Grace Chapel

We've had quite a break from the tour, but we're trying to get back in the swing of things.  This week was Grace Chapel out in Leiper's Fork.  The main heading on the website sums it all up: "Following the Lead of the Holy Spirit."

Ashley's View: First off, I'm the slacker here.  I'm tempted to make the Tour De Faith contingent on rainy days or cold, dreary non-holiday weather.  It's so hard for me to want to spend a gorgeous Sunday morning/afternoon cooped up in a sanctuary and not outdoors!

So...this service.  Pretty drive out there, and pretty, pretty people.  This was a very attractive church!  My first impression was good grief I'm at a concert.  The music was LOUD.  Praise and worship was a good 40 minutes.  It felt like going to the movies and previews lasted forever.  Obviously I didn't really get into the music. There is this perfect mix of old and new that I like.  Just going on old hymns with 16 verses and a hard to follow tune is not my favorite.  But neither is the other side of the coin--new songs that also have hard to follow tunes and have one whole verse of just "Oh-o-o-o-o-o-o, Oh-o-o-o-o..."  I guess I like the pairing of the two together to bring out the best of both worlds--a new twist on the old classics.  That's what I truly enjoy the most.

On to the sermon/college lecture.  I didn't agree at first--it was about not going out and acting and asking God to bless it, but waiting on Him to tell you what to do.  That's a pet peeve of mine in my work--people saying they are just waiting on God to guide them, and use this as a justification to sit on their ass and collect unemployment for two years.  I believe you need to act.  But...the more he talked and went over the PowerPoint (which was not a PowerPoint...it was his long notes.  I've learned PPs are supposed to be very short and sweet, just highlighting the points, not the whole lecture!) the more I realized we were more on the same page than I realized.  We just worded it differently.  His point was to be open to God's will and receptive to what he wants.  That he will speak to you when you are seeking and truly listening.  That's all well and good.  I just believe that if God is in your heart, and you are truly seeking His will, then go ahead and act and listen to that peace in your heart.  If what you are doing is pleasing to God, you'll have a peace about it.  If you don't, then stop.  But don't just sit stagnant and wait for a push.  This is an easy way to cop out of truly living.  I believe that God is with us all the way--and we can act and seek His blessing and that's okay--because if we have a right heart to begin with, then it's not like we're asking him to bless the brothel we just set up.

Last thing that unfortunately did not give a good impression.  As we were being guided to the sanctuary, we were pointed to the "family room"--a room off to the side where you could watch with your kids if they were too loud.  I thought that was a great idea.  I also noticed there weren't any kids in the service (although there were a lot of young couples who I assumed had small children).  Cue awkwardness.  The lady next to me let me know again about the "family room" and that we can go in there if the girls were loud.  And then she let me know "they will tell you to go in there if they are noisy."  Yikes.  Okay...is this being taped for TV?  I understand kids being disruptive in service, but I kindof like the thought that we are all welcome in service, no matter what age.  When Ellie started blowing raspberries a little too loudly, Nathan got up to take her out...just as an usher was rushing toward him to escort him out.  Seemed a little extreme to me, and was not quite the welcoming warm fuzzies we'd hope from being visitors in a church.  It seemed that was the biggest thing people focused on since we were new--was that we didn't get the memo about kids not being welcome in service.  Sorry guys--when I'm going to a church I don't know with people I don't know, I'm not going to just plop my kids in a foreign environment with strangers for an hour while I figure out about the place I'm at.  If you're going to accept me, you've got to be okay with the whole package--kids included.  We're a group until we're comfortable to branch out.  All that being said, this was in no way a scary place for kids--but knowing my girls' ages and kiddo sickness I just didn't want to deal with putting them in a foreign place, no matter how nice it was.

Bottom line...this was a nice non-denominational church...but not the most new-person friendly.  Hmm--if Judson and Grace Chapel got together, it'd be perfect--we get the newbies and the regulars!  In comparison with some of the other non-denominational churches, Grace Chapel was much better--not as outwardly emotional but more of a learning experience, which we liked.  But still not completely what we're looking for.  Although I'm not sure what that is....

Judson Baptist

The reason for the visit to Judson Baptist Church started with Ashley's neighbor who was really wanting her and Nathan to visit. It was "Friend Day" so we were excited to have the opportunity to satisfy Ashley's obligation to visit Judson AND be able to catch a glimpse of the Baptist denomination to be able to blog about it :)

Melissa's View:
Ohhhh, the Baptist!! Ok, so I grew up Baptist, and now have been reminded why I chose a new denomination. Man they have not changed one bit, but at least they are consistent! We were invited for “Friend Day” and the church as a whole was so excited to have any new “unclean hearts” they might have the chance to save. We were very welcomed, which was nice. We started with Sunday School that morning and had the chance to mingle with Ashley’s neighbors. The guy that led the lesson was a little cheesy, but I could tell he was nervous. He spoke on friends and how our friendships should reflect the relationship you have with Jesus. The teacher asked a guy to come give his testimony about how some of his friends had invited him to church and now his life is different. I thought the guy did a great job sincerely sharing his life experience about how he had been changed. So, up to this point I was ok with what was said, I wasn’t moved to be involved, but at least agreed with the message. (Again, as a side note, I agree with WHAT the Baptist believe, just not their APPROACH!) And then the strangest thing happened…as the teacher was wrapping up the lesson, it led to the topic of salvation and he invited us that if we were interested in salvation or knowing more about it “Don’t talk to me, go to the pastor.” This was so odd to me…you mean to tell me that a person/the visitor that is already nervous and questioning what is going on in his heart should go to the one person that is head of the church??? How intimidating!! If I had questions, I would want to go to my Sunday School teacher or a friend in the class, not the one guy that preaches to the whole congregation!! Or wait…was this just a set up for the service later on…cue your chance to be saved!

The service was given by a guest speaker and it was a pretty typical fire and brimstone service…”if you don’t believe you WILL go to hell, my son did, so don’t be like him” (maybe Ash or Nate can expand on that a little more). The part that really got to me was the end/alter call…oh my gosh did it bring back emotions that I remember as a child but now as an adult feel that I can put into words. It seemed that the value and the worth of the church was based on how many people they could “guilt” into walking to the front of the church and confess how dirty and sinful they are and accept Christ into their hearts. The alter call was an intense almost 30 min. There was a family of 4 that was sitting in front of us that I had been watching the whole time, the parents with their daughter about 12 and son about 6. The little boy had been coloring the whole time and right at the end when the speaker was laying it on thick the little boy excitedly said “I want to go!!” So without missing a beat, not even eye contact with her husband she grabbed his hand and took him to the front. I think it put a little pressure on the sister to follow suit because about 15 min later daddy was taking her to the front for her turn….oh how the parents must have been so proud…2 saved children in one day! What was said for them to feel “moved” to be saved? Do they even understand? Did they feel guilted or even just a fun activity to do to get out of their seats? Which is exactly why I feel this is the wrong way to go about making a decision like this…it should be a PROCESS of learning more and growing in a relationship with Christ and not a snap decision that you make in 10 minutes because it sounds like a good idea or you feel guilty if you don’t.

