The people that go to church here quickly became our family!! Attend church and join a small group…read moreand watch your life fill with people who love you. This is a place where you can come as you are

Awesome church with friendly and "like home" atmosphere…read more Healthy teaching from pastor Nick.

This is my home church, and from the moment i sat in my first service I knew this is where I wanted…read moreto attend after moving to Sarasota. The services are real, relevant, and relatable. Pastor Steve is a great example of how to lead a growing church. I am thankful to serve here and call this body of believers family.

Going to this church has changed my life! The people and pastors are some of the kindest people…read moreI've ever known. Pastor Cindy is always available at anytime for one to one attention of your spiritual needs. In the past I never went to church unless someone dragged me to go. Before I came here I thought church people were fake and judgmental. I have never felt pressured. Here all are welcome with open arms and these people are real! We all have a past but it doesn't matter here. I feel safe here. This is a truly Christian church that loves God.

This is a great church with fantastic music. Also, there's always a funny joke to start the…read moreservice and a relevant message that is both challenging and convicting.

We love the Redeemer. The priests and parishioners are very welcoming and friendly, the choir is…read moreamazing, and the church is beautiful. I love worshiping here and feel so blessed to have found this church. Our daughter enjoys children's chapel and the Sunday school classes. Great church for families.

This is the finest, most faithful, most committed and diverse community of Christians I've ever…read moreparticipated in. From the multiple opportunities for worship and Christian service, to the social and artistic get togethers, this is the complete package. It challenges you at ever level to grow your faith, and make a renewed commitment to God and your fellow man

You will be amazed by the friendly staff and regular folk visiting a great church environment.read more

Unfortunately Bayside is a fairly run of the mill non-denominational church as a business style…read moreorganization. In a culture that needs biblical truth more each year, this church does not much more than pander to the same culture that Christ says will hate Him. Below are a few notes for someone who is critically thinking about which church they should attend. Sermons - With the exception of one campus pastor, each sermon I have heard at the different campuses, as well as Randy's sermons are theologically shallow and provide little past emotional quips and jokes. I have personally heard parts of sermons that are blatantly plagiarized from other pastors around the country as well. They stream Randy most weeks to all campuses and it seems his love for the spotlight is the central focus of most sermons. I have heard him attempt to share the gospel during an altar call without mentioning sin once which says a lot about the maturity of the message being given. If your gospel is only about the therapeutic feel good aspects of Jesus loving you and taking away shame while failing to mention the sin that separates us and makes Jesus necessary for salvation, then you will leave people with an anemic and unbiblical view of themselves and Christ. A couple other examples of some of the preaching atrocities I have heard are: I have heard a pastor call Rahab "a hoe" during a sermon, Charlotte Gamble preaching some of the most unorthodox, nonsensical sermons ever to be spoken, I could go on. Culture - Bayside has some very loving people in their congregation but since the church is structured in the way that it is, there is very little connection between the community and its pastors if you are not within the inner circle. They use their objectively commercial success on social media and in congregation size as a justification that what they are doing is right when actually it seems this church and many in the community follow the same marketing/investment techniques to get as many butts in seats as possible. The worship centers on spectacle over truth. There is also a very unspoken but noticeable culture around the staff and the broader more connected people in the church that shames or dismisses any criticism or desire for growth in the organization. I have personally heard of Randy mocking a fellow staff members, volunteers being overworked, and people who bring anything up about it are quickly pushed to lower influence positions or outright relegated to not serving in any meaningful capacity. The culture emphasizes spectacle and emotional highs over the truth of God's word. Their budget for "At the movies" is higher than both their easter and Christmas services. Very telling for how little respect for any type of orthdoxy this church has. Closing Thoughts - Overall I would avoid this church if you are looking to grow in faith and not just be entertained. I personally think it is only a matter of time before this church becomes the center of some scandal and hope that God can turn it around before people get hurt.

First Pres is a truly outstanding Church. I found my way to them in 2011. They immediately…read moregreeted me with warmth and kindness. Because of how supportive they are, I eventually joined and became much more involved. It is hard to express how many wonderful people are a part of this congregation. I've made a lot of friends through First Pres who will likely be a part of my life for as long as it lasts. They offer something for everyone. There are typically 3 services each Sunday including a chapel service at 8:15, a "New Song" service at 9:00 and a traditional service at 11:00. They also have an affiliated Pre-school for families with young children. I can wholeheartedly recommend giving them a try. If you are new to the area or are seeking a new place to worship, First Presbyterian should be at the top of your list of candidates. Hope to see you there.

From the owner: First Presbyterian Church of Sarasota, FL is a vibrant congregation of the PC(USA). We desire to…read morebe a leading, faithful, witnessing, diverse, and growing community of God's people.

