Faith Life Church

You can read the interview with Pastor Larry of Faith Life church here.

Faith Life Church
4902 E Busch Blvd
Tampa, FL 33617

(813) 985-7336

Contact:Pastor Jane Hillman McDonnough

Book Recommendation: The Blessed Life: The Simple Secret of Achieving Guaranteed Financial Results

Religion: Christian

Denomination: Non-Denominational

Web Page: http://www.flctampa.org

Sometimes it's hard to know just what to say about a religion that you encounter. When you hit so many in a row, the unique things really stand out. I can remember clearly sitting through my first Catholic Mass, or when I sat in on a Shia Islamic service. They were unique from my experience, and so they stand out.

With so many varieties of Christianity, it seems to get a little harder. It's not that each service or pastor isn't unique, or even that their services are the same - they're not. I recall each one clearly. But how do you convey what makes them different?

I can just go down the list and say "Christian rock music, sacramental service of bread and grape juice, sermon", and call it done. It would be accurate, if sparse.

When I first entered Faith Life church, what stood out as their "unique element" was on the front table. There were conferences for how to manage your finances, with a healthy coating of Christianity. There was a group for Christian women to meet and share their experiences and faith as believers. There was an Iron on Iron meeting being setup for men to do - I guess the manly things they do together. Like, sweat or something.

There are groups for children. Every age, every gender, every need was being met, and in that was included the word of Jesus as the basis for the solution for whatever was plaguing you in your life.

The service seemed to match the same level of commitment to meeting the needs of the congregation, while emphasizing that common thread - a faith in Jesus - throughout. For their sacrament service, each person was giving a small plastic cup of grape juice and what looked like an oyster cracker. Usually, in other services, each person would take their Eucharist or bread and water and take it, then pass it down. This congregation, though, waited until each person had been given their cup and cracker, and then - and only then - did Pastor Jane bless it, and the congregation partook as one.

After the service, there were a set of people being baptized - a young man and a pair of adult males. And, again as one, the congregation watched and participated in the newly baptized members happiness.

I know I talk a lot about my fascination about how each group creates and maintains community, whether that be through shared doctrinal beliefs, or a shared sense of service, or other techniques. Sometimes, though, the simplest techniques are the most effective: just make sure everyone is doing something in the group, that they all have someplace to go.