While I am on my tirade, I might mention also that what the heck are the rest of us (us amazing Christians that have already been saved) suppose to do with the 30 minutes that we wait for other souls to be saved. They could at least give us some guidance about “be praying for the others in the room” “be praying about what you want God to show you this week” “pray for the people in Haiti”…etc….something so we feel like we are getting something out of the service and a part of the church family rather than just sitting around. I was bored, obviously analyzing the family in front of me, and hungry! Glad they caught my attention…GO GOD!

Ashley's View:
Melissa really hit the nail on the head here.  Although I spent a lot of time at Christ Church that has a Pentecostal background, this fire and brimstone altar call focus was very familiar to me--it's not just the Baptists!  The things that stood out to me here...of course, the best line of the day "If you are here for salvation, don't see me--see the pastor!"  Way to go, buddy--you just proved complete incompetence in your own faith, in my opinion.  I don't believe in just seeing a "higher up" in order to talk about God, as it's not a hierarchy of experts but a beautiful creation of people that can all learn and grow from each other...as we are all little reflections of God within each one of us.  


The family in front of us...yes, it saddened me to see how that worked.  I actually think the kids were younger than what Mel said--most likely 4 and 9...and that little boy could have cared less about what they were talking about.  I definitely think he just wanted a change of scenery and thought it'd be fun to go up to the front.  The girl was definitely pressured.  She didn't want to go, she didn't want to go alone, and I don't think it was jitters for Jesus.  This was a girl who did not need to have her "born again" moment be one of pressure and awkwardness--how much time was she able to really think about what she was doing vs. just thinking about all the people in the room watching her?
The altar call...oh, the altar call.  In comparison to what I've seen in my day at Christ Church, it was fairly tame...no shouting out in tongues and weeping/wailing.  BUT...then it got a little crazy.  At the end, they took around a microphone and asked everyone whether they had been saved or rededicated, and whether they were going to get baptized.  Wow--really?  Not only did it take a very personal experience and broadcast it to everyone (although being an open emotional book seems to fit the evangelical bill), but it was very clear the church is all about results--they want to see the tally marks on how many people were saved vs. rededicated, and how many people they can baptize.  I know this, because the church program had the numbers from the last week--they really do tally it up and track each emotional moment.  Hmm...I get frustrated with churches having no concept of business...here is a church that does...and makes sure to track the quantifiable results to make sure they are doing exactly what they set out to do.  Maybe that isn't bad.  But it sure makes me feel more like a number and not a "sister in Christ."


Finally, I think Mel made an awesome point.  I remember at Christ Church I felt that it was all about saving the poor lost souls...and then what?  It's like the family where all of the focus is on the problem child, and finally the model child acts out...why?  In order to get some freakin' attention!  My thinking is that we are to be the church by going out into the world and showing Christ's love through our own actions.  But the church...the actual building...isn't this the place for Christians to recharge?  Isn't this the place for fellow believers to congregate together in fellowship and worship?  Then why oh why do I see churches who spend all their focus on adding to the flock within the church--to saving you and re-saving you and not on challenging you on living as a Christian day-to-day?  I remember feeling this as a tween at church...since I did the baptizing deal when I was 12, I was checked off the list as saved.  So unless I was a bad girl and then went to the altar in a mess of tears and guilt on my backward ways, I didn't get any attention.  I did what Melissa talked about...twiddled my thumbs for an hour while altar call was under way (oh yes, an hour is SHORT at the church I went to!).

I'm not so sure I see an altar call as a good fit at church.  Shouldn't that be for the revivals and the visitor days?  Okay...it was "Friend Day" at Judson.  They picked the right day.  I love that they have a friend day to encourage new people to visit.  I love that everyone was so warm and welcoming (although I know now that only the pastor can really talk salvation.  I know his son...does that count?)  I love the fact that I got postcards in the mail from the head of the children's department to both my girls thanking them for visiting on friend day--hand written, no less!  These people really reached out to us, and I can see how the Baptists really treat you like family.  Unfortunately, I felt there was a hidden agenda in the service not on finding a new friend, but on being that number to the list of  saved souls for the week.  And again, I want the church to be the "home" for Christians to recharge and regroup and be challenged--not to just convert souls over..

I want to end by talking about the woman that asked me to go to Judson.  She's the wife of one of the church staff, daughter-in-law to the pastor.  She is very involved in the church.  I met her while out walking in the neighborhood one day.  We had kids the same age and got to know each other.  And I have to say she truly exemplifies to me what a Baptist Christian should be.  She is, in my opinion, the greatest WWJD example.  She doesn't talk to me about religion and what my spiritual status is.  She never pressured me about going to church or where I'm at in my walk.  I've talked to her and she truly listens more than she speaks.  She asks questions, but never talks at me about God--like I see so many evangelicals do.  Evangelizing, in a sense, is really all about being a good salesperson.  And the key there is to identify the need...and then to sell to that need in a way they are most receptive to.   This woman has this down-pat...but never shows a hidden agenda.  She just genuinely loves people, enjoys people, and is happy to love them right where they are in life.  I don't question for a minute that she'd sit down with me in prayer or point out Bible references if I asked.  But she doesn't offer it up uninvited, and she invests time in getting to know others. She shows God's love instead of just talking about it.  She, to me, is a great example of why I don't throw out Christianity--because it's not all about hidden agendas and a checklist of who's right and wrong--it's about loving each other and fellowship--and she's got that right!

Nathan's View is way late to even matter.
OK, so I will make this short and sweet.  This church is pastored by the parents of some friends of ours and so I won't go into too much detail... A few simple observations to help the Baptists see the cracks in their organization.

First, to the Sunday School Teachers:  It was troubling to me that the TEACHER of the Sunday school class said "If you want salvation don't ask me...I don't know how to get you that...ask the preacher...ha ha ha."  Now this is admittedly extremely out of context, however, the very fact that if I wanted to know ANYTHING about salvation I would have to be referred to someone who knew what the hell they were talking about was mildly confusing AND a little Scientologyish (aha! another new word!).

