Eight years ago the Pastor reached out to me on Yelp to say they had a new location. So I went to check it out as I was still church hopping and also, have you ever felt guilty for giving a church a 3 star review?! This new space at Philadelphia Film Center is actually pretty great. The lead Pastor continues to deliver relevant and biblically sound messages that are often wonderfully challenging (cry much?). And the worship team is filled with powerful voices. What's by far very interesting about this space of faith is the racial diversity. It is not mainly a sea of salt with a few sprinkles of black pepper, but a truly spicy rub mix, which you'd think would be more common in Philly-- but it's really not! And while the church definitely caters to the enthusiastic and passionate college students, there is an effort to create a supportive space for families. This is where I know there is room for growth-- if this is something you're really looking for, their South Jersey campus may scratch your itch. Pro Tips: 1. Free parking is offered at The Shops at Liberty Place-- a walkable distance which has allowed me to develop a very amicable relationship with the local Dunkin Donuts staff ; shoutout to their daughter who tirelessly works there as she studies at Temple. 2. If you're bringing your baby in your lap to the service bring some baby-sized earmuffs or check them into the nursery because many times it'll be like David (2 Samuel Chap 6) shouting praises for the first 20 minutes. And while your baby's cry may not be heard, it'll probably wreck your vibe. 3. If you tend to roll late wherever you go (raises hand guiltily) come to the first or third service where seats are more likely to be comfortably found. Come all ye faithful but especially all ye weary. You will be found. read more

I'm here in Philly for couple months and needed a contemporary church Sunday service. I was worried about the parking situation because the location is in the heart of downtown Philly... the streets are busy, crowded, dense. Fortunately: Street parking is not impossible but also not free. The church gives out parking voucher at Liberty Parking Garage -- for free! The service was great, the people/community is diverse, welcoming, and amazing! read more

Freedom Church - Parking solution - they do still provide voucher for garage/parking cost. How awesome! - Churches Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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There are some good things about this church but i'm not so sure how fully aligned it is with Jesus. A lot of things are said about Jesus. For example, the teaching is relating to Jesus and the songs are about worshipping Jesus. But i'm uncertain if this church is all about Jesus. I think there's enough reason to be cautious. When i questioned this part of the church, there are people in the church who didn't seem to like it. This is enough to warrant a red flag, in my opinion. There are quality people here. But this is a concern that i think is worth mentioning. I had also ran into someone who left the church. It is part of the problem with the church. They also didn't have the best experience there. There are positive experiences people have. But there's also some negative ones. read more

When I first moved to Philly a couple of months ago I was really worried that I would have to "church hop" for a long time before I found a church I could call home. What I never expected was visiting a church once and knowing right away that that was it for me! As soon as you walk in to the Prince Theater (where one of the locations currently is), you are greeted by so many people, who genuinely are happy you're there. There's free coffee and tea which is great, and the fact that it is in a movie theater is cool. The worship is absolutely incredible--they are all amazing musicians and you can tell that they love the Lord a lot with their singing. I don't always know every song but they encourage you to sing along and help you learn it quickly. Parking is at another location but they give parking validation that is good for ALL DAY so you can even use it after church for some Center City exploration! I take the Septa and it is a quick walk to the church as well. Easy access which is great. (There's also a Dunkin close by if you need a pick me up and the generic coffee isn't enough). I can't say enough great things about Sundays at Freedom. Definitely give it a try! read more

Love this church. People are very much welcoming and it is easy to plug into various small groups and events. Be sure to check out their foundation classes which breaks down the gospel in a very practical way alongside others new to the church. They are apart of the Every Nation global church movement. read more

The worship here is not only really tight musically, but more importantly it really provides a moment to connect in praise with God. Having a chance to get to know the music team, it is great to see that their hearts are primarily focused on relationship with Jesus and lifting up His name. The exceptional talent of the singers is something to be witnessed in person! The band is also pretty tight. This combination of talent and unselfish hearts in the right place makes for a really powerful time of worship. The preaching is always really solid and wholly based on the Bible. Classes in biblical foundations, connect groups, and opportunities to serve within the community are also available. This is a really great church to call home. Freedom truly has been our family away from family! read more

