Greater Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church

I was a minority before I even walked through the door, but a nice, middle-aged, black man named Danny was quite friendly so that broke the ice. When they asked visitors to stand, it was just me and the only other white guy in the room. We were welcomed with the warm smiles I have come to expect. Their gospel music, instant harmonies, dancing, preaching, and "Hallelujahs" all brought back joyful memories of my days at Arandis Christian Center in Namibia. And that's actually why I went. The church I was going to visit meets at 11:30, but they share a building with the GFMBC and when I heard they were an African-American church that meets at 9:30, that's all the convincing it took for me to go early and get my black gospel fix.

The other church, called City Church, was much more what I was used to, mostly white, suburban Christians with contemporary music and a taste for the extreme (The pastor had a motorcycle drive up front to illustrate his point). But while both services were very different, I know God was still pleased. And while both congregations were very different, I know they both loved Jesus very much. If there's one thing my cross-cultural training has taught me, it's to appreciate differences. We live in a very diverse world, but God is One. He is why I can be the only white face in the crowd and be surrounded by brothers and sisters.