Epic Church

Epicchurchlv.org
Durango/Warm Springs

We went to Epic church this morning. The main reason we went was to hear Craig Gross. I Twitter the XXXChurch in Las Vegas and Craig is the Pastor of that ministry. So I researched Epic and looked at their website and pastor before we went. Fairly young church (4 years since new pastor, new name, new location) Biblical Statement of Faith.

Their church is in an industrial building right off Warm Springs. It is warm and inviting just like the people. We walked in and it felt like we had been there before. My daughter and I hung out and drank coffee at one of the tables in the lobby. Matt, one of the worship guys, stopped by and introduced himself and then found the youth pastor and brought him to meet us. They both spent some time talking about their ministry and asking questions. It wasn't one of those "sales pitch" conversations either. It was more like talking to friends.

The service was pretty straight forward, 3 worship songs, offering, message, invitation, prayer at the alter at the end. It was nice, comfortable. A mixed congregation, both age and race. Love the comfortable atmosphere in the sanctuary; scattered tables amidst the chairs, a couch in the back. The environment was inviting and relaxing. No one else really talked to us but we didn't feel out of place.

Pastor Jason just did the introduction of Craig Gross so we may want to come back so we can hear him preach. Craig kicked off the marriage series with 6 Ways to Kill Your Marriage.

1. Don't Communicate
2. Forget Your Commitment
3. Be Selfish
4. Ruin the Finances
5. Don't have Sex
6. Don't Work at It

He wrapped into it many of the things his ministry does at XXXChurch.com that help people whose marriage is affected by sexual addiction.

Overall a nice message but not a lot of scripture tied into each point. The Bible was not the central resource and was just used for the opening passage in Ephesians 5 and a supporting passage about sex. Great concepts and accurate but the power of the Holy Spirit is a necessary ingredient to succeeding in any of the areas. Without that you are left to your own devices and self-discipline which leaves our need for God out of the picture. So even though there was time for prayer and for committing yourself to new beginnings it still seemed void of pastoral direction to draw on the strength of God and His power. Implied maybe but not implicitly.