I've been attending Freedom Church regularly for over 2 years. I have hesitated to write a review in the past because, well, how do you review a church? Here's my attempt to do my best: Worship Team/ Music: The first time that I heard the worship team at Freedom Church I knew that I found my church home. The passion in their voices, the harmonies, visualizing their own worship experiences on stage, and the POWER in that 30 minutes of song moved me to tears - not once, but consistently for the first several months of my attendance. Music is one of the most powerful forms of communication and expression in my world. The mix of contemporary Christian music coupled with the soulful voices of the worship team members really makes me feel every kind of sweet, humbling, grateful emotion repeatedly each Sunday. The Pastor: Gabe Bouch is currently the lead Pastor at Freedom Church and I truly enjoy his messages every Sunday. His style of preaching is very personal and intimate. First and foremost, he encourages personal relationship with Christ which really appeals to me. I value relationship over religion, but I am a Christian and I believe in the teaching and following of the Holy Bible. Gabe often develops sermon series that are heavily focused on scriptures from the Bible and that incorporate a lot of other literature and references from historical figures, pop culture, and his own human experience with family, education, and the world. During his messages you will not be surprised to hear a lot of laughter, see a lot of nods, and (at least for me) feel a compulsion to grow your own relationship with the Lord in whatever area the message focuses on that Sunday. Congregation: Diversity is abundant at this church. There are a lot of students from the local colleges as the church has a large campus ministry that engages those communities in Philadelphia. However, as a whole you will find people ranging from the ages of several months to 80 years old. It's a beautiful experience to worship and grow in Christ with people of all different backgrounds, ethnicities, race, cultures, and economic classes. The sense of community at the church is palpable. A lot of the sermons that have touched me the most at Freedom focus on love for other people as the second greatest commandment, and love for your brothers and sisters in Christ. The church also has several small groups that meet outside of the main service on Sunday all around Phila/ NJ to help the congregation stay connected with each other as we all grow in Christ. Service: I have been blessed with an opportunity to experience community at Freedom through serving on a few different teams. A church doesn't grow without the dedicated people working behind the scenes to help make that happen. There are a slew of opportunities to be in service at the church from the worship team, tech/video/ communications, usher, connection team, kids church and so much more. The teams at the church collaboratively do their best to make the congregation feel at home; so much that it inspired me to be a part of that experience for other members and visitors. Location: Services are currently held at the Prince Music Theater in Center City Philadelphia off of Broad and Chestnut Streets. It's walkable from many areas and closely located to the Broad Street line and several bus routes. The space itself is beautiful, the acoustics are greats and ifs large enough to accommodate the hundreds of people that attend both services at 9:30AM and 11:00AM each Sunday. You will often see many people gathering in the large lobby before and after services to engage with each other and to find out more information on the church. Families/ Kids: I do not have children, but I am always impressed at how much time and care goes into making the children's experience at church an educational and fun one. There are a few different children's churches (one for adolescents, younger children, and then infants-toddlers) and several members of the church who dedicate their time to caring for the kids while their parents enjoy the main service. I really appreciate that the church offers so many opportunities for parents to be spiritually fed while their children are also being educated on a level appropriate for their age. I highly recommend Freedom Church and if nothing else encourage you to attend a service to develop your own understanding and connection. I've met some great, close friends and I know a few members who have started their families at Freedom. The dress is casual, the services are 90 minutes or less and I have a lot of fun when I'm there. Yes, services are actually fun at Freedom!! It's a great time with a great message, and at the church's core, I truly believe through my own experience that they are there to help you grow in your own spiritual journey. read more

This is my third time to Freedom church and it is quickly becoming my faith home. The people are super welcoming, accepting and diverse. It reminds me a lot of the church I attended in NYC and called home. The energy is contagious and I really feel God's presence when I'm here. If you're looking for a traditional, non-spiritual church, this is not your place. If you're looking for young, uninhibited believers this is the church for you. Philadelphia needs more people willing to grow and love the city. This church has them. read more

