Date: 10, March 2023

Tegan Kaibetoney

Location: Jesus The Way Church

Introduction:

I am currently a student at Salt Lake Community College, and I’m taking an

anthropology class, I had the privilege to complete an ethnographic field study which I pick to
attend a non-denominational Christian church for this particular assignment. The church that I
decided to study is located in the city of Midvale, Utah and it has a different style of worship
than what I was used to. I have grown up in a different religious tradition. I only know what I
grow up with, which was why I was interested in understanding how this Jesus The Way Church
community practiced their faith and worshiped with each other and the community that they live
in.

Description of the Church Sunday Service:

Jesus The Way Church is located in an old run-down building with two windows one on
each side of the sign with a small parking lot right off the street The entrance had a sign above it
that read “Welcome to Jesus The Way Church” also well as information about the time of
services and a contact number. Inside, the building it had a spacious foyer with comfortable
seating and a small table that had informational pamphlets. The Main worship area was a large
room with a stage, a choir, and your typical sound-lighting equipment. The walls were decorated
with Christian art, and there was a pull-down projection screen focused on the back wall behind
the stage where the pastor give his sermons. The seating was comfortable, and there was space
for people to move around. As I looked around a also saw many fake decorated plants and trees.

Observations during Worship:

The worship service began with a welcome from the pastor and a couple of
announcements of upcoming events, for example, the announcement that was interesting to me
was that on Wednesday evening they hosted a bible study at 7 pm weekly. Then, the worship

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conductor led the congregation in singing a couple of Christian songs. The music was more of an
upbeat tempo which in my experience I’ve only heard soft, and calm music was only sung at
church services. I saw many members of the congregation stand up and start clapping their
hands, during the singing, or members lifted their hands and said “praise” or closed their eyes in
prayer or some type of meditation. The lyrics were projected on the screen and the choir led the
singing with great melody and rhythm.

After the worship songs, the pastor delivered a sermon. The sermon was based on a bible
passage, and the pastor used stories and examples to help illustrate the message from their
personal lives. The sermon was about forgiveness, and how it is a central teaching in
Christianity. The pastor who is named Ibrahim also talked about the power of prayer and how it
can help people to let go of anger and resentment to help them to forgive their enemy

During the sermon, members took notes or followed along with their bibles. Others
simply listened and nodded their heads in acknowledgment of what was being said by the pastor.
There were also some moments of laughter at the pastor’s points. The sermon ended with, the
pastor inviting people to come forward to receive prayer or talk to a member of the church staff.

Then I was observing the sermon I had a couple of questions come to mind. What does it
take to become a Jesus The Way Church member? What does the Jesus The Way Church
teach/believe in? What is the purpose of gathering as a group, and what are the biggest benefits
of attending different events, or services activities?

After the sermon, the worship conductor led the congregation in a final song. Again i
noticed that people raised their hands in worship, and others closed their eyes in reflection of
what was just heard from the pastor. I do have to mention that I did join the members in standing
and just being part of the emotion that I felt during the closing of the Sunday service.The service
ended with a prayer from the pastor, and the congregation was dismissed.

Social Interaction:

When the service ended, I saw many people lingering in the service hall and the foyer. I
saw them talking to each other. Members hugged, and many shook hands or were just plain
happy to see one another. The atmosphere that I felt was friendly and welcoming. I had a couple

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of members come up to me and introduce themselves and asked me how I felt and what I thought
about the sermon. I thought it was fun and exciting to meet new people and learn more about
their church services. I also noticed that there were people of all ages and different backgrounds,
and everyone seemed to be inclusive in the congregation.

I also observed that there were many activities and events advertised in the foyer. These
included bible studies, youth groups, and community outreach events there were also volunteer
sign-up sheets and a donation box for various causes.

Interview:

During my second visit to a Sunday service with Jesus the way church. I got settled in my
seat very quickly this time and started thinking of good questions to ask anyone willing to
answer them if the opportunity arose. I was able to have an interview with the pastor of Jesus the
way church.

The interview was very casual, and the environment was very positive, and comfortable,
after an evening service that the congregation had this past week, I had the opportunity to meet
the pastor, and formally get introduced to Ibrahim (Abraham). He was very excited to meet me
and did say that he had noticed me from a couple of Sunday services, and was pleased to have
me be a part of the event/ services.

