Carter Harms- Reflection 2

Church Name: Rock of Our Salvation                     

Church Address: Austin

Church Category: Different Racial Demographic

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

The worship service was fairly small and predominately African-American. Additionally, it started at 10:00am and went to 12:30.  As we walked to find our seats, I noticed that most of the people leading the service were black, except for a man who was sitting on stage and a woman who was singing. The service took place in a gym, with fluorescent lighting, and a banner hanging off the clear podium with the picture of the world. The musically portion of the worship was very different than my church background as it included corporate dancing, ten minute periods of repetition, and a faulty slideshow. However, the sermon was similar as it focused on the authority of scripture and the need to share the gospel with those around us.

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

The most meaningful part for me was the conversation we had after the service in the cafeteria. The pastor spoke to us about the importance of breaking down barriers in our lives and principle of racial reconciliation that Rock was founded on. For me the most impactful part was the pastor telling us that we are all called to kingdom work and that brokenness exists everywhere, including the suburbs. This thought was not necessarily new to me, but his articulation of it gave words to something I had felt for a while. I look around the place I grew up and the town I go to college in and I long for racial reconciliation that goes beyond paying lip service to diversity.

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

The length of the service was very challenging for me. My prior church experience was mainly services that would be somewhere between 50 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes. In fact, people consider the church I attend now as having long services at 90 minutes. However, at Rock the service lasted from 2 hours and 30 minutes. I found myself a couple of times wondering when it would end. Additionally, the entire service was very unlike the neatly polished productions I am used to. The service had multiple songs and periods of praise that would last over ten minutes, and we were constantly making noise and standing up.

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

Rock church really illuminated the theology of diversity. Even though Rock was predominately black, about 20% of the audience was non-black. This was proportionally represented in who was on stage as well.  It was clear that diversity is a big part of what Rock is about from the pastor talking with us after and one of the white deacon’s prayers during the service. Both talked about the eschatological vision of all people and all tongues worshiping the one true God. However, the pastor also talked about how the need for diversity in the church comes down to love and the need for unity in the body. This was particularly impactful for me because this church in the middle of Austin has a lot of pressing need. However, they make diversity a priority, while my church seems not to care.