The Visitor to Another World (The Quest for Mars?)

Week two, and I still decided to try out two services in one day. Maybe I figure the sooner I figure this out, the better off I'll be? Still, one service started @ 9, and the second @ 11, and they were both in Ballard. Not much for time "chatting with the elders", but I don't think I'd ever really do that on a first impression trip. If I'm intrigued, I'll come back. They'll get their shot!

First up on the 9am docket was Mars Hill. Now, I like myself the "smaller" services. I grew up in a church of 40-100 people, depending on the time. Churches like Mars Hill can seat that in one section. I know everybody in my church, and they know me (or so I let them think! ;) Heh.) My interest in this church wasn't really in any sort of membership interest. I'd talked to a friend who'd done an article on their sound. Then there was a coworker who regularly attends.

I was there about 15 minutes early and sat down, looking at all these little chairs around me. (Apparently mine is the only church that stew uses pews). A nice enough lady came by and asked me how I was doing, but once I responded with a cheery, "fine, thanks!", she was already on her way to the next group. A nice gesture, certainly. And while I understand you've gotta make the rounds, it seemed like quite the surface salutation. I do the same every day I work the coffee shop, so my grounds for picking on her are pretty thin. I should mention that the church did not feel like one. Building-wise, at least. Not even an angled roof, this building was located between the docks and the business district. Complete with a grey, square perimeter. Someone knew what they were doing because they put curtains up to bounce the sound around. Communion tables were placed around the room, but the most noticeable items were 3 LCD projectors, lighting up a main screen behind the podium; along with two screens on the sides at about 20 degree angles. Later on I would discover that the walls were lit with different colored gels. More on that...

I'll give 'em this, they know how to put on a show. Everything in that room was very presentation oriented. I'll be honest, it felt like I was at a Microsoft retreat, and we were all about to syngerize our efforts towards the implementation of new and exciting corporate policies. : Not my idea of church. But I told myself if this is how they get people's attention, that's fine. A man walked out and immediately his image was picked up by the camera which was non-discreetly located in the middle of one of the aisles. He had on his black shirt and jeans, then he and his band started rocking out to G-O-D. (It's a SAVED! reference, don't worry about it) The music was loud, but heartfelt. I enjoyed it, I wouldn't change that radio station.

After about 3 songs, another man came out and took his spot at the podium. When asked how we were doing, he received cheers and cat calls. ??? Yeah, not my usual greeting to my pastor, but okay... A congenial enough fellow, he stlll had that edge of "I've done this before, but I'm still workin' on it". He introduced himself as one of the "happy news" pastors, and told us he was probably going to burst that image. He started off preaching on Jonah, talking about how he probably wouldn't qualify for great missionary potential. What with wanting the people he was sent to help to die and suffer... I think we all pretty much agreed on that.

Somewhere in the one hour sermon (about half-an-hour more than I'm used to), he somehow ended up on idolatry. Still not quite sure how he made that leap.... Anyhoo, he went on to tell us that he used to be quite the outdoorsy type. Hiking, climbing, the works. Good ol' REI/NWer. Got into a snow incident, didn't have his gear on him, slid his butt down a cliff/drop. Injured himself, had to have rescue crews pull him out, etc. Now, because he got in an accident after being foolhardy and ditching the tools that would have helped him, he took it as a sign that God was trying to humble him, and that he shouldn't hike anymore. I'm not really a fan of judging what God tells another perosn, or how they hear it, so I figured, "Odd. But o-kaaaaaaaay. I guess."

Let's just say that he and I disagree. I think that God enables everyone to have different interests and passions. That we can use those interests to serve him, and that we can relate to others and become closer to God through those activities and shared interests. That God is happiest when his children are at play. And yes, I see his point. I understand that it is very easy to let something in your life become more important than God. That you can work on Sundays and skip church, that you can care more about your new sports car than reading your bible. I get it. I understand temptation and interests overshadowing God. But I feel like he was telling us that we should be monks 24 hours a day, everyday. That all we should ever do is focus solely on God. I offer, if you do it right? You can take God along with you and see God in your activities and your social life. Go to chuch, read your bible; sure. Be sure to add to that friends, social life, and activities that you feel God has called you to persue. Again, my opinion, I'm not here to say what's right and what ain't. Just what feels truer to my gut for my life.

