Questions & Answers

Church: In The Real is a name that is a bit out of the ordinary.
Absolutely! It is a name I feel that the Lord gave me for this ministry. And I feel we are a bit out of the ordinary as well; so in that respect, it fits. I usually have to repeat it at least twice when I tell someone the name of the church!

What does Church: In The Real mean?
Well, first off, real equals being honest, transparent and genuine. I hear people say all the time they believe in the Bible, 100%, all of it, etc., etc; however, there is a lot about the Bible, even fundamentally that most folks don’t understand! If you can’t understand it, you very well can’t believe it, can you? Belief and understanding go hand-in-hand with each other.
Consequently, you end up with churches full of people who don’t understand a lot of what they are being taught. They are afraid to admit that they don’t understand something; or they are struggling with an issue in their life; and instead of trying to walk in the freedom and authority that we are afforded in Christ, they are walking in some form of a crippled victory; faking it till they make it, so to speak, hoping that by association or osmosis or something, they might eventually become this victorious, more than a conqueror type of person that the Bible talks about.
We think that it may be a better approach for people to be who they are up front; no fear, no judgment…just be REAL! Enough so that they can feel comfortable in not understanding everything about the Bible and God’s will for their life, but that what they do understand can and should be applied to their life consistently. And from that we can begin to expand one’s basis of belief and understanding.

What makes Church: In The Real different from other churches?
We’re not only a place of worship, but a means of learning how to get more from worship. It is our mission to teach how we might make God a part of our busy, ordinary, daily lives rather than just once or twice a week when service is being held. If this sounds more proactive than other places of worship, that is not by accident. We believe that if we will do whatever we can do, then God will do that which no one can (the miraculous)!

How does an individual initiate a proactive approach to their walk with God?
We want to collectively raise the believer’s level of expectation, and thereby their anticipation by expanding and deepening their preparation to meet Him! Not only every time we meet as a group, but every time we pray, every time we worship, and every time we read His Word and meditate on it!

And how can you do that?
The Bible gives very specific steps that an individual can do to be proactive in approaching God on a consistent basis. Prayer and fasting and praise are just a few of those things that we can do to be proactive in our walk.

That sounds fairly simplistic; are people not doing those things now?
I don’t think so, because if more people were, they would be walking in a greater manifestation of victory than they do. Most folks don’t pray until there is an emergency in their life, and they don’t do that because they feel like they’re wasting God’s time just to speak to Him about normal stuff?! That’s an excellent example of not understanding basic Bible concepts because that thought process is contradictory to God’s Word!
Some people don’t pray more often because they think you have to speak a certain way to God not realizing that prayer is simply conversation with Him! Most of all, people don’t incorporate a more proactive approach in their walk because they have not seen consistent results from it!

Let’s switch gears at this point and talk about some of the things that people would like to know if they are visiting for the first time.
Is there a dress code? Well, if there was I probably couldn’t get in! I think if an individual balances comfort and modesty to a certain degree with a touch of cleanliness that should be fine! A No shirt, No shoes, No service is a nice rule of thumb. I’m pretty much a jeans and t-shirts kind of guy, and that’s what I wear for most services. I mean if we’re being real, as the name says, then it certainly has to begin with me. In the past, I’ve done the preacher-in-a-suit thing, and that’s just not me! As a matter of fact, I wouldn’t even use the word preacher where I’m concerned.
And why is that? I’m not knocking that, mind you. There are many successful churches out there with preachers preaching in a traditional manner, wearing suits, and what not…that works for them because that is who they are. I don’t preach; I speak. Some might call it teaching, or reasoning together…and that, I think is a more accurate description of what I do.
But, what does wearing a suit have to do with it? Well, if I’m not a suit guy and I’m wearing a suit, I’m not being honest about who I am for one…and, I’m essentially conveying (consciously or unconsciously) that what I’m wearing makes me different from you! And that’s not honest either…IF there is a difference between me and any other person in the sanctuary, that difference is what God has placed on the inside of me, manifesting itself outwardly and not something I purchased to be seen in!

How would you describe the worship service?
The service in its entirety is WORSHIP! Each aspect of a service should be put together in such a way so as to create a worship experience. For instance, we arrive at church and see others and converse with them as we enter. We begin with the music portion of a service which should be celebratory and praise transitioning into what most people would describe as worship. But that should prepare the congregation to receive the Word and the Word should prepare individuals to receive from the Lord!
But, I suppose by the question, you mean, what is the music portion of the service like?
Yes.
It is contemporary, acoustic-based worship where individuals are encouraged to express themselves by singing along or raising their hands, etc.

What is the role of church leadership?
Even in a small church, it is impossible for one or even two people to do everything. And the leadership as a whole is appointed to do what it takes to make a service happen. We all pray and are more than capable of praying for or with someone, talking with people and even more importantly, listening to them. I don’t think it would be an oversimplification to say we are agents of Grace.

What is the role of the Pastor?
By definition a Pastor is a Shepherd. Shepherds tend the flock; meet the needs of the people; call on them; talk to them; teach them; pray for them; and even give them their space at times. In the modern church a Pastor is the facilitator. It is the Pastor’s responsibility to cast and recast the vision of the church, to make sure that any and all aspects are covered…all the I’s are dotted and all the T’s crossed, so-to-speak. Ultimately, any failure will be laid at his feet and (rightfully so) any success will be to God’s glory!