New Life Church - SW Campus — Attraction in Bakersfield

Tl;dr: No worship allowed. :/

A little bit about me:

I was a pastoral ministry major at Moody theological seminary. I was classically trained in ballet for over 10 years.

I'm not an attention seeker, the book that impacts my worship the most is Bonhoeffer's "Life Together".

I walked to the back during worship and felt watched... I looked around for a space away from everyone. I walked into the narthex, looked around but it was still a very social space and there were too many eyes, it would be disruptive. Even weirder, I was not-so-subtly followed by a man who was clearly mean-mugging me.

I walked back in to the service at stayed at the back in the corner, looking for solitude. I took my shoes off in a holy space, in a place not near anyone, not really in anyone's view - and I began worshipping Christ with the congregation. Something COMMONLY practiced in the Bible. At this point I was doing little more than pacing, hands up, bouncing on my toes.

So quickly I was decended upon by an ego-tripping "security". He growled at me: "You better go sit down, boy." (I'm nearly 30) "You can't be jumpin' around like that." I went to go sit down.

The sermon was great, but a pastor is only as impactful as the church let's them be. The message was clear before the sermon began - no worship allowed.

It's best to not take these things personally - kick the dirt from your shoes. Just wanted to give a fair warning to those who worship...

" Rude & disrespectful " On 7/14/2018 , In Loving memory of Simon Prieto . I was asking for donations for a family funeral standing at the corner holding up one sign and I had taped the other to the utility box there on the corner. A man who was driving a wine color Nissan LP# 8COT583 came up to me and told me to get my signs and go across the street. This man talked to me with rudeness of almost like he disliked my race. When I asked him why he wanted me to cross the street if i was just standing on the side walk near the light. I kept getting a tone from him that was very rude so I then asked his name. I asked if he owned the property he said he did. I told him i was not harming him or destroying his property however i tried to explain to him my reason for being there and he showed no human kindness . I asked him if he was a man of god, why would he being a MAN talk to me with such disrespect in his voice? It sad when people pretend to be followers of god and are just disrespectful heartless people . This man had no need to speak to me with the tone and attitude . I even asked him why he felt he had to talk to me in such an ugly way ? He just turned and walked away . Yes I left but I feel it was ugly of that man to be so rude . However I asked his name again and he drove off parking towards the back end of this church he was talking to what looked to be a couple of men in a...

During a very hard time, I left a very large church here in town and took my 3 small children at the time here. It was call New Life Center with Pastor James and Lydia Ranger. My children and I was welcomed with loving arms. My girls joined the children's choir right a way. Leaving our troubles out, we got to learn and serve our Lord with peace. Singing at the relay for life and the street fair was so amazing as my Stephanie lead the choir. Now they are all grown up, I'm looking for someone in the oildale eaia who could pick me up on airport drive and allow me to get a ride to and from church. As I'm in the middle of moving back to the SW side and praying, standing, and believing for my children to return back to their childhood teaching in our Lord. Thank you for hearing me. I'm looking forward to returning to New Life Center. Much...