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We are church shopping and attended Elevate Life this past Sunday (10/20). It started off great. The volunteers could not have been more friendly in getting our kids registered and showing us around the church. We went into the sanctuary, and really enjoyed the music. The pastor’s son spoke, and felt he was an engaging speaker. At this point we were feeling very optimistic about this visit. However, that quickly changed the moment the lead pastor came out on stage. He walked up to a table full of books that were written by him. He encouraged us to purchase his books on business and leadership. My wife and I looked at each other and concern covered both of our faces. I thought maybe once the message starts, we will find a groove and get past this hiccup. The speaker, (I would not have known he was a pastor given his message if I weren’t in a church), then began to preach/teach from his own books! At this point I scoured the room trying to find any trace of God at all! It was disappointing, I did not see one Bible the entire time I was there. Mr. Craft was preaching his thoughts, beliefs, and ideas, and nothing from the Bible AT ALL! Toward the end of the service they flashed a quick Bible verse up on to the screen, and that was about it for God’s word. Everything else was Keith Craft’s word. At one point Mr. Craft said in so many words, not a direct quote, “I am at a level of excellence that you all need to attempt to reach. I’m just speaking my truth.” Excuse me?? Church is a place to be uplifted and given hope to those who come to worship. We shouldn’t leave feeling less than. God says all sin is equal in his eyes, and Keith Craft is just another sinner like all the rest of us. At one point the speaker said, “if you want to be rich you have to hang out with rich people, it’s a level of thinking.” Jesus didn’t go and find all of the Christians so they would praise him and tell them how great he is. He went and found the sinners and tried to lead them on a righteous path. This was very bad advice in my opinion. Another issue, Craft quoted a New York Times article about the benefits of going to church. I thought some good points were made here until he told us that “people who go to church have better sex, and more often reach the big O.” Craft egged on the men in the room which led to claps and fist bumps from men on the first row. I saw mothers look at their children with embarrassment trying to distract them from what was being said. It’s a problem when we have to sensor church for our kids, and I was so glad mine weren’t in the room! Finally, there was no call to altar. There was a call to the lobby where Craft would be waiting to autograph his books. By this point I had already been trying to find an exit strategy. If I had been sitting on the end of a row and not the middle, I would have gotten up and left before the halfway point of the sermon. When a pastor is selling books and merch in the lobby, (yes there was a fan fair merchandise shop in the lobby), he has his priorities in the wrong place. Adjectives to describe Elevate Life Church: cult (“your family may not be the right people, but the people here are”), self righteous (“buy my books” “I’ll be signing them in the lobby”), Lack of Christ (not a Bible in the room). I wasn’t mad after attending this service. I was concerned for the people who follow Christ and are expecting to find him here. This is the exact opposite of how God intends for us to worship. I feel pity for the lost souls who are being brain washed at this place, and pray that they can find Christ in a more emotionally safe place than Elevate Life. Fortunately for me and my family, our “church shopping” will continue. Some articles I wish I would have read BEFORE attending: safeguardyoursoul.com/keith-craft-exposed/ www.patheos.com/blogs/thoughtfulpastor/20

Trinity Cafe – Menu with Prices – 7002 Canton Ave, Lubbock

This is a beautiful facility and the people here are just as beautiful. Pastor Toti is a very nice man. He and his wife truly care about their congregation. I have attended several services, a funeral and a concert at this church. With the different events I attended I was able to meet several members of the staff. Every one of them were very kind and friendly. Pastor Toti teaches the Bible and Jesus Christ. If I lived in Lubbock, my wife and I would attend this church. I look forward to going back to Trinity the next time I am in town. Give it a try and be sure to say hi to Pastor Toti and his wife.

Abundant Living Church – Menu with Prices – 10900 Civic Center Dr, Rancho Cucamonga

I still like the church but honestly I am getting really sick and tired of how much time and effort they spend on trying to guilt people into tithing and offering. Selling things and promoting things to make more money. People come for the word of God not to be marketed to. Not to be guilted into buying books, produce or anything else no matter what your intentions. These huge church buildings with their big price tags and all the debts are not what Jesus is about at all! I’m tired of these financial decisions being passed onto the congregation in the disguise of guilt in order to extract money from people. Then always using the scripture of the woman with the 2 mites. That scripture was a warning to leaders of the church not to extract money from the poor. But it’s used in churches to do just that. Tithing and offering should be a personal decision as everything else in one’s relationship with Christ. Some people cannot tithes or give an offering due to their unique situations and would be breaking the law by doing so. This has never been addressed in the church no matter how many times I have brought it up. There is also guilt trips about showing up in person to the church itself which some folks are also not able to do. These type of practices go against what Christ is about. I am starting to lose the initial zeal I had for this church because of it. The reason this church has such a big online following is because I used to believe in it and promoted it to many people and helped ot grow to what it is today. But now I don’t feel that confidence anymore because of these practices. Also charging people for classes that could help them better themselves and making them attend a class to become a realized member etc. All anyone should have to do is believe in Jesus. Enough of these rules and guilt trips. Stop making people believe they will receive more from God by showing up to your building. The bible says our bodies are the temple. We are the church, we need no building. God is not limited by walls, cities, buildings or any other barrier. No one need attend a church in order to receive blessings from God. Please fix this? You have a responsibility to those who attend your church and those who watch online and those who are not familiar with the word who come to hear it. You have a responsibility to teach the truth. Do not start confusing people and guilting people and manipulating them for money, services or anything else. Their duty is to God alone. Your duty is only to teach his word. Our dependency for money or anything else belongs to God not to people.