I typically would sit closer to the back of the service hall, during the last couple of
services, so I was really surprised that Ibrahim noticed me in the crowd. I felt welcomed when he
told me at. I then asked him if he would be interested to share more with me, and answer some
questions, I’ve been thinking about for the past few weeks. Ibrahim was more than happy too.
Before we headed to his office, he asked if I wanted a tour of the church building. I told him that
I would love that.

The Jesus The Way Church is not an awe-inspiring edifice, but I found its modesty and
welcoming. Its simplicity seemed to reflect a focus on the religion's values rather than a display
of worldly status or self-gratification. Within the walls were basic needs like bathrooms and
service halls alongside smaller rooms branching off from the main area with offices scattered

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throughout as well. My final moments with Ibrahim took place in his workspace where he
graciously entertained my inquiries:

How does your church approach social justice issues, and what actions have you taken to
promote positive change in your community? How do you encourage and support the spiritual
growth and development of your congregation outside of regular worship services? How has
your personal faith journey influenced your role as a pastor and the way you lead your
congregation?

Ibrahim used very selective verbiage when answering the questions I asked, which were
“we, our, us, and personal. This made me feel like he truly loved his congregation/community.
The first question I asked him was a very emotional topic that we discussed, because of the event
that has happened recently and in the past couple of years with social justice. Ibrahim said
“Social justice is an integral part of our church's mission, and we believe that our faith calls us to
actively work towards promoting positive change in our community. Our church partners with
local organizations that serve those in need, advocates for policy changes that promote justice
and equity, and provides education to our congregation about the issues and challenges faced by
different communities.”

I was impressed with his answer, I felt that this topic was important to him because he
wasn’t born here in America and his family moved to America in his early teen years. Ibrahim
also shared that it was one of the hardest things he did in his life, but if it wasn’t for his ability to
network and make friends that he wouldn’t have known how he would have made it during his
younger years, coming from a different culture, and country. I then asked him how do you
encourage and supported the spiritual growth and development of his congregation outside of
regular worship services. Ibrahim started to smile and laughed a little. He mentioned that it was
challenging to keep visitors and regular members focused on the teaching of the church. Still, he
did say that as a church they recognize that spiritual growth and development are lifelong
journeys that require effort and support. Ibrahim “provides various programs and resources such
as small groups, Bible studies, retreats, and mentorship opportunities to help encourage and
support the congregation's spiritual growth.” He went on by saying also emphasizes personal
spiritual practices, such as prayer and meditation. Ibrahim said that he was grateful for prayer

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and meditation. I would agree that prayer and meditation were the main focus for pastor Ibrahim.
After the interview, he asked to end with a prayer.As he prayed I do have to share that it was full
of encouragement, love, and support toward me and it was such an amazing experience to feel
the experience he had through his spiritual healing.

One of the last questions I asked him was How has his faith journey influenced his role
as a pastor and the way he leads his congregation? Ibrahim smiled and also teared up, and told
me that his faith journey has significantly influenced his role as a pastor and the way he leads the
congregation. “Through my own experiences, I have developed a deep appreciation for grace,
love, and forgiveness, and I seek to reflect these values in my leadership and interactions with
others.” Ibrahim also said that he “prioritizes being authentic in sharing his struggles and
challenges, hoping to encourage others to do the same and find strength and support as a whole.”

I cannot express enough gratitude for the time that I had got to spend with Ibrahim. It
was truly a blessing to be granted permission by him to notate the detail of our conversation,
which will undoubtedly prove valuable should any further questions arise. Furthermore, his
graciousness extended even beyond this occasion as he invited me to join in their next service
with his family. It was an honor to be invited back again.

In the capacity of an anthropology student, I had to attend a Christian church with no

clear denomination. The engagement proved to be a deeply thought-provoking ordeal that had a
significant impact on my personal growth and learned a lot about the day-to-day work of an
anthropologist. In this welcoming setting, all members of worship services engaged in lively
activities with energy and love for one another that electrified everyone present there. This
community placed great emphasis on forgiveness coupled with prayer; their way of connecting
was consistent and a pleasure because of its inclusivity and diversity within the congregation
which piqued my interest due to being raised under other religion’s approaches which place more
of a serious note to having Sunday services that were a lot more reverent then upbeat. Overall it
proved rather educational regarding observation, analysis, and recording as part of my fieldwork
that focused on religion and the perspectives of not being part of a community or the same
religious topics, especially through academic viewpoints unlike personal views at large