Imago Dei Church

This church offers a children's study group, which I love. Free babysitting for an hour. Its a small cozy church to be part of. Everyone there is very friendly and welcoming. Pastor Michael goes around and talks to everyone, making sure everyone is doing well or needs a prayer.

Pastor Michael delivers an exceptionally clear and well-explained sermon. He is never sanctimonious or condescending, but enthusiastic to reveal both the biblical meaning of the chosen gospel passages and, even more powerfully, its historical context. Often the biblical relevance is obscured by the passage of so many years but as Michael reveals the contextual significance, its meaning with respect to our lives becomes clear. I believe that Michael is the finest example of a caring, engaging, and believing pastor that I have ever had the pleasure of listening to. If you are searching for a gospel oriented, relevant, non-condescending, and energetic ministry, I truly believe you cannot find one better than “Imago Dei Church.” Give it a try. You will not regret it! Neil Miller.

I had almost given up on the idea of going to church. I explored several churches over the years and none of the sermons grabbed me. Then, I came to Imago Dei Church. In Pastor Michael’s sermons, I have been delighted to see the meaningful relevance of the Bible to this present time. Through his sermons, the words in the Bible seem to speak directly to my life. Since attending Imago Dei Church, more and more, I have come to understand why Christ matters to me and I have seen my desire to seek God deepen.

So why Imago? Because there are so many different reasons why someone might be called by God to attend one church or another and so many different options, I couldn't presume whether Imago or another church might be right for someone else. But there are two reasons that stand out from my own experience that I'd like to share as you or someone you know might be making this decision: -Pastor Michael. If you read the reviews of Indelible Grace Church (where Pastor Michael used to preach) and Imago Dei Church, where he now preaches, it's unequivocally clear that Pastor Michael is blessed with an exceptional gift for preaching the gospel. His incredibly compelling storytelling of historical facts and events to make the accounts of the Bible come alive with intuitive and immersive context, his profound Biblically-rooted insights that help parishioners grow in their journey with God and apply Biblical lessons in new and nuanced ways, and his ability to naturally weave in his own intensely personal stories of suffering and growth (or relevant movie references, scientific studies, or books he's recently read), all have served to help me and others understand the Bible with incredible clarity and come alive in our walk with Christ. I've been fortunate that in my random church hopping over the years I've had the privilege of hearing sermons by amazing speakers like Tim Keller and J.D. Greear, and I say this without exaggeration that I have found Michael equally exceptional and impactful in his preaching. But it's not only his preaching that makes Michael an exceptional pastor - he has also been an unwavering loyal friend, who married my wife and I; counseled us through many challenges that come with marriage and parenting; engaged in countless intellectual discussions re: apologetics, especially at times when I seriously questioned my faith while at the doorstep of suicidal despair; and even babysat our toddler when we were at wit's end due to COVID-related childcare disruptions. It is through this friendship, and more broadly through many Christian relationships, that I have been able to learn vicariously from other people’s approach to their own Christian journeys and see firsthand what it means to love and be loved as Christ loved us. -Community. At the moment, Imago is a church plant, comprised of a small but committed group of about ten Christian families, ranging from newborns and toddlers all the way through millennial/Gen X parents and grandparents. Everyone serves the church in various ways and folks also hang out and help each other outside the church. But for the most part, if you pick any decently well-run church, you’ll find each church does mostly the same things. But what I have found to be especially true here at Imago is a sincere and earnest atmosphere of trust and safety. Without going into detail, many of the families here have experienced the painful brokenness that can come from a devastating split within the church and the exodus that often follows. And in the ultimate irony that is so quintessentially Christian, God has found a way to redeem and create beauty out of our suffering and led many of the families here to establish this church. Even though Imago itself is young, many of the families have known each other for years and have a deep and abiding love for one another - the kind of distinctively Christian love that stays committed even amidst sin and suffering, and that is critical to our marriages, our families, and our churches. And while nothing in this world is thoroughly without sin or perfectly safe, I couldn’t imagine a community of other Christians that I could trust more or feel safer around. Anyway, if you’re looking for a church with exceptional preaching, a devoted pastor, and/or a strong culture of community, trust, and safety, please come visit Imago someday! And if you happen to remember this post and want to say hi, I’d love to chat and hear what led you to come visit Imago and where you are in your Christian journey.

The church members are super friendly and approachable. I always enjoy Pastor Michael's sermons! He keeps it interesting with lots of stories to help us understand the gospel better.