Oak Hills Church

Oak Hills Church, 19595 IH 10 West
Before 2003, the congregation was “Oak Hills Church of Christ,” so I assume that they fit into the general Church of Christ denomination, but, like Grace Point, have downplayed the denomational aspect to broaden appeal.

My experience
The main Oak Hills campus is a massive building just off the freeway as you’re leaving northwest San Antonio, and security officers direct traffic at every parking lot entrance. I arrived a few minutes early and was greeted warmly at the door and handed a very nice weekly handout. It wasn’t really a program for the service as much as an overview of the programs offered by the church, and this full-color, heavy stock, matte paper tri-fold (with a perforated flap for a prayer request) was very professionally done—like everything else at Oak Hills (their graphics are impressive!).

The “Worship Center” was a large auditorium similar to Grace Point’s, but with the addition of three camera stations to record the service, as well as project it on three screens above the stage. One of the first things I noticed were the stacks of golden plates on tables throughout the room, and my first thought was that it was kind of a tackily conspicuous reminder to pay those offerings!

I had about 10 minutes to enjoy some absolutely beautiful choral prelude music, which was unique in that there was no accompaniment at all. They sounded great, and I am beginning to think that my favorite part of this church tour is all the different kinds of music I get to listen to.

I noticed as people moseyed in that everyone had a copy of this yellow book with “The Story” written across the front. I recognized the design as matching the church’s website, and at first I thought it was strange to have everyone bringing a book other than the Bible to church. (Full disclosure: I thought it was a sly mercenary tactic. I repented of that thought when I found out what it really was.) I asked the lady next to me about the book, and she explained that essentially it was an abridged, chronological version of the Bible that reads like a novel, complete with brown ink and ragged page edges. Interesting.

We opened with prayer and then we all stood and sang several worship songs along with the choir. An elder indicated that the offering would be taken now (though there was no injunction to consider our financial priorities, etc. to accompany this announcement), and during this time a video played promoting a Christian conference coming to San Antonio this year. I was surprised to see that to collect the offering they were passing around deep, woven baskets rather than the golden plates I had seen.

We had a moment to shake hands and say hello to the people around us, and then Max Lucado (yes, the Max Lucado, of You Are Special fame) took the stage. He is not the regular Oak Hills preacher anymore, but he was filling in this week, which is why I chose to go when I did. He asked everyone to hold up either a copy of the Bible or a copy of The Story—way to go for accountability!

This week was a discussion of Chapter 19 of The Story, “The Return Home,” which encompasses Ezra 1¬–6, Haggai 1–2, and Zechariah 1 and 8. Everyone was supposed to have read it. Lucado gave what I thought was an insightful, doctrinally-based sermon on making sure that we keep God’s priorities our priorities.

After he finished, they passed around the communion, which I repentantly noticed came around in the golden plates I had seen earlier. With a humble pang I realized that after coming here once, you remember communion as you come in and see those stacks of golden plates throughout the room, not the offering as I had thought. The “bread” consisted of little wafer-crackers about the size of a Chiclet, and the “wine” was grape juice (I think) that came in tiny plastic cups.

Then it was time for silent prayer, or you could step into the aisle to pray with an elder if you chose. Lucado then came back to the stage to sum up the message: it’s never too late to set your priorities right and start putting God in the center of your life. We were dismissed after a closing prayer.

I was intrigued by The Story book, and I had every intention of visiting the church bookstore (the greeter had brought its existence to my attention) to pick up my own copy, Sabbath or not. But just as I was scribbling a few notes after the closing prayer, the woman who I had asked about the book struck up a conversation with me. She asked me what I had thought of the service, and what had brought me to Oak Hills today. I told her I enjoyed it quite a bit, and that I had heard a lot of good things about Lucado and I knew a lot of people who attended this church. She told me that the regular preacher is just as good and has a style similar to Lucado’s. I told her I liked Lucado’s Bible-based teachings, and that The Story was intriguing to me. I was just about to say, “I think I’m going to go buy a copy for myself” when, with a shaking hand, she passed me her copy and said, “Keep this. And come on back.”

I expressed my gratitude as best I could and she left. I was deeply touched by this gesture, especially because I could tell that for her, this was a nerve-wracking Gospel sharing moment. Not only did I appreciate her generosity in giving me her copy of the book, but even more I was touched by the courage it obviously took to share a Christian message and invite me to come back. She seemed to feel a sense of accomplishment at mustering up the guts to give her book away, a feeling I can relate to. I sat back on the chair and had a good little cry, that’s how moved I was. That woman may have done more for my own courage to share the Gospel than anyone else in my life so far.

What I got out of it
Like I said, Lucado was wonderful. I didn’t feel like he was performing, not for a minute. He obviously knew the Bible, but he wasn’t haughty at all. His delivery was engaging, but I felt drawn to the message rather than the speaker.

He spoke of the Jews returning to Judea from Babylon with the intent to rebuild Solomon’s temple. They started off okay, but as time went on they got caught up in their lives and the temple was neglected for 16 years. Well, it turns out that they didn’t prosper so much during that time, because when we “let God’s big things become our small things,” we end up feeling unfulfilled—that’s God’s way of reminding us that we should put him at the center of things, and then the rest of life falls into place.

