[bbrothers224]

My steeplechase (apologies to Steve Taylor) has lead me to various bodies. I didn't go anywhere during my senior year at Liberty (I lived off campus), and didn't go anywhere for 3 years after that. I then figured out it was time to get plugged in again and got really involved in an AOG church called Mechanicsville Christian Center http://www.mccag.org/ for almost 8 years. I then found myself involved with Young Life and started going to St. Giles Pres http://www.stgiles.org/ (that's where a majority of the leaders went) for almost 9 years, and since I've been married (got married late at 43), my wife and I visited a number of places until we found out home at Hope Church http://www.hopecentral.com/

In Hymn,

[Sly Fox]

To be honest, this topic is very similar to the Ministry thread. But it does have some differences talking about where we have gone since LU. So I'll pay along.

After graduation I went home to Cincinnati and attended the family church, Lindale Baptist in Amelia, Ohio.

When I moved down to Corpus Christi I joined my dad's church, Central Baptist in Ingleside, Texas.

After awhile I matriculated to Gardendale Baptist and Central Assembly (AOG).

When I moved to Austin where I married, we attended several SBC & AOG churches before settling into a SBC plant called Lake Hill Church. When we moved up to Round Rock, we joined another SBC church called the Fellowship of Forest Creek.

After moving to Houston, we spent six months looking for just the right church before settling on Houston Northwest Church (SBC). But we still spend quite a bit of time at my wife's home church called Faith Assembly (AOG).

Its interesting you bring up YoungLife. The guy who led the music at my wife's high school YL was fellow Klein High School classmate Derek Webb (formely of Caedmon's Call).

[Fumblerooskies]

Brought up in a Methodist Church...saved at 12 yrs old in a Wesleyan Church.
When we got married, started going to Catholic church (my wife was catholic, so was our wedding.
Eventually found our way to a SBC in Nashville and pretty much stayed with SBC until about 6 years ago, when we joined our current Methodist church here in Lynchburg. The pastor is great...preaches the gospel and salvation just like a good ole SBC preacher.

[SuperJon]

Started out at King Church of God when I was first born for a year or two, then my grandpa started preaching at Yadkinville Church of God. He stayed there for 2 or 3 years. During this time the PA was stolen and eventually the sanctuary was burnt down by a Satanic worshiper. After that, my grandpa came back to King Church of God (but it was called Harvest Temple Church of God now). I went there all the time until midway through high school when I got tired of it. I found a place down in Lewisville where my 2nd cousin's were the youth leaders and really enjoyed it but it was 30 minutes away so I couldn't afford to keep going. I haven't really found a place in Lynchburg that I like, but I'll admit I haven't looked a lot either. Since I'm going to be in Lynchburg for most of the summer, I'm planning on looking for a church. I've been raised Pentecostal and, from what I've been able to find (locals can tell me if I'm wrong), there aren't many Pentecostal churches in Lynchburg.

[thepostman]

Being a navy brat we moved around quite a bit, mainly going to baptist churches along the way....the last few years before coming to liberty we went to a non denominational church and while here at liberty i went to campus church the first year, got sick of it, didn't go to church at all for 2 years and presently go to calvary chapel lynchburg out here on leesville road...i like it a lot....

[bbrothers224]

Wow!! The changes at Liberty. Back in my day it was pretty much mandated that you go to TRBC. Do they still require that students do "Christian Service"?

[SuperJon]

Yea, we have to do Christian/Community Service. They don't force us to go to TRBC (thank God)

[Cider Jim]

Like Fumble, I grew up in a Methodist church (for at least the first 15 years of my life), but then I was saved at a Baptist church in West Virginia during a B.R. Lakin revival, the same evangelist who is buried on Liberty's campus not too far from Dr. Falwell.

For many years, faculty were required to go to Thomas Road (and I think LCA teachers are still required to go there), but I have been a member at Rivermont Ave. Baptist Church since 1998: if you have ever heard of a church in town that has a Christian Celtic service or a Soul Cafe coffee bar service, that's my church--where I teach Sunday school and serve as the church's bartender as well as deacon.

LU students & faculty are to attend RABC: http://www.connectingpeople.org/CMS/

[BJWilliams]

I first went to Garden of Prayer Temple COGIC (Church of God in Christ), then teh family moved to Calvary Revival Church in Norfolk, and then when I moved on to military school I went to Chatham Baptist Church in Chatham, VA, then came to Thomas Road Baptist Church in Lynchburg (although I have been attending Heritage Baptist Church and am seriously considering moving my membership there in the fall)

[thesportscritic]

Went to Ben Hill United Methodist Church in GA then World Changers in GA and TRBC for a period of time when i moved here. Now i am going to Family Christian Church.

