Harry Mak-Church Visit #3

Church name: Bethel New Life
Church address: 1140 N Lamon Ave, Chicago, IL 60651
Date attended: 11/2/2014
Church category: Different Ethnic or racial demographic, significantly lower socioeconomic demographic, at least 10 miles away

Describe the worship service you attended. How was it similar to or different from your regular context?
The worship service I attended included lots of music. It started with a boy holding a cross walk down the aisle to place it at the front of the church. The church choir and pastors followed him. The praise music was in the style of gospel music mostly. That was quite different from my regular context. People at this church sang with much more passion and volume. My regular church is mostly Christian contemporary music. The building was decorated quite different from my usual church. This church had stained glass windows that depicted Biblical narratives. It was really nice to be able to enjoy this art work while at Church. Communion was also a bit different. They used real wine and the method of intinction. The organist also played amazingly. I never knew an organ could make such lively music for a gospel choir. I thought their choir was so impressive, and I hope my church can learn from their enthusiasm.

What did you find most interesting or appealing about the worship service?
One of the most interesting things I found interesting about the worship service was that the pastor was a woman. I have not been to many churches where the lead pastor was a woman. I do not personally find this hard to accept, but my stereotypical head pastor was usually a woman. She preached on God’s love and mercy in the now. I thought she did a wonderful job conveying the message to the audience. The people in the audience were probably not highly educated, so she used very accessible words and themes. During the announcements, the congregation was very vocal in voicing their concerns. I enjoyed how the pastor was very open to hearing suggestions and comments from the congregation. It showed that the church valued everyone. I loved how the congregation was so warm and welcoming. Almost every member of the church came to shake my hand or give me a hug.

What did you find most disorienting or challenging about the worship service?
What I found most disorienting or challenging about the worship service was the lower socioeconomic background of the congregation. They obviously were from a very poor neighborhood and yet they were so willing to share what they had and work together to build the community up. While we were there, they talked about hosting a Thanksgiving meal for the community. They expected about three hundred people to attend the meal. I was so touched by how they so generously gave out of what little they had. This was challenging to me because I am so blessed materially compared to them and yet I am so reluctant to give what I have to bless others. I felt much convicted to be more generous with what I had. They were giving out of the little they had. It reminded me of the woman who gave very little quantitatively compared to the rich men, but God looked on her offering with more favor because it was all she had.

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

The pastor said one thing that really stood out to me. She said the church always begins new initiatives on their knees praying to God rather than looking at the bank account. During the service, I even heard about a special offering being collected to help countries suffering from the Ebola outbreak. In my regular context, we always have so much. Most of the people that attend my church are middle to upper class Chinese immigrants who have done quite well since coming to the United States. Most of our concerns are about the local church. We sometimes pray for the church worldwide, but we rarely collect offerings or take initiative to help those around the world. But this small church with a poor congregation understands that we can do anything through God’s help. It does not matter how much we have at the moment because God is able to provide just as He provided food for the five thousand.