Joy Cafe

They are so welcoming, as soon as I walked through the doors I felt like I was home! I have been going to this church for a little over a year now and I can honestly say, it’s still just as awesome! They are so kind and the church community is so wholesome and FUN! Biblically based and filled with genuine love for people. The pastors and the staff are awesome, they truly care for each person and really take the time to show love and invest in the community and city. I'm honestly surprised I didn't hear about this church sooner with how much they do! It's a great church for families and people of all ages. They have a great program for kids, all the way up to high school and even have a program for college students. I recommend this church to anyone!

Great joy filled Jesus loving church. The people here are genuine and authentic. They meet you right where you are at in all walks of life. They have a tremendous children's programs (with great staff and volunteers who all go through a background check each year keeping your children safe). This is a church that embraces you like family. Highly would recommend to anyone!

I was a member of Joy Christian Fellowship (now Joy Church Medford) for years. If you visit, you will find the worship engaging (if you enjoy charismatic style worship), and the members will be friendly. The preaching might impress you for its emphasis on holiness and faith, or if you have a good sense of smell it might alarm you. Although most of the doctrine taught at Joy is within Christian mainstream belief, Joy bears the marks of a cult. These characteristics include: INVOLVEMENT and serving stressed to the detriment of family life, personal life, and health. One is always encouraged and even badgered to serve and become a leader, and the deeper you get involved, the more attendance and service is asked of you. OBEDIENCE TO LEADERS EXPECTED in personal decisions. I have seen young people discouraged from going to college because it takes them away from their commitment to the cult. Dating is heavily discouraged, and the leaders want power of approval or disapproval over potential relationships. Leaders will pressure you in all manner of life decisions. FUNDRAISING IS RELENTLESS AND SHAMELESS. Joy teaches that your financial blessing begins with a baseline of tithing 10%, but you will be supernaturally blessed for the percentage of your income above 10% you give. WHEN PEOPLE CHOOSE TO LEAVE THE CULT, leadership maligns and discredits them to the people who remain. I experienced this many times, and unfortunately I believed my leaders until near the time I left, when I then became the object of this treatment. Cult members will be implicitly and explicitly discouraged from remaining friends with those who leave. Most people who leave receive a curse of some kind like "Your children will grow up and hate God" or "Your marriage will not last", or even "PEOPLE WHO LEAVE JOY OFTEN DIE PREMATURELY."

I really wish the Bible study that is held at the Starbucks on Rossanley rd, was more respectful to the people around them. They treat the coffee shop like a playground, running around, screaming, clapping, arguing, chasing each other. You would think they were 5 yrs old. Wait, kindergartners act better. I have noticed a few other regulars have also switched to different days they go there and word is really getting around about how this group acts. Not especially a good image for the church. The leader is the worst of them all, and has lead the rest of the group to act the same way. You would think a group coming in there to worship and prey would be polite, respectful and caring to those around them. But not even a little bit. It’s a real disappointment that a church is acting this way. Maybe someone will teach them this is not how grown adults act, we can only prey.

The building and people are great, but we will not be returning. The pastor seems to talk a lot about himself with weak connections to his point in the sermon. I also feel his messages fall short and he picks and chooses what suits his own beliefs. Quotes are regularly out of context and it seems he is trying to be funny, but actually comes off offensive. It's like he is putting on a show instead of talking to the congregation like we are close friends. As someone who has an unconventional background, but follows God, I did not feel welcome by him, only judged. Even if the church has certain beliefs, a good church will listen to your story and still welcome you with open arms. God placed me on a certain path. There are many paths people are guided to take, and I wish for my church to acknowledge that.