Addendum – The service at Saddleback
Sandy fell asleep early tonight and I’m wide awake, so I’m taking some time to write about what happened in church on Sunday. Undoubtedly one of the most influential evangelical churches in American Christianity, Saddleback Community Church is celebrating 25 years of ministry, and it has really broken ground in so many ways that I couldn’t possibly do justice to it. My purpose in this blog is not to study Saddleback in a deep way, but to approach it as a visitor would. Part of their emphasis is on making people feel welcome to attend church, especially their target audience of “Saddleback Sam’s family”. I’m not Saddleback Sam (the unchurched, wealthy Californian who needs more meaning in life than he has found anywhere else). But I think I have an eye for the kinds of details that visitors look for. And I appreciate what it takes to make a service sparkle and shine.
So what did we see?
1. Getting situated - Though unintentional, our 1 minute late arrival actually mirrored what some visitors experience. The location is two turns off of a toll highway, which means there isn’t a ton of traffic. How is it to find a parking place, deliver the kids to the right buildings, and slip in unnoticed in such a large place? Surprisingly, not bad at all. Volunteers in red shirts with the Saddleback Logo were situated every few blocks, so if you had a question, it was easy to find someone with an answer. At 4:30 p.m. on Sunday afternoon, the parking lot had plenty of space.
Each building was clearly marked with signage on the outside (Children’s Ministries, Worship Center, etc.) that made it easier to get around. We didn’t walk the whole campus, but it looked easy to navigate. We got to the worship center first, and the music was already playing. I stopped there and Sandy walked the kids to their building. Three stories, and each kid went to a different story.
It took her about 12 minutes to get them all dropped off and checked in and return back to worship. She arrived just in time for the last song.
Evaluation: The people (ushers, greeters, check-ins) were extremely helpful. The spread out campus makes it difficult for a family to get everywhere they need to go, especially if running late. Had we gotten there on time, it probably wouldn’t have been a bad deal. Maybe if the parking were closer to the children’s building, it would have been easier. Of course, the real answer is to get to church on time, but not every visitor will be able to pull that off. No harsh glares for coming in late. I’ll give them an A-, but someone without kids would find nothing to complain about.
2. Campus / Facilities – It is obvious that they take great pride in their facility. It doesn’t look outlandish, but very high-quality. It would make a great Bible college campus! Landscaping, architecture, design is all top-notch. I felt like I was at a theme park, with the attention to detail.
This glass wall has the five purposes of the church and Scripture concerning each of them etched in as a reminder when you enter and exit the worship center.
The restroom I used was spotless. I saw no trash anywhere on the campus. The layout looked like a park with waterfalls, rocks, trees, flowers, and beauty all around. The kids climbed rocks, rolled down hills, and played in the water.
There are a lot of steps, which a handicapped person might not like. There were a surprising number of elderly people in church, as well as some foreigners. Since it’s built on a hill, they can’t do much about the steps. The chairs were not padded, but we were only seated during the sermon and offering. The video, sound, and lighting were second to none.
The only downside ….
The multiple Sprung buildings (kind of like a tent) have worked well to give them 6 different worship venues (Spanish, Passion, Classic Rock, etc.). But a visitor might think they look a little . . . weird? I’ve seen them before in other churches and they still seem odd, especially next to a normal building.
Evaluation: A-, but that’s speculation on my part. I just doubt if Saddleback Sam works in a Sprung tent. Given the choice, wouldn’t he invest in something that looked a little more permanent?
3. Children’s Programming – Doug Fields, their youth minister has written “Purpose-Driven Youth Ministry” (which we use at CCCB in YM class). No surprise that this is a huge emphasis. There are two separate children’s buildings, one for nursery (we didn’t go in) and one for pre-school to elementary. Each are three story and each look comparable to a children’s museum. Everything looks fun, industrial strength, and hands-on. We walked past a huge aquarium, great playgrounds, climbing area, and indoor game room.
