I attended Abyssinian Baptist Church for several years while Rev. Butts (rest in peace) was the pastor. During that time, I honestly didn't learn the core gospel truths that I needed most. The church did not clearly teach that we are saved by grace through faith alone, or that we are not under the works of the law for salvation. Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." Because I didn't have a firm foundation in the true gospel of grace, I later got pulled into a Hebrew Israelite group that taught justification by works and keeping the law. I stayed in that system for 15 years, trapped under heavy bondage, because I didn't know how to defend against their false doctrine. Thankfully, Jesus set me free. The Holy Spirit opened my eyes to the real gospel -- that we are saved by grace through faith in Christ's finished work, not by law-keeping. I'm sharing this testimony because I wish someone had clearly taught me these truths back then. Based on my experience, I cannot recommend Abyssinian Baptist Church as a place where someone will be grounded in the saving grace of Jesus Christ. I don't know how the church is today under new leadership, but during my years there it left me unprepared and vulnerable to false teaching. If you're looking for a church that clearly teaches salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, I would encourage you to keep searching and testing everything against Scripture. Grace & peace. read more

I've been attending Abyssinian Baptist Church most of my life; almost 60 years! I love my church and have experienced growth for my family and I. It's kept me grounded in the WORD. We are all human and fall short, so let's see who can throw the first stone! Praise GOD from whom ALL blessings flow Peace and blessings read more

My favorite house of worship. Abyssinian Baptist Church has brought me to God. The church of my family. I go there to be closer to God and all of my loved ones and friends who have passed and gone to Heaven. read more

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I attended this church for several years and was an usher there. I experienced a lot of spiritual growth and left to attend another equally well known church in the city. I still go there for some holiday services. I agree that the ushers can be rude (which I don't condone), but their job is to keep order in a place that has hundreds of visitors a week. I'm not sure who why the admi- nistrative decision was made to invite large numbers of tourists. My take on this is it's one thing to visit a church for worship. Being a tourist suggests that one is looking for entertainment. It seems that often visitors don't realize that the members of the church are human beings who have their own culture and spiritual expression. It can feel like you're being gawked at by the tourists. For me, church is also a refuge from everyday slights that many Blacks experience. This was part of the reason I chose to change churches. read more

While visiting NY, I went to Abyssinian in Harlem to get The Word. I was stunned to find out that the church is a tourist attraction with a line of would-be worshippers LITERALLY extending down the street and around the corner. I managed to get in (wink) and get a seat and made friends with the gentleman sitting next to me who wasn't a tourist, but he was originally from the same city I lived in! Small world. I don't think Reverend Butts was in top form (not that I've seen him before, but his reputation precedes him), but I still got what I went for. Didn't know a soul, but felt right at home. One usher in particular was very nice to me. read more

Rude employees! I live on the same street as the church and one of their employees told me I wasn't allowed to stand on the sidewalk in front of the church. She said The church owned the sidewalk (false) and that I couldn't stand there. Then called me a "rude ass". It was the gross lady with short curly blonde hair. Honey let me tell you something-once your busted church starts paying their hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of debts to the properties they "own", you can start the lip smacking back up. read more

The place is amazing!! Is one of the best experiences I ever had. But there is a few things that you need to consider if you go as a "walk-in" tourist. 1) The service starts at 11 on Sunday, but you have to be there earlier because a very long line forms. We got there around 9:00 and barely enter the church. The service last about 2 and half hours and you must stay for the whole time. Leaving in the middle of the service is considered rude. They mentioned that a new service schedule is made for Wednesday evening, you can check the website. 2) They have a very strict dress code and make no exceptions, so: no flip flops, no shorts, no shirts, no back packs, no tight pants, no athletic clothes. We saw a lot of people being pull out of the line because they were not dressed properly. 3) As they say, this is not a gospel concert, this is a sacred ceremony so, no cameras, no cell phones and no recording..... makes sense. 4) Be polite and respectful, the people attending church regularly don t enjoy see people look at them as entertainment. The "people in charge of the line" can be really annoying and even rude in their attempt of enforce the rules, but once you re inside everybody is really nice. So as a retribution don t be cheap with the donation to the church. My advice is that if you don t like these rules, you better stay home and watch the service streaming on the web (yes! live broadcast from the church...!) I would definitely come back whenever I m in NY again. Hope you enjoy it! read more