Secondly, to all Baptists with kids:  The whole point of your version of Christianity is to be BORN AGAIN which should imply that you have a clear understanding of what you are about to do when you go down in front of the entire congregation and say you want to give your life over to Christ.  I would imagine (and hope) this moment is like that of the Amish, when they have gone through Rumschpringe and have made the choice to join fully or be banished forever from your friends and family.  Well I watched an 11 year old girl and her 7 year old brother colored on the bulletin, got shooshed by their parents a dozen times DURING the sermon, and watched one of them pick their nose and eat it.  THEN when the preacher asked "the good people to come down and give their lives over to Jesus" before they walked outside, got run over by a car, and spent eternity in hell, guess what happened. Those little bastards marched right down to the front...and I listened in amazement as the entire congregation unanimously "Awwed" when they stuck the microphone in their little faces and those kids said, "we came down here because we love Jesus and want to be with Him forever!"  I only wish I could have been in their little heads to hear the internal dialog of how they were moved by the preacher's words to make such an important decision.  I would like to think there is a special place in hell for Baptist parents who let their kids do such a thing...but there's not because they found a loop hole in the dogma which forgives them of such ignorant and ridiculous behavior.  

AHHH!!!!  Okay, I need to calm down...it is time to move on to my final observation.  WHAT HAPPENS AFTER YOU ARE SAVED IN THE SECRET LITTLE ROOM???!!!   As I saw it, you get saved, tell everybody what you are going to do differently in your life, and then they shuffle all the newly saved souls to a secret room!  What goes on back there?  Is Jesus back their shaking hands and handing out plaques saying "good job, you made the right choice?"  Is there a burning bush back there where only new souls get to make s'mores and have a wiener roast?  Sadly this will more then likely have to remain a mystery...besides, judging by how many times these folks have to be saved I am guessing they are tossed back into the world and quickly go back to their evil little ways, only this time, they have the piece of mind of heaven.  Ahhh the holes in your dogma God...I will admit...I expected more from you...but wait...could these holes be there to give us the room to meet you half way?  Nope...they are there to make ignorant feel in control and to piss people like me off.  Perhaps I will opt for the loop hole of the Meek...I hear they have a pretty good inheritance...I wonder if you have to pay taxes on that? (Sorry, bad banker joke.)

Church of Scientology of Celebrity Central Nashville

We ventured out to the world of Scientology today, visiting the Church of Scientology of Celebrity Centre Nashville. Located on 8th Ave, this old building is only old on the outside--you step inside into a world of high-tech video museums and a large business....I mean church. Impressive.

Nathan's View: Ok...so the last few blog postings I have bashed the Business of the Church. It tends to be that nasty little hidden agenda that every church has a sermon around and no one wants to talk about... until I visited the Church of Scientology. The history and background of Scientology I will let Ashley or Melissa explain or I will leave it up to the plethora of readers to research for yourselves. The concept and principles that are at the root of Scientology I generally agree with. The message is one of awareness, enlightenment, and support/respect for everything around you. It is a place where you can find healing and support to better yourself. It seemed to be a strange blend of the body, soul, God, faith, and eternity, all wrapped up in psychoanalysis. Unfortunately, business is business, and from the minute I entered to the minute I left I felt like I was in an infomercial...or better yet...at a time share pitch where you are lured in with the hopes of leaving with free tickets to a dolphin tour and instead you find yourself with a pocket full of debt and a "free" week at the beach. It was kind of like that except the product was happiness, and the classes and books were the tools to happiness. But all this joy is not free my friends, it comes with a price and Scientologist recognize that. The employees (that should be your first hint) dressed in black suits, white shirts, and red ties or scarves and they followed you around to show the different modules which played on flat screens throughout this renovated building. The business structure, which they openly shared with us, was similar to that of a multi level marketing firm. There were different levels but as soon as you got someone to join, you were a member and they were under you (I can only assume that the revenue stream you receive as an employee is directly related to how many people you have under you) And what is the engine that seemed to run the institution you might ask? Classes and lectures written by their leader...L. Ron Hubbard. The one with all the answers...and a ridiculously fantastic business mind in my opinion. The trick was to get you in by taking a personality test to determine which areas of your life you are struggling with. Then they would isolate those issues through the use of a device (which we tried and didn't work the way they said it would but they kept saying "see it moved a little bit!") that measures stress. From there you are given a list of classes that you can take to better that area in your life and if that does not clear it up...then someone is there to push you toward another class...all the while you are paying good money for these products. Now before you go throwing the word cult around remember, the same structure is within the church...we just don't always recognize that when we are new and are asked to volunteer as greeters for the church or work an activities table we are doing the same thing...the only difference is Scientologist have their price tag in the open, the church usually doesn't. The bottom line for me was the church of Scientology is a business just like any other...they have definitely kicked it up a few notches in the weird and uncomfortable factor...but they are a business never the less. What is odd is it IS structured as a church and the genius flaw of Scientology from my perspective. Genius because of the tax benefits I am sure they receive for operating under a non profit structure. A flaw for the fact that they are lumped into the same social expectations of a church and as a result are typically ridiculed for their practices and seemingly cultish approaches. The bottom line is the church of Scientology was so upfront with their eagerness to get us enrolled in a class that I was not sure if I should appreciate their honesty or ridicule it. For me I am still digesting the entire experience, but it is an experience I am glad I had...


Ashley's View:
I was truly fascinated by this whole experience. Nathan's already addressed the cynical business side, so I'm going to give you the positive perspective. Let me say that if Scientology were presented as a school instead of a religion, I'd be all over it. Honestly, like Nathan stated, it's a successful business model--and unlike every Protestant church I've been to, not once did they ever ask for donations. I love that. It's not about handouts--they have created a business out of it, and it's widely successful. I'm not sure what I think about that--if that's a good or bad thing to incorporate into religion. I mean, I strongly believe that the church needs to understand the business-side of things--it's what gives me a bad taste about church-always pulling on heartstrings to support them, and completely lost in the business world. So I appreciate that. But...for Scientology it was so skilled at the business side, and the intellectual/teaching side, that it lacked the spiritual side. No wait--the God part. Spiritual/emotional I can see, but the God part was pretty distant.

I could address so many areas of Scientology. It really fascinates me, and I think it's because I have grown up learning from all these motivational speakers like Zig Ziglar about the power of positive thinking. I believe strongly that we are in charge of our attitudes, and that our minds are way more powerful than just understanding your ABCs. Scientology really addresses this aspect. It encompasses the mind/body/soul aspect (although mind/body is more of what I saw an the soul part...).