They really expect you to trust them with your children (they emphasize the safety and quality in the bulletin). No kids under 5 are allowed in the main service. If you must come with the children, you can sit in a garden outside where you watch through glass and listen through a different sound system. That might actually look pretty.
Sandy was very impressed with the check-in system and the facilities. The pick-up was a little slow. The workers were very friendly.
But the true test was in the programming. Anna and Alex received a take-home calendar and coloring book that could have been sold in their bookstore for $5 each. Adam received a little sheet that kids could collect in a notebook. Anna and Alex both said it was the most fun church they had ever been in. They downright loved it all. Adam wasn’t impressed as much. He said Union Avenue is better because at UA the kids actually use their Bibles to look up verses and the words to the songs are projected on the screen so you can learn them if you don’t know the song. He tends to be negative towards new things, so I won’t judge them too harshly. My guess is that a visiting child who was told to look up verses in the Bible and read them out loud would be quite embarrassed and wouldn’t want to come back again. But how do I explain that to Adam?
Evaluation: A (from the point of view of the visitor) or C (from the viewpoint of a parent/kid who expects lots of Bible teaching within the context of that 70 minute program). I think I know who they are concerned with.
4. Worship Music – This was the highlight for me. Rick Muchow is the worship minister, and he writes much of their music. The music portion was 21 minutes long, and they did 4 songs: All About Love (rockin, up-tempo, Saddleback original), Trust God (mid-tempo, not sure who wrote it), Sweeter (adult contemporary style, fairly new Integrity chorus), and Shout to the Lord (classic Hillsongs). 11 musicians were on the stage, with the leader playing guitar and three additional singers. A saxophone was positioned prominently and he played in a very “showy” way. It was definitely a performance to enjoy, but not sure how worship-inducing it was. He was probably worshipping, but I was definitely noticing his facial expressions and mannerisms. Everybody else on the stage seemed less Vegas and more Hosanna.
The three songs I knew were a pleasure to belt out. I noticed most everyone singing. The one song I didn’t know was pretty easy to pick up on. There was clapping after every song (unspecified whether for the performers or for the Audience).
A bonus . . . the special music was after the end of the sermon, and done while the offering was taken (no communion this week). One of the praise team gals sang the classic “Whatever You Ask” accompanied by the band. Outstanding. No invitation song, no invitation for that matter.
After the announcements (saved for last), the band closed out with a reprise of Sweeter (one verse only) and an instrumental postlude. On-cue, the credits rolled on the big screen . . . giving extra announcements and information for those who were left in there to watch. 10% of the people left during the offering and another 10% left when the closing chorus started. Not sure if that’s encouraged or not, but probably a reality for those in a hurry to pick up their kids.
Evaluation: I’m not pleased when worship team members “ham it up” as part of their performance. Maybe the audience enjoys that, maybe they don’t know any better. It certainly wouldn’t be offensive to a non-Christian. It might actually be attractive to a quality musician who was visiting. It just didn’t sit right with me. Otherwise, I could sit there and worship with them for an hour. Grade: A-
5. Sermon – Lance Witt, an associate pastor there, was preaching the last message in a series “Use it or Lose it”. It was about faith. There were many biblical references (at least a dozen), plus it was centered on the story of Elisha and the widow in 2 Kings 4. The sermon time was 43 minutes (so much for keeping it short to keep visitors happy), but it didn’t seem that long to me. Part of that was due to the integration of a 7 minute testimony by a lady from the church in the middle. It was powerful and relevant. I’m noticing this technique in Southeast Christian Church’s sermons as well. One thing that helps a big church not feel so big is to have the sermons use illustrations from people in the church. It makes the audience feel a connection with one of their brothers or sisters.
