Unconventional Church "Vision" Service
 

https://vimeo.com/182564339

(The link above is to the webcast on Vimeo. You can also find Experience Community webcasts at the church website www.experiencecc.com under the "watch" button)

The Experience Community church is only 7 1/2 years old and has experienced phenomenal growth from a literal handful of people to around 2,500 people being ministered to each weekend over four services (Saturdays 5pm & 7 pm then Sundays 9 am & 11 am). It is an unconventional church in almost every way. Twice a year our pastor Corey Trimble has a "Vision" sermon that puts forth the vision and mission of the church as well as a report on exactly where the money is spent. This past weekends Vision service went beyond that and presented a complete vision of what the "Church" with a capital "C" is in the world and what the "church" with a little "c" means to the individual believer and also the community which the church is to reach for Christ. If you are tired of church as usual or are just interested in a different perspective than you have probably heard before I urge you to watch this webcast. I would love to hear your comments either as a response to this post or in a PM if you prefer once you have watched it.

Re: Unconventional Church "Vision" Service
 

Skimmed the video. So far so good.

So what is their statement of faith? What he would call "the majors"?

Re: Unconventional Church "Vision" Service
 

As a point of clarification I am not offering up this video as a piece to debate salvation doctrine as those of you who are familiar with my posts about this church know it is not a traditional 3 stepper church although it does baptize in Jesus name and believe in the gifts of the Spirit, speaking in tongues, etc.

Rather I thought it would be interesting for folks to get to see and hear in one service the entire philosophy of an unconventional church. At the very least it should be thought provoking.

Re: Unconventional Church "Vision" Service
 

I know many of the people in leadership there.
Good people.
But we do disagree on a few issues.
And I remember when we did not.
And it was not I that changed.

Re: Unconventional Church "Vision" Service
 

It was interesting I did watch the entire clip.
Is he always barefooted? Not a sin just wondering why?
This might be a little touchy but why would he be paid so less? Are there other renumerations such as lodging, expenses, etc?

Re: Unconventional Church "Vision" Service
 

No gimmick on what he is paid. He drives a 2002 Ford Explorer and his hobby car is a 60's Ford Fairlane he bought for a couple of grand and is fixing up himself. Not sure what his wife drives but it is not fancy. I know as the church has grown both the Executive Pastor and Music Director had children born and they have had some modest pay raises.I would hope the pastor's salary would be increased as well. He is just very sensitive about it and believes the staff should not live a lifestyle above the median of the church. It also bothers me that the church does not provide benefits for staff like medical insurance, 401k, etc. I know it was a necessary thing when the church was small but now it should work to provide at least some of those things.

When we moved to where we are now I think 3 1/2 years ago I think the annual income was about $228,000 and is projected to be $2.6 million this year. We spend 20% on outreach / missions outside of our church and then spent $440,000 cash this year on our build out of the new Sanctuary next door. We are debt free but have substantial rent payments for the building. We hope to buy it but are trying to save cash to do so (about $5 million dollars needed for that).

Re: Unconventional Church "Vision" Service
 

No doubt! The same could be said of me by a lot of people.

Re: Unconventional Church "Vision" Service
 

I forgot to answer the barefoot queston. he is only barefoot or in sandals during the warmer months. As soon as it gets cold he will be preaching with shoes on! (he doesn't walk around the church barefoot but slips his sandals off when preaching as he is more comfortable)

Re: Unconventional Church "Vision" Service
 

AUTHENTIC WORSHIP
We believe that all worship begins and ends in a genuine encounter with the person and completed work of Jesus Christ. Salvation is not just found in one or two scriptures, but through a personal walk and relationship with Jesus. We are a community dedicated to Christ's saving grace, constant repentance, baptism as a symbol and public profession of Christ's work, the indwelling & empowering of the Holy Spirit (the fruit and gifts), and the marriage of faith and works as the evidence of genuine salvation. We believe in the deity of Jesus Christ, the Bible as the inspired word of God, and in the power of the Holy Spirit.

