Adult Christians or those whom attend church regularly-Do African-American churches worship god differently?
Hmmm…I believe that has something to do with slavery and the way slaves used to worship…hypothetically speaking us “Afro Americans” or whatever title we’re given are on American soil (those of us that were born here and our ancestors were born here as well) because our descendants before us were captured and brought here and lived as slaves…and I think as generations went on a child saw how their parents did things in church like praise and dance, etc. and did what they grew up watching…to us/them (blacks that praise a little differently) it is nothing unusual about it…just like eating or brushing your teeth you do it the way you observed or were taught so to speak…and that “way of acting” I think was brought with the slaves from Africa…in specific tribes the people dance around and dress up and scream and shout and do certain things when praising or worshiping…
I was practically raised in a black church (my mother took me every week). In high school, one of my best friends attended a Southern Baptist church that was primarily white. The church had a better youth program, so, during high school, I often attended her church. The churches definitely had different ways of worship. My childhood church was much more energetic and loud. The members got really excited during service, singing loudly and dancing around. As the pastor preached, he gradually got louder and louder, creating more and more of that excitement. The choir sang in that typical gospel style, strong voices, dancing, etc. My friend’s church was more low-key. They didn’t have the dancing around, nor the same level of excitement. Their pastor was no less enigmatic, but spoke softer, almost like a motivational speaker. Their choir sang many of the songs that you hear advertised for Christian worship CDs advertised on television and sang them in much the same way. I think, in general,
Where I live I have been to both. I have found that the Caucasian churches are more reserved and quiet in their worship. They are also more program/entertainment oriented. The African-American church (there’s actually only one here) was louder and they were not afraid to let go for God. They also expected God to show up in His manifest presence. There was no time limit either. It was really a breath of fresh air. I would have stayed there and made it my church, but they did not have anything for the kids and I couldn’t make my young children sit through a 2-3 hour service, so I go and visit once in awhile. I live in the midwest.
I attended a church in Virginia which was about 50-50. The service was also done stylistically 50-50. There was an AA choir and a mixed choir and they took turns. There was a black preacher and a white preacher and they shared the service and alternated Sundays with the sermons. Other than that, I have attended predominantly white churches and seen AA churches only on tv. The difference depends largely on whether the white church is contemporary or traditional.
Yes, here in my neighborhood there was a non-denominational Christian church that was mostly black. I visited and they have a different style of worship – more gospel, more organ. In mostly white churches, the praise and worship is less organ, and more pop-styled. Also whites tend to be more reserved in expressing themselves. I loved both!