I have to talk about the "exercise" they did during service. We spent 30 minutes doing a visualization thing. Wow--how do I explain it?? It was like "Simon Says"--"Think about that back wall. Now think about touching that wall. Don't do it, just decide to do it. Now decide to touch the wall. Once you have fully made that decision, get up and do it. Now touch it like you aren't letting go. Now decide to let go. Now actually let go." This went on forever. At first it was weird. At the end it was enough already. But in the middle, it really hit me on what it was all about. It's again, about the power of our minds. That we make conscious decisions on every move we make--and it's a threefold process. We decide we will do something. Then we actually act and do it. Then we decide how it will affect us. The process of going through it for the trivial things, like a wall at a church, makes it easier to understand it when we have to deal with the more difficult things, like personal relationships. I really appreciated that. Not quite as much as our tour guide, who giggled and squealed like a little school girl through the process, but I appreciated the goal nonetheless.

All in all, if Scientology were on the intellectual/motivational realm and not under the stigma of religion, I'd be all about promoting it. The religious side is the only part I don't fully agree with...although they swear LRH is not a god, every sermon, every book, every breath is directed by him. I think this is a lot of where the cultish assumption comes from. I'm intrigued and I want to go back and see the videos. But I don't want to make it my religion. I love that they did call God the "Author of the Universe" and other beautiful terms. I love that they truly embrace every element of life--respecting yourselves, others, the environment/world...I love that this was the most open place we've been to with welcoming us (although I was a little wary of their hidden MLM agenda)...but to switch to Scientology...I'm not sold on that as a religion.


Melissa's View:
Well, I have been procrastinating writing because I didn’t know how to put into words what I experienced. I am an emotional writer and have been a little hesitant to know exactly how to put that on paper. I guess I would sum it up in one statement….”crazier than shit house rats!” I could leave it at that, but I know many will question, so I will do my best to explain! I think the fact that they have called themselves a “church” has really messed with my head. If you told me you wanted to take me to a museum and we would be learning how to listen to our bodies and would be bettering myself and the world around me, I think I would really enjoy it. But the whole point of this faith tour is to experience new religions and I have no idea how this is a religion…other than depending solely on one’s self.
I was a little nervous as we walked in and led to a hallway to wait for the service to start. As soon as we walked in the hall, they closed the doors to the “sanctuary” …all I could see inside before the door closed was round tables and people with black coats all dressed alike. Nate and I looked at each other thinking, what the hell did we just get into! A girl greeted us and took us on a tour of the “church” where we watched flat screen TVs, each with its own topic on helping yourself. After a guided tour and some very awkward moments where we felt like the “staff members” were fighting over us, time for the service. This was just great…Shania Twain music was sung in honor of Valentine’s Day! The lady who led the service, asked us for permission to be our minister for the day and then read from the great book of L .Ron Hubbard. Afterwards we were guided through a 35 min exercise in “choosing to do things.” I think Ash did a great job of giving an example of what this consisted of…adult version of Simon Says! We were grabbing our feet, chairs, walls, floor, placing our ears, nose, legs, hands where we were told. I do understand that this was to show that you are in control of what you do and make sure that you are intentionally, on purpose making your own decisions. I think the underlying message was that we choose how we will act and feel and have control of our lives. I agree with this…drama is only drama if you make it that way (stay tuned for the book about me learning this the hard way!). I guess I just don’t know why it had to be so elementary. We are all adults and it felt very childish as we performed this exercise and the school house giggles in the background from our tour guide didn’t help either! And you guessed it, we ended with another Shania song…classic!
I think as Ash and Nate have said and I agree that Scientology has a great business model and they were very welcoming. I don’t really have anything bad to say about that. I just have a hard time with them calling themselves a church. I don’t know that I have done a very good job expressing how I feel about this experience because I don’t really know. There was no religion, no God, no intimacy, just felt cold and business like. So all in all, I loved the experience and would say the best way to explain it is to experience it for yourself.

GracePointe Church

Today was GracePointe Church in Franklin, TN. Reasons for going here were two-fold. First off, Ashley's brother and sis-in-law, Jared and Ilea Miller, were speaking about their KEZA Fashion line. Secondly, word is out about Stan's passionate preaching by all the Miller family, and Ashley knows him well.

Nathan's View:

Grace Pointe was an interesting church. It is Nondenominational dish with a Pentecostal glaze over the top. It was one of those churches that is sooo Nashville. How do you make a church sooo Nashville you ask. You must start with an overly emotional praise and worship team. Put one black man on the key board and let the weird guitar player do a solo riff during "My God is an Awesome God." Ensure at least half of them cry during the transition from song to prayer and you are off to a pretty good start. This church was a young, emotional church that was still in the process of defining who they are as a group. They had just built a brand new facility with an outstanding demographic and seemed to be desperate financially. I promise I wont go too deep into the sermon this go around like I did on the last one...but to sum it up it was a communal reading from Revelations where heaven (the prize) is revealed. And let me tell you. You better not pick your nose or scratch your butt in that joint because according to John...everything is made of eyes. Any way, the praise and worship leader spoke about her ministry through music...we heard how important it was to give unconditionally and we were reminded of how the poor widow gave all she had which was just two coins (a fantastic business plan created by the church I might add...I have an equation for it E + G = $ or Emotion + Guilt = a 53,000 monthly budget...) and there you had it. Ashley really enjoyed this church which I blame of the Freudian connection from her youth (the pastor was a player in Christ Church on Old Hickory where Ashley went for many years) but for me it was a little much. I prefer a more intimate approach to God rather then an emotional public display of affection that I saw here. The irony is I didn't much care for the quiet doldrums of Christ Church Cathedral either. Ahhh the life of a contradictory cynic...I guess someone has to do it...right?




Melissa's View:

