving Program Far Above Expectations! - 12/30/2011 11:33 am

Saturday Evening Church: Faith Christian Community

Faith's Musical ServiceFaith's Musical ServiceSummary
In response to reader queries, I've begun visiting churches offering Saturday or Sunday evening services, and the same sermon content as regular Sunday services. My first visit of this nature was to Faith Christian Community on July 11. The account of my last visit to Faith can be found by clicking here. With a service starting at 6 p.m. Faith offers a warm welcome, lively music, good preaching, and weekly communion. I did detect several visitor-unfriendly slipups, but these should not deter you from giving Faith an opportunity to meet your church going needs.

What I Liked
-Music
-Preaching - well delivered, Bible-based
-Communion
-Casual dress
-Mexico mission trip participants brought up front

What I Disliked
-No mention of visitors
-No reference to who was preaching
-Taking an offering for the poor without identifying recipients
-Bringing offering to the front of the auditorium
-Long song, during offering for the poor, became performance
-Website is pretty but difficult to find items (try to find service times)

Faith's sermons are usually posted by clicking here. It may not be this specific service but will be the theme sermon.
Pastor Bob Sloan PreachingPastor Bob Sloan Preaching

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