Friday, December 29, 2006

Lake County Network of Congregations

When the story of the Church of Lake County is told in the annals of time, 2006 will be described as a dramatic year! The vision of revival and spiritual awakening, owned by a few revolutionary pastors at the beginning of 2006, began to spread across Lake County in tangible ways.

- ShareFest grew to nearly 40 churches putting more than 10,000 volunteers serving our communities in the name of Jesus beyond the walls of our congregations.

- Hundreds of people are coming together in corporate prayer across denominational, cultural, economic, and geographical barriers through When We Pray quarterly concerts of prayer.

- We have 29 Catalyst churches; 20 have committed to financially support Catalyst from their annual budgets in the next year. (You can make church or individual contributions to Catalyst, 1200 American Way, Libertyville, IL. 60048. Individual contributions are tax-deductible.)

- Church leaders began to meet locally in our 10 Lake County Districts to forge relationships of trust, to take hills together locally, and prayerfully depend upon God together.

- Numerous local initiatives are emerging to renew the hearts of God’s people, reposition local congregations to run with God, restore the reputation of Christ, and reconcile people to God across Lake County in 2007.

- Over 300 people representing 70+ churches attended the Catalyst Forum ’06 in November. John Perkins’ words inspired and encouraged us forward in the dream that he never thought he would see in his lifetime.

Because the work of Catalyst has grown so dramatically this past year, I am delighted to announce that Bill Yaccino will be joining the Catalyst team as Executive Director January 1, 2007. I will continue to give the overall leadership of Catalyst as the Senior Director.

Bill comes as a seasoned pastor and veteran in church collaboration movements. Before joining Willow Creek as an Area Pastor three years ago, Bill was involved in the Fresno One By One leadership movement in Fresno, California. Fresno was an early pioneer and continues to be a model for community transformation through church collaboration.

Originally from Chicagoland, a graduate of Purdue University with Masters Degrees from Creighton University and Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary, a former Air Force officer, a social entrepreneur, husband and father—I am delighted to have Bill join me in this great work of God in Lake County.

2007 is going to be a dynamic year as we fan the spark of spiritual revolution that was ignited in 2006!

Text Box:

Hand me another match,

Jim

Senior Director, Catalyst


“This Message of salvation spread like wildfire all through the region.” Acts 13:49 (The Message)

Catalyst
One Church. Many Congregations.

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Northern Suburbs Declare "One Church; Many Congregations"

NPPN interviewed Jim Tomberlin (bio below) . . .

NPPN: Jim, you've recently moved from leading/serving on a pastoral team to leading a collaborative effort among a variety of congregations and ministries - What drew you to this position?

JT: As a senior pastor of an emerging mega-church in Colorado Springs in the 90’s, I came to believe that God had given me influence in the community that should be used beyond the walls of my congregation. I came to understand that God had given me gifts of leadership with an entrepreneurial bent that could be used to mobilize the Body of Christ for church growth and community transformation on a regional level. I saw the impact of working with other churches to serve our community together and the positive effect it had on my own congregation and on me as a leader. It was a win-win situation. We were doing good things together in the community and that was also good for our congregations.

I am convinced that if the Body of Christ in a local community can come together in unity and mobilize around its common redemptive mission, it could become an irresistible force for good that could revolutionize an entire region. When I came to Chicagoland to pioneer the multi-site church strategy for Willow Creek Community Church, I worked on forging networks of church leaders across Chicagoland to serve and impact the region together. Catalyst is one of those networks.

NPPN: Explain the vision of Catalyst. . .

JT: The vision of Catalyst is to mobilize the Body of Christ for a spiritual revolution in Lake County, Illinois. We believe that when the Church is revived and the lost are spiritually awakened in Christ community transformation takes place. Acts 2 provides our biblical model for a unified Church working together for a spiritual revolution that results in community transformation.

At Catalyst we believe we have been called to renew the hearts of God’s people, reposition the Church for revival, restore the reputation of Christ in our community, and reconcile people to God in our region. Our desire is to be a “catalyst” for renewal and spiritual awakening all across Chicagoland—mobilizing tools, resources, and events and most of all the body of Christ to help bring a spiritual revolution to our region, beginning with Lake County.


