For years, I've had a standard joke when it came to church names: Why is it always the First Lutheran Church or First Presbyterian Church? Nobody's ever seen the Third Episcopalian Church or the Fourth Seventh-Day Adventist Church. Only the firsts seem to exist in my universe.
Until now.
In my research this week, I was humorously pleased to uncover the Second Baptist Church of Riverside. Their motto: Second in name; first in love.
A lot can be said about Second Baptist. For starters, do not come to Second Baptist wanting to be sad or depressed. Ain't happening. Also, do not come to Second Baptist wanting a quiet, solemn service. Really ain't happening. I'm sure there is a more politically correct way of saying this, but Second Baptist is a black church. I was literally the only white man in attendance, which is not to say I felt isolated or unwelcome. Immediately as I entered, a man named James introduced himself, and others approached me after he was through. It was a warm and inviting environment. It was also crazy -- the good kind of crazy.
The church had an organ, but it wasn't a pipe organ. No, they had what sounded like a vintage Hammond organ, and the man at the keys knew how to play. And the choir in the front of the church knew how to sing. And everyone rose to their feet, clapped, and either shouted or sang along. Some danced. It was up-tempo. It was loud. It was joy.
This was not an old fashioned choir; they were accompanied by drums and an electric guitar, but they were not a modern phone-it-in praise band, either. Approximately 25 men and women sang with such gusto that their emotions infected the rest of us. We all sang three songs to start, then the preacher welcomed everybody and went over some church announcements, then the choir sang another three songs, after which the preacher began to preach. And through it all, the congregation was anything but passive. The preacher welcomed responses to what he was saying. Sometimes what he said caused people to simply shout "amen" or "mmm-hmm," while other times the preacher's rhetoric seemed to force people onto their feet to cheer him on. In much the same way Paul Shaffer will add a musical zinger to one of David Letterman's punchlines, the church organist would sometimes punctuate a thought spoken by the preacher. I sat near the back of the church, but it didn't matter -- he drew me in.
The subject of the sermon was keeping hope alive, and I confess I was in need of that sermon this week. To say the Reverend T. Ellsworth Gantt is a dynamic speaker is like saying Aretha Franklin has an above-average stage presence. But what really impressed me was that this was a preacher who did not talk down to the congregation. Gantt treats people like adults, and approaches the Bible in mature terms. The children were ushered out to Sunday School before he began diving into the Bible, specifically the book of Ecclesiastes, more specifically the portion that says, "... to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion." Subjects of death and addiction and suicide were discussed candidly, but oddly without dispair. There is hope, he maintained, as long as we still draw breath.
As was the case at Crossroads last week, near the conclusion of the worship service there was an "altar call" for those wishing to be baptized into the church. However, unlike Crossroads, the baptisms did not immediately occur, the idea being that wanting it is important, but understanding it would seem to be of equal import. Those who approached the preacher were dubbed "candidates" and led away to discuss issues of faith with a church elder.
There were things I did not like about Second Baptist. Behind the preacher on the front wall was not a cross, but a screen projecting a PowerPoint display. That will always aggravate me because from an aesthetic point of view it appears as though we are worshiping Microsoft. Also, though the choir and musicians were good, the audio mix was decidely not; even behind the baffles, the drums were often overpowering. For that matter, when the preacher is shouting so loud that his voice would carry to Yorba Linda, to maintain the same volume through the speakers as when he is calmly speaking -- well -- it hurts the ears.
Having said that, Second Baptist was an amazing church with a vibrant ccongregation. In discussing my quest to find my own house of worship, more than a few of my friends have told me to let them know if I ever encounter one of those vibrant come-to-Jesus/revival type churches, the kind epitomized by James Brown in "The Blues Brothers." Well, I am happy to report that the Second Baptist Church of Riverside is such a church, a harmonious achievement of both style and substance. Admittedly, it takes a lot of energy to regularly attend a church like this one, but if you have never been to a church like this one, then I believe you are missing out on what it means to share and revel in the good news of the Lord. "Joy cometh in the morning," one of my favorite Biblical phrases promises. And -- what do you know -- it did.
Amen.
______________________________________________________
Sunday Scorecard:
Second Baptist Church of Riverside
2911 Ninth Street
Riverside, CA 92507
951/684-7532
http://www.secondbaptistriverside.org
What was the denomination?
Baptist
What Bible verses were referenced?
Psalm 100, Ecclesiastes 9:4
What are the demographics of the congregation?
Almost entirely African-American, a healthy mix of ages
Was the atmosphere formal or casual?
Men wore collared shirts and slacks, women wore semi-formal dresses, and the preacher wore a coat and tie. If you were to bring a cup of coffee into the church or attempt to use your phone, I'd be concerned for your safety.
What was the music like?
Decent choir, decent trio of musicians, though the mix was off.
How was the use of PowerPoint?
PowerPoint during most of the service. Not to my personal liking.
No comments:
Post a Comment