Tired of the show? Us too. And that's why we seek to ground ourselves in something older and deeper, with lots of characters: Tim Keller, C.S. Lewis, G.K. Chesterton, John Knox, John Calvin, Martin Luther, Augustine...
We trace our roots to the Creeds and the Apostles and the first century Christians.
It shouldn't be surprising, then, that Worship is one of our deepest values.
Yet we are also Americans, products of an increasingly post-Christian culture. It is easy to "consume" worship (turning it into a product to suit our spiritual tastes). Or to "ignore" worship (thinking it doesn't really matter).
Both attitudes are deadly.
Here at All Souls, we try to see Worship as a verb - a heartfelt response to a personal encounter with the living God of the Bible; and it can only happen through repentance, belief, and understanding the Gospel. Faith!
But Worship is also a noun - a public ritual that invites everyone (“all souls!”) to reckon with the great claims of Christianity, and with the unbelief that lurks in all of us. Doubts!
A Worship Service should speak to both.
So we align ourselves with the ancient church whenever possible (we tend to be liturgical, to celebrate old truths). But we try hard to do so in a way that is cogent to the questions our culture is asking (down to earth and relevant).
We think the result is pretty unique - a fresh encounter, with an ancient faith. Sacred Americana.
It's probably easier to experience than to explain. The best way to do that is to visit. We see ourselves as a collective of “house churches” - one church, scattered all over the city, worshipping together on Sundays at 10am. Yes, we offer zoom, but really it’s best to join us in person.
Kids are welcome. And so are friends. Curious? Ask how to join in the journey of becoming a real, live, ancient church, here in the heart of Austin.