Jala's Focus - My Reflections on High Church

On March 3rd, 2024, Friendship Baptist Church had its first High Church - Sunday Service of the year! In preparation for the First Sunday, I also had the opportunity to participate in Friday's in-person prayer service. We began the service with corporate praise and worship and broke out into groups to partake in the various prayer stations Pastor and Lady Singley set up. My favorite prayer station was station #2, which encouraged us to reflect on 1 Corinthians 7:17 and pray about what God has told us about our own life's calling. Once everyone had the opportunity to visit the various prayer stations, we gathered in corporate prayer for the upcoming First Sunday service.

High Church holds a special place in my heart because it involves liturgical worship, which reminds us of traditions that have resonated across numerous generations of the Christian Church. This time also allows congregation members to see the various ministries moving in unison to advance the Church's mission, for example, the Deacon's Ministry leading Devotion and the serving of the Lord's Supper by the Deacons and Deaconesses.

As someone who falls between the Millennial and Gen Z generations, I have noticed some larger churches within the U.S. have begun to go one of two ways. Some have chosen to tailor their approach towards sensationalism, leaning into what’s trendy and worldly entertainment; others, like Friendship, have decided to stand firm in The Word, remain Bible-based, and acknowledge the descriptive and prescriptive traditions of the first Church. The Holy Spirit does enable the individual to have his or her own relationship with the Lord, but the High Church reminds us that there is value in knowing the structure, character, and community of the Body of Christ.

Jala’s Highlights of Sunday's High Church Service:
1. The singing of Will The Circle Be Unbroken by Deacon Bentley
2. The Blood Still Works performed by the FBC Mass Choir
3. "Church Stuff: It Happens" Sermon led by Pastor Curry (Acts 4:32-37; 5:1-11)
a. Value of Community
b. Virtue of Authenticity
c. Validity of Integrity

What is your favorite part of "High Church" at FBC?