Hmmmm, this is an interesting one...this is more of the "type" of Church that I am use to and thrive in, but GracePointe did not capture me in any area of the hour we spent there. I don't know that I ever got past the cheesy one liners and the used car salesman for a pastor. Within the 1st 5 minutes Stan (pastor) was helping some kid ask his girlfriend to prom...I mean are we at church or a sporting event? I was waiting for the blimp asking "will you marry me" but it never came. The singing was over the top...maybe 2 songs that the congregation could actually engage in and all the others were awkward and a chance for us to stare at the choir. It was hard to find a moment of connection with God with the song selections. This was then followed by a reading that we participated in from Revelation that I still have no clue why we were reading it. After the Revelation reading there was a strange transition to communion where you go as you "feel led" to the front to take bread and wine...which again...awkward. I think the concept of doing it this way is awesome, but their presentation of directing us was a little uncomfortable. It ended up being more about looking at the person next to you and asking "are you ready" as you move in a heard to the front. I go to Fellowship Bible and they actually did this same idea, but was very intimate and you knew why you were doing it as well as how it was going to happen. You would go in rows and as you made your way to the table, there was someone there to pray over the communion as you took it together as a Body of Christ. Not quite the same at GracePointe, anyway, after communion a girl spoke on praise and worship and gave the history of why we do certain things to show respect to God as we sing. I did enjoy listening to her and think she did a great job speaking about where her heart is. The service was then concluded by my favorite...Stan, creepy with tricks up his sleeve. His emotional reenactment of the poor widow giving everything she had to guilt me into giving was just flat out drama queen. Just wanted to laugh and roll my eyes all at the same time when listening to him talk about giving/tithe. The more I think about it, I'm sure someone else could say the exact same words as him and I would have received it differently, but something about him I just couldn't trust. It was really interesting to me that I ran into someone from work there that is a member of GracePointe and he said, "Didn't you just love Stan? He is just so transparent"....I just nodded and smiled (didn't want to tell a boldfaced lie in church)
After re-reading what I wrote, I feel like I was pretty harsh....they might just be a new church feeling out what works for them, but I will say it certainly didn't work for me!

Ashley's View:


Wow--to say Mel was brutal is an understatement!  Geesh--talk about a personal attack!  This is so crazy to me--out of the three of us, when we started, I was the most anti-church...yet I went to this church and thought it was really nice.  Let's see--Nathan and Mel saw fakeness, and I saw real people.  Maybe my perception was skewed because I know Stan...but I didn't see the shadiness, or the emotion for play.  I saw him being himself.  Granted, he is more theatric-emotional...which fits where he is.  This church was the non-denominational young church that thrived in music and media, but I thought they did a great job of not going overboard with the bells and whistles--yes, they built a church (they were formerly meeting in a school gym, I think?), but the church isn't full of stained glass and the jumbotron out front.  It's basic.  It's with the times technology-wise, but not over the top where I questioned the stewardship of their money.  The music...it was music I enjoyed, and the lady that talked about worship painted a beautiful picture of why people raise their hands in praise.  I liked what she had to say, I liked the music, and I thought hmm, although this is more charismatic than I usually go for, I think I could get involved here.  But boy did Mel and Nathan have a different perspective!  Maybe I am viewing this church through rose-colored glasses.  I have known Stan for a long time--I know his story, and I know his sermons.  I know that while at Christ Church, I have few good memories, but there were three pastors there that really reached me with their sermons--Stan was one of those.
This church prompted major discussion with Nathan and me...bottom line, I fell on the analogy of a wedding ceremony vs. a marriage.  Your every day life is your "marriage" with God-the ups and downs and learning to understand how to bring out the best in the relationship (truly honoring/loving God)...and Sundays...they are the wedding ceremony-the pomp and circumstance.  People go for different things--some want the big fancy dress and the formal ceremony (Christ Church Cathedral).  Other people strive for the most emotional public display of their love for the other person--they want to shout it from the mountaintops (hello Pentecostals!).  And others flat don't want a ceremony--they want to elope (that man be Nathan).  Church is a ceremony.  It's an external display on an internal relationship.  For someone who is private with their emotions, it's hard to understand why others want to display it...and the immediate judgment is they they are full of BS.  My take is that church is the "date."  It's the step out of routine--it's supposed to be the chance for community--it's the time to grow and challenge each other--to step out of complacency and have some focused one-on-one time.  But then again, one-on-one is anything but when you are in a whole congregation of people with their one-on-one relationship.  Nathan thinks it's the little moments throughout the day that make a marriage (and a spiritual walk) work.  I feel like the ceremony and the dating process is a part of it.  That it's important to step out of the little things and make a concerted effort beyond the norm to really focus on the relationship.

 I think this church is a great fit for some people, and for others it's a turn-off.  Kindof like relationships in general.  Different strokes for different folks, I guess.  I wasn't offended, and this church prompted great discussions.  Interesting, though.  The ceremony is something I appreciate...but is it truly necessary for a "marriage" with God?

Brentwood Baptist Deaf Church

Third visit on our list, Brentwood Baptist Deaf Church. This is one "small" sanctuary (seats 257) in the mega church that is Brentwood Baptist (175k sq. ft building). The Deaf Church was built in 2003 and the sermons are simulcast in 24 different churches across the country for the d/Deaf Community.

Nathans View: The floors are rubberized and they reverberate the base in the worship music. This was a worship service where the primary form of communication was Sign Language and the hearing had an interpreter. It was an environment where awkward silences are the norm. Where there is a "Culture" not necessarily of my own. Aside from a different worship environment, not to mention the separation from the rest of the congregation, the sermon intrigued me a great deal. To sum it up in one sentence...ah how I love to generalize...it would be this. We choose whether we want to stamp Jesus on our foreheads...and once we do you better not act up or when you die and can finally cash in on your holy life insurance policy...God might say "too bad so sad...it wasn't good enough"...and you will be stuck with all your high school buddies in hell!! Kind of like an eternal high school reunion eh? This is a perfect example of my frustration with this school of thought. They pitch the "Walk the Talk" however, it seems rarity in the world I run into on a daily basis. They encourage everyone to be "saved" and be "born again" and then after the holy firework show is over it seems you are left with a scarlet letter for the rest of your life...the new is worn off and you go back to what is truly human nature...routine!! Then you are left going through life opening doors for old people at the grocery store in an effort to be more Christ like. The pitch for today's sermon was to open our eyes to a whole new reality, a new way of living, which theoretically should change the way you interact with the world you live in. The "I" is erased by the interconnectedness of humanity and the world all around us. This is a fantastic idea...and one...frankly...I am into. But here is where it starts to get muddy. Christianity would suggest this can only be achieved through Christ. Buddhism is very similar, when I compare them, in this concept of understanding "Gods Presence". It would be considered a state of Nirvana and to be Enlightened. The only difference is the enlightened don't consider the Buddha a God...rather it is an example of how far one can go in the pursuit of understanding. Maybe I am missing the point of Jesus and trying to merge two religious entities but I believe there is something to be learned here. It seems to me that the overall message Jesus was trying to portray is the internal relationship YOU are fostering with God overshadows this world. To approach your world with reverence of every living being including the blind, the deaf, the leaper. Perhaps I am wrong...but Jesus was leading a revolution away from a world where money and status defined who made it to "heaven". He fought to eliminate that caste system and instead, set forth the idea that the "meek shall inherit the earth". Is it me or was Jesus trying to say once you see how beautiful and fulfilling understanding can be...riches do not matter...social status does not matter...your life situation does not matter. But in the message given today at church, a time frame clouded that idea with a healthy fear of Hell and a public call to speed up your understanding of this intensely difficult concept because "if you where to die tomorrow...where would you spend eternity?" So we force it...maybe even fake "it"...and secretly keep looking for "it" hoping no one will notice. Perhaps I have stumbled upon a fantastic possibility. It seems to me the stick that trips a Christian in this world has always been the Devil...dare I suggest that his residence, Hell, is the very thing that keeps the Christian Industry alive, deeding its multi billion dollar industry. What would Jesus think about that. Perhaps Hell is helping to blind Christianity from a deeper, more powerful existence on this earth. I have gone down a very muddy road here but I will end with this...imagine there is no Hell...no fear of losing or coming up short...no walls...no barriers...no expectations...just you, the world around you, and God. What is your purpose now? And perhaps more importantly, does the answer to that question give you peace?