[El Scorcho]

I grew up in SBC churches. One was completely dead, until I had a young pastor, fresh out of LU come in and stir things up. He was forced out after 7 years, but it was during that time that I realized what church was about and also when I came to know Christ as my savior. I moved to another SBC church with my parents just before leaving for LU. At LU I didn't get involved with a local church because I felt like that's what I was doing 24/7 on campus.

Having never planned on staying in Lynchburg after I graduated, when I found myself doing just that, I was at a loss for where to go. As newlyweds my wife and I tried church after church in town, but never really found a place that suited us. After a couple of years, I realized I was disillusioned with a lot of what churches had come to be. I didn't like coming into places where I felt like my unsaved friends wouldn't be comfortable. I was just tired of all the corny cliches in conversations with other members, the services that felt like very little effort had been put into them, and the sermons where people just zoned out for 20 minutes until it was time for lunch. It just seemed to me that the churches I was visiting were losing touch with the culture they were trying to reach.

Then my wife and I found brentwood church. It's modeled after Andy Stanley's Northpoint Community Church in Georgia. We couldn't be happier there. The church is active in every way. The sermons are relevant. The services are the result of planning and hard work, not winging it. The Gospel is preached, and the word of God is taught in such a way that it's not made intimidating to the unchurched. I suppose we're what you'd call a "seeker friendly" church. Anyway, I could go on and on, but I don't think I've ever been more pleased to be a part of a church body. I'm sure it's not for everyone, but it's the first place I've felt at home in a long time.

[SuperJon]

At LU I didn't get involved with a local church because I felt like that's what I was doing 24/7 on campus.

That's kinda where I am now.


I've heard good things of Brentwood, but it's bigger than I would like. I don't really like really big churches, that's one of the many reasons I wouldn't like TRBC. I like a couple hundred members at bed.

[bbrothers224]

At LU I didn't get involved with a local church because I felt like that's what I was doing 24/7 on campus.

That's kinda where I am now.


I've heard good things of Brentwood, but it's bigger than I would like. I don't really like really big churches, that's one of the many reasons I wouldn't like TRBC. I like a couple hundred members at bed.

That's interesting...most we can have in bed is 2 (wife and myself). 3 if you count the cat.

[SuperJon]

You got me. I meant best. I have no clue why I put bed.

[Fumblerooskies]

You got me. I meant best. I have no clue why I put bed.

You GMTM'd...
...either that...or you were channeling Bill Clinton.

[SuperJon]

I've just been in the sun waaaay too much the past four days.

[JDUB]

yeah... thats a great excuse

[SuperJon]

You saw how burnt I was yesterday. I felt even worse this morning.

[JDUB]

maybe you should try aloe. i normally just put sunblock on it after its burnt, and it helps

[SuperJon]

I've put lotion on it a few times this morning.


Bringing it back to the topic at hand, I actually skipped church this morning because my shirt hurt my shoulders.

[Sly Fox]

[PeterParker]

So it seems the question becomes: With all this church talk, and the variety that is present, should LU slightly shift to market itself truly as an "Evangelical" school in order to embrace the kaleidoscope of denominations that are now represented by the student body, even though it was initially founded out of an independent baptist fundamental church...?

It has been loosely alluded to as the largest evangelical school in various media outlets and even by some from the mountain at times, as I recall...but the tagline when running a google search still yields:




What do you think?

[El Scorcho]

So it seems the question becomes...

No, the question doesn't become that. If you want it to become a different question, start another thread.

[El Scorcho]

I've heard good things of Brentwood, but it's bigger than I would like. I don't really like really big churches, that's one of the many reasons I wouldn't like TRBC. I like a couple hundred members at best.

I think I understand where you're coming from, but I'd have to ask you to clarify to be sure. I typically haven't cared too much for big churches in the past, because I grew up in smaller churches. However, I've learned at brentwood that through small groups and getting involved, big churches don't have to feel big or impersonal.

[thepostman]

It has taken me a long time to find a church I feel a comfort level in. I have the problem of being too critical, even with calvary chapel where I am happy I will find things to pick at...I struggle with that all the time....I did try Brentwood for a bit, but it just felt too "rock star" to me...I did enjoy the preaching, but it was almost like a slightly hipper campus church to me...but that is me, and there is for sure nothing wrong with that church, but that is just how i felt....calvary chapel is laid back, the worship isn't a rock concert and though I love going to rock shows I perfer my church worship service to be a little less like one....plus they covered a kelly clarkson song, that is never ok (that is a joke by the way)

I still struggle with being content where I am at, and sometimes I think about trying some other places....but I think its more about me, then it is the church because the church itself is everything i want...relevant, good outreach, and a phenomenal focus on missions.....