Saturday Night at Granger Community Church

Pam and I spent Saturday night in South Bend, since I would be playing in the table tennis tournament at 9 a.m. We decided to go early enough to attend the 5:30 Saturday night service at Granger Community Church. We'd been wanting to attend a service there, and this was our chance.

Granger, which always ranks high among America's most innovative churches, is tightly focused on reaching the lost. There are a number of such megachurches across the country doing some amazing ministry. Last fall while on vacation, we attended another one: Quest Community Church in Lexington, Tenn. These churches magnetically attract unfair criticism for "compromising" the Gospel. But they're reaching people that more traditional churches never touch. Don't get self-righteously petty about that.

Here are some random reflections from Granger:

  • A guy in a cowboy hat, with a high "howdy" quotient, welcomed us on the sidewalk. I liked him.
  • Just inside the door, a big line had formed at the cafe/coffeeshop.
  • The sanctuary was like a big, three-section hotel ballroom, with chairs set up in a sideways format.
  • An impressive number of people--hundreds--for this Saturday night service (with another coming at 7:30).
  • When the band came out before the service started, they were just silhouettes against a white background. Looked cool.
  • The band did a superb instrumental jam for the prelude.
  • We sang two or three songs, and then got right into the message.
  • The sermon series is "Get in the Game." They did an amazing video which put two people inside a shoot-em-up video game. This took time to develop.
  • Granger expends a lot of energy branding each sermon series, and it's impressive.
  • The "Pastor of Life Mission" gave the message. Very energetic dude. I wasn't taking any notes, but didn't notice any traditional structure to his message. That doesn't bother me. I'm a writer who tires of the creativity-challenged "three points and a poem" thing.
  • At least 90% of the people wore bluejeans. Maybe 95%. Bluejeans everywhere. As we walked from the parking lot, with dozens of other people--not a non-bluejean in sight. The worship team, the ministers--bluejeans. True, it was bluejean weather--rainy, chilly. But it was almost like bluejeans was the official Granger uniform, and the prevalence amused me. As for Pam and me: bluejeans.

Posted on May 6, 2008 10:01 AM|

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