AUTHENTIC COMMUNITY
We believe that as Christ-followers we are strongest when we are pursuing Christ with other people. If we attempt to live the Christian life apart from intimate and genuine friendship and fellowship, we are more vulnerable to Spiritual attack and prone to deception. This is why we strive to create an environment in our small groups (Life Groups) where people are allowed to live transparent lives with one another and are safe to confess failures, struggles, and inconsistencies. Authentic community only happens when we give each other permission to be honest without fear of rejection. Life Groups exist to build relationships, discuss and learn the Bible in a small group setting, and give people the opportunity to pursue Christ together as a people united by His grace.

AUTHENTIC COMMUNITY SERVICE
We strongly believe in showing Christ's love through giving generously to our community. 20% of every dollar given to our church is given back to Murfreesboro through projects that directly benefit the city. 5,000, our homeless and low-income ministry, feeds breakfast at a local park every Sunday morning to those in need. The Bar ministry shows the love of Christ through serving hot dogs and water to individuals coming out of the downtown bars off of the square on Friday nights.

Through church wide community service projects such as Yard Day (where we landscape and mow our neighbors yards), Help Portrait (where we provide free professional portraits to families at Christmas time), and the Fall Festival, we work together to get outside of the church walls and show love to our friends and neighbors closest to us.

We also work with Doors of Hope, Salvation Army, Portico Pregnancy Support Center, and numerous other projects and organizations that benefit members of our community. We believe Jesus has called His church to clothe, feed, & care for those who are in need.

The above is our mission statement and I guess works as our "statement of faith".

By majors I believe the pastor means the primary foundational beliefs of Christianity (which I know differ from the foundational beliefs of old time Oneness Pentecostals). Such as belief that there is one God, Jesus Christ is the son of God, that God desired to reconcile man to him and did so through Jesus Christ being the perfect sacrifice for our sins, that we are saved by grace through faith, that the word of God is infallible, etc, etc. Things like that.

Be believe there is room within the church to disagree about prophecy, pre trib vs post trib, and a host of other things that ones salvation is not based on.

If you watch the video you will hear the primary beliefs of our church.

Re: Unconventional Church "Vision" Service
 

Wow so they or you believe old time Pentecostals are not Christians! Thats nice to know.

Re: Unconventional Church "Vision" Service
 

No, not at all. I apologize if my writing was not clear. Did it today while also working in my home office. I just meant what this church considers foundational doctrine is different from what old time Pentecostals do in the sense that for UPC etc pentecostals the three step salvation plan, uncut hair on women, no makeup, etc, etc are considered foundational doctrines. You took quite a leap to say that my church considers those people not Christian. I would say the opposite is actually true. We consider those three step folks brothers in Christ where most of them would not consider us that.

Re: Unconventional Church "Vision" Service
 

I still think a" three step" description is offkey.

Anyway...

Re: Unconventional Church "Vision" Service
 

Flat or sharp?:heeheehee

Re: Unconventional Church "Vision" Service
 

My thought in posting the video was that it was the best sermon I have heard that covers the churches philosophy, approach etc in a A-Z fashion.

Growing up UPC and being either in it or around it for many decades I believe has given me a pretty good insight into old time Pentecosts philosophy and approach to church.

For many UPC and other old time Pentecost folks they look at a church like mine and think they know its philosophy and approach but I believe that many times they really don't. I say that because I have listened to UPC sermons and saints deplore what they believe churches that deviate from traditional church are about and it certainly has never reflected my church. So the idea is not to debate doctrine or convert anybody but just to offer up some insight to a different approach to church.

Re: Unconventional Church "Vision" Service
 

Actually to me the approach is much like the "Jesus people" of the 70's. I knew some of them this seems to be the same philosophy maybe a little more organized?

Re: Unconventional Church "Vision" Service
 

Interesting. I don't know anything about the Jesus People movement of the 70's but can confirm that we are very organized.

Re: Unconventional Church "Vision" Service
 

The format is much of the same. They baptized in Jesus name wasn't a big deal to them but they did it. However they were as the majority not very organized. David Berg came out from them that scandalized the movement but those that I knew were not of his stripe. Doctrine meant very little.

Re: Unconventional Church "Vision" Service
 

It is not that doctrine means very little at my church it is just that we are not going to sit and argue about various views of matters that are not core to salvation. Things like prophecy, church government, etc. We consider ourselves extremely doctrinal in the sense that we go through the bible word for word and deal with everything it says and in context.

