Stuart C. Lord is a Christian minister, educator, and civic leader based in Boulder, Colo.
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Why We Still Shout
Connecting the story of Pentecost to the power of embodied worship in the Black Church.
THE PREACHER PAUSES mid-sermon. Somewhere in the middle of the sanctuary a voice rises: Amen. Another voice answers. Then another. Soon a chorus builds. Amen. Amen! Preach. The sound rolls through the sanctuary like a wave gathering strength. Hands clap rhythmically. Feet begin to tap against the old wooden floor. The preacher smiles and leans into the pulpit. The congregation has begun to preach with him.
For many who worship in the Black Church, this moment is instantly recognizable. The cadence of amens, the rising energy of the room, the collective response of the congregation. These are not interruptions to the sermon. They are part of the sermon itself. Worship becomes something shared, something embodied. Faith is not only spoken. It reverberates in the body. It pounds the ears.