It also enables you to get a variety of people (groups, gender, generation, etc.) in front of the congregation. Without the testimony, all the audience would have seen in front was two white, middle-age, highly religious, balding men. But the testimony was given by a Latina, a fifty-something lady who shared the story of her daughter’s death and how faith helped her cope with that situation. It was read from a manuscript, but she did a decent job. The testimony was very useful and the audience was completely quiet during it.
Powerpoint during the sermon . . . minimal, mainly for key points (reproduced in the printed outline) and to project Scripture. It was technically savvy, but didn’t add much to the message. It also didn’t distract.
The stage was filled with empty jars, which were used as a prop at the end when discussing how the widow was able to fill as many jars as she collected. The best line of the sermon: “God’s provision matched her faith down to the drop.” The point . . . what jar do you need faith to have filled by God? The decision . . . write something in the empty jar at the bottom of your outline that you want to ask God to help you handle by faith. I didn’t quite get it, and they only gave us 15 seconds to come up with something.
One other thing to note: You be the judge of this story, shared in the sermon. “A man is flying across country when he hears the pilot of the plane come on the microphone and say, ‘It looks like perfect weather for the flight today. Shouldn’t be any bumps and we’ll have a smooth flight.’ A minute passes by and then the passengers hear over the speaker, “Oh my goodness! Aaaahhh!” Then silence. Everyone on the plane is silent, wondering what is about to happen. Is it a terrorist? Is it mechanical failure? Is it a UFO? Finally, the pilot comes back on the intercom and says, “I’m really sorry ladies and gentlemen. I didn’t know that the microphone was on. I’m sorry you had to hear that. Everything is ok now. What happened was that one of the flight attendants brought me a hot cup of coffee, but she accidentally dropped it right in my lap. You should see the front of my pants.’ Then a passenger in the plane yells, ‘You should see the back of my pants.’” Polite laughter follows. Then the preacher says, “Some of you visiting today might wonder, ‘So is this the kind of things they talk about in this church?’” It made me wonder.
Evaluation: I was disappointed to not hear Rick Warren, but Lance Witt was capable and for all I know, Warren might have written the sermon anyway (they did say it was “Rick’s series.”) I thought it was a bit long, a bit rushed at the end, and would have been difficult for a newcomer to drive home. I had a hard time personalizing a message that seemed to be more generic. The testimony was a big plus, preaching from an Old Testament story was competently handled. Grade: Not the A preacher, so I expected a B+. I’ll have to give it a B-, though.
6. Atmosphere – How did it feel being at Saddleback? Like I was in the middle of a production: everything planned, well-executed, and coordinated. And I think that’s what they’re shooting for. This isn’t Hollywood, but it also isn’t the Ozarks (even though it is situated on the side of a mountain and I saw several people not wearing shoes). Nothing is done by the seat of the pants in the worship service or outside of it. No deacons being called to change a light-bulb right before Sunday school. This was the fifth service of the weekend and it looked just as spotless and professional as if it had been cleaned and prepared.
Of course, the beauty of the creation around adds to it. If you live in a city or even a suburb with a small lot, coming to Saddleback is something like a visit to the park. It’s not just a service, it’s an evening out. There’s a restaurant on campus and plenty more nearby. Walking around, I saw a table with free sandwiches, chips, and cookies. Parents were talking while kids played. It wasn’t the museum-like atmosphere of a mainline church. It was McDonalds Playplace meets Barnes and Noble meets a Christian convention. I can’t imagine the number of volunteers it takes to pull this service off 6 times a week every week. And that’s just one of 6 services. I have heard some people observe that the megachurch is really a triumph of efficient management of people and facilities. I hope that it’s more than that, but it is at least that.
Everything I saw communicated this: “Professional, efficient, quality, and meaningful work goes on here.” I left impressed and convinced that this church (and others like it) is successful because the atmosphere is attractive to so many people. It certainly was attractive to our family.
Evaluation: A+
7. People – There are all kinds of people there, though primarily white and Hispanic. I saw few African-Americans, but they have a separate “Gospel” worship service which probably serves that clientele. All ages were represented, though most looked 30-50.