Cafe V Coffee & Books Menu with Prices 6300 Arden Rd, Amarillo

I have been attending victory for 10 years now, and I have seen victory in every area of my life!! I think God for this church and for what He is doing with this church in our community and for the kingdom of God! If you are looking for the Full Gospel Church… then look no further, if you are looking for a church full of people to love you where you’re at, then look no further, if you are looking for a church that speaks the truth in love, then look no further. We welcome all!!!!! ? My Chuch!!

Sagemont Church – Menu with Prices – 11300 S Sam Houston Pkwy E, Houston

I love Sagemont Church and our pastor John Morgan. I have been a member for well over 30 yrs and Jim Hastings is my sunday school teacher. He is a wonderful teacher and you can also watch his bible studies on the church website. Jim Hastings is also the Director of Helping Hands for Sagemont. Helping Hands organized our church member volunteers after Hurricane Harvey and went out to the community to help people who were flooded. Our house was flooded and I called our church for help because my father is disabled and in a wheelchair. Helping Hands sent out at least 25 people to knock out the walls and several ladies brought us food which was so good. I don’t know what I would have done without our church’s help. The love they have shown to us and to this community was such a blessing. I should have posted this comment sooner. If you are looking for a church to worship God please come to Sagemont Church. They truly show the love of Jesus.

St. John Cantius Catholic Church – Menu with Prices – 2031 W 30th St, Cleveland

Joining the Parish and participating in various church functions and attending Mass On Sundays and Holy days. Our former Pastor Fr Lucien was a great Priest and retired and now we have Fr Roach who is also a great priest and Pastor and is a very great spiritual leader and also people oriented.

The Bread House- Bethlehem Temple Church – Menu with Prices – 1518 S Washington Ave, Lansing

I have been apart of the Bread House for most of my life. When i gave my life to Jesus christ i became a member. I love the fellow ship with my brothers and sisters in the Lord. I really enjoy worshiping there and the Word of God that my Pastor Singleton Preaches.

Temple Square – Menu with Prices – 50 N Temple, Salt Lake City

This is a great place to escape the hustle of downtown Salt Lake. Everyone is welcome to tour the grounds and buildings at Temple square but you have to have a Temple recommend (permission from church officials) to go inside the Temple. They have a visitors center, a conference center, tabernacle, church history center and family history center. The gardens are beautiful and in the visitors center there is an impressive sculpture of Jesus Christ. If you want to know more about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints you can watch a movie at the visitors center or talk with the missionaries. The family history center has a really fun interactive media room where you can find out if you are related to anyone visiting the center or famous people throughout history. During Christmas time they set up an amazing light display and nativity. You can find great food at the Lyon House just outside Temple Square.

Calvary Chapel Chattanooga – Menu with Prices – 3415 Broad St, Chattanooga

I started attending Calvary Chapel in 2013 after moving to the area for graduate school. I attended SEVERAL churches before visiting Calvary and ultimately calling it my home church. I was quickly welcomed and later encouraged to join a small group because this church is all about community and doing this life together. I’ve been in the small group for almost 2 years now and am continuing to meet many wonderful people through the church’s growth. There’s tons of serving opportunities and they love on the volunteers so well, praying steadfastly for them. I’ve been to many churches where half the service would be asking for money. Not here. The tithe boxes are in the back and you can also donate online. There are some services that touch on money and this is a touchy subject for many people…but it’s 100% biblical. They are open about where the money goes and how God is using the financial resources to both grow the church and the ministry (locally and internationally). The pastor is open about mental health and they are always always always coming into every conversation from a biblical stance. I’ve participated in their pre martial classes as well as follow ups in their marriage counseling & have loved every minute. They challenge you and I see some negative reviews from hurt Christians but God wants to prune us from what’s not of Him. This church helps you realize that and walks with you through the process. It will always hold such a special place in my heart.

