Jessica Duttweiler - Church Visit #1

Jessica Duttweiler - Church Visit #1

Jessica Duttweiler - Church Visit #1

Wheaton Christian Center

610 E North Avenue

Carol Stream, IL 60188

Different Ethnic Category (African-American)

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

The first thing that was extremely different from my normal context was the size of the church. Walking into the sanctuary you are immediately aware that this church packs in the people. I could also tell very early on that the church had resources to spare. There were cameras everywhere to record the service for online viewers and the bulletins about the church were delivered through a video message on high-def screens instead of through low-tech paper and ink. Besides the wealth of the church, the other aspect that was different from my regular context was the fact that the demographic was almost entirely African-American. Although the church does strive to reach out to the greater community and other ethnic groups, the style of workshop and preaching is very much geared towards African American culture.

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

The most appealing thing about the worship service was the music. Not only were the songs uplifting and scripturally sound, but they were extremely joyful! It was almost like a great big party! People were free to worship in whatever way they felt best, including jumping, running, dancing, shouting, or just standing still in awe of God's glory. There was a great mixture of slow, meaningful songs and fast, triumphant songs that really helped me to get into a worshipful mindset. It also didn't feel like a huge performance which could've easily happened with the talent of the band and the worship leader. I felt extremely comfortable to worship in whatever way I wanted, allowing me to let the spirit move in me in profound ways. I also felt very welcomed by everyone around me. It truly felt like a big family worshiping God with one voice. I did not feel like an outsider nor did I feel pressure to worship in any particular way. It was like no matter how I chose to praise the Lord, I was supported.

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

The thing that most disoriented me about the service was the extreme emphasis on speaking in tongues. Throughout the service many people, including the worship leader and pastor, would simply break into their "prayer language" as they called it, as a form of true worship. This was odd to me as I had never heard speaking in tongues applied in this area. Although it was strange, I accepted it because I did not feel that I had the right to judge other people in the way that they worshipped God. However, at the end of the pastor’s sermon, he asked if anybody in the congregation was interested in receiving their “prayer language”. He went on to say that he believed that speaking in tongues was a major proof of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and that you haven’t truly felt the Holy Spirt’s power and blessings until you have your own prayer language. This confused me and I now feel like I have an obligation to further explore the subject of speaking in tongues so that I can figure out where I stand on this issue.

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 believe the most beautiful thing that I saw at this church was exactly that: a church. A body of believers who are praising the Lord Jesus Christ together and with all their beings. So many other churches that I have attended have felt cold, un-welcoming, and not cohesive. Church members politely recognize their fellow worshippers but there is no sense of camaraderie or fellowship of any kind. At WCC I felt like I had stepped into a place where people genuinely wanted to know who I was, how I was, and how they could help me through my struggles. I felt loved, noticed, and thoroughly at home. This embodiment of scriptures description of a real church was wonderful to see and experience.