Chris - I'm going to have to go against the flow on this one. I guess I'll never grow up to be a PHOTOGRAPHER.
I strongly prefer the second version of the barn to the church. To me, the tonality of the church is a bit harsh and the near perfect symmetry leaves the image with no depth. To be touchy-feely, the church is 'in your face' and leaves you no room to explore, the graphic elements too sparse to be entertaining. I'll freely admit that my comments reflect totally my preferred style and not much more. Without being dryly academic, it is hard to critique without reflecting one's preferences. That is quite apparent in many of the critiques I've read here.
I like your theme concept and look forward to seeing more. Choose your own style, whatever that is.
Chuck