What can I expect on my first visit?

If you were to visit the Heart of Life Church this Sunday morning, the scene would be common to regular attendees, but not typical for some churches and especially not what you might expect from a small town church.

As you exit your car and approach the entrance of the building, several people would greet you. Some of these people hold the title of “greeter” and would give you a worship guide for the week. These “greeters” will give you more than a casual “Hi, how are you”. They are the kind of people who will make you feel comfortable and help you find your way around. If you have children, they will personally bring you to the children’s area. While you are attending the worship service, your child will worship by singing praises, hearing and participating in a Bible story, completing a craft that reinforces the story they heard and by spending some time having fun with their friends. It is evident from the caring staff, that your children are a high priority to this group of people, just as they are to you.

The gathering area is full of people enjoying coffee, donuts and conversation before the start of the celebration. The area is alive, like the atmosphere at a stadium before a big game. As you enter the worship area you would notice a few things about the room itself that definitely are not commonplace in small town churches. There’s a Newsboys video playing on the projection screen and the room is filled with music and the conversation of the people. There aren’t any pews like most traditional churches, but instead cushioned chairs. At the Garden City campus you will notice the carpeting on the floor has lines in it that mark off basketball courts that are used for Upward Basketball. Upward is a youth basketball league and ministry of the church. This facility is used for practices and games throughout the week during the winter months. 

As you look more intently at the worship guide, you will notice a phase across the top: “Heart of Life”. This phrase also appears on many other church publications. For this group of people, Jesus is the one who fills that inner hunger for more. He maximizes life, and the desire is to share that life with everyone. Jesus is the “Heart of Life”. 

As the service starts you realize the music is much different here as well. The worship team is comprised of a full band (guitars, bass, drums, keyboard and vocalists) and will lead worship through all types of music. It is not unusual to sing a song from Passion or Third Day and then go right into a very familiar hymn with a very modern feel. Contemporary means current and up to date, and the music is just that. As the pastor takes the platform that is in front of the stage, you see that he’s not wearing a suit and tie. He’s dressed just like the rest of the congregation: nice, but casual. As Pastor Jeff Funderburk gets into the message you understand that this is a casual atmosphere fueled by some serious faith. The whole service is somewhat of a multimedia experience in itself. There is much use of video, computer programs, music and other visual aids to explain and enhance the message. Although the service is different in form and structure from the traditional, the gospel is not lost. Instead, it is amplified through media and illustrations in order to convey the Good News to all.