First Presbyterian Church of Berkeley Menu with Prices 2407 Dana St, Berkeley

First Presbyterian Church of Berkeley’s vision encapsulates my experience here every time I visit, and when I couldn’t make it to a KA church on a Sunday morning. First Pres says that its vision is to “sow the Gospel of Jesus Christ through word, prayer, deed and community..cultivating personal transformation, social healing and cultural renewal…reconcil(ing) us, Berkeley, the University, the Bay Area, and the world to God in Jesus Christ.” This in essence is First Pres: a kind of church where it is socially conscious, and an active participant of Berkeley being mere blocks away from Cal. 1. A socially conscious community of Christ at Cal a Yelp Star: First Pres is engrained in Berkeley’s local community, and makes steps to make sure that it is open and accessible to anyone walking by. It’s right across from Unit 3 and Channing dorms on Dwight, and it’s smack in the middle of the the crossroads where you’ll see Cal people walking by night and day. It’s interesting to know that First Pres intentionally made the worship center open, and its large windows surrounding the sanctuary when built were intentionally designed to be inviting, and a way to say to Cal and Berkeley that Christ is alive and real in the middle of Berkeley. Reconciling is important here, and First Pres makes a strong effort to be of service within Berkeley. 2. Music Ministries a tradition and Yelp Star: First Pres commits itself to really wow you in the music tradition. It has a host of choirs of all ages, training and vocal mentoring programs and has many professional vocalists that regularly perform during services. With the enormous classic church organ in the worship center, and complemented by its numerous choirs, service often is like attending a concert! First Pres regularly has scheduled music concerts and recital series featuring the concert hall-quality of its vocalists and musicians, both in the traditional, classic and liturgical style to edify the body of Christ. 3. Sunday services: are available in the traditional format at 8:30 a.m. and 10 a.m. and the contemporary services at 11:27 a.m. and 5:05 p.m. Services are often tightly choreographed, and begin and end on the dot. They never run a minute or two late. Most congregants are local Berkeleyans, Cal faculty, students and administors–but many are from all over the Bay Area. Senior Pastor Mark Labberton delivers messages in a manner that attempts to reconcile Cal to the message of Christ, and is always on the mark. 4. Who First Pres is ideal for if you are looking for a church home: if you’re a Cal student, this place is practically on your walk to class. If you’re a Cal faculty or staff, First Pres is minutes away from campus. However, First Pres has a host of members from all over Berkeley and the Bay, and it’s refreshing to see that it continues to open its doors through its outreach to the elderly, caring ministries, lay counseling and homeless ministries. This place is ideal if you’re in Berkeley, and worth a visit! Five Yelp Stars for First Pres!

Bridge Ministries – Menu with Prices – 6019 McPherson Rd Ste. 8, Laredo

This is my go-to place for Christian literature used books. You simply cannot beat their prices anywhere. What they don’t have, they can order for you. They have lots of events for bible study and children’s education. They also sell homeschool books! Last and certainly not least, they have a coffee shop that rivals Starbucks and costs significantly less. You will be truly blessed by visiting here.

Life Center – Menu with Prices – 1717 S Union Ave, Tacoma

I attended the Exponential Conference this week, and observed some deeply appalling behavior from a pastor at this church. The man said his name was Tony and it appeared as if he was sent as a tool to subvert the conference and create division among the churches. I heard him speaking loudly and inappropriately about race and he had many unfortunate things (that I refuse to repeat) to say about white people. I watched him methodically approach every person of color he could find and try to convince them to leave the conference because it was being hosted by a church that he felt was too white. As a fellow man of color, I am sickened by this display of racism, and it makes me truly wonder what is being taught at Life Center. It certainly didn’t sound like the word of God to me. God sees our hearts and not our colors, and a pastor condemning fellow believers because of the color of their skin is reprehensible. The goal of the conference was to bring us all together to maintain one unified voice and to mobilize God’s people in God’s way. What I observed was certainly not God’s way.

Highlands Cafe Menu with Prices 4700 Highlands Way, Birmingham

Located inside the Church of the Highlands Grants Mill campus. I saw two separate cafés inside the church while I was there visiting. I enjoyed, and appreciated, the complimentary coffee provided by the church in the lobby before last week’s Easter service. They had both regular and decaf available. I had a cup of regular before services began. Thank you! After church, I decided to step in to one of the cafés and get a latte. I had a white chocolate mocha latte for $2. There was a line, but the volunteers kept it moving. The service was friendly and efficient. My latte was also very good. Having a café is not a reason that I would attend a specific church, but it is certainly a nice feature. I’m going to give someone my coffee money anyway, and I’d much rather give it to the church to do the Lord’s work. No negatives here.