Center City church provides freedom to rock

IF YOU grew up going to church, chances are it wasn't like Freedom Church - and not just because services are held at the Prince Music Theater.

At Freedom Church, the traditional choir has been replaced by five high-voltage singers backed by four hard-playing musicians whose sound is more rock than "Rock of Ages."

Lead Pastor Gabe Bouch (rhymes with couch) wears jeans and sneakers - as do many of his parishioners.

And while it's often been said that Sunday morning is the most segregated time of the week in America, that's not the case at Freedom, where the congregation is racially diverse.

"I think a lot of people in this city are looking for a place that is not just a white church and not just a black church," Bouch said. "I think they are drawn to a church that reflects the demographics of our city. I think people feel that God is really doing something here and they're excited and want to be a part of it."

Who we are: Freedom Church, founded in 2003, is a member of the Every Nation network of nondenominational Christian churches. Bouch, 39, became lead pastor in June 2011 - the same year he earned a Ph.D. in mathematical physics from Rutgers University. The Orlando, Fla., native and his and wife, Jennifer, have six children, ages 1 to 15.

Many of Freedom's 275 members are college students and young professionals. The church has active campus ministries at both Temple and Drexel. "One of the things that we really emphasize is trying to reach the next generation," Bouch said.

Where we worship: The congregation has moved several times since its founding as a weekly prayer and Bible study group in the New Jersey home of Philadelphia Eagle Corey Simon - who was a Bird from 2000 to 2005.

Its Sunday services, at 10 a.m., have been held at the Prince Music Theater, 1412 Chestnut St., for the past three years.

What we believe: "For us, Jesus is the center of everything we do. Our most fundamental statement of faith is, 'Jesus is Lord,' " Bouch said. "So, every week we're going to have sermons that are based on the scriptures and that intend to draw us closer to Jesus so we can be the people that He wants us to be and be a blessing to our communities."

Baptisms are held three times a year - sometimes at swimming pools, other times at Highway Tabernacle at 18th and Spring Garden streets. Those being baptized must complete a five-week foundations class. Communion is celebrated quarterly.

What we're known for: In addition to being youthful and racially diverse, Freedom Church is known for its music, which is "kind of rock," the pastor said. Band leader and bass player Micah Jones is chair of the Bass Department at the University of the Arts.

We're growing: Starting Sept. 7, there will be two Sunday services: at 9:30 and 11 a.m.

Good works: On several occasions church members have pitched in to paint and spruce up the Helping Hand Rescue Mission, at 6th Street and Fairmount Avenue. Two Freedom members help run an orphanage in Guatemala.

If pennies rained from heaven into our facilities budget: Freedom would buy the financially strapped Prince Theater, which has said it will close Nov. 30 if it can't find a benefactor. Should that happen, the congregation will move somewhere else.

God is . . . "all powerful. He's loving. He's personal," Bouch said. "He's taken on flesh and blood in the person of Jesus Christ . . . He's engaging. He's all powerful and mighty, but he's involved in our lives. He's a God who speaks and loves to talk to his people. That's a start."

Words of hope: "Philadelphia is a city that has so much character and so much history and yet is wrestling to become the sort of city that it can be," the pastor said. "We have a strong sense that God has not forgotten about Philadelphia. He wants to do something great here."