A Tale of Two Churches

So I just got back from a Chicago trip with the Epic launch team where we went to two different churches. If you don't know already, the Epic team has been going around to various churches in the area to check them out, in order to see what they do good or bad, and how we can learn from our experiences at the churches. On Saturday night we went to Willow Creek and on Sunday we went to Lawndale Community Church. They are two very different churches, but both made a huge impact on me.

Willow Creek is what you would call a "Mega Church." We went to the Saturday night service, at 5:30 PM. The place was enormous, as we drove up I thought we were coming to a mall or college campus or something. I used to think Nappanee Missionary was big, but Willow Creek was bigger than I ever would have expected a church to be. The inside was huge and had a mall feel to it as well, with multiple levels, multiple sanctuaries, a dining court, a library, and probably much more that I didn't take the time to look around for. As the rest of the Epic team was checking in their kids, I decided to go check out the library, and this is where my experience changed in a way that I never would have expected. I came in with the idea that in such a huge church, there was no way that one-on-one occurrences could really happen. Apparently I was wrong.

I made my way through the busy food court and up the stairs to the library. As I was looking through the books, a guy next to me picked off an audio cd from the shelf and mentioned to me how good of a book it was. We continued to make small talk, he told me his name was Randy and I told him my name and how I was here with a church planting team and such. He told me that it was really awesome and he told me he'd be praying for me. We then parted ways and continued to browse the books. As I was leaving the library, we saw each other again and we started our conversation back up again. He then told me that he felt the need to take me aside and pray with me. So we did, we walked over to some couches that were nearby, and I told him what all I am going through. From quitting my job, to coming on staff with Epic, to raising support. He then took my hands and he prayed for me right then and there! This was all completely shocking to me, because I didn't expect a one-on-one spiritual connection at such a huge church. We ended up exchanging contact information and parted ways, but the fact that he took the time out of his day to pray for me meant the world to me!

So we parted ways again and I went and found a seat apart from my group in the biggest sanctuary I've ever seen in my life. Btw, the reason I chose to sit apart from the rest of the Epic group was because I wanted to see if people would approach me or talk to me as if I was here alone, which I usually am with every church that I go to anyway. Nobody did by the way, other than Randy earlier. The service was very polished, with polished music and a speaker that you would expect from such a huge church. The message itself didn't overly move me too much, but I really felt the spirit moving in me during the service, mainly because of all I'm going through right now, and how gracious and caring Randy seemed to be. At the end of the service, as everyone was leaving, I sat down and prayed. I'm not gonna lie, I may have cried a little bit. I really don't know why, I just felt so humbled at that moment in time that the only thing I could think of to do was cry. As I was leaving, I ran into Randy yet again (which is strange, because there was probably close to 4-5000 people there), and we talked about the service. We then shared a hug and then parted ways for good. Quite an experience I'd say!

On Sunday we went to Lawndale Community Church, and that is exactly what it was... a community! If you haven't heard of Lawndale, they are located in a low-income area of Chicago. Lawndale is more than just a church though, most of the surrounding buildings in the area are also owned by Lawndale. They have a doctor's/dentist's buildings for people to get medical attention that can't afford health care, they own stores and restaurants which provide jobs for people that are just out of prison and back into the real world, along with other things. They are a church that took basically the opposite approach as Willow Creek. The service was held in a really old gymnasium, with chairs set up in a circle around a stage in the middle of the court. The thing about Lawndale that I feel is amazing, is that I think they really get what worship and Sunday church is all about: community. So many people think that Sunday worship is a time for you and God to have personal praise time. They think that you shouldn't pay attention to the people around you, because worship is between you and God. I completely disagree with that idea, and I think Lawndale nails it on the head. You can have personal time with God all week long, Sunday worship is a time where you come TOGETHER as a body of believers and worship TOGETHER! There were people clapping, dancing, raising their hands in the air... I even saw a lady go up to the choir director at the end of a song and give her a high-five! I couldn't fathom someone doing that at a church around here! These people lived in a poor neighborhood and come from rough backgrounds, yet as broken as they were, they came and put on maybe the best worship service I've ever been a part of. The speaker spoke with fire and intensity, and gave a good message about having trust and strength in the Lord, and was really inspiring. I walked away from that church really amazed and inspired!

Both churches were vastly different, and I walked away inspired after both services, yet in very different ways. From a man named Randy having the compassion to picking me out of the huge crowd at the Willow Creek mega-church to the humble community at Lawndale, it always amazes me how you can go to so many different churches and experience something different at each one of them. I am definitely learning a ton of things that I will definitely keep in mind as we launch Epic Church!