Megan Blair: Hosanna

October 03, 2004

Hosanna

I went to church at Hosanna in Lakeville this morning. My friend Britt graduated last year and is living in Minneapolis, and she is looking for a church. Also, my suite-mate Julie doesn't like any of the churches in the area either. They asked me to visit Hosanna with them, so I did.

Hosanna is an ELCA church, but their website aligns with my views more than the ELCA's views. I don't think I would ever join an ELCA church again, but I don't mind visiting. I think Julie and Britt both still feel attached to the ELCA even though they too disagree with it.

It's a pretty huge church -- I think they said they had about 4000 members. Their sanctuary is much like a large auditorium, with a stage in front, flanked by two theater-size screens. The music and message were both quite good, but everything seemed more like a performance than worship. The worship leader played an over-mixed guitar and bore an eerie resemblance to Michael W. Smith. The two (yes, two) keyboard players were frighteningly thin, bleached blond women wearing an absurd amount of makeup. And the singers sang in four part harmony with just the right amount of reverb to make them sound like a full-fledged back-up gospel choir.

We discussed the service over lunch. Both Britt and Julie came away with the same feeling that I did. I invited them to come to Evergreen with me next week.
"What denomination is that again?"
"Great Commission Ministries."
"Greek what?"
"Great. Great Commission. As in 'Therefore go and make disciples of all nations...'"
"Oh."
I didn't get a definite answer. But I'm going back to Evergreen next week, and I will extend the invitation again between now and then.

------
Quote of the Day:
"Party at Mount St. Helens." The news announcer on the radio, before describing how tourists are getting as close as possible to the rumbling volcano, and some are even having tailgate parties.

Posted by Megan at October 3, 2004 09:50 PM

Comments

You go Megan. And drag them with you, kicking and screaming :)

Posted by: Matt Heerema at October 4, 2004 09:42 AM

Your post caused a bit of nostalgia.

I used to go to Hosanna's high school group, Crossfire, with some friends from high school. We'd attend morning service in Jordan at 8am and morning Bible study at 9:30am there too. Then we'd cram into two cars (Luke, Tony, Rox, Natalie, sometimes Adam, Cassie...), attend Hosanna, go to Perkins, and take a scenic route home while cranking DCTalk, Caedmon's Call, Sonic Flood, Newsboys and such. Later, Cassie would pick up the willing few at 9:30pm to drive to Bethel College for midnight Vespers. I distinctly remember doing my homework by flashlight on the ride there. It was crazy.

Hosanna's style for Crossfire worked well for young, energetic teenagers whose life experience left a minimal range of deep spiritual questions or doubt. It got us charged up. It got us listening to the deeper personal testimonies of the group's guest speakers. But I understand how it lacks depth for some. Its format attracts those who've only been attracted by the trapping of the world up till that point. They create a church that's "cool" to attend, and they bring many people to Christ that way. It's what some people need that before getting deeper.

Posted by: Laura at October 4, 2004 03:35 PM

This post brings up a question in my mind. How honest and vulnerable can you be in a blog that you know will be read by people your blogging about. I mean, what would Britt or Julie think if they were actually members of Hosanna and had invited you to their church? Or would you just not have been as open with your thoughts.
Just wondering.

Posted by: Tim at October 4, 2004 05:00 PM

I guess I'm usually a little too open and honest.
I probably should have emphasized the fact that Hosanna was really a pretty awesome church. As I mentioned, both the music and the message were quite good. From the church's membership numbers and the full sanctuary, it is obviously ministering to an enormous amount of people. In those respects, Hosanna was a wonderful church.
It just wasn't my style.

Posted by: Megan at October 4, 2004 06:50 PM