Audit 2 – Tabernacle of Faith, Tellico Plains, TN4K

This morning, I went to a small church right around the corner from my new place. The sign said service started at 10 a.m., so I got dressed, grabbed my Bible, and went to worship. I waited for about 15 minutes, but no one showed up. Confused, I left, wondering what was going on. Later in the day, I drove by again and saw the parking lot full of cars. At 4:45 p.m., there they were, gathering for church, but the sign said 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.! So, what’s going on with this place?
I turned around, went back, and tried to talk to someone about the church. The woman I approached seemed scared at first, like she didn’t expect anyone to actually show up. She was guarded and reluctant to give me information. After some awkward conversation, I found out they’re now meeting at random times, and even at the pastor’s house sometimes. It didn’t sit well with me. Why post public times if you’re not actually holding church during those hours?
As Christians, we’re called to let our light shine before others (Matthew 5:16), but this church seems more hidden away than open to the community. It reminded me of how some churches operate in isolation, more like family clubs than places where the gospel is shared. If you’ve got a building, a public sign, and claim to be a place of worship, shouldn’t you be available to the people looking for a church home? This experience made me question how many of those “300,000 churches” in America are truly serving their communities.
By the end of the day, I did manage to meet with the church members, but the whole experience left me wondering. The pastor, an 82-year-old woman, seems to be a central figure, but it felt more like the church revolves around her story than the story of Christ. They talked about how special their church is, but the vibe I got was one of exclusivity. It’s time we hold our churches accountable—are they living out the gospel, or are they just hiding away in their own little world?

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