Re: Unconventional Church "Vision" Service
 

Well to think there is not much difference in Calvinism & Free Will seems that doctrine don't mean much? Not picking or trying to provoke an argument.

Re: Unconventional Church "Vision" Service
 

Surprised that you knew of the Children Of God. They were the first well organized group I met as a young "Jesus People" believer. They were really hard hitting. There is a video I watch showing them baptizing in Jesus name and praying for a guy to get the Holy Ghost.

I had seriously thought about joining them at one time. Then the truth came out about David Berg. He took what could have been a great group and led many into delusion and destruction. I think he will have one of the worse punishments in Hell.

Re: Unconventional Church "Vision" Service
 

It is funny you mention that because our pastor said last week that someone was talking to him about a relative of theirs who was in bad shape on drugs and a lot of other things and that they were worried about him but not his salvation because he had given his life to Christ many years ago. Pastor told them they might not be worried about his salvation but pastor is!

We are not going to kick somebody out and not fellowship with them because of a difference in belief like this but hope that over time as we go through the bible and they are taught that they will see the error of their ways.

Re: Unconventional Church "Vision" Service
 

I knew some them.

Re: Unconventional Church "Vision" Service
 

I like it. Reminds me of the church my eldest daughter and her husband are starting. Good worship and good word every Sunday.

Re: Unconventional Church "Vision" Service
 

More interesting than the typical Apostolic Church.

Re: Unconventional Church "Vision" Service
 

I have been in some of those typical churches.
Glad my church is not "typical" !

Re: Unconventional Church "Vision" Service
 

I didn't know that church was supposed to be "interesting"? I thought the people were the church? Hey, the local Greek Orthodox church is bound to have one of the most "interesting" services you can imagine!

Re: Unconventional Church "Vision" Service
 

that seems pretty harsh E, i mean a church can't be interesting?

Re: Unconventional Church "Vision" Service
 

Well lets say in "contrast" to the ones around here I would hope they were interesting enough to make it worthwhile to go to. I guess some feel if you shout and have the token message that its a sin to miss a Church service its good enough.

Re: Unconventional Church "Vision" Service
 

When grace is proclaimed, and grace being the person of Jesus, Church is always interesting. A service of the Church is interesting when we get together, build each other up, edify the fellowship, and exalt the Lord! The difference, the Church are the believers and the service is when we get together, and not just in a "church building". We are the Church, and where two or three are gathered together in His name, there He is in the midst of them!

Re: Unconventional Church "Vision" Service
 

yes, that suggests quite a different model than the one we have been given to understand, imo. "Gathered together in His Name" is interpreted as the "why," when it is likely the "how."

Re: Unconventional Church "Vision" Service
 

Actually I enjoyed listening to the vision. He was very clear how they are spending their money. I love honesty above all things. Of course we see some things differently however loved the way he expressed things to the people.

Tell him he would fit in good with my street children they too have no shoes! (ha....)
Hope he likes to joke!

Re: Unconventional Church "Vision" Service
 

Hey Mike, at least Dave was post trib. :laffatu

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqw9...ApocalypseHero

Re: Unconventional Church "Vision" Service
 

:highfive

Re: Unconventional Church "Vision" Service
 

Does he not wear shoes because his Birkenstocks are too tight?

Re: Unconventional Church "Vision" Service
 

LOL!!! I will tell him.

Re: Unconventional Church "Vision" Service
 

He is not a lesbian so no birkenstocks in his closet.

Re: Unconventional Church "Vision" Service
 

Your pastor isn't a Lesbian?
Foot wear could dictate person's perversion?
How odd. What about other foot wear? Does your pastor also teach about other styles of footwear having the ability to cause the wearer to sin?
Is that the reason he doesn't wear shoes?

Re: Unconventional Church "Vision" Service
 

I said what I said because when they were popular years ago Birkenstocks were the shoes of choice by lesbians everywhere! At least that was the joke of the day.

Re: Unconventional Church "Vision" Service
 

Joke of the day in Hooterville Junction? :heeheehee

Re: Unconventional Church "Vision" Service
 

I don't think Austin Texas would be considered Hooterville by anybody. It is the liberal mecca of Texas. The most liberal metropolitan area in Texas and one of the fastest growing cities in the United States.