How friendly were they? The recognizable volunteers were extremely helpful . . . situated in strategic spots and proactive in offering assistance. The members in the audience? Polite but not outgoing. We were asked to greet one another during one song. I got handshakes and smiles, but not many words. I tried to break the ice and even said we were visiting from out of town to a couple of people, but not much response was offered. Maybe they were visiting, too.
We did find more friendliness at the children’s ministry area. Parents have a way of breaking the ice when talking about kid-related things. But it was very non-confrontational. No one asked if we were part of the church or visiting as a prospect or a tourist. They just assumed we belonged there. This seems very dangerous to me. If everyone is treated as a member (even though I know they have clear membership requirements), it seems to me that it lets people lie low for a long time. I was never asked to give my name or address. No one recognized me as a visitor with a sack, or a name badge. I expect no follow-up letter from the preacher in the mailbox when I return. I’m sure this is by design.
The cynical side of me says their Calvinism would give them assurance that if the person is predestined to become a member, it will happen without any intervention or identification of the visitors. I suspect the reality is that they want no one to feel rushed.
That feels odd to me because I have always gone to churches from the revivalist type background where you preach at a person to walk down the aisle and become a Christian. Saddleback seems to operate under the philosophy that they are a safe, friendly place where you won’t be expected to move any faster than you want to. That’s ok except for one small problem I see. What happens if the Lord returns before Saddleback Sam gets comfortable going deeper? No wonder I didn’t hear anything about the end of the world or judgment.
Evaluation: If you come to Saddleback with someone you know, this will be an A. If you don’t know anyone there, you can slip in and out with as little or as much interaction as you initiate. I guess that’s better for a visitor than being scared off on the first Sunday. Grade: A-
Overall grade: A-
I am probably more critical than the average visitor. On the other hand, non-Christians tend to be critical of Christian things, especially when first exposed to them. I think they would find very little to criticize at Saddleback.
Our family was blessed to visit Saddleback. But I didn’t feel warmly welcomed, which we did experience when we visited Moody Church last summer. And the second string preacher at Moody was far more impressive than Saddleback’s back-up. We’ll see if my third attempt to hear a famous preacher in his own pulpit is successful when we visit Grace Community Church this Sunday.
So what did we see?
1. Getting situated - Though unintentional, our 1 minute late arrival actually mirrored what some visitors experience. The location is two turns off of a toll highway, which means there isn’t a ton of traffic. How is it to find a parking place, deliver the kids to the right buildings, and slip in unnoticed in such a large place? Surprisingly, not bad at all. Volunteers in red shirts with the Saddleback Logo were situated every few blocks, so if you had a question, it was easy to find someone with an answer. At 4:30 p.m. on Sunday afternoon, the parking lot had plenty of space.
Each building was clearly marked with signage on the outside (Children’s Ministries, Worship Center, etc.) that made it easier to get around. We didn’t walk the whole campus, but it looked easy to navigate. We got to the worship center first, and the music was already playing. I stopped there and Sandy walked the kids to their building. Three stories, and each kid went to a different story.
It took her about 12 minutes to get them all dropped off and checked in and return back to worship. She arrived just in time for the last song.
Evaluation: The people (ushers, greeters, check-ins) were extremely helpful. The spread out campus makes it difficult for a family to get everywhere they need to go, especially if running late. Had we gotten there on time, it probably wouldn’t have been a bad deal. Maybe if the parking were closer to the children’s building, it would have been easier. Of course, the real answer is to get to church on time, but not every visitor will be able to pull that off. No harsh glares for coming in late. I’ll give them an A-, but someone without kids would find nothing to complain about.
2. Campus / Facilities – It is obvious that they take great pride in their facility. It doesn’t look outlandish, but very high-quality. It would make a great Bible college campus! Landscaping, architecture, design is all top-notch. I felt like I was at a theme park, with the attention to detail.
