Today was an important day for us, with our desire to find a good church before looking for a home. For those who don’t know Dallas or large metropolitan areas, this is important because you could easily live thirty minutes or more away from church. And the longer the drive, the less involved you’ll likely be. I don’t have plans for heavy involvement in ministry in these next four years (these are years of ministry preparation and the more ministry, the less preparation, or the longer the preparation), but there are various weekly meetings and we want to be close and not miss out because of drive time.
Today we visited a church that had been recommended to us by two people. It was a different kind of church than either of us were raised in or have ever been to. But there were many things about it that we liked, and we would not be surprised if it becomes our church home. Other friends of ours moved in the area two months ago, visited this one church (at the recommendation of someone else), and never bothered looking at another church. I think we’ll probably visit other churches. This will give the Lord the opportunity to lead us to another, or to confirm that this church is the right one for us. Throughout the services, I thought of many things worthy of notice, but I was too engaged to be able to write them down and I think now that I won’t try to mention them. I’ll simply say that there were a number of refreshing aspects. On the other hand, I think that making visitors wear name tags and introducing them to the congregation during the service is a good way to repel visitors, at least with those with personalities like mine.
We were planning to visit another church this evening, but now we learn that the evening service is only discipleship meetings, which apparently is not for visitors (from the website). Too bad, and it’s going to make somebody unhappy with us.
Let me put in a plug for Highland Park Presbyterian Church. Since your a closet Calvinist, you might like a Reformed Church. Just don’t let anyone from DTS know you go there.
Todd, Amy and you are alike. After I read to her the part about the name tags, she said, “I would not be OK with that.” We are praying for you and your family and we hope to be able to see you in the next few years if God grants that you come out to California.
Hey Todd..congrats on the 1st Sunday. AND, out of interest, I would love to hear about refreshing aspects of church (at my church, we’re always wanting to make our church as inviting as possible to the visitor and to show the love of Christ. So, hearing ideas from an actual visitor is like seeing/hearing with new eyes). :) NO PRESSURE. Just wanted you to know, I’d be interested if you shoudl so chose to share.
:)
Al – thanks for the recommendation; yours is the second for that church. The first was from…a DTS student. As for closet Calvinists, there are none in my family.
Sam – we’ll see.
Our church makes both visitors AND members wear name tags–or at least tries to. :o) I feel like I understand it somewhat, as I only know 75 or so of the 600 people who attend; it is nice not to stumble for a name when talking to that person you met two months ago but forgot.
But yeah, I am really not OK with having to stand up and introduce myself, or be introduced. If you ever visit the Little Rock area and our church, you won’t have to do that.
Nametags and introductions have always been a quick turnoff for me. I like to feel welcome, but I feel too many churches make visitors the center of attention and not put the focus where focus should be. I understand many churches do this for evangelism purposes, understanding that the visitor might be unsaved. First off, visitors might be saved already. Second, that might be an easy way to turn a visitor off from salvation.
It seems there are churches everywhere in the Metroplex, so it really shouldn’t be difficult to find one that works. There also should be a great enough variety of churches to fit the need of any Christian — be in Reformed, traditional (think Grace Community, Placerita or Santa Clarita Baptist), or hyper (Willow Creek, Grace Baptist, Rick Warren’s, or like that one in Houston). I know of at least one rather large church, Prestwood Baptist IIRC, in the Dallas area.
And to Al, you need to come to my neck of the woods. Next town down has several Reformed churches, complete with liturgy and everything. At least one has a connection to Michael Horton, Whitehorse Inn, and the seminary in Escondido. Believe it or not, I’ve been tempted to give it a look one Sunday. Given my time with the reformed crowd at TMC, I might be pleasantly surprised.
Todd– I’m glad to hear that you guys have safely made it here. I’ll be praying for you, Kelli, and the kids! Thank you for taking time to post the updates in the midst of the busyness. Are you eventually going to have a different blog to post your “everyday life” updates? I think maybe you mentioned that once, but I’m not sure if you’re still going with that plan.
–Heather :o)
I think you hit a sore point with that name tag comment. I have never liked name tags; they say, “Look at me, I don’t really belong here…” or something to that effect. :)
Hope you had fun at the discipleship meeting. :)
Hey Todd,
I’m one of the anonymous legion of people who lurk around your blog to get your take on Israel, Academia and the like. I was also a fellow contributor with you on the Zondervan Archaeological Study Bible. Your photos (among others) really added to the final product! Your post here made me think of some friends who are contemplating a move from Texas to Israel (offered a job in Kiryat Gat). Like y’all, they are also primarily concerned about finding a church home, and I was curious if you might have any input on congregations (presumably English speaking to start) in the Ashdod, Ashkelon, Kiryat Gat areas? Feel free to email me in response if you need to. Thanks and may God bless you as you get settled again Stateside.
All the best,
TW
Hey Todd,
Speaking at church, the guest speaker at our church last Sunday said he knew you. He was a DTS student at IBEX this last fall and his name is Tim (I don’t remember the last name). He said he really enjoyed it and that you guys might do some stuff together. It was cool to have a shared experience.
Todd,
The comments on the church’s approach to identifying newcomers were priceless! It seems that the motivation of individuals within the congregation to seek out new faces is being quenched by those in leadership. The pattern shifts all of the discomfort upon the visitors!
I suppose that their idea is that if you attend regularly, then you won’t have to undergo that embarrassment ever again.