I Heart Keystone Church

We have been going to Keystone Church for the last 3 months and we joined this past weekend! It is a crazy wonderful place! If you live nearby and don't have a church home, you MUST come with! You will NOT be the same! I have been SO impacted and challenged
in the short time we have been there.

http://www.keystonechurch.com/

I thought I put together a list of the things I love about Keystone:

Atmosphere.
This church really IS as friendly as they say they are!
We have been warmly welcomed on SO many levels.
In fact, we casually met a couple during the welcome time one service and we had an email
from them inviting us to their small group an hour after church! Not sure how they remembered our names and got our email...
but that was impressive!
The building feels so warm....and it really has everything to do with the people.
I'm excited to be a part of this team.

The music.
Oh my goodness....don't get me started!
Brian and his team have incredible talent and God uses them to just draw you right into his presence. I'm not sure I have ever had more intense worship experiences than I have at Keystone. I constantly have a new "favorite" Keystone song...
because its words are just so powerful.
Here is the current one I'm stuck on...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2n3NLkCe0eQ

The messages.
It is SO evident that God has a calling for Brandon to pastor a church.
Brandon keeps Keystone SO focused on its mission...
To lead everyone to find a passionate life in Christ.
( I haven't been there long but already have the vision statement down!)
Too many churches waste so much time and money on things that do not matter to the kingdom.
Not the case here.
Brandon says that Keystone doesn't have a mission
but the mission has us.
When you realize how God lovingly redeemed you,
you can't help but share that with others.
We LOVE that he speaks bold truths continually and shows how Jesus' love, mercy and power are so relevant today. I always leave church with my eyes open to a new thought or an area I need to make a change.
You will not find yourself looking at your watch
while Brandon is speaking!

Kids Area.
I love that I hear my kids laying in their beds at night singing songs they have learned at Keystone. I love that they offer an opportunity for my kids to tithe each week. I love that they have a safe and fun place to learn about God each week.

Creativity and Purpose.
For example, Keystone gave out Red T-Shirts that say "Ask me about Christmas Eve at Keystone" (with the service times on the back)for their people to wear while they are out and about this month. What a fun and creative way to advertise this service!
The church recently celebrated their 5 yr anniversary. They kicked off the service with Central High's Drum line and gave everyone thunder stix to bang along. I have never banged thunder stix in a church service before!
But, I'm sure God was celebrating his church's 5th birthday too!
Keystone doesn't hand out bulletins or flyers each week. They mention the announcements at the end of the service and then point people to more cost effective ways of communication...email, website, facebook, etc.
You can tell that thought and purpose goes in to the way things are done there.

I just love it. It is just what I need.