DO YOU THINK THIS IS WHAT POPE FRANCIS HAS IN MIND FOR THE CATHOLIC CHURCH?

New church focuses on inclusivity

By James Folker Staff Writer

From the Augusta Chronicle:

SPECIAL Musicians perform during worship at Riverfront Church, which meets at 10:30 a.m. Sundays at Merriwether Middle School on Murrah Road in Edgefield County.

There’s a new church in North Augusta, with an emphasis on the new.

“We’re aiming to create a church for people who don’t do church,” said Wilton Bowman, lead pastor of Riverfront Church. “We’re just a bunch of people in love with Jesus, but we don’t expect everyone to be immediately. We’re trying to create an environment where non-believers can belong before they believe. A place where there’s no physical, financial, moral or racial roadblocks to being welcome and equal at the cross.”

The congregation meets Sundays at 10:30 a.m. in Merriwether Middle School, 430 Murrah Road in Edgefield County.

Bowman said he has seen statistics that show 66 percent of people aren’t affiliated with any kind of ministry and finds that sad.

“We’re concerned about people. We love people. We believe there absolutely is something after what you can touch, feel and see and we’re convinced that Jesus is the only way to get there,” he said. “Our goal is to communicate that to as many people as possible.”

One thing visitors might notice about the services at Riverfront is that there’s no organ. There are guitars and an electric piano, though. Some of the songs you might hear are from groups such as Citizens and Saints, Bryan and Katie Torwalt, or Loud Harp, Bowman said. Soon, that will include music written by church members.

“We’re more contemporary, and we’re practical in our teaching. Want people to understand it’s not necessarily about learning scriptural principles, but about how we apply them in our lives,” Bowman said.

There’s plenty of room for new members, regardless of denomination, Bowman said.

“It’s not about labels, it’s about one name, the name of Jesus, he said.

“We’re actively searching for ministry leaders who are more in love with Jesus than tradition and more in love with seeing people meet him than just old-time religion. And we’re actively seeking musicians who are creatively redefining Christian music and are authentically interested in creating passionate worship experiences focused on what Jesus has accomplished through his death and resurrection,” Bowman said.

For more information, visit riverfrontchurch.org or search for Riverfront Church on Facebook.