Phillip Griffin had an idea. Or what some might call more of an inspiration. The Men’s Sunday School teacher felt led by God to extend his church’s four walls on Sunday mornings.
For one hour every Sunday morning from 9:45-10:45 for the last three months, weather permitting, Griffin has sat in a lawn chair at the intersection of 82nd and Cornell on the lawn of Faith Tabernacle Baptist Church on Chicago’s southeast side, waving and praying for people as they drive by. And, when given the opportunity, he’ll even pray with them. Often, the drivers offer him a smile and a wave, or sometimes a honk from their car horn, as he holds up a sign reading, “Stop to Pray/Stop for Prayer.”
He said, “I really wanted to let people know we [the church] were here for them. Even if nobody comes it’s gratifying.”
Chicago’s southeast side, like the rest of the city, has experienced a wave of crime and violence in recent years which has set some nerves on edge. When Griffin first broached the idea of teaching his Sunday school class outside, he said received “a little pushback” from the class’s usual six to 10 participants.
But he told the skeptics, “God sees us and loves us. We don’t have to worry.”
The church’s pastor, Donald Sharp, said he’s encouraged to see the men in his church reaching out to the community. And he wants the area’s residents to know the church is there for them and cares.