Biltmore Baptist Church

Big church. What did we think?


Walking in is like going to the mall or a concert. You drive up in a long line of cars all headed to the same place. You pull into a long driveway, greeted by nice landscaping and ultimately a sea of parking with the building off in the distance. Attendants in vests flag you into your parking aisle and parking space. Lugging Owen's carrier across the parking to the entrance was not a welcoming experience.


The lobby is a double height space. They have marble tile on the floors and fancy kiosks set up for various ministries. It feels like a Mariott or Sheraton conference center. We continued to follow the crowd (mooing occasionally) and entered the ... what do you call that thing? Not a sanctuary. It isn't a convention center, exactly. They have tried to dress it up, but it looks and feels exactly like what it is: a metal building. They have dressed up around the structural frame with sheetrock and hung banners around the room. They have a big platform for the performances, and a baptistry at the front. The proportions feel a little off as the width feels greater than the depth of the space.

LeAnn and I keep comparing the service to a Gaither or Southern Gospel concert. It was big, well-produced, and entirely comfortable to us in content and style. I just kept getting the feeling that everyone in the room was comfortable with their lives and their church. I think that it would be difficult to convince the people of Biltmore that they ever needed to change to engage the community differently. They have a style and formula that has worked and they will stick to it.

We passed 3 classes dedicated solely to 4-year-olds on the way out. I have no doubt that they have tremendous programs for our family.

I started this post about a month ago, and never finished it. I am not quite sure why; I just don't have much to say about Biltmore. I guess that says a lot.

Bryan

Covenant Community

We have been to a few churches, but I am finally getting around to my review of Covenant Community.

Worship: Grade A-. The music was good. Our first visit was a youth Sunday, so we have seen the youth band and the regular band. LeAnn thought it was a little loud, but overall ok.

The communication methods seem right to me. They mix in A/V, current topics, a casual speaking style that gets to the point. They don't beat you over the head by repeating the same thing 7 times. They don't bother to alliterate the points of the sermon. They are vulnerable, and they base everything they say on Scripture. The meeting time is great for us; service is at 9:45 and you are out before 11. The kids meet during worship, so we were headed home by 11.

Minus points on the facility. I understand having a space set up for multi-media, but it might as well have been a small auditorium/multi-purpose room in a hotel or conference center. I miss architectural cues that spell out a place of worship. I miss natural light. I didn't like staring at that huge black wall.

Nurture: Grade B? I noticed that they have an active prayer ministry. The youth group looks and sounds great. The only discipleship vehicle they have is the small group, which meets in various locations at different times of the week. I never heard them mentioned during the service. The kids class seemed fine to us; Lily remembered her class lesson fairly well. I would have to research this more for a better idea.

Evangelism: Grade A? Covenant has been doing the contemporary thing in Asheville for 15 years. They have sent people off to other churches. Their band pretty much left en masse to go to Seacoast. I had read about Covenant and their outreach and ministry in the paper prior to even thinking about visiting. They have a specific mission, and they are trying to make themselves into a church that is intentional in fulfilling the command of Christ in Matt. 28.

Overall? They are located roughly 14 miles from our house. We go through two high school districts to get to them (from Enka, across Roberson, to Reynolds.) They are a Methodist church. While they are probably on the conservative end of the Methodist spectrum, that makes them moderate to me. I have a few hangups (see below) that I would have to get past.

I think if they were closer I would investigate further; LeAnn and I agreed that if they were Baptist we would probably make the drive. As it is, we will keep looking for now.

Owen & LeAnn

We got a great picture out of the boy this weekend.

Back in Business

I have been wrapped up in home/work/etc. and have not had the mental space for blogging.

Back to it now.

Bryan