diary of a church hopper (pt. 3)

(We're on Part 3, right? The two RCAs...)

Before
I am attending this third and final RCA church in the area with the highest of hopes. Most likely they're too high.

It is a megachurch, and that fact keeps nagging at me. At megachurches, I assume, the congregation is so big they don't even know each other. How will they even recognize a visitor?

After the last "diary," the question was posed to me whether these churches were good enough for Jesus. I took that not as "are they up to the standards of Jesus?" but more as a reminder that Jesus loves and redeems all of these places and is worshipped in them, some way or other.

Or, "would Jesus go there? Be associated with those people?"
In that way, every church, nearly, would be okay.

Anyhow, this time, I am headed to this church, this body of Christ

a) early/on time
b) without taking a notebook (but I may have one pen)
c) with eyes looking for Jesus in every part of the service and community
d) with prayers for an active young adults group
e) I'd love to see old people there. But that seems highly unlikely as I've heard it's quite contemporary. And that makes me sad (no elderly). Am I willing to be part of a church that does not make an effort to embrace every age group? Am I willing to take advantage of a church just for its young adults? :)
f) with the thought that gaunt, vacant faces may be better than pasted-on smiles. Maybe. Underdeveloped thought.
g) with prayers of feeling welcome. I just can't get off this -- like disciples turning their backs on the cities where they were not accepted.

After
In short, I would consider visiting again.

Somehow, late again. How does this always happen? The sanctuary was pretty full, and dimmer than I expected. But I can understand shutting the shades for the sake of those who get the sun right in their eyes or on their backs.

The building is new, of that industrial, clean architecture. The walls of the sanctuary were about the color of drywall. There were no decorations windows -- just long, flat walls. At the front, there were some fake plants behind a drywall cross built in. I couldn't help wishing the church was old and used and in need of repair. I saw in the bulletin that they're adding on. They have a gym already. I'm too critical of churches with gyms. Kids programs require large rooms, and gym floors are better than industrial carpet rugburns.

I could see a seat next to a couple that looked familiar. She is a new teacher at the school, who graduated (and her husband, too) from NW a couple of years ago. She seems so friendly, so incredibly accepting. And from what I've heard he's very nice, too. But for some reason I didn't want to sit next to her, didn't want them to see me. What's wrong with you, dimwit?

Walked in to the sound of the trap set and the electric guitar. That was expected, and not completely unwelcome. It was good to hear familiar sounds.

Overall, I had the impression I was being advertised to. Someone's selling me the idea of redemption (without using the big word) and selling me the idea of serving in the church. (How do you get people to serve without advertising or guilt-tripping?)

The pastor was shiny and slick and clean. His hair was too blond for someone his age. He reminded me of Jerry Van Dyke (Dutch, ironic?) only taller and in better shape. He looked so clean that he had to be a preacher or a politician or a salesman.

They had some innovative ideas for service and welcoming visitors. For service, they had a program where you could try things out and they'd match you with something best suited to you, on your time availability and gifts. (Though should ministry be convenient?)

For visitors, you could fill out this card and put it in the offering plate, or you could take it back to the coffeeshop and trade it in for a free travel mug.

I knew I should take mine back for the travel mug and be met. But, at the same time, shyness kicks in. It's hard enough to visit a new place, let alone asking the visitors to come out and come to you. I want them to come to me, meet me where I am. I want, I want, I want.

What I want probably shouldn't matter much. What does he want? Perhaps this church and others like it should be applauded for adapting to the culture around them in order to be more attractive and approachable for their visitors. But, Jesus was a radical. Countercultural.

I'm looking for that magic feeling when I find the right place. Just knowing it's the right one. It's the feeling I got visiting Northwestern, the feeling I got the first time I saw my childhood best friend when I was five. Perhaps it's not a good idea to rely on this feeling, but I also believe God can use it, could use it to tell me when I've arrived at the right place.

Or does the place not matter that much, after all? Will one place be just as good as another?

There weren't really any elderly, though curiously they were trying to start a ministry to the bedridden. And there weren't "Bible studies" advertised, per se, but small groups did exist. Is the "Bible study" obsolete?