This glass wall has the five purposes of the church and Scripture concerning each of them etched in as a reminder when you enter and exit the worship center.
The restroom I used was spotless. I saw no trash anywhere on the campus. The layout looked like a park with waterfalls, rocks, trees, flowers, and beauty all around. The kids climbed rocks, rolled down hills, and played in the water.
There are a lot of steps, which a handicapped person might not like. There were a surprising number of elderly people in church, as well as some foreigners. Since it’s built on a hill, they can’t do much about the steps. The chairs were not padded, but we were only seated during the sermon and offering. The video, sound, and lighting were second to none.
The only downside ….
The multiple Sprung buildings (kind of like a tent) have worked well to give them 6 different worship venues (Spanish, Passion, Classic Rock, etc.). But a visitor might think they look a little . . . weird? I’ve seen them before in other churches and they still seem odd, especially next to a normal building.
Evaluation: A-, but that’s speculation on my part. I just doubt if Saddleback Sam works in a Sprung tent. Given the choice, wouldn’t he invest in something that looked a little more permanent?
3. Children’s Programming – Doug Fields, their youth minister has written “Purpose-Driven Youth Ministry” (which we use at CCCB in YM class). No surprise that this is a huge emphasis. There are two separate children’s buildings, one for nursery (we didn’t go in) and one for pre-school to elementary. Each are three story and each look comparable to a children’s museum. Everything looks fun, industrial strength, and hands-on. We walked past a huge aquarium, great playgrounds, climbing area, and indoor game room.
They really expect you to trust them with your children (they emphasize the safety and quality in the bulletin). No kids under 5 are allowed in the main service. If you must come with the children, you can sit in a garden outside where you watch through glass and listen through a different sound system. That might actually look pretty.
Sandy was very impressed with the check-in system and the facilities. The pick-up was a little slow. The workers were very friendly.
But the true test was in the programming. Anna and Alex received a take-home calendar and coloring book that could have been sold in their bookstore for $5 each. Adam received a little sheet that kids could collect in a notebook. Anna and Alex both said it was the most fun church they had ever been in. They downright loved it all. Adam wasn’t impressed as much. He said Union Avenue is better because at UA the kids actually use their Bibles to look up verses and the words to the songs are projected on the screen so you can learn them if you don’t know the song. He tends to be negative towards new things, so I won’t judge them too harshly. My guess is that a visiting child who was told to look up verses in the Bible and read them out loud would be quite embarrassed and wouldn’t want to come back again. But how do I explain that to Adam?
Evaluation: A (from the point of view of the visitor) or C (from the viewpoint of a parent/kid who expects lots of Bible teaching within the context of that 70 minute program). I think I know who they are concerned with.
4. Worship Music – This was the highlight for me. Rick Muchow is the worship minister, and he writes much of their music. The music portion was 21 minutes long, and they did 4 songs: All About Love (rockin, up-tempo, Saddleback original), Trust God (mid-tempo, not sure who wrote it), Sweeter (adult contemporary style, fairly new Integrity chorus), and Shout to the Lord (classic Hillsongs). 11 musicians were on the stage, with the leader playing guitar and three additional singers. A saxophone was positioned prominently and he played in a very “showy” way. It was definitely a performance to enjoy, but not sure how worship-inducing it was. He was probably worshipping, but I was definitely noticing his facial expressions and mannerisms. Everybody else on the stage seemed less Vegas and more Hosanna.
The three songs I knew were a pleasure to belt out. I noticed most everyone singing. The one song I didn’t know was pretty easy to pick up on. There was clapping after every song (unspecified whether for the performers or for the Audience).
A bonus . . . the special music was after the end of the sermon, and done while the offering was taken (no communion this week). One of the praise team gals sang the classic “Whatever You Ask” accompanied by the band. Outstanding. No invitation song, no invitation for that matter.
