Finding a church home after two years away

For the last two years, we were out of church.

Not because we didn’t believe in God.

Not because our faith disappeared.

But because finding a church home is harder than people admit. Especially when you’re no longer willing to sit under watered down truth or perform faith for appearances.

We searched for churches online, and found one we liked. Of course,  it was in California! Just our luck. We listened to Pastor Jack Hibbs for 2 years from our couch. 

Some places around us felt more like a production than a place of worship. And others avoided Scripture altogether or softened it so much it barely resembled the Word of God. But after a while of youtube sermons in our living room, we decided we wanted community, but not at the expense of truth.

Then, quietly and without hype, God led us to Calvary Chapel Newark.

From the beginning, something felt different... not flashy, not forced, not performative. Just solid. Grounded. And Peaceful.

The teaching mattered.

The Scripture mattered.

Truth mattered.

Pastor Aaron Snyder teaches straight from the Bible, verse by verse, word for word... without twisting it to fit culture or opinions. There’s no dancing around hard passages, no cherry picking, no agenda. Just the Word of God, taught clearly and confidently.

And that has been incredibly refreshing.

What surprised us most wasn’t just the teaching,  it was the people.

Finding community after being out of church for a while can feel intimidating. There’s always that quiet fear of not fitting in, or of being the “new ones” again. But instead, we found warmth, humility, and genuine relationships. Not surface level friendliness, but real connection.

Being able to serve has been one of the greatest blessings. Serving alongside other believers, building relationships, showing up consistently ... it has rooted us in a way we didn’t realize we were missing. Church has stopped feeling like something we attended and has started feeling like something we were part of.

This season has reminded me that faith isn’t meant to be lived in isolation. We were never designed to walk alone. God uses community to sharpen us, encourage us, and gently pull us back when we drift.

If you’re in a season of searching, maybe you're tired, hesitant, or unsure...  I want you to know this:

Waiting doesn’t mean God is absent. Sometimes it means He’s protecting you until the right place is ready.

We’re deeply grateful for where God has planted us. What once felt like a long and discouraging wait now feels like perfect timing.

And for the first time in a long time, church truly feels like home.