I stumbled onto a web site called Mystery Worshiper, in which church worship services are rated by anonymous visitors: http://www.ship-of-fools.com/mystery/index.html. The standard questions used in the survey provide an interesting set of criteria for evaluating worship. I decided to take the list of questions with me as I visited The River, in Cherry Hill.

This nine year old church moved last year into their new facilities, a rehabbed warehouse on a dead-end street. Bad decision? Think again. Six hundred people per weekend make their way to this location.

The River is a classic seeker-sensitive church. Every thing they do is carefully crafted to appeal to young adults who are not interested in traditional church. It’s working: I was one of the few people over age forty.

The final question in the Mystery Worshiper survey is, “What one thing will you remember about all this in seven days’ time?” My answer: Hordes of young adults, age 18-30, happy to be engaged in spirited worship.

There are plenty of things to critique about The River, but they have to be balanced with this positive summation: here is one outpost of the Kingdom that has a clear vision for its mission and is fulfilling it with passion and dedication.