1 /5 Sara Costa: I rarely leave reviews online, and I have never left a review for a church, but I feel I must do so after my experience here for the sake of any other church seekers in Austin. This is not a church for the seasoned believer who wants in depth, exegetical teaching straight from scripture.
To start with something positive, we were greeted warmly by the welcome team, and the congregation was kind and friendly.
At my previous church, solid, Biblical, exegetical teaching was of utmost importance. Pastors prioritized teaching verse by verse, taking into account the historical context, original language, author, and audience. The pastor at Antioch Austin was teaching from Joshua 1, specifically doing a topical teaching on “How to step into promise.” It was a classic spiritual milky, prosperity gospel, surface deep, topical sermon, that did not take into account original audience, intention, or context at all. Using verse 8 specifically, “. . .For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success,” the pastor drew parallels from this scripture to Antioch Austin, insinuating that —based on this passage— a great promise of prosperity and success were on the horizon for this church body.
The worst part was a very unfortunate and embarrassing story about his wife’s first birth experience that he used as a sermon illustration. After his wife “thought she was going into labor a hundred other times,” the pastor said his heart had admittedly “grown cold towards her.” (cue laughter from the congregation.) When she was actually in labor, she said so to him, and instead of believing her this time, he said “Like the loving husband and suitable partner I am for my wife, I denied that she was actually going into labor and left the house to go get coffee.” (more laughter.) When his morning coffee run was interrupted by a phone call from his wife that her water had, in fact, broken, only then did he turn around and go home. The story went on, including embarrassing details about his wife’s profanity during labor that I’m sure she didn’t appreciate being shared from the pulpit, and more snide jokes that reflected very poorly on the pastor.
Whether his wife is truly cherished and respected at home, I won’t venture to speculate on, but any rhetorical device or sermon illustration that paints you as a deadbeat husband and your wife as a cursing sailor is evidence of weak teaching skills, and maybe even poor character. It was truly a tough watch.
We left 45 minutes into the service and attended elsewhere. I hope this can be taken as a learning opportunity for everyone. I will not be back to attend this church, but hope good things are in store for the church body, and that this feedback will be taken seriously by church leadership.
