I recently read Traci Rhoades’ debut book Not All Who Wander (Spiritually) are Lost chronicling how each of the churches she has attended or visited in her life have affected her faith. She also sprinkles in stories from others who share their church stories. I like how Traci explained her fascination with church traditions and practices and her desire to try them out. “Exploring new spiritual practices has opened my eyes to so many beautiful things. These fresh perspectives point to Jesus. More of Jesus.” She also wants to “know about every way I can experience Jesus.”

Her story got me thinking about my own church story and how the churches that I’ve attended have given me the opportunity to experience Jesus in different ways.

Bible Fellowship Church

I’ve attended a Bible Fellowship Church my whole life. I have been a pastor’s wife in the denomination for 18 years and counting. As a teen I served at Victory Valley Camp, the BFC children’s camp which is where I met my husband. I am also an office assistant for our Church Extension church planting department. So far and away, the Bible Fellowship Church has had the most influence on my faith.

Historically, the Bible Fellowship Church stems from the Mennonite Brethren in Christ. However, by the late 1950’s it was clear that our denomination was not really Mennonite in doctrine so an article of faith was written and our name was changed. We are Reformed in soteriology, hold to believer’s baptism by immersion, and premillenial eschatology. Each of our churches is autonomously governed by the board of elders, but our churches are held accountable to our doctrine and rules of order by the conference.

The Bible Fellowship Church has helped me experience Jesus by prioritizing the Bible and the fellowship of believers. Church is pretty simple and accessible to ordinary people.

Visiting Other Churches

While I was growing up, my father worked at Biblical Seminary (now Missio Seminary). He would often get calls from churches connected to the seminary who needed guest preachers or pulpit supply. Some years he guest preached thirty Sundays out of the year. My brother and sister and I would take turns going with him to visit these churches. Although there were many, many different churches that we visited, two types stick out to me.

Independent Brethren

There were two congregations in New Jersey who were independent churches, but stemmed historically from the Brethren denomination. I remember the people in these congregations being welcoming and friendly and joy-filled. We would always be treated to lunch at a restaurant which was a real treat to me since we never went to restaurants growing up. Sometimes we would go to someone’s house for the afternoon for lunch and the rest of the day since my father would be preaching for the evening service as well.

I remember these churches had a breaking of bread service every Sunday followed by a fellowship time and then the morning worship service during which I would go to Sunday School so I didn’t actually hear my dad preach on these visits. I do remember the breaking of bread services since the bread was leavened and that was different than our home church. I also remember that they didn’t have a pastor on purpose. They have an elder board that makes decisions and invites the preachers to come. I don’t know why they do this theologically (if you know, please comment!) but I think that their way of doing church emphasizes unity of believers and coming together is for the purpose of communion within the body of Christ.

Korean Churches

There was and still is a large percentage of the Missio Seminary student body who is Korean. So we visited a lot of Korean churches. They were all so generous and respectful and kind. One in particular stands out to me, although there wasn’t anything particularly Korean in culture about this church. It met on the campus of a university in Philadelphia. The church met in a large classroom with wooden theater seats and a sloped floor. Most of the congregation was college-aged. I remember they had more upbeat praise music than I had ever heard since my home church at the time still relied solely on the piano and organ and hymnbook.

I remember they had a prayer time during the service and they all prayed aloud at once! As a kid this was impressive to me. It helped me know that God can listen to us all at once. It also helped me experience praying aloud even if no one else is listening which is helpful for focusing on what you are actually saying to the Lord in prayer.

Methodist Church

Because I am a pastor’s wife, I do not get to visit too many churches on a Sunday morning. The only opportunity I really have is when we go on vacation each summer to Chincoteague, Virginia. We always attend a little Methodist church with a stately gray stone exterior and ornate interior with stained-glass windows behind the altar.

It’s a different experience to stand up and go up front to receive the communion elements, both at once, by dipping the piece of bread into the communal cup. I like the picture of communion with communal elements. I also like that the pastor says something specifically to me as I take the elements. I cannot remember exactly what he says, but it does help me focus on the elements. I like the movement of walking forward to take communion. It reminds me of “Draw near to God and he will draw near to you.” (James 4:8).

One Lesson and One Warning

Through my own church experiences and through reading about Traci’s, I am reminded that my way of expressing and experiencing church isn’t the only way. When I read about church in scripture, especially the Pauline epistles, I picture the Bible Fellowship Church way of doing things. But our way isn’t the only way to experience Jesus. There are all kinds of churches to reach all kinds of people. I’m thankful for Traci’s work in encouraging this unity of truth among believers from a variety of church backgrounds. Traci does this well through her book, her blog, and her Twitter feed.

But there is a warning I’d like to add as well. In order to experience Jesus through differing church traditions, you have to know him in the first place. The reason why Traci is able to experience Jesus in a smattering of church traditions is because she already knows Him. I have heard too many testimonies from people who grew up in many of the church traditions that are mentioned in Not All Who Wander (Spiritually) are Lost who never heard the gospel. They went through all the traditions of the church but for one reason or another the gospel was not clear in the church. So while it is wonderful to point out the beautiful ways in which all churches display Christ, there are many churches who uphold their traditions at the expense of the clarity of the gospel. That can be a warning to all of us no matter what church we attend. Is the gospel clear?

How about you? How has your own church story influenced how you understand and experience Jesus Christ? Comment below.

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