Different Kind of Sunday

Last Sunday was a really different day for me. We didn't have church at NewSpring. As I was debating about what to do, where to go, I thought about watching something on the web or TV but decided I wanted to go to church and worship with other people.

I thought about First Baptist Spartanburg and their Genesis service. I've heard good things about it but it's in the Hangar and there are no seats, only concrete bleachers. Since I have back problems occasionally, I quickly nixed that idea.

Then I thought about Sea Coast Church. I looked them up on the web and pondered it a little but nixed it too.

So I ended up at the 10:30 service at Brookwood Church in Simpsonville. I had not been there in about 2 1/2 or 3 years. It turned out to be a pretty traditional service. They had an acoustic set for the worship time and an older man - the missions pastor - preaching. The music was good and the auditorium was full. The service lasted about 63 minutes from beginning to end.

The one thing that was different was communion. The communion juice and wafer were prepackaged and picked up at the door with the bulletin and a pen as you entered the auditorium. The commercially produced product had a little wafer about the size of a nickel and about as thin as a dime. It was sealed on top of the juice which was in a little round container the size you'd get cream for your coffee in at a restaurant.

Since it was still early in the day when Brookwood let out, I decided to go check out Redemption World Outreach Center. That service was at noon and lasted until about 2:15. It was loud and jumping and shouting and all sorts of commotion. There were dancers on stage and in the aisles. People stood and talked out loud during the message - talking to the pastor, agreeing with what he said. They probably had about 3500 or so people there.

Both pastors were preaching on the prodigal son - which is what Perry preached about at our Christmas Eve services. Hearing 3 different views on this same passage was interesting. But I have to say going to other churches helps to reinforce in my heart that I am right where God wants me to be!!