Years Later, and Still Search'n'

During my senior year at Radford University I attended and became very involved with Blacksburg Baptist Church, in Blacksburg, VA (right across street from VA Tech). I LOVED this church, the congregation, and the minister.

When I moved to da ATL to attend seminary, I wanted to find a church just like BBC. I figured finding one was a no brainer because da ATL is "king of the baptist churches," and the pastor at BBC is from GA, so all the GA ministers were as great as him. In fact, you cannot throw a stone from Spaghetti junction without hitting some kind of Baptist church..this was gonna be easy peezy.

The 1st church I attended was very small, "run down" (and I mean that in the nicest way possible), but the people and pastor were amazing! I loved it, but wanted that big Blacksburg Baptist Church feeling, so I kept searching.

I discovered some of the most interesting Baptist churches in da ATL. Each church had the grandeur of BBC, but the people, preaching, or service were lacking. So, after six months of searching, I returned to the inital church Northwoods Baptist, the little church with a big Christ-like heart called me back. Eventually, they took a chance (thanks Abba) and ordained me.

After I left da ATL Northwoods and Northeast Baptist joined congregations, and continued their ministry that makes that church a step above the rest. Interestingly enough I worshipped their during Christmas and the combined church moved into the building of Northeast Baptist, and it was the building I was innately looking for, housing the people that mean so much to me.

Church in Sasebo was a no brainer, since I led two congregations, I kind of had no choice but to attend my own worship services.

Next, I moved to lovely Carlsbad/Oceanside, CA where there are no CBF churches. My 1st baptist worship was an experience began with me getting lost because the church (like most Cali churches) is in a strip mall. When I arrived I noticed the pastor wore jeans, a woman sat with her legs cross-legged in the pew with shorts and a t-shirt, and holding a starbucks coffee, which she sipped during the entire service. This experience was my California wake-up call, "Sunny, we're not in the south anymore."

For the next six months I traveled up and down CA visiting churches. One notable experience, the pastor preached for 45 minutes (?!), and his message was on "short prayers." I ended up at the most unlikely place St Michael's Episcopal church. The 1st Sunday, I felt a strong connection to the service. After visiting California Baptist Churches and humming the catchy modern worship songs (always accompanied by a guitar and drums), I relished the piano, organ, and choir (even though I wasn't so familiar with the Episcopal hymns); I enjoyed worshipping purposely through prayer, words, Scripture, giving, and even though I chose not to participate in communion. Even though in the south the Episcopal and Baptist Church have little in common, this is the only place I've found that I feel at home.

However, I do not believe in the "real presence" in communion (I don't believe it is the actual blood and body of Christ), so I know I'm missing out on communion, something very sacred. So, today I once again dawned my Dora the Explorer outfit to find a Baptist Church in which I can participate fully. So, today I traveled 30 miles to a baptist church in downtown SD.

I arrived and it the "feeling" was baptist, but there was a 20-piece orchestra along with the choir singing the morning's hymns. After the 3rd hymn, I glanced down at the bulletin and realized there were five hymns, tithes, and sermon. There were NO prayers what so ever anywhere in the bulletin. But, they did manage to work in a prayer for the money and one for the sermon. But, there were no prayers of/for the people. There were no prayers for forgiveness, healing, etc.

The sermon itself last 40 minutes (what's up with long ass sermons in CA?!), and the word "Jesus" only appeared in the 70-minute service three times! The message wasn't bad, but wasn't great (1 Sam 17), but I wanted to leave early. I decided to stay, and watch the 3 minute commerical about their small group at the end. So, instead of a prayer, alter call, or anything else, they played a commerical!

In fact, as I was walking back to my car I realized every church I've attended has someone who must have read Rick Warren's book Purpose Driven Church and patterned their SoCal church after it.

I don't know. I will go back to St Michael's, but wish I could participate fully in their service. The liturgy is very predictable (no wonder why I'm baptist), but at least they cover every area in worship...what is a worhsip service without mentioning Jesus and acknowledging the grace and forgiveness that we receive?