Have you ever walked out of church feeling exactly the same way you walked in? If you're honest, you probably have. And if you're really honest, it might happen more often than you'd like to admit.

Here's the thing: You were never created to just go to church. You weren't designed to sit in a pew, listen to someone talk, sip bad coffee, and head home unchanged. That's not what God had in mind when He established His church.

What God actually wants is an encounter.

The Difference Between Going to Church and Meeting with God

When Pastor Darius Arnold recently shared from Exodus chapter 3, the story of Moses and the burning bush, he made something crystal clear that many of us in Destin and along the Emerald Coast need to hear:

"You were never created to just go to church. Watch people perform for you, sip on some bad coffee, hear somebody give a nice presentation, then dip out the back in their Mercedes, while you go home the same way you came. It's not the way it was designed. The way God originally designed it, is for him to encounter his people, for him to fellowship with his people."

That hits different, doesn't it? Because when you really think about it, how many Sundays have you done exactly that, showed up, went through the motions, and left completely unchanged?

God wants so much more for you than religious routine.

Why Church Attendance Isn't Enough

Look, attending church isn't bad. In fact, it's important! But attendance without encounter is like showing up to a concert and wearing noise-canceling headphones. You're there, but you're missing the entire point.

The research backs this up. Studies consistently show that people who simply attend church without active engagement often struggle with the same issues as those who don't attend at all. Why? Because presence without participation doesn't produce transformation.

Here's what happens when we settle for church routine:

• We become spectators instead of participants
• We expect to be entertained rather than transformed
• We judge the service based on our preferences instead of God's presence
• We leave the same way we came, unchanged and unchallenged

But God has a different plan entirely.

The Encounter God Actually Wants

When Moses stumbled upon that burning bush, something incredible happened. God didn't just perform a miracle to show off, He performed it to get Moses' attention. And here's the key: "God will always be faithful to do the miraculous, but he cannot and will not force you to turn and notice and recognize his activity in your life."

The miracle was there. The question was whether Moses would turn.

The same is true for every single one of us walking into churches across Destin and the Emerald Coast every Sunday. God is always at work. He's always ready for an encounter. The question is: Are you willing to turn?

What Real Encounter Looks Like

Pastor Arnold put it this way: "I asked the Lord, what would you have us be and do? And all he told me was create encounters for my people. Create opportunities where they can sense my presence, where they can sense my peace, where they can experience the rush of joy that can overwhelm them in my presence."

A real encounter with God includes:

Active Worship - Not just singing along with the music, but genuinely engaging your heart in praise. When David said "oh, magnify the Lord with me," he wasn't asking people to politely hum along. He was calling for hearts fully engaged.

Expectant Prayer - Coming to church expecting God to move, not just hoping the service ends on time so you can beat the lunch crowd.

Open Hearts - Being willing to let God challenge, change, and transform you through His Word, not just confirm what you already believe.

Community Connection - Recognizing that the people around you aren't just an audience, but fellow travelers on this journey of faith.

Breaking Free from Religious Routine

Here's what many of us in the church world don't want to admit: It's easier to go through the motions than to genuinely encounter God.

Routine is comfortable. Predictable. Safe.

Encounter is transformative. Challenging. Life-changing.

When Moses encountered God at the burning bush, his entire life trajectory changed. He went from tending sheep in the wilderness to leading millions out of slavery. That's what happens when you stop settling for routine and start pursuing an encounter.

But here's the beautiful thing about God, He's patient with our journey from routine to encounter. He doesn't shame us for starting with simple church attendance. He meets us where we are and invites us to something deeper.

How to Move from Routine to Encounter

1. Come Expecting - Don't just show up hoping to get something out of the service. Come expecting God to show up and change you.

2. Participate Fully - Sing like you mean it. Pray with intention. Listen to the Word like your life depends on it (because it does).

3. Turn When God Gets Your Attention - Just like Moses had to choose to investigate the burning bush, you have to choose to respond when God moves in your heart.

4. Stay Open to Change - Encounter always leads to transformation. Are you ready for God to shift something in your life?

Why FaithCoast Refuses to "Blend In"

Here's what we've discovered: When you create space for a genuine encounter with God, something amazing happens. Lives get transformed. Families get restored. People discover their purpose. And yes, even in Destin, people are hungry for something real.

We don't want to be just another church option in Destin. We want to be a place where you encounter the living God.

Your Encounter Starts Today

Maybe you've been going through the motions for weeks, months, or even years. Maybe you've been treating church like a weekly obligation rather than an opportunity for divine encounter.

Today can be different.

God is still performing miracles to get your attention. He's still calling your name. He's still inviting you into His presence. The question isn't whether He's ready for an encounter: the question is whether you'll turn when He calls.

"When the Lord saw that he turned... God began to speak." (Ref: Exodus 3:4)

Your breakthrough, your transformation, your encounter with the living God might be just one turn away.

Ready for Your Encounter?

If you're tired of church routine and hungry for genuine encounter with God, FaithCoast is here for you. We're not just another church in Destin: we're a community passionate about creating space for you to meet with the living God.

Join us this Sunday and discover what happens when you stop going to church and start encountering God. Because you weren't created for routine (you were created for an encounter.)