Seekers Anonymous

Last September, after four uneasy years of preaching-and serving as house liberal- at a mainstream Church of Christ, pastor Randy Mayeux founded Christ Church North using an unorthodox direct-mail campaign. One of the fliers (above) plays off Mayeux’s “secret vice,” a love of professional wrestling. And that’s not the only unusual thing about the new church,

On a recent Sunday, members and visitors entered to the theme from “Bonanza.” Next they watched a clip from City Slickers, in which actor Jack Palance gets philosophical. Services usually include a popular song (like the Beatles’ “Nowhere Man”) that poses a dilemma. Then comes a contemporary Christian song with lyrics that “answer the human needs raised by the pop song,” says Mayeux.

Mayeux insists that his approach is not watering down the message of Christianity. “We’re just designing an environment for the person who is not churched,” says Mayeux, who follows “seeker-targeted” methods. There’s no pressure, no hard sell. A “seeker,” Mayeux says, “does not want to say anything, sing anything, sign anything, or give anything” until he or she has decided,

“I believe Scripture is a way to find God,” says Mayeux. “But I’m uncomfortable with churches that draw lines the Bible doesn’t draw.”