Dan Mitchell Church Visit #1

Church name: Wheaton Bible Church

Church address: 27 W 500 North Avenue, West Chicago, IL 60185

Date attended:2/8/2015

Church category:  Less liturgical

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

I went to the 9:45 service of Wheaton Bible Church on the 8th of February. Wheaton Bible is a non denominational mega church located about 15 mins Northwest of Campus. While at Wheaton I have been a regular attender of Church of the Resurrection, an Anglican Church near campus, but I have attended churches in the past that are both more and less liturgical. Wheaton Bible was less liturgical from Church of the Resurrection, although Church of the Resurrection isn't super liturgical. 

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

I enjoyed the worship a lot. It was somewhat similar to Church of the Resurrection but the vibe was different. The main sanctuary was very dim and there were white and blue lights lighting up the stage which gave the feeling of a concert. The worship was also a little more electric sounding than the of Church of the Resurrection which while contemporary sounding is also accompanied by a choir. The dress of the church staff was also a lot less formal. The Pastoral staff and Bishop Stewart are dressed in long white robes making them very easy to distinguish from the general . At Church of the Resurrection they put emphasis on the liturgical elements and walk down the isle with incense and the Bible in a very ceremonial procession.

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

I didn't find the service very challenging at all. I enjoyed the worship and the very casual feeling of the service. It reminded me a lot of Christian Assembly a church I worshiped at in Middle School in Eagle Rock California. One thing I missed from Church of the Resurrection was the weekly communion. Church of the Resurrection has a congregation wide reading of the Lord's prayer and the Apostle's creed followed by communion every every week. While I don't normally think of it as being a hugely important part of the service for me I realized that I missed it a lot once I didn't have it.

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 really enjoyed the service a lot. Although it wasn't as different as I was expecting from Church of the Resurrection. After worshiping for almost 4 years at Church of the Resurrection it really gave me a new appreciation for the reading of the Lord's prayer, Apostle's creed, and communion which I had come to take for granted every week and didn't think about much. I realized how much I enjoyed that aspect of Rez's service. I also really liked the sermon that was preached. The pastor talked about King David's sin with Bathsheba as a problem with abuse of power and not so much about adultery which I thought was a great lesson to draw from the story that I hadn't heard before.