After the announcements (saved for last), the band closed out with a reprise of Sweeter (one verse only) and an instrumental postlude. On-cue, the credits rolled on the big screen . . . giving extra announcements and information for those who were left in there to watch. 10% of the people left during the offering and another 10% left when the closing chorus started. Not sure if that’s encouraged or not, but probably a reality for those in a hurry to pick up their kids.
Evaluation: I’m not pleased when worship team members “ham it up” as part of their performance. Maybe the audience enjoys that, maybe they don’t know any better. It certainly wouldn’t be offensive to a non-Christian. It might actually be attractive to a quality musician who was visiting. It just didn’t sit right with me. Otherwise, I could sit there and worship with them for an hour. Grade: A-
5. Sermon – Lance Witt, an associate pastor there, was preaching the last message in a series “Use it or Lose it”. It was about faith. There were many biblical references (at least a dozen), plus it was centered on the story of Elisha and the widow in 2 Kings 4. The sermon time was 43 minutes (so much for keeping it short to keep visitors happy), but it didn’t seem that long to me. Part of that was due to the integration of a 7 minute testimony by a lady from the church in the middle. It was powerful and relevant. I’m noticing this technique in Southeast Christian Church’s sermons as well. One thing that helps a big church not feel so big is to have the sermons use illustrations from people in the church. It makes the audience feel a connection with one of their brothers or sisters.
It also enables you to get a variety of people (groups, gender, generation, etc.) in front of the congregation. Without the testimony, all the audience would have seen in front was two white, middle-age, highly religious, balding men. But the testimony was given by a Latina, a fifty-something lady who shared the story of her daughter’s death and how faith helped her cope with that situation. It was read from a manuscript, but she did a decent job. The testimony was very useful and the audience was completely quiet during it.
Powerpoint during the sermon . . . minimal, mainly for key points (reproduced in the printed outline) and to project Scripture. It was technically savvy, but didn’t add much to the message. It also didn’t distract.
The stage was filled with empty jars, which were used as a prop at the end when discussing how the widow was able to fill as many jars as she collected. The best line of the sermon: “God’s provision matched her faith down to the drop.” The point . . . what jar do you need faith to have filled by God? The decision . . . write something in the empty jar at the bottom of your outline that you want to ask God to help you handle by faith. I didn’t quite get it, and they only gave us 15 seconds to come up with something.
One other thing to note: You be the judge of this story, shared in the sermon. “A man is flying across country when he hears the pilot of the plane come on the microphone and say, ‘It looks like perfect weather for the flight today. Shouldn’t be any bumps and we’ll have a smooth flight.’ A minute passes by and then the passengers hear over the speaker, “Oh my goodness! Aaaahhh!” Then silence. Everyone on the plane is silent, wondering what is about to happen. Is it a terrorist? Is it mechanical failure? Is it a UFO? Finally, the pilot comes back on the intercom and says, “I’m really sorry ladies and gentlemen. I didn’t know that the microphone was on. I’m sorry you had to hear that. Everything is ok now. What happened was that one of the flight attendants brought me a hot cup of coffee, but she accidentally dropped it right in my lap. You should see the front of my pants.’ Then a passenger in the plane yells, ‘You should see the back of my pants.’” Polite laughter follows. Then the preacher says, “Some of you visiting today might wonder, ‘So is this the kind of things they talk about in this church?’” It made me wonder.
Evaluation: I was disappointed to not hear Rick Warren, but Lance Witt was capable and for all I know, Warren might have written the sermon anyway (they did say it was “Rick’s series.”) I thought it was a bit long, a bit rushed at the end, and would have been difficult for a newcomer to drive home. I had a hard time personalizing a message that seemed to be more generic. The testimony was a big plus, preaching from an Old Testament story was competently handled. Grade: Not the A preacher, so I expected a B+. I’ll have to give it a B-, though.
