Taylor Pride - Church Visit #2

Church name: Chicago Tabernacle

Church address: 4201 N Troy St, Chicago, IL 60618

Date attended: September 24^th, 2014

Church category: Ethnic Demographic

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

         Most churches don’t have an older lady stationed by the doorway to give spiritual-mama bear hugs right as one enters. But Chicago Tabernacle isn’t just any church. The worship service seemed to be led by the congregation rather than the band. It was apparent that the congregants were familiar with the songs because they sang them with such fervor so as to diminish the role of the band and accentuate the message behind the songs. For instance, as the band played at the end of the service, joyful songs and praise erupted from church members in a way in which one could sense the spirit of unity. Additionally, I couldn’t help but notice how joyfully integrated different ethnicities were dispersed throughout the pews. There were no clusters of a certain ethnic group that sat together but rather, people of all races were evenly distributed throughout the congregation. Among other ways, this unity manifested itself in the way that the members held hands while the pastor invited church members to pray publicly for the community.  

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

            What struck me most was how the built environment of the sanctuary nurtured a deeper sense of community. On the inside of the church, there were about twenty-five rows of traditional pews inside an older church building decorated with stain-glass windows and high-flying buttresses. As a rapidly growing church, it is no surprise that a church of that size has multiple services—with standing room only in our particular service. In this manner, we were situated very close to people who, in any other context, would be considered strangers. But at Chicago Tabernacle, people are treated as kin. During the worship service, there was a baby dedication during which the pastor kindly requested the church members to pray over the baby as if he was their very own son, grandson, or little brother. In this way, the high density of people, combined with family-oriented baby dedications, caused me to feel as if I had attended this church long before I had walked in the doors for the first time that morning. As the service proceeded, I noticed how the pastor continued his sermon with community-focused rhetoric—illustrating the heart of God in knitting people of all ethnicities and background together under the name above all other names: Jesus Christ.

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

         In light of the close community of Chicago Tabernacle, I was confused when the pastor announced that they were moving into another building. Although I do not know what the new building will look like, I wonder if the space in the new sanctuary will foster community like the space in their current building. Because church members currently are forced to worship in close proximity with other people, I believe community members benefit by this aspect of their current building. However, I speak out of ignorance, not knowing how their future building will be constructed. Another aspect of the worship service that challenged me was the way in which the pastor called for audible engagement with his audience. I am a firm believer in the power of agreement. I think that there should be more “Amens” so as to both encourage the pastor and to align one’s heart with the truth presented. Where I find this to be problematic is when the pastor starts to request for agreement with his or her opinion. Although I believe this to have happened only once throughout the service, it caused me to reflect: When do I audibly affirm when the pastor speaks? What does it reveal in my heart when I agree with opinion rather than raw truth? How does my audible “Amen” shape the worship experience for those around me?

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

         I was struck by how Chicago Tabernacle integrated dynamic prayer and worship ministries with a heavy emphasis on community. In my life, I have found that different denominations tend to stress certain aspects of Christian faith more so than others. For instance, Catholics tend to emphasize liturgical tradition whereas Pentecostals focus on the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Chicago Tabernacle beautifully illustrated what it looked like for a church to submit to God while also fostering church unity—suggesting that obedience and unity are not mutually exclusive, but rather go hand-in-hand. For example, the pastor particularly endorsed the announcement on an Intercessory small group, demonstrating the church’s concern with prayer. At the same time, the members’ passionate interest and involvement in the baby dedication illuminated the importance of community at Chicago Tabernacle. I would venture to say that because of the plurality of ethnic groups and emphasis on prayer, this church is more able to find beauty in the diversity of the church and proceed to follow God more ardently.