Ashley's View: I'm enjoying having Nathan blog first in these, because he always seems to give me more fodder to write about. It's interesting that this time, instead of him critiquing the church, he really ends up focusing on the sermon. And thus I'm reminded as to why we're doing this in the first place. We want to be pushed. We want to be inspired. We want to be, dare I say, "enlightened." We want to grow and be challenged and find the good out there, not just pick apart a church that members call home. Nathan's rant above gets me excited--because the wheels are turning--conversations are started as soon as we get in the car and we're getting fired up talking about things. If ultimately this brings us closer to God, then regardless of whether we agree with the sermon or the church, I feel this is all worthwhile.
Now, going to my view of the church. It's funny to hear how Mel and Nathan were uncomfortable in this setting, while I felt alive in it. It was very charismatic and 'churchy' like what I've been to before, but watching all of the signing and understanding it--it got me excited like I used to be when I was in school. I got an Associate's degree in American Sign Language Interpreting, and I haven't really been around any signing since. I've plan on raising all my kids fluent in ASL, and Clara knows a lot already, so I was eager to have her see a whole room of people signing. I was especially thrilled about signing during praise and worship. As much as I'm not for the more charismatic churches, I contradict myself because the singing is what always brought me closest to God in a church setting. And what I always wanted to do was sign while singing. In most settings, that would have been odd, but here it was the norm. So, that was fun.
We met the pastor, Brian, as soon as we walked in. However, I'm not sure if it was a warm greeting, or more an awkward standing next to each other that finally got him to talk to me. And...other than one guy signing to me that I could go in a side room to calm down a screaming Ellie during service, no one "talked" to us at all. Kinda disappointing since I was all eager to brush up on my signing skills. Out of the three churches so far, the FUUN church was definitely the most welcoming! Going to the info center at the main Baptist Church here, I didn't feel welcomed as much as I felt a full on sales pitch, complete with about 50 brochures on how you can get involved 24/7 in this mini-world they call community. And hey, if you're 10 minutes late for service, you can go in the other sanctuary and watch the whole sermon on the 11 minute delay in hi-def. "It's just like he's standing up there in person!" Yikes. Not my cup of tea. This place was all about community, but not in a warm welcoming way--seemed like it was nothing or it was a sales pitch.
Just to add my two cents on the sermon part...I like what Nathan has to say above, as this has been a soap box of mine for a while--that evangelical Christianity seems to me to be focused more on heaven and hell than on what you do now--it's all about x+y=z and you better play your cards straight or else. I want to live my life the best way I know how to honor God, but I'm doing it because I feel it's the best way and I love my life--not just to get the ticket to heaven. If heaven/hell weren't real, I'm not going to be mad because I missed out on murder and adultery. Darn.
The sermon was two-fold. There was the whole talk about us being getting the "seal" by God, of his owning us and how we should respect this body He has lent us...but then he had to backtrack, almost, to explain that although when you rent a car you don't care and don't take care of it as well, even though we're "renting" this body and God owns it, we should treat it well....yep, starts to get a little confusing. I'm thinking that he was going on the understanding that he can't assume that everyone respects stuff that isn't there's. Speaking very generally here, some deaf people tend to fall into the same bracket as some people on welfare--just waiting for the handouts and taking for granted things that they "borrow." So he went back and forth in his sermon--some of it I recognized as catering specifically to deaf people. I appreciated this, and also see how someone like Mel and Nathan can be left going what the...?

Bottom line, Mel stated in the previous post about how Christ Church Cathedral seemed to cater to people looking for a personal experience...well, I'm with Mel in that I am looking at church for community. I'm very into the personal experience with God, but when I go to a traditional institution like a church, I'm going not to stand isolated but to find others to commune with. This church, both the little service we went to and the big one that engulfed it, seemed to be brimming with people and we were like specks on the wall. Basically, if you're looking to get involved, go to the sales rep at the info booth and schedule your meeting to get with the "in" crowd. Otherwise, hasta la vista.

Melissa's View:

Forgive me for taking so long to blog...and because of that I have really forgotten the details of the service, but I do remember the feeling so I will go based on that...I don't know that I had much of an opinion (much unlike Nate) but more of an experience. I enjoyed being part of a world where people have found joy in what some may say is a handicap. I can't imagine the world without being able to hear and these people were happy and ready for praise and worship. I thought it was so cool to be able to feel the vibrations in the floor as the music played. It was a little hard to follow the sermon, seemed a little choppy. There were some things he talked about that I thought were right on and was looking for more depth or expanding on the topic, but then he would just switch gears and made it hard to follow. Overall I was more overcome with joy as I watched Clara stare at the others in the room and move her little fingers. She has been learning sign and you could tell she was soaking it in and excited to see others doing something she had been learning about!

Christ Church Cathedral

Stop number two...Christ Church Cathedral. This is probably the most beautiful cathedral in all of Nashville. This church is probably the closest to the European-style Episcopal churches in the area.

