Their online statement of faith is little more than the standard bland, vague format espoused by the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), which itself has come under heavy criticism by orthodox Baptists over the past years. Over time, I became appalled by the superficial nature of almost everything at this church. They don't publish their annual budget, staff salaries, and expenditures. You have to ask to see them. And once you do you're viewed as a potential critic or threat. Their church articles state that all who become members "waive all their legal rights regarding any claims" that may arise from negligence or otherwise the fault of church staff or volunteers. So much for doing what Jesus would do to someone injured on the premises due to the negligence of church staff or employees. Thus, you cannot sue them even if a staff member molested your child or the nursery volunteers harmed your infant child. I am sure you get the picture that this church is mostly about money and denying their obligations under God's Word if anything happened to harm a member. Requiring all members to waive their legal rights is absurd and should be viewed with the suspicion it deserves. Its ungodly and wrong.
Was a nice Wednesday night service with a special presentation from the kids choir and dance team.
Pastor Chauncey lives in a $500,000, 5000 sq.ft. mini-mansion that his father bought and sold to him for a $15,000 profit several months after buying it. (!?!?) The county property appraiser website proves this.
Wow this place is awesome. Everyone is very friendly and it seems to have something for everyone. Every age, color and nationality.
They have a Family Life Center (FLC) separate from the main building. At each Sunday service the FLC has a rock type gospel band that blasts the music at literally rock concert level enough to injure your ears. This plainly caters to the high school and college age crowd who need to be "blown away" when they go to church. In the FLC, they truly are. Members have complained about this as not glorifying God in worship, but the church pastoral staff have ignored these complaints for years. This is nothing less than worldliness in the church in these Last Days.
This church is clearly a compromised church warned about in Revelation 2-3. They never preach or teach on End Times prophecy and deny the gifts of the Holy Spirit. You will never hear pastor David Chauncey use the phrase "evil or wicked in God's eyes" or anything close to naming things that are evil and wicked. He prefers the kinder, gentler, diluted gospel. And you see the same weak, diluted spiritual thinking in many who attend this church. One member told me the prior pastor, Gary Crawford, had "never" preached out of Revelation in the "entire 7 years" he had been a member. Pastor Chauncey also stays far away from End Times prophecy since the members clearly prefer not to hear anything about it -- or be convicted by it to live more godly lives and witness more due to time running out. What I saw there is largely and best described as "Checkbook Christianity." Members tithe and think its someone else's job to do the good works cited in Matthew 25. Faith without works is dead, and there is plenty of dead faith demonstrated at this church. The best description for this church is a Religious Social Club and Entertainment Complex. That's most of what goes on there. I witnessed spiritual immaturity by many there that claimed to be born again believers for 15-20 years or more.
Look elsewhere for a solid gospel preaching church that preaches & teaches the whole counsel of God from His Word, even the tough parts.
This is a church with many excellent qualities. Pastor Chauncey and his wife, Sara are warm and loving. So are all the people, from the parking lot to the lobby and in the hall ways. Main worship and LIFE GROUPS are at 930 and 1100 am on Sundays. There is also a 930 am "contemporary" worship in the Family Life Center. Although a larger church, you will receive a warm greeting before you are in the door. Once in the front lobby of the main building, head over to the welcome desk where you can ask for direction to a LIFE GROUP, fit for you, where you will be able to have a meaningful time with others studying various lessons from the bible with application to your particular "season" of life. Might I suggest seeking a LIFEGROUP hour fit for you and attend worship the other hour. "Orientation 101" is held on the first Sunday of the month. Register to attend one of these so you may have a clearer understanding of what Westside's mission is, learn of "her" history, get to know various leaders in the church, and how you can seek to understand Christ's love for YOU. Westside offers many fellowship opportunities to get to know other wonderful people in the church - Wednesday fellowship dinner, Wednesday adult bible study, Wednesday Youth "collective" service, Sunday and Wednesday evening children's choir and missions groups. There are special ministry groups for singles, college-aged, men, women and seniors. Westside offers various opportunities throughout the year to grow, to serve, to love others, to just " do" LIFE.
I come from a traditional Baptist upbringing & have been born again since 1972. I'm 50+. I attended this church for a little over 2 years and began to notice a number of red flags relating to its teachings and preaching which are inconsistent with the True Gospel of Jesus Christ and the whole counsel of God in His Word. I share those below.
This is a place where friends truly can become family. I know ours is extremely fortunate to have given WestSide a chance and to have been adopted in to the wonderful community of true Christians moving as the hands and feet of Christ.
Westside Baptist Church is a US Church based in Gainesville, Florida. Westside Baptist Church is located at 10000 W Newberry Rd, Gainesville, FL 32606, USA.
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