They actually teach the whole Bible. Worship that honors the…read moreLord, not the band. Very down-to-earth community. Not a fashion show. The "real deal"

As David Platt said regarding 'what to look for when looking for a church'…read more "First and foremost look for a church that believes the Bible and proclaims the Gospel. Start there and then look for a church you can trust the leaders of that church to lead according to God's Word...on three different levels....1) Where you can be cared for like family, and you can care for others like family. 2) Where you can grow in Christ and help others grow in Christ, and 3) where you can lock arms together making disciples on mission in the world. So a church that is believing the Bible, is proclaiming the Gospel, being led according to God's Word, cares for one another like family, grows together in Christ, and makes disciples of all the nations together in the world. " - David Platt This has been my family for many years, and I love it. It is DEFINITELY not perfect (no church is), but God is good and faithful and I love learning more about Him. I'm very thankful to be apart of it. If you are looking for a church family, we'd love for you to visit! If you are not a Christian and you are just curious, please come see. Visitors are always welcomed. :) If you unfamiliar with what "the Gospel" is, it simply means "Good News". To know what the good news though, you have to start with the Bad news. The Bad News is - No one deserves heaven or can earn it, because we can't meet God's standard of perfection "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," Romans 3:23. [check out Exodus 20 the Ten Commandments - "For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it." James 2:10 NIV - perfect God asks for perfect obedience, but no one can do that 100%. The word "sin" is an archery term that means "missing the mark "] , The debt we owe for breaking an eternal perfect God's standard is eternal death in hell, but GOOD NEWS! Jesus paid our debt! "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23, "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8 NIV, Eternal life is a free gift, but like all gifts, it HAS to be accepted or it isn't yours. And you can't pay or work for a gift - a gift is free. "If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved." Romans 10:9-10 NIV. "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." Romans 10:13 NIV "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus," Romans 8:1 NIV "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this is not from yourselves, it is the GIFT of God-- NOT by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:8-10 NIV I'm praying for you, whoever is reading this, that God will lead you to Himself and a relationship with Him. If you need a place to start, I definitely recommend reading the book of John in the Bible to learn more.

Absolutely love Grace Community Church and Dr. Chip's services. Seeing the church grow from a small…read morebusiness plaza to where it is now has been amazing. I love that Grace keeps the main thing, the main thing, Jesus! There is also a focus on being unintentional neighbors that reflect Christ. A wonderful way to connect with our community and those outside the church, sharing the gospel and serving others.

Absolutely! Chip is a fantastic teacher of the word. Relevant and historically accurate. Worship…read moreis contemporary and the members are approachable and inviting. They represent Christ well! Well done!

We visited recently and though everyone was very welcoming and friendly, wonderful people and a…read moregreat environment; there was no worship in the worship music. The band was great, but the music was not about praising and worshiping Jesus. The message was not about the Gospel and Good News, which is the revelation of Jesus Christ our savior. There were references to "god" and a greater power- but not the Power of the Almighty who Loves us personally. This is not a place to find a Savior, a God who can change your life and your eternity. It might be welcoming and friendly, but it does not present Biblical Truth, and the Saving Grace of God. Beware.

Community is in the name for a reason. This church is not a place that judges and beats you down…read morewith a bible trying to make you fear an afterlife of hell. This is a place that helps you heal, uses the bible to share insight on modern challenges and goes above and beyond to help the community. The focus is on Christ and serving others. All who walk through the door will be loved for who they are and not how much they donate. The worship band is extremely talented. The Christmas and Easter services are worthy of being on television every year and there are many events throughout the year that are free for families. Professional nursery and services for the little ones, youth ministry for the older ones. Skip the long wait at the local restaurants for a Sunday morning meal because they have a coffee/breakfast bar that has great food and coffee with some healthy options at very affordable prices. They do oil changes for FREE to anyone who needs one on the last Saturday of every month. Finding the right church is a very personal opinion. Wars have been started over religion since the beginning of time. This church has PHD pastors who have studied at major, accredited universities. They are doing the best that they know how to and can. If your beliefs line up with their message, you have found a welcoming home. If they don't, they will wish you peace on your journey. They don't pass judgement and they don't pass an offering plate.

This church is home to some pretty amazing God-centered people. Right from the moment you walk in…read morethe door, you receive smiles and handshakes from people that eager to welcome you into the family. They have delicious coffee and snacks to browse through before service starts. But, when the service starts, that's when the real magic happens. The room is filled with glorious contemporary worship music that is filled with the praises of the people of this church. The sermon was spectacular with lessons that anyone can learn from. I will be sure to go back.