Coffee, couches, and the Word.

"Coffee, couches, and the Word."

In three words, my good friend Andrew summed up the experience we all had on Sunday morning at a small, casual church here in Canton. He joined Hannah and I on our journey this weekend, a journey which led us to this relevant, hip, yet personal gathering of believers. Assembling in the renovated end of a seemingly dilapidated strip mall, the congregation of Ekklesia can be summed up in one word: Real.

They like coffee, so they have it brewing from the time they get there to practice until the time the service is over and beyond. It doesn't get put away after the morning "meet-n-greet" time, because he morning is filled with meeting, greeting, and enjoying one another's company in the presence of the Living God. 

Prior to Sunday, I had only ever attended one other church (in downtown Los Angeles) where sitting on a couch for the duration of a worship service was not merely acceptable, it was encouraged. Comfy couches and several arm chairs lined the walls of the small, one-room church facility, where its 25-30 member congregation was able to relax, be open and real with one another and listen to teaching from The Word."

Pastor James spent the morning's teaching hour walking through part of Matthew 5, Christ's Sermon on the Mount. Throughout verses 21 to 48, Christ challenges old ways of thinking and presents the truth from the principle of the Law; "You have heard it said... But I tell you..." Christ wasn't interested in external behavior; He wants our hearts to be full of love, purity, integrity, submission and grace. 

I can't help but draw the parallel between the passage chosen for this past Sunday and my own first impressions of Ekklesia. Often times, and I say this hesitantly, knowing that it's not a blanket, across-the-board statement, our churches become a breeding ground for external behavioral modification. We want to be sure our clothes are acceptable, our music is just right, our facilities are contemporary, etc. But do we miss the heart of what Church, of what ekklesia was intended to look like? Ekklesia is an actively challenging people, both in word and deed, to return to the heart of the issue, to know God deeply, to be changed from the inside out. While Ekklesia is marketed for "those who've given up on church," and could be misunderstood at a first glance, it's real. It's genuine. It's authentic. 

Anyone up for a relaxing, welcoming environment of coffee, couches, and the Word would find Ekklesia refreshing and uplifting. For more information on Ekklesia, see their website here.