Journey Church- Let me Off!!

I finally remembered why I stopped doing this blog last year. I did make an earnest attempt to venture into as many churches as possible. Shortly after I started the blog, I got invited to a baby dedication at Journey Church. I stopped at that one. I chose not to blog about it at the time because it would have been nothing short of wicked to do so. Now that time has healed the memory, I feel I can get through the jist of this service without being too ugly about it.

First, this church is the hippest place in Central, Louisiana. Seriously. It has everything!!! Strobe lights, a coffee shop, loud music, and more cleavage than a rock concert! In fact, their website describes the music as having a cutting, modern edge, their service as being presented in a modern setting, and the hip coffee shop also serving Tazo Tea is called.... wait for it... The Blend. SO cool.

The problem was (well, one anyway) that I've seldom felt MORE disconnected from God. It's awfully hard to establish a meaningful connection when you feel like you're at the mall. It just seems like the place is trying TOO hard to secure parisioners. I'm no authority, but it sucks a little to have to put on a rock concert every single Sunday equipped with a concessions area just to get scantily dressed people to go to church. Don't get me wrong, a couple of people were covered up but some women were wearing sweaters that were tighter than my game day dance uniform back in college! I don't even know where to go to find a larger collection of wrinkly boobs just a-poppin out for Jesus. It's one thing to have casual service where there are jeans and what-not. And obviously people should be able to come as they are and not need fancy things to worship. But these people were fairly affluent or "very blessed by the Lord" if you will, so I'm pretty sure they can afford the extra strip of fabric to cover the old tatas. I'm no old fogey, but I'd rather save my sexy for the usual dingy bar.

The only other part I'll comment on because I simply have to was (yes, the biggest problem of all), the sermon. I really, truly don't mean to be ugly and to be fair, as a life-long learner, avid reader, and education junky I've always questioned the content and delivery of my education in all arenas. This one was no different. I felt like I lost a substantial amount of brain that day. The pastor's message was confusing and dumbed down beyond all reason. He spent most of the sermon talking about his kids and then he discussed a bible verse from Revelation talking about lukewarm Christians and God spewing them out of his mouth. However, it turned into a story so long and more than slightly off topic that I almost forgot why we were hearing it. Kind of like what I'm doing now. He likened it to working all day and sitting on his recliner with some oreo cookies and he picked up a glass of milk next to it but the milk was lukewarm and not cold so he spat it out all over (I bet his wife was pissed). Are you kidding me? That was the best you had to bring that scripture to life? Did you prepare for this at all Mr. Pastor? Does the audience even care? I didn't think so.

In a brief time (seriously, approximately 45 seconds from typing my last sentence), I was able to find an awesome website with biblical commentary that explains that very scripture and how foul the term lukewarm was back when the scripture was written. Several commentators spoke of this water in Laodicea and how unrefreshing it was that it was neither hot nor cold and therefore useless. Now I understand that scripture and why lukewarm christians would make Jesus sick! So, this dude from hi-tech, party time coffee, "cutting" rock music church couldn't take that time to make firmer parallels to its meaning? Instead, he chose to take us on a Journey to our own buttholes via oreo cookies and milk. Honestly, if every church was like this one, I'd throw in the towel. I didn't take Journey Church seriously because it doesn't seem to take itSELF seriously. They have a large following, so this apparently works for many, many too cool for ordinary church people, but it just didn't work for me. It felt far too "see and be seen" for my tastes (which are still being developed). After all, I still don't know what I'm trying to see, but I'm not sure I'd want to be found at Journey Church when I see it.