Calvary Chapel of the West Side

An amazing church! This church is “come as you are” you feel welcome if you are covered in tattoos or if you are wearing a t shirt and sweat pants or even a football jersey. It’s nice having the free daycare for babies and toddlers while church is in session too! Pastor Dave is very good and makes you feel welcome as well. Great music too. Some of the services get packed, I hope to see this church expand even bigger.

The speaker was great, but that's about the only good thing I can say about this church. I wasn't welcomed warmly, and when I made it inside, I was accosted by an older man who very grumpily told me he needed to search my bag. I kindly protested at the idea of an unfriendly stranger rifling through my belongings, and instead of calmly talking with me about it, he just pointed to a sign and said "there's even a sign." I think an introduction and smile before politely explaining the policy would be a much better way of handling these things as opposed to a grumpy old man accosting people as they walk in without so much as a "good morning." If that's not something he's willing to do, perhaps get someone else to fill that role who has better people skills. Meanwhile, people were walking by us with all manner of bags, and when I asked if he intended on searching all of them, he responded "hard to fit a gun in those." Which was a weird thing to say, since some of them were certainly plenty large enough for that. Not to mention, who carries a gun in a backpack anyway? Holsters are a much more effective way of carrying a firearm whether the owner has good intentions or bad, so why not pat everyone down too? It's just another feel-good measure that doesn't actually make anyone safer. Anyway, I was approached two more times by people asking to search my bag, but this time was inside the sanctuary, after the music had started. I couldn't even sing or pray in peace without being bothered about my bag. To top it all off, as I left the church, the person who was walking in front of me got to his truck and threw his litter onto the ground. A testament to the type of people who go to church here, maybe? I'll be going somewhere else next week -somewhere that doesn't make a show of invading my privacy with absolutely no benefit to be had from it, and where I'll hopefully be greeted a little more kindly.

VBS REVIEW: I really wanted to like this church. Sent my kids (3 years old) to VBS last year and there was a huge lack of communication. Pickup is drive-thru style, they get your number, and bring your kids out. We tried again this week and nothing has improved. We are not members of this church but I figured VBS was meant to be outreach to the entire community. An overview of the week (more than just daily themes) and better communication from volunteers would be great. Unfortunately we won't be back.

I like this Church. It's a teaching Church. Great music and a sermon that will teach you something about being a better Christian through the Word of God. If you're interested in becoming a Christian or a Christian wanting more you can't go wrong with going to this Church. Visit at least two Sunday's then decide. I believe you'll see and feel a difference.

My daughter goes to this church and when I say that I mean my daughter goes to this recreational building to “play” she has learned NOTHING about God here. She only goes there to play and jump around. The Pastor literally thinks you can choose God like you choose a pair of shoes? …You choose the right one and you go straight to heaven, you choose the wrong one and you go straight to hell? …There is no choosing. Nobody has God. No religion, no country, no race, no man has God. God has all of us, the Christians, the Buddhists, the Muslims, the Hindus and even the ones that don’t believe in God at all. We don’t make God, God made us. We don’t choose God, God chose us. This place is a business and nothing more. It is a tragedy when the church saves money instead of saving souls. We MUST spend to save.