We all have needs. Physical needs (food, water, shelter), intellectual needs (school, hobbies, learning), the ones I talk most about, emotional needs (that’s about all I talk about here) and spiritual needs. Spiritual needs is the focus of today’s post. How are you meeting your spiritual needs?
If you don’t go to church…this post is for you. If you do go to church, feel free to read on but in no way shape or form am I trying to “recruit/steal/take” you from your place of worship.
My church history is diverse and, as it turns out, very important to my current life and calling. I grew up in a Roman Catholic church. After that I attended a Pentecostal church, became a member of a Southern Baptist church, attended an Assemblies of God church for almost 10 years, worked/volunteered at an independent Baptist church for almost 2 years, and attended a Presbyterian church for just over 2 years.
I certainly had my ups and downs at each stop on my journey. There were some very high highs and one or two extreme lows. However, along the way I was always observing, watching, learning…and even occasionally worshiping. Then, I had the opportunity to apply all that I had observed at each place of worship and put the best of it into action. I became the Pastor of Faith Community Church.
I used to call it my “put up or shut up” moment from God. I had sat in churches for years wondering why things were done one way or why they weren’t done differently. I kind of thought that God was telling me to stop whining and put on my big boy pants and change things. There may have been a bit of that but I believe that He was calling me to make church look different, easier, simpler. Now, two and half years in I would simply say that God and I (and yes, many others) are working together to build a church that will love and serve many people in our world today.
Here’s how things work at Faith Community Church and why I believe that if you don’t go to church our church would be a good place to meet your spiritual needs.
- I believe that we are the easiest church to attend, very comfortable and low pressure.
- We have two services, each made to meet your needs.
- The 9 am is basically a coffeehouse and very relaxed and relational.
- The 11 am is an uptempo worship service in the traditional sanctuary.
- Our worship is professional and modern without the fog machines and strobe lights.
- We believe that each person has 2 ministries, they are who you are and what you do.
- The job of the leadership of the church is to set you up for success for your ministries.
- We have minimized the leadership and organization of the church so that you can simply love and be loved without having to attend 23 committee meetings for 6 hours each week.
- None of us have toes that you can step on. Good ideas are always considered.
- We not only encourage you to love, we teach you how.
- We believe very much in equipping, not delegating, and certainly not dumping.
- Oh, for the watch watchers…we never go over an hour.
- At a previous church the Pastor said, “We are run by the Holy Spirit, not the clock.”
- That always left me wondering why the Holy Spirit = long sermon.
- The Holy Spirit has told me (I believe) to cut it short many times.
- We are a church of teams (worship, building, hospitality, children’s education, adult education, finance, media, communications, caring) that combine fellowship with a common calling and passion.
- Even though we are growing, we are still intimate and real.
- We consider everyone a member and part of the family.
- Voting members (think “typical church members”) are held to be no higher and thought of no more specially than anyone else. They are actually called to a greater level of sacrifice and service.
- I can’t stand it when people say, “Oh, I’m just a regular attender.” No, you are a family member and are loved and valued as much if not more than anyone else.
- We love and care but do not pester and hassle. -l
- We have a lunch the first Sunday of every month. I call it a “not-luck” instead of a pot-luck because there is to not be any luck…the food must be top notch, and it always is.
- We have a great, diverse mix of people that all (well, most anyhow) that are just happy to get to know you.
- We are a non-denominational church which means we don’t have to answer to any national or international organization. We keep it local.
- I am a confessed sermon sleeper. If you need to take a little nap during my sermon, feel free.
Please know that the best way to see if this is a good fit for you is to come by and check us out. It’s hard living this life without having needs met, especially your spiritual needs. I am more than aware that many of you are nowhere near here. For you I encourage you to take what you like of my list above and work to have your place of worship incorporate them. My sermons are always on my website under “podcasts.” Lastly, if you are reading this and thinking, “I don’t know why I’m reading this, I don’t believe in God.” You may not believe in God but you still have spiritual needs. You probably don’t have too many people caring about and loving you, none of us do. We will.