by Kristen Schoenike, EM Summer Staff in Atlanta, GA
A-Town Wings. Kentucky Fried Chicken. Chick-fil-A. Popeyes. Krystal. Church's Chicken. Cook-Out. Bojangle's. And of course, Waffle House (a chain that one of our community partners, Eric, lovingly nicknamed the Awful Waffle).
Atlanta's got fried chicken like God's got grace. It is literally everywhere. There's a place to buy it on every corner, and the streets are littered with bones of meals that have already been enjoyed.
Each restaurant does their chicken a little bit differently. You can bread it, butter it, grill it, or fry it. And yet, you are consuming the same thing every time—it is still chicken.
One of the greatest joys of my time here in Atlanta has been praying, worshiping, and living out my faith alongside people who pray, worship, and live out their faith in a different way than I do. While working with people from various regions of the U.S., I have encountered plenty of fresh perspectives on how we interact with our creator. Here is just one example.
In the south, church services are more interactive than most of the services I have attended at my old stomping grounds. Church goers here are clappin', hmm'n and haw'n, and shouting "Amen!" or "Thank you Jesus!" every time their hearts are moved. And I love it. They are excited about new life every day through Jesus Christ. Of course they're going to shout about it!
At my own home church, if the pastor's words really hit home, I reach for my pen and write them down rather than shouting my praises. I am used to keeping quiet even when my soul is stirred. But this southern spirit is rubbing off on me a little. One of these days, a dauntless "Amen!" is going to come out of my mouth without warning. But I won't mind. Why shouldn't I shout?
I know that this is a somewhat comical example, but I use it to highlight the many ways I can grow from hanging around others who walk alongside Christ with a swagger that's a little different from my own. We have Christian brothers and sisters not just on the other side of the country, but in almost every corner of the world, who make God smile in their own way. And though our praises may be different, we are all here for the same reason—to live and serve as the body of Christ. One diverse, unified body.
"So in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others."
- Romans 12:5
Can I get an "Amen?"
LEARN MORE | Bring your team to Atlanta to serve on a 2016 Mission Trip
Site developed and hosted by Skycog, Inc.