Nathan's view:  This was a gorgeous church and is known for its European architecture.  This was a church that bled pomp and circumstance.  The irony was I grew up in an Episcopal church and should be used to it but I kept waiting for someone to jump out and attack the scripture readers as they were escorted to the pulpit by a guy with a stick.  One of the things that jumped out at me was the power of the worship environment.  We discussed how an environment can direct the way we worship.  C.S Lewis suggested that you need to be careful where you look for god...that the church brings value to your relationship...however this gorgeous location brought an untouchable reverence to the experience for me.  Patrons quietly lowered their heads in the fear of god and it seemed to create an untouchable relationship.  If you are into an environment that promotes a quiet reverence for the almighty then this is the church for you...and if you enjoy gorgeous architecture then this is perfect...however I became frustrated by the level of pompous reverence that this environment fostered.  Give me wide open spaces or give me death...and then I will ask the "man" or woman his/her thoughts when I see em. : )

Ashley's view: First off, as stated above, the church is absolutely beautiful. We ended up talking, though, about how we think your surroundings can affect the atmosphere. I guess that's a given, but we saw it here, especially. Going into this incredible artistic structure creates a sense of awe and respect. It permeated the sanctuary and you didn't see people just visiting and making idle chit-chat. The service was very serious--no joking around, kids weren't making lots of noise, and it was very, very, steeped in traditional Episcopal ways. Many people genuflected and the parade of children in robes singing was so sweet, and reminded me of Catholic choir children...maybe it was the same thing?
It's funny--although the service was very traditional and serious, on the website, they are very technologically savvy. They even have an option for the youth to sign up for text messages to stay up to date! Additionally, I saw they have pilgrimages for children...what a great term instead of "missions" trips! Instead of the goal being evangelism, the focus is on serving others, and just showing love. Which, in my book, is what ministry and evangelism should really be about.
I don't think this church is the perfect fit for me...it's a little too serious for me. But...I think they've done a great job of hanging on the the traditions of their denomination without stubbornly watching the modern day pass them by.

Melissa’s View:
This church was BEAUTIFUL!!! Although beautiful, it felt and sounded like a museum. I think Ashley summed up the experience best once we got back in the car, “Awkward, party of 1” (although her reasons for this statement had to do with a particular situation when her and Clara got left at the alter with no bread to dip in the wine for communion and they had to hunt down bread man to be able to take communion…so yes, awkward!)

I’m finding that you can tell a lot about a church before it even starts…this one was so quiet as people were coming in and finding a seat. I was holding Ellie and felt like every whimper she made that someone might say “umm, you might want to take her outside, she is disrupting the stale museum feel in here.” OK, not really, but she was the only one you could hear with a 1/2 full Cathedral. I’m sure our “threesome circus act” only added to the confusion of why people might have been staring at us. Nathan and I were talking and sharing a hymnal while I was holding his child, only then to lean over and kiss Ashley…so yes, we probably drew some extra attention to ourselves with the confusion of who is he married to and who do all these children belong to!
Once again, I enjoyed the experience, but never felt spiritually fed through the whole hour we were there. Lots of readings, a 10 second “sermon” (which I thought was just an intro to the Baptism until Nate told me differently), some songs, stand up, sit down, cross your arms, shake hands, peace be with you and go home! The setting overall was pretty stale and boring. I guess I am really understanding more about myself and how I crave community in a church. Not that I want church just for another “social outlet,” but I really rely on that community to challenge me and keep me accountable. With Christ Church Cathedral, it was so quiet and ritual that I am assuming they use church on Sundays for more of an alone personal experience. As a visitor, I felt very out of place and hate having to be cautious of every move I make not to disturb someone around me. I would defiantly recommend anyone to take a fieldtrip sometime to experience the architecture, but don’t talk while you are there :)

First Unitarian Universalist Church of Nashville

Our first stop was the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Nashville (we have to say, we were intrigued when we saw their acronym for their site is FUUN...must mean good times, right?)

Nathan's View: I had fuun at this church. Upon first entering for the the 8:30 service we were a little concerned due to the number of cars in the parking lot...but quickly realized the majority of the members of this church were members of the "last minute" crew...also know as the "by the skin of my teeth" team. My wife, Ashley, is also a member and seemed to fit in with the depth of breadth of the few of this group. To sum up the Unitarian view it is one of mutual supportiveness (yes I made up a word...welcome to my world!!) as a collective group during your individual walk. I enjoyed the structure...one of the members discussed her walk in Mysticism. This is one where you slow down and take the time to witness the beauty and intense complicated structure of the amazing world around us all. As it turns out...this particular member would lose herself in the awe of the moment and loose all track of space and time...which she admitted was dangerous to do while driving. There was a blind "faith" with no real direction other the belief that it will all be ok. The example that the Mystic speaker gave was she quit her job...bought a house and is trying to sell her old house all during a historic recession. The Mediator, as I call her (she was actually the Reverend and leader of the Unitarian Church) would stand before the group and explain the historical factors and connection to Mysticism which I really appreciated. At the end of the "discussion" I walked away with an interesting point of view. Coming from a Christian foundation, it is easy to look at Mysticism and say it is hocus-pocus devil worshiping hodge-podge. Before we all start judging the Mystics we should remember that other religions...including Christianity, document "Mystic" decisions and encounters. A Christian made a life decision that came from a burning bush...Christians have built boats...taken their only son to the top of the mountain to kill him...and led people through deserts putting other lives at risk of death or starvation, all with direct orders from unverifiable sources called God or inanimate objects which God was hiding in. Furthermore have you ever heard someone say...I really feel God is leading me to do...I prayed about it and really felt God wants me to...I guess there is another lesson I am suppose to be learn from all this. I guess as long as God is the one "telling" you what to do and it is not the awe inspiring power of the world around you it is constituted as faith in God and then we feel all warm and conservative inside. As a shaky Christian and a cynical person myself, I feel that it left this...people are either in left field as Mystics and they have no one to blame but themselves when they fall after they leap or are using God as a reason for their irrational decisions and if it does not go their way either have someone to blame and will end up either confused or angry...I will let you be the judge of which one is healthier. Either way it is irrational...and only is transformed into faith when the "leap of faith" works out in the individuals favor and it ends up with a positive outcome. After all, if it had never rained...would Noah have made the cut in the Bible? I see a good number of similarities in two concepts that I originally considered to be on opposite ends of the gamut. Perhaps when our gut reaction to Mysticism or anything outside our comfort zone for that matter is to label it as a bunch of bull hockey we should stop to consider how similar these concepts are to other...more conservative or socially acceptable beliefs. I have walked away with the realization that first it is important to take the time to stop and listen to the world around you no matter if you do that in a car while in an awe-struck trance or you are deep in prayer. We should take those lessons we get...meditate on them...and take the leap...as an individual. We should get comfort in the hope that no matter what the out come...there is a lesson to learn. Either you knock it out of the park and survive the flood or you are left jobless and homeless wondering what it was all for. At the end of it all...you made the decision...and you learned the lesson.


