Hopping Along

This past Sunday, we did church hop #2. We attended Triangle Community Church in Cary.

Many of you already know, I have a strong fever for the flavor of solid expositional teaching with dispensational spice. Some of the biggest influences in my Christian growth have been men like Michael Easley, Tommy Nelson, and Howard Hendricks. They are all Dallas Theological Seminary dudes. One time I was on the DTS website and found an app that allows you to locate DTS grads who are now serving in ministry in your area. Its quite practical and cool (click here to see). That is how I found Triangle Community Church. Their senior pastor is a UNC grad and a DTS grad.

Naturally, because its summer time, you can't always count on a "typical" experience for many churches. The pastor we'd hope to hear was, in fact, "off" and another pastor was teaching. We also went to the last service (11:30 am) and it was 'sparse' -- suspect the 10 am service may have been more packed.

PROS:
Visitor put their car hazards on and automatically get directed into prime visitor parking. Friendly, extremely casual atmosphere. Doesn't feel like an overwhelming "big" church. Accessible snacks located for between services in the sanctuary.
Teaching was solid and applicable but seemed not mind blowing. Contemporary "cool" graphic treatment in the slideshow/media displays. (You can laugh, but the designer in me can get easily distracted by BAD BAD typeface!!)
Jesus, the gospel, and the authority of Scripture clearly and boldly taught.

CONS:
Although, everyone was friendly, no one sought us out as visitors. Not even the greeters at the door who could tell where we parked. When we were in the building, we asked an older gentleman if we were headed in the right direction to the sanctuary and he nodded yes, but did not acknowledge us otherwise.
Worship team was a little on the "high school" side. Yeah, I know everyone under 30 looks 12 to me. It was also led by the electric guitar dude. So it was a dominant instrument in the music.
Because in between coffee and snacks are at the back of the sanctuary, when the service starts folks are still back there gabbing and its not till the lights go down that those folks realize "Oh, church is happening. I guess I better stop talking so loud."
Order of their service was odd. Announcements and tithing was done at the end and not the beginning, which can disrupt the "flow" of the impact of the sermon. Not a big deal, just something we both noticed.
As far as we could tell, it seemed strong on the seeker side too.

Jacqueline Fashion Con: (Disclaimer: this section has nothing to do with hard sound doctrine.) Again, too summer casual for me. Especially with teeny boppers in strapless tube tops and short jean shorts working their way to a good wedgy. I know this is an issue in all churches (including ours), but these girls walked in with Daddy. Daddy needs to start parenting. But I digress. Poor guy, he was wearing really bad WHITE leather loafers.

Would we go back once in awhile? Doubtful.
The most unexpected thing we experienced? Running into one of Danny's good friends from work who doesn't attend but was picking up his daughter because she had gone with another family there. The weird thing? This friend of Danny's attends the first church we hopped to.
WEIRD!