I was impressed with his ability to tell this Old Testament story (which I’m sure I’d heard, but I can’t keep all that temple building and Babylon-and-back straight) while applying it to modern life. This guy is excellent at likening the scriptures to our own lives.

What was even more interesting was his discussion of the temple. Why a temple? Lucado asked. It was 1) “a teaching aid” for Israel, and 2) evidence of “God’s desire for proximity” to his people. “What do you know about the temple?” he asked. “Hmm…” I thought.

“Could just anyone go into the Holy of Holies?” he asked. No, obviously. The temple, he said again, was a teaching tool and a type for Christ and the shedding of Christ’s blood.

This is the second time in my experience with mainstream Christianity that I have been impressed by how non-LDS Bible scholars’ interpretation of the ancient temple parallels the LDS understanding of the purpose of modern temples—at least the symbolism aspect of it. The other time was in the manual for a Bible study I participated in last year. It’s… reassuring.

It was interesting, though, to hear Lucado say that “God no longer uses a temple of stone and mortar”—instead, we are the “living temple.” We ought to “build God’s temple in San Antonio,” and reach the city and “let God’s temple permeate San Antonio.” I imagine this idea comes from 1 Corinthians 3:16, but to me it seemed kind of abstract. I might have been affected by the little voice in my head that said, “But there IS a temple of stone and mortar in San Antonio!”

Other thoughts
I haven’t read any of The Story yet, but I think it’s a great idea—at least to get a big picture of the Bible narrative. Besides, who could pass up a “good story…filled with intrigue, drama, conflict, romance, and redemption”? (That’s from the back cover.)

After the service I strolled around the Oak Hills campus, which is huge. It includes indoor and outdoor play areas, coffee, a bookstore, a library, some nicely landscaped garden areas, offices, and four wings for Bible study by age group. It almost felt like a mall. But it’s an impressive and beautiful building.

If you live in San Antonio, I encourage you to visit. If you want a buddy to come along, let me know—I’d like to go again.

Broadcasts of the three most recent sermons are available online at http://www.thestorynow.net/.

Oxford United Methodist Church

Oxford United Methodist Church, 9655 Huebner Rd.
The United Methodist Church is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States. It has one central governing body, and it's organized geographically. You can learn a little more from Wikipedia, the source of all knowledge.

My experience
I was greeted warmly upon entering the building, and I felt quite at home in the chapel (it was similar to LDS chapels--they must order carpet and pews from the same distributor). There were hymnals and Bibles in the back of each pew, along with donation slips and prayer request forms. The room angled downward, stadium-style, to a raised stage area at the front. The stage had a table with large two candles, a piano, an organ, a portable podium, and a section boxed off for the choir, who were all wearing matching robes.

The congregation was smallish--maybe 150 people or so--and the age bracket definitely skewed toward the geriatric end. But there were a few families, and everyone seemed to know each other.

The meeting started with welcome and announcements, which included the recognition of greeters, ushers, and acolytes (children who assist with lighting the candles and such). The pastor then invited any visitors to stand and introduce themselves (I wasn't paying close attention, though, and he went so quickly that I missed my chance...oh well...), and we we sang "Praise to the Lord the Almighty"...which included a verse I was unfamiliar with that referenced a Mother in heaven (I think), but I can't find it online anywhere. Hmm.

There was a "Time for Young Disciples," where the 10 or so little kids, age 5 and under, sat up at the front to hear a very brief (like 2 minutes brief) Bible story, then they were dismissed for "Children's Church." We then had a silent prayer of confession, recited a prayer for understanding, listened to some scripture reading, and enjoyed a lovely choir number. Then Bob Buck, the guest pastor (the usual pastor was out of town), stood to give his sermon, "Just Keep Breathing," based (loosely, I might say) on Psalm 23.

We then had some time to reflect, sang "Be Still My Soul" (in 4/4! it was fast!) and recited an affirmation of faith. At this point we were reminded to consider where our priorities lay--financial priorities, specifically--and the bright, golden collection plates were passed around for members to put in their offerings.

We had another moment for silent prayer, then Pastor Buck prayed individually for those whose names had been submitted from the congregation, and sometimes his requests were very specific to the person's troubles (cancer, a death in the family, etc.). We ended by reciting the Lord's Prayer and singing a nice little "choral blessing" (you can't go wrong when it says "Shalom" every line in the song). Then there was free coffee in the foyer on your way out!

What I got out of it
I wasn't terribly moved by Pastor Buck's message--he spent a good portion of his 20 minute sermon introducing it, which included a relatively detailed synopsis of the movie Castaway. The gist of the sermon was that when we reach the absolute lows in our lives -- the valley of the shadow of death -- you have to "just keep breathing." I think it was meant to be a "hang in there when it's rough" message, but I got more of a "survival is possible" vibe.

I did appreciate a few of his more doctrinal points, which were that even though the sheep may lose sight of the Shepherd, the Shepherd never loses sight of the sheep, and that though change -- particularly abrupt, unwelcome change -- is one of the most difficult challenges in life, the most important things in life never change: God's word and the provisions for salvation.

