Real Church

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          Timeless or trendy? Malls are trendy. Churches should feel timeless. With the forceful current of constant change sweeping over every part of our lives, people have the need to connect with something enduring and firm. We believe Christ designed the church to fulfill that need by representing an eternal kingdom and ageless truth with no need to imitate the culture. We want you to know that there's still a church that feels like a church. It won't feel like a rock concert, comedy club, or motivational seminar. It's not old-fashioned, as in 50 years ago. It is timeless, as in 2000 years ago.

          Dynamic, passionate preaching straight from Bible still brings more lasting change than comedy routines, drama, or motivational talks. Come discover the benefit of Bible preaching.

          Preaching summons up a lot of different images in people's minds these days. Boring. Dry. Irrelevant. May we clarify it a bit? Preaching is simply passionate and dynamic communication of an important and vital truth from the Bible. The preaching you hear will first of all be Bible-centered. We still believe in the absolute truth of the time-tested Word of God. Be sure to bring your Bible because you will need it. Second, it will be relevant and clear. You won't wonder what the point was, and you will be able to use it immediately. Last, it will be passionate and unapologetic. In a culture of "believe-whatever-you-want-regardless-of-whether-it-is-actuallyy­ true," preaching might seem offensive to sensitive ears. Rather than water it down and mix it with entertainment, we still believe in that timeless, biblical practice called preaching.

          Most church music amounts to dumbing down the lyrics and cranking up the volume to build interest. The hymns we sing still generate an attitude toward God that is anything but lifeless and boring.

          Have you noticed that church just does not sound like church anymore? The latest music trends rule the pew, and no one really knows where that will stop. Isn't it amazing how rock stations can make it promote the oldies, but the modern church is now scared of hymns? Even the oldies stations want the music pure, but if today's church includes a hymn, it has to be reworked in modern rock to be accepted. We still believe the hymn is the most truthful and exciting form of music used in the church. Where it is appreciated, it is not boring. Even the hymnal is alive and well. Public schools know that if you want the most learning and participation, give the kids a book. Don't get us wrong. We love new music, and we like it to be loud. We just enjoy the volume coming from the congregation rather than from the guitar speaker. Come rediscover the excitement from the hymns.

          Casual is all the rage in American institutions, but God deserves better. While you will not find a judgmental spirit here, you will find a place that still believes reverence is right for the presence of God.

          American culture has become obsessed with casual, which has invaded every major institution, including schools, businesses, and courtrooms. Each of these has already lived to regret it. It is rare to find a classroom or courtroom that promotes "dress as you want" and "drink as you please." On the other hand, it is just as rare to find a church that does not. We still believe that the presence of a Holy God deserves our attempt to express respect and reverence, not because it impresses Him, but because it affects our own hearts and attitudes.

Reverence is a fading virtue in America, not because God no longer deserves it, but because churches no longer promote it. While we believe God deserves our best, we don't become the judge of what that is. We think a judgmental spirit is worse than casual dress. Come discover how refreshing reverence can be.

          The rumor that masculine men hate church isn't entirely true. Come discover an environment where plenty of real men still believe God expects them to step up and provide strong, loving leadership in the church and in their families.

          Look inside most churches today and one of the most notable vacancies is men. In particular, masculine men. We want you to know that's not true everywhere. Fairhaven Baptist Church is called a "man's church" quite often because of the generous involvement of men in every facet. We still believe men are expected to provide strong leadership within the church and their homes. Generations of that kind of leadership is one secret to America's greatness. Feminism would have you think that masculinity demeans the women, yet biblical masculinity is humble and compassionate and values a lady more than life itself. Part of the strong bond among our men is from our weekly Men's Prayer Meeting where men and their boys meet early Sunday morning to pray for our church and their families. Come see a revival of masculinity.

          Our culture's experiments with the family have left the American home in a mess. We still teach the biblical roles for the family as the best answer and as our only hope for stable, fulfilled homes.

          The family has been redefined in America until there seems to be no absolute standard. In fact, the traditional, biblical definition of the home has become the minority. Even the most casual observer would have to admit that the American home is in trouble. A marriage with a mom and a dad whose love for each other grows year by year, surrounded by children who are happy and respectful is little more than a fairytale. Yet, in truth it really is more than a fairytale. It can be a reality, and we still believe the key is the biblical roles for the family. Call them old-fashioned or timeless; the biblical plan still works when people work the plan. Fairhaven Baptist Church is full of homes of various kinds, whether starting out right or trying to restore broken relationships around the proven biblical standard. With an abundance of young families and children, come enjoy a church that is still family.

          God does not need the Top 40 or the latest fads to be exciting. We still enjoy several timeless practices that stir the soul in a way that strobe lights and dancing in the aisles can never manufacture.

          There is a mistaken idea these days that God needs the help of the latest fads and technologies to be considered exciting. The truth about Him just isn't enough; it takes the latest music styles and entertainment trends to bring to life His attributes. Entertainment and true worship don't produce the same results, though. Once a church starts down the path of entertainment, the destination is unpredictable and likely undesirable. What is exciting to the older folks is not tolerated by the younger, and a church becomes divided generationally. That does not quite sound like a church Christ had in mind. We still believe that church can be exciting without borrowing the latest fads to kick-start the crowd. Several practices have been used for centuries, and they have not gone out of style because entertainment is not the standard. It can still be exciting even when it still feels like church.