There is so much to say about Journey....first, if you are seeking a Bible church focused on the evangelical experience, this is not the church for you. If on the other hand, you are looking for a safe, loving, expansive community of people who LIVE like Jesus, instead of BELIEVE a certain doctrine, then this faith community is for you. I was formerly in a Bible church for 25 years then I discovered I was gay (after a 30 year heterosexual marriage and extreme internalized homophobia) and was shunned by almost all of my family, friends and community, with less than one handful of exceptions. The amount of trauma I and so many others in the Lgbtq community have had at the hands of 'church' and 'christians' has been extreme. Journey is NOT like this in any way. Journey and the beautiful mosaic of people here have wide open hearts that truly embody 'LOVE God and love your neighbor as yourself.' Everything is summed up in these two truths for Journey, just as Jesus said. They do not demand you believe in this or that specific doctrine. You are free to explore, question, wrestle and expand in your own way WITHOUT judgement or condemnation. I have experienced both judgement and condemnation in intense ways over the last 4 years from people who say they love me, yet their actions show anything but love. I do understand the fear this is coming from as I used to believe the very same hurtful things and am BEYOND blessed to have found such a healing and redemptive place at Journey.....this community is what Jesus meant by the church and by salvation. The service is very atypical for Texas churches so don't come expecting an extravagant worship time. The service is very interactive even during the pastors talk (I say talk because it is more of a fireside chat between a likeminded and equal group of people than a traditional pulpit pastor preaching at you) and the music is not an orchestrated concert, its humble and simple. Laid back and filled with the energy of love. Come, taste and see that God really is good and full of unconditional love in the midst of messy, honest, real, vulnerable and grace filled people who truly LOVE in action and word. read more

I've been part of the Journey Imperfect Faith Community for almost the entire time of its existence of nineteen years. Through those years we have had many ups and downs. Despite these variations, the spirit of JourneyIFC has remained the same. We are a place open to allowing everyone to believe as they will. We do not tell people what to believe. The word "community" is in the name. We hope people who join us on Sundays or during our other events will feel welcome and appreciated for all that they are. We laugh, we cry, we learn, we disagree. We want to be fully human in a loving way and support each other in our growth. read more

My growth in faith has exceeded anything I had every known since being a part of Journey IFC. After being raised in a very traditional church, I never felt a deep connection with God. Now my soul is nourished each Sunday. Wonderful teachings and very loving community read more

This church definitely loves people; I don't think you can find another church that is more open to listening and caring for others. They do actively live Jesus' command to love one another. If you need healing, acceptance or a place to find God at your own pace, then this is the place. We ended up here after much pain from a previous church and are glad we did. Comfortable - couches and casual dress. Open conversation during the teaching. Giving - They don't often have much but they give all they can to each other and the community. Creative - Always some new idea or activity. The worship space changes to experience the message in new ways. Be aware that although we read a lot of Scripture, there's not a lot of Bible exposition - it's more about what you feel about the Scripture than what is literally there - e.g. the Resurrection as a concept more than as a historical fact. No one condemns me for reading Scripture as if it is all true and challenging for growing close to God; I just don't often get people to talk with me about it that way. My kids love the church and their Sunday School teacher is a blessing for us all. read more

I've been hanging out at Journey for three years. I never planned to do that! I wandered in after a couple of unsatisfactory experiences. I was welcomed just as I was. I love that they have a banner that says "We stand by our Muslim neighbors" and that it's LGBTQ-affirming. There is always lively dialogue and usually several outbreaks of laughter on Sunday mornings, and I have made a large number of friends here. It's really hard when I have to miss a Sunday; it's like something's missing the rest of the week. If you're looking for authentic community and keeping it real, this is the place. read more

Journey IFC is a wonderful and welcoming place. It is not slick but it is friendly and homey. It may take a while to get the whole vibe but it is worth it. Every week is a different experience, too. read more

I really love the idea of an imperfect group of people coming together to worship God and working to be more like Jesus, but I was not in the least bit impressed with, or spiritually fed by, my visit to Journey Imperfect this morning. There was no one to greet people as they entered the church and I wasn't quite sure if I was even in the right place when I walked in. I sat while others stood and talked and felt like I'd crashed a private party. I considered leaving, but decided to give the service a chance. After 15-20 minutes a woman named Elaine finally came and talked to me. Another woman later introduced herself, but I already had a "yuck" feeling by that point. I'm all for relaxed churches, but the service starting 20 minutes late, cellphones going off, people wandering around at various times, and the woman next to me who clipped her nails and took her shoes off during the service was too much. There was no musical worship, which is extremely important to me, and while the pastor interacted well with the children's group, I found him to be snarky during the sermon and he put off an angry vibe. The "service" was still going a little after noon (It felt more like a boring classroom lesson) and having reached my limit of Journey Imperfect, I followed the lead of the couple in front of me and left early. I typically leave a church feeling energized and inspired, but today I left feeling drained and regretful that I'd missed an opportunity to truly worship at another church. I rated them with two stars rather than one because they're an open and affirming church, and while I appreciate the fact that they're an imperfect congregation, there's no reason they can't work on perfecting their service at least a little. One visit was enough for me to know that I'll never go again. read more

I want to love this place but...I can't. The pastor is great! He is very insightful, humble, funny, and down to earth. He is not afraid to be vulnerable and honest about his struggles, which I appreciate. He seems well-read, intelligent, and open minded. The worship services are interesting. Kind of a bustling, rowdy bunch and services never start on time, but they do something different and cool each week. I saw them conduct science experiments during a few services! Good music. Laid back. LGBTQ affirming. BUT... I found this community to be very insular an unfriendly, with the exception of two people there. As someone new to Austin and trying to find a spiritual community, it was very disappointing to go there multiple times and have very few people notice me and even fewer make any effort to meet me or introduce themselves. I did not feel welcomed or included. I think they do a lot of great things, but when someone new literally walks through your door and goes unacknowledged, I think an important ingredient is missing from the community. It's worth visiting. You'll have a cool, enriching experience. But just don't expect to be warmly or enthusiastically embraced. read more

This is a truly inclusive faith community. It may not be reflected the minute you enter the doorway, but that doesn't mean these folks are Christians. They may not have an ear to ear smile on their faces, but that's just fakey anyway. It's more in the earnestness that someone may later walk up and greet you or in the tone of the service, but make no mistake: these folks are sincere about following Christ and sharing that walk with others. read more

This place has served as a wonderful renewal for me, spiritually and emotionally. Journey focuses on being an intentional community of imperfect people, and I think that's what I needed to be a part of (and being imperfect means I didn't have to show up every Sunday either). I've been in all sorts of different churches throughout my life, but none of them quite felt right until Journey. There's just something warm and friendly about it. read more

My wife and I have been a members of Journey IFC since its inception over 5 years ago. The "Servant's Entrance" sign above the double doors going OUT of the building pretty much says it all.... We have a very eclectic group of people who care for one another and go out in the community every week to help people in need.... Stop by some Sunday to get a hug. It's a safe place. The music's usually pretty good, too. read more

I've attended this non-denominational church for 2 years. The best is Rick, the preacher. He knows the Bible (Ph.D level) and the context of the time, the symbolism, history, etc. He gives you so much understanding so you can make your interpretation. It is extremely casual and quirky. But if you like to hang out with people who are thought provoking and believe in the Ghandi's & Martin Luther King's missions in the world, you will want to check it out. It is all inclusive. It is very unique in the theatrics. An environmental creation sets the stage for the lesson. It is impressive. The music is icing on the cake! The only thing that keeps it from being perfect for me is the lack of timeliness. This church is sometimes like life---imperfect! read more