Church name: Armitage Baptist
Church address: 2451 N Kedzie Blvd, Chicago
Date attended: October 12
Church category: Different racial demographic, farther from Wheaton
Describe the worship service you attended. How was it similar to or different from your regular context?
The worship at Armitage Baptist was actually quite similar to the church I regularly attend. The worship team was up on stage in front of the congregation. There were a few individuals playing instruments and a few singing. The music was contemporary and we sang a few songs before the pastor came up to give the sermon. I would say the main difference I noticed was how involved everyone seemed to be in the worship. It seemed to be more of a community event then just simply individuals worshiping on their own. I also felt that it was more heartfelt. Everyone I saw was singing as loud as they could whether or not they had a beautiful voice or were completely tone deaf. The service began with a "Bible drill," proceeded into worship, and then ended with a sermon.
What did you find most interesting or appealing about the worship service?
When I first arrived at the church, I was warmly greeted by a few individuals standing outside the auditorium and throughout the service the members of the church seemed to be genuinely glad we were there. Even after the service had ended, a few women came up and asked if it was my first time there. They continued small talk with me for a few minutes before I left. I felt a sense of community and felt welcomed from when I first entered to when I left.
Before the sermon began, the lead pastor took some time to give community announcements. This happens in my church as well, but they are usually announcements about a certain Bible study or potluck dinner that is being held. These types we mentioned here too, but so were other things such as an upcoming meeting for affordable housing in the area. The pastor mentioned that if they themselves aren't in need of housing, they most certainly know someone who is. He emphasized the importance of attending this meeting and making their presence and voice both known and heard. I really appreciated his encouraging of the community to get involved in issues that are relevant not only to them but also to those they know. It was a very real way to see encouragement to live out the Christian faith in action; being active in their community and speaking up for those who might not be able to.
What did you find most disorienting or challenging about the worship service?
This "Bible drill" that the congregation had was something I had never experienced before. Before the service began, a worship leader had everyone take out their Bibles and everyone participated in a "race" to see who could find certain passages first. The first person to locate a passage stood up and read it to the congregation. Although this was quite strange for me, I thought it was a testament to the importance of Scripture and to knowing God's Word should be in our lives. They took about 15 minutes to do this and it was a unique way to read Scripture together as a congregation before the sermon began. It was a bit disorienting as I'm not used to audience participation during church. This didn't just apply to the drill but also to the sermon. The pastor would call out people and refer to them or ask them questions while he was speaking. It was very interactive in a way that was unfamiliar to me.
What aspects of Scripture or theology did the worship service illuminate for you that you had not perceived as clearly as in your regular context?
The sermon was presented in a different way then what I'm used to. Instead of a topical sermon, the pastor walked through just three verses. I actually really enjoyed this type of preaching. It gave a new perspective to Scripture, taking so long to focus on just one verse. He gave a lot of background on where the book was written and in what circumstances it occurred. Having that background knowledge really helped prepare me to better understand what was being said in Scripture. He also focused a lot on suffering, especially of God's people and bookended that with the hope we have in the salvation of Jesus. The pastor asked the congregation if they had been wronged by anyone, whether it was a friend, family member, or organizations such as the government. Almost everyone in the congregation replied with a resounding yes. He then went on to talk about the appropriate way to respond to adversity and that we don't need to be afraid to suffer for Christ. It was a sermon topic that I had heard in different contexts but never something I had heard preached during church.
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