5 /5 Bob Robinson: We have been members of the TCC for a couple of years now and I have to say it is a church community unlike anything we’ve ever experienced. Unlike other church communities we’ve been members of, our Sunday gatherings are not centered around a sermon. Instead, pastors engage in dialogical preaching, where the real transformation and power comes from our dialogue after the Sunday teaching, where a microphone is passed around for anyone who wants to share their experiences and perspectives (no pressure) on what was taught. Everyone has a voice and everyone’s perspective is valued.
Another aspect of this church community that we love is that we are not bogged down by denominational doctrine. Instead, we are free to wrestle with things we’ve been taught in the past that we may or may not agree with. It’s freeing to be able to engage in conversation about the Scriptures and validate other’s perspectives, regardless of whether or not we agree with each other. If our goal is to learn from each other, as opposed to simply being right, we can engage in meaningful and loving conversations with people inside and outside of the church. That is what is encouraged at TCC.
With that being said, we have a passion for staying true to biblical interpretation and deep study of Scripture, while also taking into account some of the church’s earliest statements of faith, such as the apostle’s creed. Chris and Julie, shepherds of TCC, have incredible biblical knowledge and have served in ministry for nearly 30 years. They’re some of the most loving and serving and compassionate people you will ever meet.
I haven’t met a more compassionate and non-judgmental group of people than at TCC. I’ve experienced an overwhelming amount of love there and have forged lifelong friendships. We don’t claim to be even close to perfect – we simply strive to love Yahweh with all our hearts, and love each other and our neighbors. That is the guiding principle of our church. If you’re looking for a church to be led by it’s politics and not the Bible, then this community is not for you.
We also recognize that many people have been emotionally and even physically abused by church members in their past. It is no wonder that churches are becoming less and less filled. Many people at the Cove have experienced abuse, legalism, and lack of compassion at their former churches and I truly believe that Cove is a sort of refuge that we can come to without fear of judgement. If that is you, please come check out our community. You will be welcomed with open arms.
