acts2fellowship

I came in as a new freshman looking for a church to belong to. I didn’t know campus very well and I came from a long line of broken churches. Church politics, consumer attitudes toward the church, and a lot of in-​fighting and splitting, it was really hard to just hear about, find, or be a part of a church that I felt like was really trying to live out the gospel. I wasn’t too hopeful in finding a good church in a place like Berkeley, but somehow I was able to find this fellowship.
Like the previous posts said, it is pretty big — the church I came from had a grand total of about 23, 25 members — so it was hard to get used to. But for me who always wanted to find a church whose members took the Bible and its commands seriously, I was so stunned that so many people in a group so big were so serious about really living out Christ-​like lives. And there were enough small group activities that I was able to get to know people well and everyone is so friendly — you are never left alone to sit awkwardly by yourself at an event. So I was able to really get to know people, and even get used to the size. I mean, just being at such a big school like Cal, you just get used to big crowds, anyway.
Growing up in church, I came to realize that there is no such thing as a perfect fellowship, or a perfect church for that matter. After all, all churches are made of broken sinners trying to love others as God loves others, and that is a tall order. But I found that acts2fellowship (and the church, Gracepoint) — though not perfect — is a place where I could grow in my relationship with God, really belong to a body of believers, and strive to become better Christians together. They are not only about have emotional convictions, but promote a intellectually robust Christianity that can answer tough questions like: «If God is loving, why hell?» and «Is the Bible historically accurate?» These questions I thought could never be answered as a high school student with no spiritual leaders or teachers who were equipped to answer such questions.
I’m pretty thankful for this fellowship, so I hope that my review was helpful to anyone looking for a place where they will be immediately welcomed. My hope for anyone, in the end, is that they will find a fellowship and church in Berkeley, whether affiliated with Gracepoint or not, and be able to understand the depths of this grand and wonderful, Good News.

While this group is fun as Conrad pointed out, this group is really huge so it can be difficult for a newcomer to feel like they can grow and learn about religion on their own. I was part of this group but felt that it was pressuring and bureaucratic. I guess that comes with joining a huge club/​organization. But the sad part is it’s cliquey; they only favor your if they see your commitment potential, otherwise, they don’t bother talking to you. From my experience, they were only nice to new members simply because they were potential additions to hierarchy.
It’s a fun group with weekly bible studies, and there’s lots of outings and bonding, but the moral of the story is to join only if you’re ready do commit your whole life and lose your life, family and friends to this. Otherwise they drop you like you’re hot and all of the friends you made here will become strangers and you are left alone. A lot of people got hurt from this group, while those who really felt a connection (basically those who were already Christian in the first place) fit right in.
Just so people know, I’m not religious. I choose not to be affiliated with religion because people will assume I’m a fake, like many seem to be.
Also, I was invited to Conrad (below) and Sarah’s wedding back when I was a member but when I left the group, I was no longer invited to their weddings. Apparently in this group, membership precedes friendships.
Read the one and two-​starred reviews of Gracepoint Berkeley. They know what I’m talking about.

A fun group that meets on the UC Berkeley campus. One of the largest Christian student groups on campus. Definitely something to check out …