Seriously has no one every reviewed Reality? It is a large church.
Reality has a loyal following and is well loved. There are two full services.
This is a little more of a review and look and feel to help others searching for a new church home.
It is at a warehouse - Cute inside - no grass of playground area like you find at a "regular" building. I have not been in the youth group area.
Teaching at any Reality church is stellar. Currently Reality has limited live teaching, but they show the teaching that goes on at Reality Carpenteria. I thought this would be weird, but it actually is just fine. NOTE: They are aiming to go to live teaching at some point (maybe a year??? rough estimate.)
Reality services include a long worship set AFTER the teaching. They have communion up front at every service. You are invited to kneel and pray up front - you can lay down or stand. It is NOT wild or messy. Just a space for you do so if you wish.
There are people on sides to get prayer from during worship. I have never got prayer as the music is so loud I don't think I could hear.
Music is loud.
Reality really, really wants to be led by the spirit,and is evident in the lead Pastor's messages. It is a very prayerful church. They don'y operate too much in the gifts of the spirit - yet want to - I have seen there is a concern about going to far, that in response they don't let go enough.
This site more than others is quite homogeneous (blond/surfer.)
Elementary kids:
4th grade (my experience) a lot of bible reading. Large groups. Funny my son almost always complains there is baby teaching at other churches - at Reality he said there is too much bible. Go figure. I love how it is sold teaching.
1st: Different teachers / or lack of lead to a little instability in this age. But that is not a complaint as it takes someone to step up and commit.
Children do music together and then break out. I have never seen then do traditional kids songs (B-i-b-l-e, etc), but do regular worship songs together just with kids.
Children's ministry leaders are really approachable and nice.
Because they are ONE church with others, things like VBS are actually help up in Santa Barbara. They don't follow traditional VBS - they write their own. Not sure reasoning.
Ultimately we did not choose Reality for our home. Which I really wanted as Britt is amazing and I want to be involved in his church.
One reason it we found it hard to connect. I did submit my email to be on list to get newsletters - twice - and was never added. You have to call and really try to get connected. I know I know they will say this isn't true, but it is - even other newish families say the same thing. The music is just too loud and it is distracting. I want a church I can pray in and with the music so loud it is impossible - for me at least, We are not fans of the lead pastor or teaching who may possible take over live teaching. So why get involved and then change down the road. We feel that Reality operates a little heavy on the shame based side. We often felt like they turned about amazing words that were spoken over people and turned them to around in a way that made my spirit cringe in disagreement. This is a bit of a Reality tendency I think, but really evident here in Ventura. I fully know others will disagree. This is our observations.
Overall this is one the BETTER churches in Ventura. I encourage you to try it out! read more