Ashley's View: I'll try to just add in a few cents off of Nathan's here. I really connected on some levels at this church. We weren't just lost in a crowd and were greeted by almost all of the leaders in the church at various points. Like Nathan said, it really was a place to embrace and support everyone, regardless of their viewpoints. Although I liked the "free love" atmosphere, I wonder how many get overwhelmingly lost in their questions without a definite basis on where they stand. I noticed that one of the classes was "creating your own theology," though, so apparently you can make it concrete in your own head, at least.  This is gray to the ultimate extreme, I'd say. I liked that the church was a small setting, and anticipated a very casual atmosphere. Although everyone was very friendly, there was a level of awkwardness to the service. Maybe it had to do with a lot of people being out of town? Contrary to my assumption, it wasn't full of young hippies--the majority of people there were elderly! That probably had something to do with the lack of outspokenness. I was hoping for a service where members could interject freely...instead, it had awkward silences, and our toddler's chatter didn't exactly put everyone at ease. (Hey, at least I thought it was funny when they asked what praises or prayers people had and Clara loudly exclaimed "there are no more monsters here!" at the perfect timing. No one else commented. Crickets.)
Afterward there was fellowship time, and we told one of the leaders about our quest. She was very intrigued and asked us to come back at the end of it and share our story. I thought that was neat, and was glad to see that she accepted it so warmly. Then again, that seems to be what Unitarians are all about. 

Melissa’s View:
Well, it was FUUN…that’s for sure! We were talking about The Unitarian beliefs in the car that morning and I was under the impression that they all believe the same thing, “that how ever you find your way to God is acceptable”, but it ended up that they all believe something different and this was just simply a location where they all come together. I don’t know if every Sunday is like the one we were there for, but sounds like they pick a different person to speak on their religion each week, so every week you get a snippet of a new religion.
As I was reading the bulletin waiting for the service to start, I noticed the word “God” was mentioned once. Every song (which were very odd), the “sermon”, the stories and there was no mention of God. I really missed God that day!! As the lady was talking about Mysticism, I was like “Where is their hope and direction??” It was just so nonchalant…whatever you feel like doing, do it and Good Luck! I hated that there was no structure to their religions…where do you find answers? If I only got to hear a small portion of a different religion each Sunday, where does more depth, community, and challenging come from? I have to say that I did laughed out loud when the “mystic lady” guided us through a “meditation” by having us close our eyes and find god in everything around us….including the pencil in the pew and the black electrical tape running through the floor!

Overall, I enjoyed visiting and think they really do have big hearts, care for others and want to see good done in the world. Although I didn’t feel comfortable there at all, I found an appreciation for their non-judgmental approach. I liked that we were greeted from start to finish and felt very welcomed…later I said we should have made up some great story about how Ashley was Nate’s 1st wife and they had Clara and I was his 2nd wife and we had Ellie just to see how they received us :)

About Nathan

I am the instigator of the group.  I get sadistic pleasure in getting on my religious high horse.  I have a nasty case of devils advocate and am recovering from religious narcissism.  I find myself consistently looking at both sides and coming on the other side with the no outcome other then the continuing existence of the mystery. My goal is to come to the end of the tour with an understanding of religion, specifically how the members of those institutions behave and present themselves as well as how they contribute to god, faith, and humanity.  I hope to broaden my view of those three previously mentioned areas through human interaction.  Now that the politically sappy piece is done...odds are it will either support the common stereotypes of religious groups already ingrained in my mind...or I will become so blindly in love with a group of like minded people I will be initiated into a world of potential non growth and pleasantly live a life of blissful ignorance.  Either way it will be a fun ride and I will...ideally be growing. 

About Melissa

I am Melissa, the encourager of the group…”come on Ash and Nate, you have to find excitement in religion somewhere” is where I think this all started.
I was raised Southern Baptist where you wear the perfect dress, with the perfect shoes, the pretty bow in your hair and then head off to church where you act like everything in your life is….perfect! You go to church Sunday morning, Sunday night, and Wednesday night, because of course if you don’t go three times a week, people might start to think something is wrong.
Growing up for me was all about image and you should believe “this” because you are a part of this family and you don’t have a choice…believe, act, pray, dress, talk, BE this person, “because I said so.” After a very rigid childhood of control and manipulation I finally felt freedom after high school when I got away from Nashville and experienced the joys of college…WAR EAGLE :) Not that I found God or religion in college, but I did find that I can be myself and be accepted for that. I believe this was a stepping stone for later in life to truly know what I believe.
This has sent me on a life long journey of “what do I believe?” Not because I was told to believe something, but because I wanted to discover it for myself. As previously stated, we all have different reasons for this “quest.” For me, I am very strong and confident in my relationship with Christ. This past year has been an especially quiet time for God and I to connect on a personal level that I always “heard” about but have never experienced. I now have a new appreciation for who God is in my life and the peace that I have experienced from trusting rather than trying to control.
I am super excited about this journey! With the strict religion that was forced on me growing up, I was never allowed to explore other religions. I am looking forward to see what others believe, why and how they worship. I have a respect for other religions that show great dedication and more of a servant’s heart than “Christians”. I think that they truly get the sprit of worship instead of using “God” as an excuse to judge. I know that Nate, Ashley and I can ask honest questions of one another that will really challenge what we think….Nathan has alrady pushed my buttons with the famous 2 year old child question "WHY" over and over.....I’m eager to see where we all stand at the end of this “Tour De Faith”

About Ashley

First off, I'm Ashley. Proud mommy of two, wife of one. My reason behind this quest...well, I guess at this point in my life I'm what you would say as a very "gray area" person. I don't have a lot of black and whites, but instead am perfectly happy with living in the gray area where I don't have all the answers. However, especially now as a mom, I'm going to have to figure out not only my faith, but how to explain it to our kids. Like I've said many times before, I've never questioned my belief/faith in God...but I have questioned religion. I know that Christianity--specifically Episcopalian--is where I am most comfortable. It's the religious culture I know and have been in for the past 7 or so years. Before then, I've experienced many Protestant denominations--Mennonite, Baptist, First Assembly of God, United Methodist, Non-Denominational, Presbyterian, and Pentecostal to name a few. I've had both amazing experiences and bad experiences in a church setting. I get frustrated with the perspective that, to me, seems focused on what is wrong, or a sin, instead of what is right. We strive to be more Christ-like...but sometimes get so caught up in judgments and telling others how Christ should be represented and forget to look at our own lives and the art of living day to day. We focus on one specific Bible verse and create our opinion of what God says is right or wrong, and it's not about just loving everyone and embracing them as a child of God, but of taking on the role of teacher and correcting their sin. Maybe I'm just more content in a hippie "All we need is love" perspective on religion. I'm not sure if that's good or bad yet.

I'm ready to look at all areas of faith--different religions, and my own religion, and be open to what I can find. I think God can be present in many different ways, and it's not confined to one specific denomination, or even religion, for that matter.  My reason for this quest is to bring back that spark of spirituality in my life--and to better understand how I can explain it to my children.

And I want to have a better explanation than this: