Passing beneath the grand staircase that graces an expansive foyer at Southeast Community Church (SECC), you’re greeted by smiling faces and friendly handshakes. You note the casualness of dress—blue jeans, shorts, even flip-flops here and there. A relaxing and calming ambience pervades the reception area and beckons you into the auditorium where you settle into an un-churchlike comfortable seat—no stiff wooden benches here. The doors close. The house lights go down. The stage lights come up. And suddenly you’re plunged into a warm, embracing womb of energy that feels familiar, but perhaps doesn’t really jive with your past experience of Sunday morning worship.

The familiarity is born of comfort—the setting, the people, the music, the voices. You’re instantly immersed into an irresistible urge for celebration. The force is palpable. Stunningly talented musicians fill the theater with compelling sounds of praise. And you cannot resist the urge to stand and put your hands together, following their lead to unleash an adoration previously harnessed by six days of work and everyday life. It is in the “unleashing” that the experience becomes remarkable. Here onstage, belting out concert-quality sonatas, is SECC’s answer to a traditional robe-garbed choir—a multiple-member band of electrifying guitarists, heart-thumping percussionists, and stirring vocals.

There is irrepressible joy and beatific smiles on the band members’ faces. You get a sense of an exultant force moving through the auditorium—and it is contagious. A five-year-old dances fervently at the foot of the stage…and that’s okay. Because this house of worship is a “come as you are” and a “be as you are” church. When asked how they felt when they attended SECC for the first time, most of the congregation will answer simply “comfortable.” According to Pastor Steve Curtis, this is totally by design.

“Our goal is to create a safe and welcoming environment for people to investigate Christianity,” Pastor Steve said. “We want to give them the opportunity to know Jesus on their own terms. Jesus never pushed Himself down anybody’s throat. And that’s not our way either.” Pastor Steve went on to say that SECC reaches out to people who are far from God—people who are not turned off by God, but may have been turned off by a church experience. “We don’t play church. We celebrate people’s differences,” he said.

It does seem, indeed, that while acceptance and celebration of individuality serve as one cornerstone of the church, bringing people together through their common concerns and daily life challenges is the success formula that has helped grow a congregation from 30 to the hundreds that swell the church auditorium each Sunday.

The church is big on small groups which they call “tribes.” Pastor Steve says we all need our own “tribe” for support and encouragement through difficult times and to share our triumphs as well. According to Pastor Steve, it is in these small groups that the real ministering takes place.

“Our small groups connect people who talk freely about real life situations because they are in the company of others who have the same experiences,” he said. “Through our small groups, we’ve put marriages back together, helped re-unite families, eliminated addictions, and soothed each other with real life solutions that short-circuit the pain and hasten the path to a happier life.”

While SECC’s forte might be spiritual healing for those who are going through trying times, the congregation includes “seekers, new believers, and the convinced.” Pastor Steve’s weekly message is relevant to them all, and though he is delivering a timeless message, his methods of delivery are “timely.” He employs contemporary tools to get the message across, using parables and metaphors delivered sometimes through multimedia. You shouldn’t be surprised to see a sermon launched by an old black and white spaghetti western movie clip. Or a mini-drama being performed by members of the congregation. Congregation involvement is part and parcel to the church teachings

During a recent service, Pastor Steve asked the congregation, “What Bible character do you want to be most like?” Answers ranged from Job to Jonah to Moses to Jesus. Such interaction is another facet of SECC’s determination to be all-inclusive and culturally relevant.
“How you present the message determines how it’s received,” Pastor Steve told us. “God’s truth is ‘timeless’ but how truth is communicated should be ‘timely.” “We use the arts—dramas, videos, contemporary music—to set the stage, ask a question, or bring up a subject. Worship is about using a style of music that connects with a timeless message, and the universal language for a contemporary audience is rock music.” On the day that this writer attended services at SECC, the audience was clearly connected.

Fueled by the congregation, the worship band belted out pulsating praise music with lyrics scrolling on the large projector screens mounted on each side of the stage. Hands were clapping. Bodies were swaying. A sense of union and exultation enfolded the congregation. It’s easy to see why such a gamut of worshippers are drawn to these Sunday morning services. For here, just a mile down the road behind the Cracker Barrel in Kingsland, both “seekers” and “the convinced” have discovered a community where they can “love and be loved, celebrate and be celebrated, know and be known, serve and be served.” This is Pastor Steve’s definition of what community should look like.

“The church is NOT the building,” he said. “It’s the people. Reaching and developing people into authentic followers of Jesus Christ is what SECC is all about. We work to keep people focused on their relationship with Christ and aspire to inspire them to live beyond themselves and invest their hearts in other people.”

It seems the aspirations and inspirations of the “little church that thought it could,” have come full circle and, by Pastor Steve’s own admission, have not been achieved without the help of many others besides himself. His entire family is involved in the church—his wife, Robin participates with him in many areas of ministry. The church’s many volunteers are also credited with the success of the church, including Rocky Mobley, a long-time member of the congregation who oversees the coordination of small groups. Pastor Steve himself impacts the community in far-reaching corners beyond the church’s domain. He, along with Thad Register, serve as chaplains for the Camden County High School football team. Coach Jeff Herron has long been known for the emphasis he places on character-building for his team, and the respect given to and shown by the young men who do the Wildcat name proud is anchored by the council of Herron and the two team chaplains. Pastor Steve also keeps SECC active in the community through the church’s involvement with the Salvation Army and the Angel Tree Ministry.

“We minister to 500-600 people at any given time,” Pastor Steve said. “Our doors are open to all people of all backgrounds, regardless of where they are on their spiritual journey.” Though the SECC congregation skews toward the young (under 40), there is something for all ages at the center of the church’s operations.

In addition to the Upstreet K-5 program, Waumba Land harbors the newborn to 4-year-olds on Sunday morning, REACH is the Sunday evening program for middle schoolers. And high schoolers meet on Monday evening at The Venue. Bright Beginnings is SECC’s Monday-Friday program for one-year-olds through Kindergarten. There are couples groups, new members luncheons, special Praise Nights, and the quintessential gathering place for all ages—the church’s coffee shop, The Coffee Spot, which is open to the public seven days a week. For some—even those who haven’t attended services yet—this is the first point of connection to the church. Gourmet coffees and sweets, a friendly staff, wi-fi, and an open-arms invitation make The Coffee Spot an easy way for potential attenders to get their toes wet before they splash full force into the heart of this contemporary, innovative, and all-inclusive church known as SECC.