The City Church Experience
As part of my visiting churches in Belfast I went to the Belfast City Church yesterday. I’d heard good things about it and I have often been to their non-profit making charity cafe that they run in the church building.
My overall impression was that I really enjoyed being there, they are a laidback, informal bunch with a passion to reach all sections of the community. During the course of my time there I spoke to two people suffering with drink problems and an angry young man who had been passing by the church and came in to seek refuge. I thought, how fantastic that this church could be open to this, I’m not sure how many churches could be. I think all churches want to be but if they’re honest with themselves they are not.
In reflecting on my visit, I’m not sure if it’s somewhere I could go every week. I didn’t think it was possible for a church to be too laidback and informal for me but perhaps this one was! They started 10 minutes late and lots of people wandered in and out during the worship. I know a lot of people like this more relaxed way of doing things but I think it would frustrate me after a while. Part of it is my ordered personality, maybe it’s the Air Traffic Controller in me, I like everything in its right place, but it’s also about respect for worshiping God and everyone being fully part of that. I am so thankful that City Church do what they do and I may well go back there but I’m not sure it’s the church for me.