Other thoughts
Oxford United Methodist offers a traditional service (the one I attended) and a contemporary service; I'd be interested to see what the difference is, and if the contemporary crowd is younger than the traditional one.

I liked the congregational participation at this church--when it was time to stand, recite, and sing, everyone did it, and you couldn't really hide in the crowd or the volume of the music. The congregation, and the choir, I might add, struck me as very sincere. People were dressed up (mostly)--many women wore skirts or nice slacks, and the men were dressed nicely too.

It was homey for me...it was reassuring to think that if someone from that congregation were to come visit an LDS sacrament meeting, they wouldn't feel too out of place -- there were announcements, mediocre congregational singing (though this congregation was more warbly than most), and a nice message.

I think my favorite part was the pianist, who managed to direct and accompany the choir at the same time, all the while looking absolutely radiant with the joy of gospel music. He was cool.

Grace Point Church

Grace Point Church, 9750 Huebner Rd.
According to Wikipedia, Grace Point is a Southern Baptist church, but “downplays” the denominational aspect to “maximize reach.”

My experience
Along with hundreds of other congregants, I was greeted at the door by a pastor couple who shook my hand and welcomed me. As I entered the large, dimly lit auditorium, a young man in a bright yellow T-shirt handed me a program.

The program introduced the sermon series “One” and gave information about Grace Point. Inside the program I found an outline of the day’s sermon and a place for notes. It also included “The Ticket”—a half-sheet for visitors to fill out and turn in after the service.

At the front of the auditorium was a large stage with three screens hanging above it. On the stage there were about 11 people arranged around various microphones and instruments—a piano, a keyboard, electric guitars, a bass, drums, and five vocalists. Right at 9:30 the music started.

I loved it.

The music was pop-rock style—it was catchy and loud—but with spiritual lyrics that were projected on the screens. At first it jarred me, since I was in my quiet “Sunday mode,” but I quickly acclimated and thoroughly enjoyed the worship music. The musicians were talented and very enthusiastic. The congregation, standing, sang along…sort of. I saw a few lips moving and some toes tapping, but the music was so loud that you couldn’t hear anyone but the performers, so there was no real obligation to sing your heart out.

After a few songs, Pastor Jeff Harris gave a little introduction to Grace Point and the new year, and then the collection plates were passed around. The yellow-shirted ushers passed a large shallow bowl down the rows, and people left either cash or a small donation envelope (which were available on all the chairs when you arrived). I took the plate and passed it along.

Then we enjoyed a few more songs—including a beautiful, spirited rendition of “Amazing Grace”—before Pastor Harris gave a 40-minute or so sermon on being “one with Christ.”

After his sermon, a few more rousing, rock-style worship songs were played and we were dismissed.

What I got out of it
Pastor Harris shared an excellent message about how each of us has a unique opportunity in this life to effect good for others. The intersection of my identity (who I am in Christ), my story (how God has changed my life), and my purpose (the reason I am here) give me a unique opportunity to influence others. What if I took full advantage of this opportunity? What if each one of us brought just one person to Christ? The effect would be amazing. We shouldn’t be ashamed to share the “good news”—that is, what Christ has done for us, personally.

When we become one with Christ, we are the same person at church, work, school, home—everywhere. Pastor Harris pointed out that a lot of people want to come to church for "fire insurance" without really being willing to make the sacrifice of becoming one with Christ.

Other thoughts
I took away some new insights on important points, and I felt motivated to be more open about “my story”—that is, what God has done in my life. I felt like I had attended a motivational speech because it was apparent that Pastor Harris was on intent entertaining while he presented his message. The insights I gained came in the form of “Huh—that was a good point,” but not spiritual feelings in my heart.

The music was by far my favorite part and made me want to come back next week. It reaffirmed my hunch that it is possible to feel the Spirit when listening to pop rock-type music, and that the genre/instruments aren’t in and of themselves aspiritual, rather it’s what lyrics you set to them and how they're played.

Because of the nature of the sermon and the music, the service overall felt like a performance. The music, the lights, the screens—everything was perfectly timed. It made for a quick, motivational hour, and I thought to myself, “I could imagine paying to attend this every week.”

How it started

My favorite bike ride in San Antonio is a short little jaunt through an area of the city that still has an almost rural feel. The first time I rode it (and every time since) I was impressed with the variety of churches/houses of worship that I passed in just six or so miles of "country." There is a Chinese Methodist Mission Home, a Sikh Center, a Jehovah's Witness Hall, a Presbyterian Children's Home, a Buddhist Temple, a Maronite Church, a Catholic church, and a handful of Christian churches.

I have always been curious about other religions, but growing up in Utah County doesn't exactly lend itself to exposure to religious diversity. Passing all these churches on my bike rides piqued my interest anew, and I toyed with the idea of visiting some of them. When the Buddhist Temple started building some spectacularly white statues (shrines?) in the field next to the temple, curiosity got the best of me and I knew I had to find out more about this place.

Visiting one religion led to visiting another, and another...and the San Antonio Church Tour of '09 was born.