Archives For Austin Church Search

Austin Church Search: Vox Veniae

Chris —  October 1, 2009

Having had lunch with Gideon Tsang, a pastor at Vox Veniae, I knew that visiting their community in the East side of Austin would be a special experience.  I was blown away by Gideon’s intellect and willingness to sacrifice to be a blessing to the community, and it didn’t take me long to realize the church is doing the same.

Vox meets in a small warehouse called Space12, which is used throughout the week as an art gallery, public computer lab and music venue.  Indoors was a cozy “couch Church”  with dim lighting, random seating, and a bar with coffee and bagels.  We were immediately greeted and made to feel right at home.  When the worship started, it was clear that the Austin style folk-rock band was doing more original, local music than “cover songs” you’ll hear at most churches on a Sunday.

The lesson was a beginning of the school year visioncast.  They talked about how they do church in groups around the city and on Sunday’s at Space12.  What stands out from every other church’s Acts 2:42-47 lesson was their commitment that every group exists to be a blessing to their community.  This same theme had been a part of their liturgical prayers and their original music.

When the church began, a number of leaders moved into the working poor neighborhoods of the East side.  They own a few houses, where they are committed to living in community, both with each other, and their new, culturally different neighbors.

Afterward, we stood around talking for a long time, and then were invited to lunch by new friends.  From the moment we walked in the door, until we finished lunch hours later, I felt welcomed and at home at Vox.

The church stands in contrast to so many who have left the cities or commute in, and I am excited to see how it will develop.

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Austin Church Search: Westover Hills Church of Christ

Chris —  September 23, 2009

While Westover Hills may be the most traditional of the churches I have visited so far, it is also one of the most vibrant.  They met in a bustling suburban neighborhood about a 20 minute drive from downtown Austin.  You’ll see most people dressed in their Sunday’s best, I didn’t feel out of place in my jeans and t-shirt.  It seemed to me that Westover leaned towards families, young marrieds with children and parents with teenagers.

The church has been known for years for its thriving youth ministry.  However, in recent years that focus seems to be shifting.  Westover has made it their goal to bless on their immediate community, by serving their neighbors in practical ways.  They also have adopted a church and housing complex in Northeast side of Austin, known for violence, desperate poverty, and a gathering place for international refugees.

Worship music at Westover is beautiful Church of Chris-style a cappella.  An on stage is a multigenerational worship team leads classic hymns and modern worship in four part harmony.

The message on that Sunday was taken from the story of Matthew and Jesus.  The preacher exhorted Westover to get out of their Christian bubble, and find non-Christians to eat with.  Westover is a healthy traditional Church, with a caring leadership, striving to grow more missional.

Westover’s goal is to reach Austin in bold, creative and caring ways. With their open heart to the poor, and willingness to to try new things, I believe God could use them to do just that.

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Austin Church Search: Austin New Church

Chris —  September 22, 2009

When I first connected with Brandon Hatmaker, planter and pastor of Austin New Church, he made it very clear to me that Sunday’s are only a sliver of ANC. The Church can primarily be found in small groups focused on mission. They gather to do things like grill out with the homeless and clean up struggling schools.

Walking in the door of their rented High School auditorium Sunday, the first thing I passed was a table with information about ANC’s the non-profits partners. Not a recruiting table for a ministry, or even a welcome booth, but a way to get involved in serving the city.

The times I’ve visited there have been over 100 people, of all ages, including many young families. The worship band is not just chock full of raw quality, but they have a contagious energy that filled the room. The teaching was a the latest in a series marching through the book of John, striving to show what God’s mission is all about.

ANC does their best to set the standard high. They have no desire to be another consumer Church. Each month they have a “Serve Austin Sunday,” where the weekly gathering is called off to go and serve people throughout the city. Groups meet throughout the week, but are challenged to spend that time serving their neighbors, not just “fellowship.”

I love the heart of the leadership at ANC and I’m excited to see what will grow out of their unique take on Church.

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Austin Church Search: Gateway Church

Chris —  September 21, 2009

Gateway Church meets in a beautiful southwestern looking campus in North Austin, made up of a few buildings and a courtyard/coffee shop atmosphere appropriate to the outdoor lifestyle of the city.  Sunday always feature top-notch music and meaningful, but I learned quickly that they are more concerned about the people than the show.

Before visiting Gateway, I read planter/lead pastor John Burke’s book No Perfect People Allowed where he unpacks many of the unique questions asked by post-christian/postmodern cultures. I loved how Burke backed up every point with stories of people who have been impacted by the work at Gateway.

I was most curious about how the Church would live up to it’s radical focus on the unreached in Austin.  I quickly found that what was true about the book was also true about the church.  I asked everyone I met how they ended up at Gateway, and many of them had the same story:  they had never gone to church before, heard a cool advertisement on the radio, or were invited by a friend, and decided to give a try.  They came back because of the cool music, and stayed because they were challenged by the teaching and embraced by the community.  I even met two or three of the people I had read about.

Near the front door was a table where two volunteers- both of them new to faith, explaining the wide variety of ministries, including many focused on young adults and singles, so it’s an easy place for a guy like me to get plugged in.  Gateway’s missional focus can be seen by the resource they devote to Emerging Leaders Inititative, which plants churches radically focused on reaching non-Christians.

Gateway seems committed to excellence and to gathering non-believers, engaging them in Christian community.

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Austin Church Search

Chris —  September 18, 2009

I’m looking for a Church.  My goal is to find a place where I can serve under a great leadership with a great vision, be a part of a community making a difference in the lives of the lost and hurting in Austin, and make some great friends with people in my life stage.  Over the next two and a half months, I’m hoping to visit a number of Churches and share my reflections on them.  The purpose of this is to 1) help me as I unpack the experience, and 2) help my readers be more aware of what God is up to in the city.

A few caveats: First, I’m going to keep things positive.  This is not a review or a critique.  I leave that up to guys like John the Revelator.  Second, I will be unapologetically sharing things from my point of view.  I’m a single guy in his 20s, passionate about missional living, serving the poor, and reaching the unreached.  Although I won’t be “grading” the churches reviewed here, it will be hard not to note how they’re doing on those categories.  Because I’m passionate about church planting, don’t be suprised to see more new plants and church-planting-churches than established churches.

For my readers in Austin, I hope that you find this informative.  For those abroad, I hope you’ll learn a little bit about what God is up to and what guys like me are looking for in a Church.

The Churches I’ve already visited and will be sharing about include:

-Austin City Life
-Austin New Church
-Austin Stone Community Church
-Church Under the Bridge
-First Baptist of Austin
-Gateway Church
-Vox Veniae
-Westover Hills Church of Christ

If you would like for me to visit and share about your church, just drop me an email at chrismorton82@gmail.com.

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