church visit #1

Church Name: Wheaton Bible
Church address: 27W500 North Ave, West Chicago, IL 60185
Date attended: September 14th 2014 
Church Category: Spanish speaking Service

Describe the worship service you attended. How was it similar to or different from your regular context?

This worship service I attended was so much different then I could have ever expected in so many different ways. To begin with, it was all in Spanish. Not a lick of English was spoken except when some people around me who knew both Spanish and English knew I was not fluent in Spanish and greeted me in English. It was also different by the way everyone greeted one another. Normally my home church has individual chairs and when we greet each other, we greet the five people around us. However with this service, people sat in pews and specifically walked to the end of the pew in order to greet the person to there right or left. They would make a big effort to walk a further distance then what I am normally accustom to in order to greet another member of the church. 

What did you find most interesting or appealing about the worship service?

I thought the most interesting aspect of the church service I attended was how loud and assertive the pastor was in his speaking. I did not fully understand everything he was saying, but there was no chance of me dosing off during his service. At times he was screaming and at very few times he was quiet. Normally in my home church, every now and then there would be a pastor who has a ton of energy. I find it important that the pastor speaks that way in order to continue to grab the audiences’ attention to the pastor’s important message.

What did you find most disorienting or challenging about the worship service?

The hardest part about this service was the language barrier. Although I took Spanish here at Wheaton as well as in high school, I did not fully understand this entire service. I was able to understand some words during the praise, and the topic of the service. Although trying to understand this service was a challenge, it also helped me stay more focused during his sermon. I was more focused because it was a constant effort on my part to try and understand what the pastor was trying to say. 

What aspects of Scripture or theology did the worship service illuminate for you that you had not perceived as clearly in your regular context?

During our worship service, we talked about trusting in Jesus. One reference our pastor made during the service was to Buzz lightener from the American movie Toy Story. He referenced how Buzz flew with style and made the leap of faith and trusted. He made the connected in regards to fully trusting God and making that step even when you think you cannot do it. This really sticks out to me because it was the only American reference he made during the whole service, so once he spoke in English my ears immediately perked up and I listened extra careful just because he was referenced something in which I could connect to.