"We learn the Lord's prayer by heart, but the real joy is when we develop a heart of prayer." - Sarah Wilke

This morning, three of my close girl friends and I went to church at this place called The Village. When we got there, one of my friends made a joke and said, "I've never watched a church service on the big screen before!" I was so confused by her comment, I had to ask what the heck she was talking about. I had assumed this contemporary non-denominal church was much that like that I'd been to around my own college campus. Interestingly enough, it was nothing like that I'd ever been to before. Their motto was, "one church on three campuses." Basically, there are three different locations of this mega-church, yet only one preacher. And apparently, he's pretty famous. After the opening worship, singing, and announcements were made, the lights were dimmed and the on the screens ahead, Matt Chandler appeared and began his weekly sermon. 


After we passed the six parking directors (all relatively young and attractive by the way), and followed the line of cars in to find a parking spot, we got out and noticed a stunning pattern around us. All of the people getting out of their cars, walking towards the church, seemed rather young, and very attractive. Everyone was dressed as if they could have appeared in a magazine, and also seemed to be with a group of close friends or with a significant other and a young child. Upon entering the church, we were not even let into the main sanctuary because it was full. We were ushered into a smaller over-flow room, yet it could still could seat around 300 people. The most ironic part of this was that The Village is on Walnut Hill Rd, which is really close to a couple of the surrounding churches that PT works with. The church around the corner that hosts our PT after school program for many inner-city kids who don't have the luxury of being able to afford multiple pairs of shoes, or enough outfits to make it through the week is the backyard for this church that is thriving and expanding with new and seemingly high-class members. 

Life is so crazy. 


Listen to this --> Safe by Phil Wickham :)