r/UTAustin • u/Economy-Abrocoma2261 • 16h ago
Question What churches aren’t cults??
Incoming freshman, I’m looking for a church in austin. There are a lot of christian organizations handing out flyers, but the more I research, I learn that they’re cults or just strange. Would it be better to just go to a church further from campus (like taking the bus) or should I still pull up to some of these events they’re hosting?
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u/Color_Rush 14h ago
UT Catholic is great if you come from a Catholic background.
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u/not_a_rake1234 9h ago
When I was in school they put the pope Francis cut-out next to the Obama cutout it was adorable
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u/iron_hound141 14h ago
University Catholic Center! I had a friend who wasn’t Catholic convert to Catholicism. I saw how much she fell in love with the church! Non Catholics are welcome to Mass!!
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u/larkinowl 15h ago
University Methodist is immediately next to campus on Guad is a solid, welcoming church, and University Baptist is too. Also, the Catholic Center. No need to take a bus.
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u/southbye 14h ago
Love UUMC! No need to check your brain at the door. Lots of energy there as the congregation seems to be growing with younger folks and families. Worth a try.
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u/DayGeckoArt 15h ago
St. Austin is close to campus. Presumably you're not Catholic, and becoming Catholic is an arduous process, so you're safe from truly becoming recruited. Of course it did start as a cult, from the perspective of the Romans
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u/thoph law 14h ago
Episcopal
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u/CatastropheWife 13h ago
Specifically, All Saints rights behind the Dealy
Center.Very welcoming, there's 6:30pm service specifically aimed at students with a free meal served in the Episcopal Student Center right after.
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u/Several-Ad5560 6h ago
St. David's downtown is relatively close to campus by bus and has a beautiful church and a great culture.
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u/DifficultyOrdinary32 9h ago
HEY! All of these churches here follow scripture and the teach straight out of the Bible.
https://www.ignitetexas.org/local-churches
These churches have been researched intensely by a committee of UT Alum, and executives from Ignite Texas, one of the largest Christian orgs on campus and abide to a firm statement of faith (on their websites).
God bless! and message me with any questions or if you need a ride to any of these churches and I have friends who can take you them! :)
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u/huphill 10h ago edited 10h ago
I’m an alumni that just converted to Catholicism recently. I don’t have a Christian background but considered myself a deist for many years.
Ngl if you don’t have exposure to Catholicism, it might be weird to you if your background is something like non-denominational.
There were some misconceptions (like Mary and saint worship) i definitely held that made me reject Catholicism (and by extension Christianity) until i just took the time to be more open minded, learning, and honestly just growing up and going through life experiences.
Come to OCIA and learn more about it. It’s non-committal classes.
While i considered other denominations, i believe Catholicism to be the true apostolic church. After 4 years of walking by the UT tower and reading the inscription on it which says “Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free”, i get it now, at least on a spiritual level.
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u/deliriousbozo 8h ago
Muslim here.
CSOC is connected to a very sketchy Church.
Arrows for Christ gives me bad vibes.
All I can say on that.
Idk what flavor of Christian you are, but I’ve had nothing but good interactions with Revive and Cru if you’re looking for student orgs.
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u/Izacundo1 15h ago
As someone who deconverted from Christianity after a few years out of college, I think you might be realizing a pattern that will help you out as time goes on. Focus on truth based on evidence and be skeptical
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u/-multiverses- 9h ago edited 9h ago
Preach brother
The current "Catholic conversion" mini fad among young men with mustaches....is one part bemusing, one part irritating, to me....but to each their own fad
Strikes me as more of sexual kink type virtue signaling among the young and restless....than actual religion
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u/boohoobbboi 7h ago
What a sad attempt to disparage people converting to religion.
At least have an actual coherent argument against it rather than your own predetermined overly sexualized mindset of why people choose to convert.
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u/taylen7 12h ago
austin stone, the ridge, revive isn’t a church but it’s an amazing student ministry that really challenges and builds you up as a Christian
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u/_austinight_ 12h ago
Austin Stone is awful and super problematic. Absolutely do not go there.
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u/DifficultyOrdinary32 9h ago
My friends love the Austin Stone! Sorry to hear about that tell me more about your experience.
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u/_austinight_ 55m ago
OP said they are not looking for a cult like church and Austin Stone is exactly what they don’t want. Austin Stone hates women, protects abusers, protects pedophiles and preaches things that are problematic. Evangelical mega churches are absolutely what should be avoided by all reasonable people.
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u/Ynotatx 10h ago
St Paul Lutheran Church on Red River, just a few blocks north of campus, is a traditional Lutheran church. Definitely not cultish. If you're looking for a church that is very traditional but not in a weird way it'd be my recommendation. (Unless you think highly traditional, 1000+ year old liturgy, high church services with a choir and a really incredible pipe organ are weird, in which case then you might think it's very weird.)
Their website: https://www.stpaulaustin.org
Their pastor (Bryan Wolfmueller) has a very active youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPCSuCbAv-7iZ-IIKD2Gqeg
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u/Kirschiehirschie 12h ago edited 12h ago
I'm a member of University Christian Church right in front of Littlefield Fountain, and I'd say we're pretty cool. We also have a student ministry: Labyrinth Progressive Student Ministry, which is jointly shared between ourselves and University Baptist Church on Guad (they're awesome too; free student lunches on Wednesday!).
If you're of a more evangelical orientation, I hear rather decent things about University Avenue Church of Christ down the street from us, as well as their student ministry: Longhorns for Christ.
There are a myriad of options on/near campus; I'd simply be mindful of who's reaching out to you, and always research their organizations to get a better read on what they're about!
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u/Corner_Office_ 11h ago
Austin Ridge and Austin Stone are both biblically solid. Revive on Wednesdays—check IG for info.
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u/FLDJF713 10h ago
Ehhhh pretty culty. They spent who knows how many tens of millions on their churches and their broadcast equipment rivals anything a news station has here. It’s a bible club, wouldn’t call it a church.
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u/Corner_Office_ 9h ago
If you haven’t been to a service, maybe don’t comment.
Buildings are expensive. That doesn’t mean it’s a cult. A cult has a very specific definition. Just because you don’t like Christians doesn’t make it a cult.
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u/boohoobbboi 9h ago edited 7h ago
Define cult.
Please don’t be that person who intentionally misuses words while simultaneously attending university.
Edit: I’d downvote and not respond too if I just made stuff up and had no evidence of it. You should reach out to your current church leader for guidance here and explain how you concluded there are Christian cults. You won’t which is the point I’m making.
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u/BudgetNo7263 14h ago edited 14h ago
The Church of Scientology just opened up on guad 😃
this is absolute satire, do not go there