How He Loves

After "church shopping" the past four weeks, I think I have found a church to call home. I enjoyed attending First Presbyterian with my extended family, but it's just so different from what I'm used to that it didn't feel like home. In looking for a non-denominational church where I could meet other people my age, I found Athens Church. It is definately a Megachurch. It is a "strategic partner" with North Point Ministries, which has three campuses in Atlanta. Athens Church has its own pastoral staff and events, but the speakers are streamed in via video. In that, their main focus is weekly Community Groups, rather than the weekly sermon.

At first I was a little wary of the extent of production of the worship service. As it takes place in a Performing Arts Center, they have access to lots of lighting equiptment, and boy do they use it. I loved it, because it was like a major event, but was afraid of it taking over the actual worship element. But I think it seems to work. The new technology and production brings in a younger crowd of people (especially UGA students) that wouldn't feel comfortable in all of the traditional churches in Athens. It is a great ministry that would otherwise be unfilled in this college town. And since I'm all for multigenerational churches, I was pleasently surprised by the number of older members I saw. Athens Church does not seem to have alienated other generations by creating a environment friendly to the 18-44 year-olds who often feel out-of-place at church.

Music choice is one of the main things I pay attention to in a church. I figure being theologially sound is a main priority, but music choice is how I pick from multiple good choices. During this Sunday's service, I found myself thinking "I just need to find a church that plays 'how he loves.' You know they have a good program if they recognize the amazingness of that song. I'll be at the right place when I find somewhere that sings that." Cue worship leader starting to talk about the love of God, and the guitarist to start playing familiar cords... I felt the love of God in the blessing of confirming my place at Athens Church. And I'm even going to a Community Group tonight.


He is jealous for me
Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree
Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy
When all of a sudden
I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory
And I realise just how beautiful You are
And how great Your affections are for me

And O how He loves us
Oh, O how He loves us
How He loves us all

Yeah He loves us
O how He loves us
O how He loves us
O how He loves

We are His portion and He is our prize
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes
If grace is an ocean, we're all sinking
So Heaven meets earth like an unforeseen kiss
And my heart turns violently inside of my chest
I don't have time to maintain these regrets
When I think about the way