This church has paid singers in their choir. To serve the Lord it should be free. Rev Butts needs to sit down and take a long vacation. New leadership is needed, all that Diva behavior is not needed Amen lights read more

Despite the long long line you have to make to get in (and it was freezing outside) the experienced is beautiful, it's not what I expected (up and dancing and praising the lord) but more of a holy experience, the singers are top of the notch, so it's more of like sit down and enjoy a holy concert. read more

My wife and I went to go experience Jesus in NYC; was turned away because all visitor passes were given away at 8:30. I guess this a new problem for churches; too many visitors. If you want to go make sure you get in get your "vip" passes early. Jesus is the bouncer at this church. Sorry Bonhoeffer. Maybe next time. read more

It was a beautiful experience. I had heard about it and always wanted to go there. I came at 8am and flabberghasted at the long line. I asked one guy walking around do you think I can get in if I tell them I work in Harlem and I give service to the community? They said sure, you got your ID? Fortunately I did, I asked the usher and he set me aside and the usher was very nice to me, bit brusque and abrupt to the tourists with two other people we were ushered in for 9am I thought I'd be getting into the 11am mass! IThe sermon is quite uplifting and they suit it to the community, the chorus is very beautiful. I'm not baptist but now I can see why some baptist are so strong in theif faith, everyone was dressed up and it was a very nice experiencethe men in suits the women in dresses and nice big hats. It was interesting seeing anotehr faith, it was very moving seeing other people worship. I was lucky because I work there, if you are not a member of the church you better find some way to get in, or you'll be like the rest of the tourists left hanging outside. hahahaha (okay maybe I shouldn't get too cocky)I agree with the above guy, there are certain tourist practices I found quite entertaining. I won't mention it either because it's a little controversial!Poor people, it was humorous to watch though. I thanked the usher profusely for letting me in, because I could have been one the countless hundreds left in the cold; in other words, be prepared for a long wait and maybe not getting in if a) you're not part of the community, b) you don't live or work around the area c) you don't have a connection in d) the usher doesn't like you read more

i'm not sure i can categorize this as a church. it's more like a circus freak show. is this place for real? i mean really, i half expect snookie or one of the kardashians coming out of the doors by the characters stalking the doors. lines down the block after service time is supposedly past (i'm sorry, how long are they going to continue waiting to go in? it's a hundred degrees out!) oh, and i am rejected because i'm wearing "spandex." (i was wearing tights and a nice shirt). but girls wearing backless dresses and short dresses were allowed in because they brought a sweater. please. it's fine if they say it nicely but you'd think i came in stripper gear with pasties and stilettos the way the guy and girl (old, but not a lady) sized me up. the attitude dripping at the doors of this church, can we say "do not make my Father's house a house of trade"? i mean really. it's about respect and communion but this is just really, a freak show. go check it out one day. i'm sure it's gorgeous inside. but that just leaves me with such distaste that i'd rather not. negative stars. read more

The most uplifting worship I have ever experienced. I still can't believe I was actually a part of it! Got inspired by a powerful Mother's Day sermon and the magnificent choir & soloist had me fighting back tears. Every part of the service was wonderful. I attended today with a friend who grew up in the Baptist church. We arrived wearing suits and ties and came to worship, not to gawk or be entertained and so were able to go in (usually there are no visitor's on Mother's Day). Meanwhile, European tourists in shorts and t-shirts with cameras dangling from their necks were turned away with a firm "no visitors today." And rightly so. This is a church that's home to a devoted congregation who come to worship God. They are not there to perform or satisfy cultural curiosity. Abyssinian Baptist is not a tourist attraction. If you expect to drop in and see a Gospel floor show put on by colorful characters doing backflips down the aisles you are sadly mistaken. Should anyone from the church come off as curt or less than welcoming to a visitor it's probably because they're tired of their religion being disrespected as someone else's entertainment. read more