Lots of volunteers fill the lobby of this Center City church but they're not the most helpful bunch. The website instructs to park at a nearby garage and the church will pick up the parking tab. Since 2hr parking is $38 I went straight to the information table as the site instructs. I ask to have may parking validated and the woman doesn't utter a word and points me across the room. So I go across to where she pointed and had to again hunt for someone for validation. Two gentlemen provided the validation but if I never asked I would be at a loss what to do with the additional parking voucher I was given. Anyway the lead female worship singer had a great voice which was wasted on the most formulaic and hum drum self centered worship music. Yawn. Please stop singing the same refrain over and over. Yawn. When you say, "sing it last time church" please don't lie and sing it again three more times. Yawn. Pastor's message was all over the place with hunt and peck scripture to fit whatever he was spouting among his 5 stories of people and their after death experiences tied into how they need to raise money to secure a building. The good: church seems to be Bible believing and followers of Christ. Congregation was ethnically diverse+. I'll move on though to worship elsewhere. read more

I am SOOO glad I found Freedom Church. My walk with God would not be the same without it. The worship is incredible and the pastor will make you laugh, make you cry and challenge you to grow deeper in God. The people are diverse, passionate about God and so very welcoming. If you have had a bad experience with church, you need to come to Freedom to see what God can do to a people who are hungry for more of Him. Most of all, I love this church because we seek to honor each other and serve the people in our community so that we can be a light in the City of Philadelphia. read more

I have never felt so refreshed since I got here in Philly! I was looking for a great church that I will feel as my own family. You have to attend their service to feel their 5 star service. Great location, great crowd and excellebt pastor. Parking is free also read more

This has been my home Church for 5 years. I love the people, love the location, love the mission, love the music, love it all. The Church has a very comfortable vibe, extremely friendly, and they live their faith in authentic ways without being pushy or "religious" about it. I am thankful to have found these wonderful people who are following Jesus the way I aspire to follow Him. With love. read more

The preaching gives a holistic unbiased bible based foundation for living a godly life on earth. I think it helps that the pastor has an analytical background and a mathematics phd - he. breaks. it. down folks. Also the people are caring, very diverse, and inclusive. I've been to a lot of churches in my lifetime and this one is by far my favorite. read more

I was visiting from Florida and attended a service here and was absolutely overjoyed. All the volunteers were super sweet and the band was absolutely AMAZING! read more

Find your people Find your purpose! I have found both!! Love the worship! It's alive and real. The people are friendly and down to earth, with a city vibe. Multi-racial and diverse! Freedom Church is for me! read more

Tired of ritual without reason and looking for a real revelation that redeems and renders you towards the more righteous? Then Freedom Church is the real deal. Not pretentious. Not ceremonial for the sake of ceremony. Just real in its effort to invite every person... regardless of circumstance, background, heritage, or other paradigm to experience personally how much love God the father has for you. This small yet growing congregation is a part of the international Every Nation Church Association and is non-denominational. You will feel comfortable there because your spirit will be fed and will seek out more of this kind of food once it finds it. You will be able to ask questions and get answers to things that you were never sure about regarding faith. These Christ-followers are not there to judge but to show love and to help you worship and find your way. The thing that I like most is that the pastor is REAL and the congregation is full of real people like you and me. Nothing spooky or questionable...all Bible based, grounded, and fortified. They are meeting in the movie theatre to get things started in Philly and there are various "small groups" which meet mid week to continue the fellowship and connectivity. The service is contemporary in style and there are all age groups and races accounted for. The connection with the bigger organization also means that there is a larger church family that is engaged with the success of this church and its mission...the apostolic mandate. I myself attended an Every Nation Church in Lousisiana called " Church of the King". When I moved to NYC, I attended Morning Star of NY ( MSNY)...a sister congregation. I am pleased that this family is now available right here in Philly and is accessible to southern New Jersey as well. There is meaningful child care provided. So come on... Get your worship on....!!!! read more

I was looking for a place to worship while in Philly. I realize that there are others who have raved about this church but I cannot. The service can be broken down into two distinct phases: "worship" and sermon. The worship was contemporary (I worship at a Vineyard and I mention this so you will know that I am not against bands or contemporary music) and led by a three woman, one man group and band. For me it was more of a performance than it was worship and in looking around the theater it was pretty clear that it was that way for most of those in attendance. I developed a nasty, nasty headache from the "worship" which was louder than an action movie. Bibles aren't provided here which is OK because this is a social gospel church not an evangelical church as you might believe based on their website. Enough said. read more