Of course, he called us to repent. To take communion. To kneel. Nope. Pass. Am I against humbling myself? Well, I don't love it, but I do it. If God wants me humbled, God humbles me (and quickly. And effectively). So unless I feel a churning in my gut to do something, I stay put. No churnings. So no kneeling. Didn't ask for God to forgive me. I asked God to help keep me in check. I felt at peace with that.

The lights on the walls were probably the thing that freaked me out the most. When he was going off about us all being idol worshippers, the lights turned the walls red. !!! Fire and brimstone much? I don't need light cues to see into my soul, thanks. Oh, and all the doors were shut, with no windows. Curtains in front of the doors. There was no "subtle exit." They know how to keep a room. ;)

After that, I figured I'd go for something a bit more relaxing, and I headed up to the 11am service at Quest Church. I was there last Sunday and rather liked it. Wasn't thrilled that they seem to cherish communion so much, but I can not-quibble about one element of a service. Unless of course the pastor throws it into the spotlight.

Sigh. The sermon was supposed to be on Acts. Paul and another apostle are off visiting friends when they are called away to confront some guy who's claiming to be Jesus pt. II. The guy's a magician, and he serves this government guy. The government fellow asks to see the apostles, so of course the magician tags along and raises the apostles ire. They codemn the false one, and the governor is impressed. He wants to hear mroe from the apostles. False men are bad. Follow the true Jesus. That was the sermon I was expecting.

Nope.

I was looking foward to the pastor from the previous week. She was pleasant, funny, and seemed highly intelligent. The pastor that I heard the sermon from this week was a very different person. My only guess is that it is in her presentation style. She's very... hmmm... controlled. She says things with a sort of direction/order tone to them. Like she's trying to instill proper procedures into us, and if we mess up, the power plant will go belly up, and the city will be plunged into darkness. We should cling on to her every word because she is the boss. I like to think it wasn't intentional, but I'm a communications guy. I've taken speech classes. Her presntation style and mine are essentially polar opposites.

First off, let me say that the songs at Quest on Sunday were fantastic. I've never felt the urge to close my eyes and lift my hands, palm out, in front of me before. But I was grooving on the music, and I felt a pull on my thumbs. So I closed my eyes and lifted my hands. Felt good. Felt non-fake/non-planned. The woman who was singing (seemed quite pregnant) had quite the voice on her, and the church sounded fabulous. Big fan of the singing here, even if the techies do stumble with their powerpoints. (Truth be told, on most every song)

Then came the sermon. Somehow my introduction on Acts started off with the four cornerstones of their church. (I can only guess she was addressing newcomers?) She told us the four elements were prayer, worship, communion, and community. 3 out of 4 of those, I got no problem with. The 3rd one I think is voluntary. She clearly disagrees. About 5 minutes was spent telling us how we were there to take communion. How the most important part of us being assembled was to eat the body of Christ, and to drink of his blood. That was what really matters, and, I quote, "that is what this entire service is made around."

Look, I commune with God. I do. Why do you think I like jobs where I can sit around and not talk or have anyone talk to me? I go to that still, small voice, and I listen to what it has to say. In Quaker worship, we have at least 10 minutes of quiet time (okay, if we're in a hurry, it's 5. But we always have it!) where we listen to what God has to say. Pretty much the only way you can break the "rules" is to come in with something to say and feel you have to. Nope. You only say what God gives you to say. If you can feel closer to God by eating food, more power to ya. I won't tell you how to get to God. And yes, I realize he told his apostles to do it. But I figure that can be argued as a one time thing. I take the more mental approach to that closeness, and I spend concentrated time figuring out what I need to hear from God.

Now I'm concerned whether this church will let me be me. That's what I need. I can't fake being something else, and I won't. I like me. If God wants me to change, that's fine. And I'm content not partaking in a part of a worship service. Worship as you're called to. But if you're going to call me a poor Christian because I don't follow sacratments, if I'm attending "for unjust reasons", then you can take your judgemental ways and file it away. I don't need that kind of Christian relatioinship. Again, I like to think that's not what was being said. And the pastor that's supposedly the boss is still on sabbatical. But if I hear what I think I heard, as opposed to what I want to hear, then I'm gone. I don't need that kind of "friendship".
And so the search continues...