6. Atmosphere – How did it feel being at Saddleback? Like I was in the middle of a production: everything planned, well-executed, and coordinated. And I think that’s what they’re shooting for. This isn’t Hollywood, but it also isn’t the Ozarks (even though it is situated on the side of a mountain and I saw several people not wearing shoes). Nothing is done by the seat of the pants in the worship service or outside of it. No deacons being called to change a light-bulb right before Sunday school. This was the fifth service of the weekend and it looked just as spotless and professional as if it had been cleaned and prepared.
Of course, the beauty of the creation around adds to it. If you live in a city or even a suburb with a small lot, coming to Saddleback is something like a visit to the park. It’s not just a service, it’s an evening out. There’s a restaurant on campus and plenty more nearby. Walking around, I saw a table with free sandwiches, chips, and cookies. Parents were talking while kids played. It wasn’t the museum-like atmosphere of a mainline church. It was McDonalds Playplace meets Barnes and Noble meets a Christian convention. I can’t imagine the number of volunteers it takes to pull this service off 6 times a week every week. And that’s just one of 6 services. I have heard some people observe that the megachurch is really a triumph of efficient management of people and facilities. I hope that it’s more than that, but it is at least that.
Everything I saw communicated this: “Professional, efficient, quality, and meaningful work goes on here.” I left impressed and convinced that this church (and others like it) is successful because the atmosphere is attractive to so many people. It certainly was attractive to our family.
Evaluation: A+
7. People – There are all kinds of people there, though primarily white and Hispanic. I saw few African-Americans, but they have a separate “Gospel” worship service which probably serves that clientele. All ages were represented, though most looked 30-50.
How friendly were they? The recognizable volunteers were extremely helpful . . . situated in strategic spots and proactive in offering assistance. The members in the audience? Polite but not outgoing. We were asked to greet one another during one song. I got handshakes and smiles, but not many words. I tried to break the ice and even said we were visiting from out of town to a couple of people, but not much response was offered. Maybe they were visiting, too.
We did find more friendliness at the children’s ministry area. Parents have a way of breaking the ice when talking about kid-related things. But it was very non-confrontational. No one asked if we were part of the church or visiting as a prospect or a tourist. They just assumed we belonged there. This seems very dangerous to me. If everyone is treated as a member (even though I know they have clear membership requirements), it seems to me that it lets people lie low for a long time. I was never asked to give my name or address. No one recognized me as a visitor with a sack, or a name badge. I expect no follow-up letter from the preacher in the mailbox when I return. I’m sure this is by design.
The cynical side of me says their Calvinism would give them assurance that if the person is predestined to become a member, it will happen without any intervention or identification of the visitors. I suspect the reality is that they want no one to feel rushed.
That feels odd to me because I have always gone to churches from the revivalist type background where you preach at a person to walk down the aisle and become a Christian. Saddleback seems to operate under the philosophy that they are a safe, friendly place where you won’t be expected to move any faster than you want to. That’s ok except for one small problem I see. What happens if the Lord returns before Saddleback Sam gets comfortable going deeper? No wonder I didn’t hear anything about the end of the world or judgment.
Evaluation: If you come to Saddleback with someone you know, this will be an A. If you don’t know anyone there, you can slip in and out with as little or as much interaction as you initiate. I guess that’s better for a visitor than being scared off on the first Sunday. Grade: A-
Overall grade: A-
I am probably more critical than the average visitor. On the other hand, non-Christians tend to be critical of Christian things, especially when first exposed to them. I think they would find very little to criticize at Saddleback.
Our family was blessed to visit Saddleback. But I didn’t feel warmly welcomed, which we did experience when we visited Moody Church last summer. And the second string preacher at Moody was far more impressive than Saddleback’s back-up. We’ll see if my third attempt to hear a famous preacher in his own pulpit is successful when we visit Grace Community Church this Sunday.
posted by Central Christian College of the Bible at
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