Sunday July 31 @ First Baptist of Atlanta, GA

Okay, this place is huge. In it’s former lifetime, the building was Avon’s (you know, makeup?) main warehouse. Over the past few years, its been transformed into a church/television studio/theater/diner/climbing wall. Kinda like Staples- “yeah, we’ve got that!” Your first impression (after parking the camper in the next time zone and catching the shuttle bus to the doors of the sanctuary) is that Dr. Charles Stanley must be the pastor. That’s because his picture is everywhere- from the oil painting outside the sanctuary to the bulletin covers and every other book in the church bookstore. I think he’s pretty much got job security. The sanctuary is as much a TV studio as it is a house of worship. Video lights and cameras are everywhere, and if there isn’t a camera near you, there will be during the service. Camera “snipers” are everywhere getting candid shots of worshippers trying to sing with straight faces while knowing that their picture is about to go on national TV (Not our family. After a week of camping, our boys were looking a bit “casual”, unlike the kids in the next row in suits and ties. Yep, they’ll be on TV.) The service centers around the message of Dr. Stanley. Worship, although top notch with choir and FULL orchestra, only lasted 10 minutes. I was just getting warmed up! After some announcements, an orchestral piece, and offertory with a special ensemble song (all very nice), Dr. Stanley delivered a 55 minute, 15 point sermon on “the Extraordinary Life”. It was good, but I personally believe Sparky could have delivered it in 10 minutes. I’ve known about the ministry of FBA for some time (we have friends there), and I’ve come to the realization that their real strength isn’t necessarily Sunday worship. It really is the myriad of other ministries that involve the thousands of people who call FBA their home. A host of Associate Pastors provide the “personal ministry” that congregants need, and literally dozens of associated ministries allow personalized attention to members and the community. There are dynamic teaching seminars, youth and children’s ministries, and a theater ministry (now playing “Fiddler On the Roof”, FBA also presents the annual “Passion Play”, a “must see” for all Atlantans.) It really is a wonderful place to belong, our only disappointment being that we were not allowed inside the nursery. To pick up Nicholas, we literally had to slide a redemption card under the door and wait for staff to deliver him to us. We found that strange, and a little unsettling.