Awesome church, I love it here. Real people having a real experience with the Lord. The worship is amazing, the pastors are great, and the message is from the Bible. They love and teach Jesus. If you need the gospel (AND YOU KNOW YOU DO, CAUSE EVERYONE DOES), then this is the church for you. read more

Everything you want in a church. Great Worship Service. Intelligent, God-inspired message. Holy Spirit is evident. Congregation and volunteers welcoming. Awesome Community. read more

I LOVE Freedom Church!! Their worship band is absolutely incredible, I mean beyond compare. The sermons are extremely well-organized, very practical, and heavily researched (Pastor Gabe quotes SO many sources, often ones outside the Bible as well as from Scripture). The dress code is casual, and the atmosphere is very comfortable. My only complaint is that they could have better college groups. read more

Freedom church is a place where, after wandering for months or years, you walk in the door and it feels like you're home. You are left asking yourself, what took me so long to find this place? With lively worship that captures the heart, and intellectual, biblically-based sermons that challenge the mind, Freedom has a great balance. Pastor Gabe is so consistent I can't wait to hear what he has to challenge me with each week... It's the first church where I feel like I miss out when I can't go on a given Sunday. The diversity of age and race is also attractive. It's a true 'city church' in this sense. Different people from every walk of life coming together to know Jesus more. Freedom Church is an inspiringly unique experience. read more

After moving to Philly, my husband and I searched for over a year for a church in center city Philly that is full of life and excitement about serving Jesus Christ. We are thrilled that we found Freedom Church which has an amazing worship team that rocks out the theater (every Sunday at 10am) and a down to earth preacher that is hilarious and makes the Bible so applicable to real-life situations. Also, there is a great community where people can get connected with others in similar situations in life. In addition, there are many opportunities to serve both in the church and in the community. We quickly got connected and developed amazing friendships that continue to encourage us in our relationship with each other and with God. read more

This was my first time attending this church - as I am searching for one in the area. I will definitely be returning. The energy of their service is incredible. Blessed with a gifted worship team to lead the music portion and then a power sermon was given afterwards. I was very impressed! read more

the 5-star yelp title says it well: 'woohoo! as good as it gets!' this was the church we settled on after 4ish months of looking around, and we feel right 'at home'. Very approachable people at this church, without any fluffy, feel-good mentality that is too easy to find. Genuine people here, who don't try to fake the 'perfect life'. read more

Praiseworthy! After 3 years of church-hopping, God brought me to Freedom Church. Let me tell you: this Church is AWESOME!!! From day one, my boyfriend and I were welcomed - no questions asked. The sermons every week are inspiring and thought-provoking (and so funny!) and have truly helped my walk with God. I could not recommend this community more. God has planted some wonderful Churches around Philly (I've "hopped" to MANY of them!) but God's presence is so palpable at Freedom Church in the way people interact with each other and praise God together. I feel blessed to be a new member of this community! read more

We, my two daughters and myself, visited Freedom Church for the first time today and believe me it felt like home. We are from The Life Christian Church in North Jersey and have been searching for a church where we feel comfortable for months. This is the first church that really feel like a home church to us. The sermon today was awesome and spiritually challenging. We missed the worship but enjoyed the closing song. We will definitely return and try to be early to enjoy every blessing God has for us at the service. read more

My husband and I found Freedom Church through an internet search shortly after moving from Florida to Philadelphia. We were searching for a diverse, real, passionate gathering of devoted believers in Christ...people who were FOR REAL about knowing God and growing their faith. We found that at Freedom. All it took was one visit. I thought it would be weird to meet in a movie theater, but it really wasn't! The friendly, welcoming, genuine people made us overlook that! We connected the FIRST time we attended and have never looked back. In four months, we've made some wonderful friends, enjoy AMAZING worship and sound Bible teaching, attend a weekly Bible study/prayer group at a local Philly coffee shop and are already serving needs in the church. You are encouraged to share and use your gifts here; there is no intimidation. The pastors actually live out the Christian walk--don't just preach about it. I can't say enough about the blessing that this local body has been in our lives. If you're looking for a church and/or want to learn more about Christ and/or grow in your faith, you've GOT to check out Freedom Church Philly. read more