Faith Family Church - Essay Example

March 9, Section Religious Site Visit Report I. Introduction I chose Faith Family Church, North Canton, Ohio, for my religious site visit because my friend was asking me to come to church with him. This was good time to visit because I had reason to go, for my assignment. So we went together. It was Sunday morning at 9:00 when we arrive to church. We get something to drink at church café and take fast look at church bookstore. Then we find our place to sit in main sanctuary because the service will start at 9:30 am. It was March 3, 2013. The church is very big, with impressive architecture that had many lights and windows. It made me to feel free. There were about 1000 or more people there. The church has space for almost 4000 people (Faith Family Church). There are special buildings for children and teens, and also a pretty chapel. II. Methods I decide to not take notes because service is recorded and put on church website archives, so I can see it again if I need to (Faith Family Church). Also, it was very different from my experience in prayers at the mosque, so I know I will not forget what I see and hear and feel in new place. If I take notes, I cannot have experience but only be outside experience. It is important to be inside experience. We had a paper that tell us what happens, what songs and who is speaking and when to pray. My friend explained things when I ask him. I pay careful attention until 11:40 when the service end. Couple days later, I looked carefully at the website to see if I had forgotten anything. III. Background Faith Family Church started as a Bible Study in local businessman’s home 25 years ago, with Pastor Mike, the same pastor that I saw. After few months they had 40 people so they moved to restaurant. When restaurant is too small, they make their own building. Finally they build wonderful set of buildings where they are now (Faith Family Church). It is very nice and comfortable with room for growing membership. IV. Observations/Comparisons One big difference is that in Mosque men and women (over age 7) are at the same prayers but they are not together, not next to each other. At Faith Family men and women are all in the same place and are together. Men do not touch women in Mosque, and women do not touch men, but in this church men and women touch and hug, and they are comfortable like that. The service was done in personal way, like free gift for new people, and we were welcomed. Participation in music and helpful social activities was encouraged. They show a video that asks people to bring a friend to church for Easter weekend. Their prayers were personal because they talk to God like He was standing right there and a close friend. They said that if you are having some kind of problem in your life, that you should pray, raise your hand up and ask God for help. Then they prayed for everybody to have good change in their life. In mosque, prayers are more formal and recited in Arabic in a learned style. There is ritual movement for our body, as we pray. There is no one welcoming visitors or telling you to bring other people with you next time. Pastor Mike is male, late 30’s or early 40’s in his age, I think. He wore white shirt and brown sports jacket, and his shirt hanging outside his pants. He was informal when he gave sermon. He did not try to look different from people, and he had a friendly way of speaking. He said that Jesus had friendly relationship with people and that the church should never act like they are better than others or like different people don’t belong (Faith Family Church). The pastor and other people who spoke put a lot of pressure on people to bring more people to the church so the church will grow bigger quickly. He advise people how to act friendly and how to show love, so that people will like the church and find God. He told some stories from his life and other people’s lives so we could understand what he was saying (Faith Family Church). People listened to what Pastor Mike said, and they raised their hands, when he ask them to. Pastor Mike read from the Bible, the book of Acts, where there is a story about Jesus’ disciples that heal this guy that was wanting money. He was so happy to get healed and jumped up to praise God. Pastor Mike said that it was ordinary day but God used them to do something amazing. He said that anyone can be used by God to do amazing things. We can invite people to church so God can change their life (Faith Family Church). Faith Family is a Christian church, so the Bible is important religious book. They believe that church can use Bible to show people how to follow God’s teachings and this can change them (Faith Family Church). Pastor Mike read from the Bible. He used the story to bring support for what he was saying about how to change people’s lives by bringing them to church and God. The friendly way of speaking and the way people are told to be open to new people who come to the church are like the way the church began, a small informal Bible Study in a home that grew quickly. The music style makes teens and new people feel happy and comfortable because it is kind of like rock music they already know. I felt happy and comfortable when the service began with that music and I didn’t feel nervous about the religion being different. The personal style of the church and Pastor Mike and his sermon made me feel like I was part of things. People had excitement and carefully considering what Pastor Mike says, just like me. The church service was different from prayers at mosque. It happened on Sunday. Muslims go to prayers every day and only on Friday, Jummah Day, we hear a lecture at mosque, about how to help the Muslim Nation and amazing stories about Prophet Mohammed. Church service at Faith Family begin with flashing lights of different colors, a band, and a projection screen behind performers, male and female. They sang songs about loving and praising God and hold up Jesus’ love in life. The rest of people were standing and invited to join singing. I notice that many people are rocking back and forth with music and holding one or both hands up in the air. They had emotional looks on their faces, and my friend told me they feeling Holy Spirit. I think it was like a trance or something but maybe it was prayers that they sang. In mosque, we say prayers but music and singing is not part of prayers. There is a proper way to recite prayers, and emphasize the “e”, the “ah” and the “u” sounds by holding them out longer, but they are not sung and there is no band and no colored lights. For Muslims, songs are part of special singing competitions, and they also emphasize worship and praise. Muslims dress in a special way to attend Mosque prayers. Women always cover and that include all girls who attain their age. Men wear white and wear special hats. At Faith Family Church, I saw that most people wearing regular clothes, even jeans and T-shirts. There were people who are official helpers in the church and wear Faith Family T-shirts. V. Summary I think it was good experience. Faith Family Church sets important goal to get all types of people into church, where they can get changed by God. The music, friendly style of speaking, informal clothes style, welcome, free gift, prayer for everybody’s problems, opportunities to participate, and sermon topic all make a visitor feel comfortable and a member feel motivated to be open to others and keep up a friendly place. I learn that having new religious experience can be good, even I am happy with my religion. I understand why my friend like his church and why he invite me to visit church. I am happy for this assignment and new experience in my life. Works Cited Faith Family Church. "Livestream." 2013. Faith Family. 5 March 2013 . —. "Our History." 2013. Faith Family. 5 March 2013 . Read More