1. Who attended? Erica. (Bradley was out of town today.)
2. CHURCH HOP RANKINGS:
How was the experience?
1: I was so uncomfortable and/or offended that I did not stay to the end of services.
10: This church was welcoming and thought-provoking. I would recommend that others experience this church.
ERICA: 9.9? It was really awesome!
3. Picture(s) of the church
4. Name/location of the church:
Crossroads Community Church
3500 Madison Road
Cincinnati, OH 45209
http://crossroadscommunity.net
5. Was it recommended to Church Hop?
Yes! My friend Kim attends this church and she invited me along. (Thanks Kim!)
6. Time/duration of services:
10:30am--11:30am
7. What type of religion did the church cater to?
I asked Kim if they were non-denominational, and she said that they were inter-denominational. Maybe it's a small distinction but I think it's an important one-- it sounds a lot more accepting, to me.
8. Who did you meet?
I met Kim's friend Christine, who was very nice and eager to introduce me to other people.
9. If applicable, scans of handouts, tracts, etc
(sorry for the terrible scan)
10. Church Hopper’s personal experience with the church, additional details:
ERICA: The only reason I couldn't give this church a full-out ten is that it didn't "convert" me. (I have to leave some room for that, don't I?!)
Kim lives pretty far away from this church, and on the way there I was trying to figure out why she didn't go to one that was much closer. Well, it all made sense when I got there. This church is amazing.
It's huge, for one thing. The picture shown in #3 is merely the atrium where people gather, chat, pick up free coffee/juice, pick up free recordings of past sermons, etc. The auditorium is enormous (Kim says they cater to 6,000 people per weekend, roughly), and the A/V was spectacular. I am definitely going to go back to this church when Bradley is in town, because I know he will love it.
The sermon itself was really relevant and down-to-Earth. I loved the part when the speaker (Brian Wells, who Kim says is an assistant pastor) mentioned that there was a broad spectrum in the room, between people who read the Bible as a piece of interesting fiction, and those who read it as the Truth. He didn't harp on which side of the spectrum was "right," only that it's up to you to decide how you're going to read it, and how literally you're going to take things.
He was a great speaker... very articulate, good vocabulary, humorous, like when he mentioned that you could come to him with questions about "the Bible, soccer, or how to please a woman." He never followed that up with a "just kidding," or anything, and the whole congregation was laughing hysterically. He kept the mood really light but he dealt with some serious subject matter, and he did so in a very academic sense. Good anecdotes, good life analogies, good metaphor, the works. Finally, a sermon where I wasn't counting the minutes.
Brilliant. Loved this church. If I were going to settle down I would have to consider this one. There were so many different types of people there, and there was such a great atmosphere. Everything was relaxed but obviously not just showy for the purpose of being showy-- it really seemed like a place where you could get in touch with yourself. I see why Kim spends so much time volunteering with them and everything. I can't wait to see it again with Bradster.
