Verve Kick Off

Before I talk about Verve specifically I wanted to talk about the pilgrimage. It has been a couple of months now and so I took some time this week to reflect on what I have been experiencing so far. Have you ever done one of those cleanse routines where you take a couple of weeks, drink lots of vitamin stuff and water? Somewhere during the middle of the first week your senses become heightened. Smells, flavors, everything is just sharper. Well that is how it feels to me right now. It feels like some of the things I've always feasted on where clogging the system (excuse the mental picture) and some of the things I didn't even realize are now sharp and poignant. In conjunction with that new-found alertness I also had to deal with my internal evaluation system of church. I must be honest and say it was a lot about me and what I was experiencing. Which is not all bad but never-the-less not very objective.

So with those two things realized this is how it is playing out in the pilgrimage: 1) When the Holy Spirit fills a place it is undeniable. It evokes emotions with no music or spoken word. You just know. But equally striking are the times when His presence is absent, which is also undeniable, and sad. And 2) It has become less about how I am treated as a first timer and more about how a church treats each other. Are their faces open and searching out a chance to be approached. Are they family or a group of people?

Now on to Verve and the long anticipated opening of this new church. As a seasoned Christian still seeking growth and depth I may not find it here from the pulpit but I would get a fresh perspective on everything I have ever been taught. I would find a ton of opportunities to minister to others, not through organized programs (and I got the impression that is exactly what is expected of me) but I could easily turn to someone and have a conversation about God and feel I had the right to do that. There was this unspoken permission to reach out to whomever God speaks to me to reach out to, whether I am a trained member of the "leadership team" or not.

Cool, trendy atmosphere, laid back staff all over, very inviting but not canned or polished. And apparently pretention was not a word in anybody's vocabulary at Verve, from the pastor, each member of the band, to the greeters. They really like each other and they really believe in the mission God has called them to be a part of. Music was pumping, a mixture of acceptable secular and alternative Christian. I liked the drama presentation and use of media to interact with the audience. The parable told with flash cards at the front while the band sangs was very moving.

The one thing I did miss about today was interactive worship. The band was great and I thought the songs they picked had a powerful message. You could sing along but it was definitely more of a concert feel than a worship service. In the context of what they are trying to do I had to ask myself, "If I had never set foot in a church before or this whole church thing was fairly new, would I want to stand and lip synch songs I didn't know to a God I wasn't sure was really there or would I want to sit and read words on a screen while listening to talented musicians?" I seriously was OK with it because their heart is to reach the lost and unchurched lost at that. Then that got me to thinking we have institutionalized worship just like we have institutionalized church. Who said worship is three songs, everyone knows, sung fast to slow. Familiarity breeds contempt right? I have to admit I did focus a lot more on the words than usual. Again it isn't about me.

Vince Antonucci is great. He is funny, he loves God, he is dedicated to sharing the message of Christ to those on the fringe. Biggest thing, he is dedicated to doing this mission no holds bar. How many pastors do you know would leave their successful ministry and move across the country, live and work in a community for a year, then start a church already having its own building, and plan 3 weekly services off the bat? They are the most together church plant I have ever seen. And wisely so. Who, in the business of Las Vegas, has the patience to try out "church" and then trudge through mediocrity in search of a truth they are not even sure exists? It makes sense to do it the "Casino" way; open with a bang and make sure everyone knows you are committed to the customer.

The message was very clear; Jesus loves us and wants more than anything to have us turn to him. I enjoyed hearing Vince's personal story and illustrations. But my favorite part of today, and a huge testimony to the critics who say he will compromise truth to drawn in the lost, was communion. Vince took the time to explain communion in a very real way and I thought it was gutsy and beautiful.

Pray for this ministry. It definitely is not a church for the traditionalist...well maybe it would be good for some traditionalists to go to this church a couple of times. It is what it bills itself as, "A church for those people who don't like church." Paul says, I have become all things to all people so that I may win some. Pray that God blesses and guides and strengthens this ministry to those on the fringe searching for hope.