Ashleigh Estes

All the cool kids were doing it…

After I graduated from college I was excited to be back in Fort Worth and start my “grown up” life. I figured I would return to the church I had grown up in because I was comfortable there and I don’t like change. I quickly realized that maybe that church was no longer where I needed to be. There were certain things I thought I needed in a church home that it was missing so I set out on a four year journey to find it….name almost any church in Fort Worth and I’ve visited it.

While I was in the middle of the great church search my good friend, Kristen, became involved with a church plant. It was interesting to hear about the process and the people involved with it and soon two more of my friends got involved with The Commons. They kept suggesting I visit and by this point I had been to so many churches I had lost count so what was one more. Besides, if my friends had jumped on board it had to be pretty good, right?

So, I finally caved agreed to walk into a stranger’s house one Sunday after meeting them for breakfast. I had no idea what to expect, but had been warned that someone named Steve would probably ask me a lot of questions. I don’t really remember much about that first visit other than thinking I had gotten off easy with the questions and The Commons was just too small for me.

I continued my search and finally found a church that met all my expectations. I settled there for awhile and it was easy to blend in and soak up solid Biblical teaching without pouring into anyone else. I soon realized I had been looking for a church based on what I thought I needed and not seeking the Lord in where he was leading me.

I returned to The Commons, now at Sue Crouch, prepared for the interrogation I knew was coming. As it turned out I would avoid all the questions again because I visited on “broken face Sunday.” In all my church wondering I had never met a group of people who were so welcoming and genuinely excited to see a new face and soon I was hooked.

To make an already long story short, after some initial reluctance, I knew The Commons was where God was leading me to grow and serve. It has been amazing to be part of a church that “does life together” and serves the community with love and joy.