Grace Brethren - Bath Campus

It's a new year and you've got yourself a new, improved, Reverend. And like anything that's labeled "New & Improved!", it's just the same thing with new packaging and a higher price. This guy right here is no different. Actually, you're getting less. I'm starting back up the wandering but probably only every other weekend. As for a higher price, I'm trying to find a way to pass an offering on here. What will I call it? eOffering? iPlate?

Anyways, this Sunday I ended up at Grace Brethren in Bath, Ohio. I have actually been to this church before. I have some family that goes there (What's up, Rains' Family!) and had some friends that attended there for a while.

So why did I end up here this Sunday?

I pulled into the parking lot and can I just say, ugh. I mean, it's a good problem to have, but the parking was kind of crazy. Cars lined up on the street and what not. And it really tested my good Christian patience when the guy who was trying to park in front of me just had to back into his space. It took forever! Sheese! But like I said, good problem to have. . . I guess.

Grace is that church. Which church? That church in your area is the blowing up. I guess quite a few years ago, they were a small struggling church of only a handful of people. Now, they run 2 packed services, just had a huge building project, and if my relatives are right, they're supposed to be expanding again!

Is this why I ended up here?

I was running just a little late and made it in to hear the worship music a-rockin'. Pretty good stuff. Band-wise, I don't think they were better than The Temple, but it's not really about quality and more about leading a good worship, which they knocked out of the park. Songs were great, the people who were leading the music were into it and all were praising the Lord. Good stuff.

Could this be why I ended up here?

Some announcements followed where of course, they were pushing those midweek small groups. And that's why I think this place is blowing up - small groups. I'm telling you, this is where it's at. And any church that does this well is bound for greatness. The benefits to small groups are so many: accountability, relationships with fellow Christians, deeper Bible study, a chance to ask questions, an outlet to serve and organize service, etcetera etcetera. A church that doesn't have a vibrant mid-week small group program (whether they be home groups or at church) is a church that's struggling. It's a church of Sunday-only Christians.

And if you're thinking that's why I went there, you'd be wrong.

Up next was Pastor Jeff, preachin' the word. This guy is pretty good. It seemed to me that he kept is simple enough for those that are new but had enough meaty bits for those seasoned Jesus freaks. Strangely enough, his sermon was on a topic that I had been talking to my good friend Nathan about the night before (God be so funny like dat), which is reading the Bible.

He mentioned that a study took several people who were considered "spiritual" and they were asked what they did that helped make them that way. And of course, the one habit that they had in common was consistent Bible reading.

And of course, it home with me. I've definitely been slacking in the Bible reading department. And it's not like I haven't read it. I've probably read the New Testament several times through and maybe 50% of the Old Testament (I zone out on those "begats" and census's). I think it's a definite lack of a Bible study. I mean, how  many more times can I read it before I'm just randomly memorizing. Or, as my man the Ethiopian eunuch once said, when asked if he understood what he was reading, "How can I understand it unless someone explains it to me!".

I need to find a Bible study.

So after hearing the good sermon, we sang a few more songs and we were Audi 5-0.

Overall, it's a really great place. Friendly people, great worship, awesome preaching, and of course, those pimptastic small groups. What more could you ask for in a church?

But again, was all this the reason that I was there? I mean, I really knew most of it, as I had been there before and know people that go there. So what reason does that leave? You already know the answer: a lady.

Hermeneutically yours,
Rev.