Church Visit - Baptist

Since leaving the pastorate earlier this year, we will be visiting various churches as we have opportunity and will, once again, blog about our experience. I did this one other time before getting involved in another church. 

This is my seventh blog post in a series I am doing on our experience visiting churches of various denominational labels, sizes and different styles of services. It is not my intent to be critical, but rather to be real and honest in our experiences. We have established criteria we are looking for at all of the institutional churches we are visiting. I do not intend to mention the church specifically by name.

I have blogged in the past about Christians who have left and are leaving the institutional church in large numbers. They are leaving for their own spiritual welfare. Most still love God but have become disillusioned or fed up with the institutional church today. I believe this is a timely series. May it open our eyes and our hearts to a deeper personal relationship with Jesus.

CHURCH CRITERIA

~DENOMINATIONAL LABEL - American Baptist south of Springfield

~TYPE OF SERVICE

*Traditional XXX 

*Contemporary

*Blended 

~SIZE OF CHURCH - There were 15-20 people in this particular service.

~FRIENDLINESS - We were greeting upon entering and given a bulletin. We found a seat and sat down. Another lady came and chatted with us for a bit. She was the song leader for the service.  We didn't find the church all that friendly before service.  However, after the service we were greeted by most of the people in attendance. They were very friendly. 

~AVERAGE AGE OF CONGREGATION - This was an older congregation with an average age of 68-70

~DRESS ATTIRE - Casual to dress/casual

~GREETING - There was no formal greeting time during the service

~MUSIC - The music was traditional and out of a hymnal. Pastor told us when she greeted us that one of the musicians passed away in February and one remaining one gets one day off a month and this was that Sunday. They utilized piano by track.  

~BALANCE OF MUSIC VS WORD - It was about a 55 minute service. Sang two congregational songs, offering, time of praise reports and prayer requests, reflection and prayer led by pastor, special song, then a 40 minute sermon. There was another hymn sang after the message.  

~TECHNOLOGY UTILIZED - They utilized PowerPoint. 

ALTAR CALL/INVITATION - None

~ACTIVITIES/PROGRAMS OFFERED - Sunday School. Additionally, they are taking donations for back to school items as well as nonperishable items for the food pantry that can be used in school lunches.

~BIBLE VERSION USED- NIV

~PREACHING STYLE- Very much conversational. Topical sermon

~USE OF SCRIPTURE - Very good. Utilized Scripture to go with each point of the sermon.

~RELEVANT MESSAGE - Very relevant message for the Christian life

~LENGTH OF SERVICE - 55 minutes

~OBSERVATIONS/COMMENTS - The first thing I noticed was the congregation had a genuine "family" atmosphere. They were genuinely concerned for those on the prayer list and the situations that needed prayer. 

This is an older congregation. Pastor is a very pleasant lady.

We will most likely return to visit this church at a later time. 

Until next time...enjoy the journey!

Ray

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Church Visit - Non-Denominational

Since leaving the pastorate earlier this year, we will be visiting various churches as we have opportunity and will, once again, blog about our experience. I did this one other time before getting involved in another church. 

This is my sixth blog post in a series I am doing on our experience visiting churches of various denominational labels, sizes and different styles of services. It is not my intent to be critical, but rather to be real and honest in our experiences. We have established criteria we are looking for at all of the institutional churches we are visiting. I do not intend to mention the church specifically by name.

I have blogged in the past about Christians who have left and are leaving the institutional church in large numbers. They are leaving for their own spiritual welfare. Most still love God but have become disillusioned or fed up with the institutional church today. I believe this is a timely series. May it open our eyes and our hearts to a deeper personal relationship with Jesus.

CHURCH CRITERIA

~DENOMINATIONAL LABEL - Non-Denominational

~TYPE OF SERVICE

*Traditional 

*ContemporaryXXX

*Blended 

~SIZE OF CHURCH - There were 25-30 in this particular service. The pastor told us upon greeting us that many were out of town on vacation. He said they usually run around 40-50.

~FRIENDLINESS - Pastor was very friendly as was a lady who sat and visited with us before service. They offered coffee. You were welcome to take your drinks with you to your seat.

~AVERAGE AGE OF CONGREGATION - They had both young as well as older folks in attendance. I would say an average age was 40's,

~DRESS ATTIRE - Very casual

~GREETING - Yes. We were greeted by several during the greeting time.

~MUSIC - The church had a two piece combo with worship leader playing guitar and pastor's son played a cajon box drum. The music was all contemporary. They played and sang songs that we didn't know. In this case, there was a lot of repetition and some, in reality, didn't make a whole lot of sense. 

~BALANCE OF MUSIC VS WORD - It was about a 50 minute service. The worship time lasted less than 10 minutes. 

~TECHNOLOGY UTILIZED - They utilized video PowerPoint. They also offer you an online giving option. In regards to the message, you can follow along on the screen, on your phone or with the paper notes that are provided. 

ALTAR CALL/INVITATION - None. Not even a dismissal prayer.

~ACTIVITIES/PROGRAMS OFFERED - We was informed they have cell groups.

~BIBLE VERSION USED- NLT

~PREACHING STYLE- Conversational. It was an expository sermon

~USE OF SCRIPTURE - Good

~RELEVANT MESSAGE - It was somewhat relevant

~LENGTH OF SERVICE - 50 minutes

~OBSERVATIONS/COMMENTS - We went to this church expecting to hear the pastor preach. Instead, they provided a video sermon from one of the 3 church elders who pastor churches around the country. This particular pastor was from Colorado. Quite honestly, it was rather boring (not only for me, but for my wife and the two friends who were with us). My wife noticed one guy sleeping. The pastor told us before service he takes off one Sunday about every six weeks to be "spiritually recharged". Sometimes he will attend somewhere else, while at other times he is at the service but has someone else preach.

This is a rented community center and was somewhat echoey.

We knew none of the songs. We stood the entire time of worship.

The kids are in a separate part of the building. We never seen them.

They do not "pass the plate" to receive an offering. They have a can you can put your offering and "Connection Card" in as you leave. 

This most likely not a place we will return to visit. 

Until next time...enjoy the journey!

Ray

Thanks for taking your time to read and share this blog. If you know of someone who would be encouraged by this blog, please feel free to forward  a link or use the icons below to repost or forward this blog.