Church Visits

   After 7 weeks and 7 churches.... i have come to realize and appreciate my home church.
NOT to say there aren't some great churches out here but oh how i miss Alderwood! So far i have visited:

• 1 Foursquare church (didn't realize it was foursquare until i got there)
• 1 Acts 29 church
• 1 plant church
• 3 Non-denominational churches
• and 1 Greek Orthodox Church for the fun of it!

It's been interesting to say the least. I have been slightly baffled and confused at the number of churches who choose not to preach straight from the text of the Bible. I don't have a problem with topical preaching (when it's done correctly) but i don't understand why you wouldn't choose to preach from a book of the Bible. I believe that there is nothing better to change the hearts of people than teaching straight from God's word and letting it do the work. I guess there will always be things that bother me about each church i go to and i need to be okay with that.
   The MOST interesting church by far has been the Greek Orthodox church. For my music class we needed to go to a worship service that is opposite of what we are use to and OH my goodness was it opposite! We went at 9:00am for the Orthros worship Service where they sing through a number of Psalms. We decided not to stay for the Divine Liturgy Service in which they partake in the Eucharist. It was an hour long service in which 5 other people attended plus the 6 people i had driven with. We stuck out like a sore thumb. The Bishop very kindly explained to us how the service worked and i was so kindly deemed "the talker" by my housemates. I had to explain why we had been frantically pulling on the latch to what we thought was the front door and why we had no idea what was going on. It was slightly embarrassing and i felt so awkward. The service was extremely traditional, stagnant, and passionless. There was nothing about the service other than the monotonous routine that would cause you to fall in love with our Lord. It made me sad and i felt like i needed to actually read my Bible instead of listen to the two Bishops in their monotone voices recite the Psalms.
   We decided to sneak out as the Bishop stated burning incense and before the Eucharist started because we couldn't even partake in the service. It was an interesting Sunday to say the least.

   I finished my Sunday by watching Dan in Real Life, taking a nap, writing a Anthropology paper, eating 2 pieces of cake, skyping with my sister and friend, watching EverAfter, and then reading for my class the next day (in that order).

   I'm still praying that God would lead me to a church that teaches the Word and where i can serve.