"Hippity hoppity! Hippity hoppity! Hippity hoppity!"

If you're a LOST fan, you will get the reference of this post's title. It was Ben shaking the bunny in the cage while Sawyer shrank in horror as Ben taunted him saying, "Hippity hoppity! Hippity hoppity! Hippity hoppity!" Great episode.....

Anyway, last Sunday was our church hop #3. We visited Visio Dei. Our friends/neighbors Will and Linda have been attending and know others from our neighborhood who go there as well.

I am finding this whole visiting churches experiment bringing up issues I did not know existed or did not think mattered. There has been more of an emotional struggle than I'd like to admit. It is a challenge to be honest about recognizing and identifying my personal church culture preferences and how my own comforts lead or distract me when it comes to corporate worship.

That was a mouthful. I'm so deep.

I am wrestling with how will I still choose to meet God regardless of my surroundings. Regardless of whether I know the worship songs or not. Does a familiar song make for better worship? Is that a good or a bad thing? Do I rely on familiarity to make me feel comfortable therefore I deceive myself into thinking I am in a "state of worship" while the music is happening?

But I can't deny the impact of a meaningful worship song where the lyrics are so well known not only in my mind, but in the experience of my life. Interesting thoughts. Similar to rereading a favorite well-known verse.

Visio Dei is definitely the most casual church we have visited. For me, it reminded me of my Campus Crusade for Christ meeting days at JMU. Which when I was in college, was fantastic.
I am not necessarily saying this church is at a para-church level, I think I am realizing what a rich experience God provided for me in my CCC college days.

PROS:
Friendly, casual atmosphere. Doesn't feel like an overwhelming "big" church. Accessible snacks located for between services. Contemporary "cool" graphic treatment in the slideshow/media displays. Worship band was very talented. Teaching was solid and application was straightforward. The Gospel clearly taught.

CONS: Everyone was WHITE. Everyone was YOUNG (in their 20's and early 30's crowd). Teaching was seeker oriented and a little too conversational. Even though the worship band was awesome, I did struggle with feeling like I was at a concert watching a cool band and not at church.

UNSURE:
Communion was self serve (never experienced this before). This is cool for a family to share together. Or for the husband to serve his wife communion. But it was very casual and felt like the Lord's Supper was no big deal.

Jacqueline Fashion Con: (Disclaimer: this section has nothing to do with hard sound doctrine.) Again, too summer casual for me. I am not looking folks to be in Sunday hats or men in ties, but there is something insanely traditional about me that wants to see folks in their "Sunday best" for church. I understand there are people who's Sunday best is whatever God has provided them and they can only afford so much. I am not looking for expensive fashion. I understand Jesus sees the what is on the inside of a man's heart while man looks at the outside. I understand I am so easily drawn to the outside, but is there not a balance where the outside is the reflection of the inside too? Ugghh, I'm feeling all sorts of voices in my head telling me I am superficial and I haven't got a clue about God seeing my heart.

Do I get dressed pretty on Sundays because I think God deserves the effort or is because I am just vain? And do I really want to know the answer to that question?

After every church visit I am filled with sadness. Its the weirdest thing. Its the feeling of, "I can't find a place to belong." But that's not what choosing to follow and worship Christ is about.

I know its important to me to be in a church that is racially, economically and generationally diverse. I am not in my 20's, early 30's anymore (sadly) and although I think I have a lot of life experience to offer that generation, I do not want to feel like I have to try to keep up with their culture to be relevant. I also know there is a whole generation BEFORE me that I need to also be surrounded by. The older generation has its place in being relevant in my life too.

This is what I do know, I am grateful I have the hand of my Danny in mine no matter what body of Christ we are surrounded by.