NPPN: Describe the difference in perspective; how does a congregational leader think differently than a county-wide leader?

JT: Congregational leaders tend to focus primarily on their local church. County-wide leaders think about their congregations in context of the larger Church—the Body of Christ in their region. They see the Church the way God sees the Church—One Church, many congregations. County-wide leaders see themselves as part of the larger Body of Christ and value the unique contributions of other local congregations, ministries and organizations in the community to the greater Kingdom effort.

NPPN: What does "One Church, Many Congregations" mean and, maybe more importantly, what are the implications of this principle for local church leaders?

JT: Throughout the New Testament, the Church is described in terms of cities—the church of Jerusalem, Antioch, Corinth, Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodicea, etc. You get the idea that when God looks down on a region, He doesn’t see individual churches---He sees One Church, His Family meeting in multiple congregations across a geographical area.

This is confirmed theologically in 1 Corinthians 12, “For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body…the Body is not made up of one part but of many.” Ephesians 4 states that “there is one Body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope, when you were called—one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all.” Jesus affirms this spiritually in his prayer recorded in John 17, “Father, may they be one, as we are one.”

Somehow Christian leaders think unity is nice, but not necessary. The reality is that we are called to a functional unity based on our spiritual unity in Christ and it is the basis for credible proclamation of the Gospel on a regional basis. Jesus prayed this for us in John 17, “May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that You sent me.” God designed the Church locally and regionally to function as a body with all the parts working together in harmony. As the Apostle Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 12, “When one part of the body suffers, we all suffer; when one part prospers we all rejoice.” This is the way healthy local congregations are designed to function individually and corporately.

NPPN: Transformation has become a buzz-word in city-reaching and collaborative partnerships. What defines or best describes the goals of a transformational movement? Is it possible to know if transformation has taken place? Is this just another fad or program?

JT: Eric Swanson of Leadership Network describes the paradigm shift that occurs when city-reaching, collaborative efforts take root in a community and its leaders. You can find the full article at www.catalystweb.org:

1. From building walls to building bridges.
2. From measuring attendance to measuring impact.
3. From encouraging the saints to attend the service to equipping the saints for works of service
4. From “serve us” to service—from inward to outward focus.
5. From duplication of human services and ministries to partnering with existing services and ministries.
6. From fellowship to functional unity.
7. From condemning the city to blessing the city and praying for it.
8. From being a minister in a congregation to being a minister in a parish.
9. From anecdote and speculation to valid information.
10. From teacher to learner.

Effective and sustained church-based community transformation will show tangible results both in the Church and in the Community. If the Church in a region is not showing a substantial growth in baptisms and church attendance then our efforts will not sustain long term. But, if the Church is seeing significant Christ-awakenings occurring that translate into transformed lives and local congregational growth; then we should see over time, a transformed community as reflected in lower crime rates, divorce rates, abortion rates, and poverty rates. Spiritual and social demographics are useful and tangible ways to measure and evaluate our effectiveness.

NPPN: What are the most significant reasons these transformational movements stall?

JT: The team at Mission Houston (www.missionhouston.org) has identified the typical reasons that transformational movements stall and I have added a few others as well:

  1. Leaders not having a clear idea of where they are going and a workable map to get there.
  2. Leadership teams moving from a catalytic role to one of sponsoring and owning ministries.
  3. Current leaders failing to engage senior leaders from the diversity of the Body of Christ, especially prominent leaders from the African American and Hispanic community.
  4. Current catalysts not seeing and not moving beyond prayer and relationships only.
  5. Leaders committed to the transformational process not engaging in community based ministry.
  6. Senior leaders not leading the way.
  7. A low level of commitment by leaders leads to an administrative rather than a catalytic leadership role.
  8. The strategic initiative is hijacked by some other competing agenda.
  9. The initiative is under funded, typically beginning with the leadership team.
  10. Leaders not giving priority to fostering spiritual vitality and relational priority within the pastoral community.
  11. Leaders and others not understanding the holistic and comprehensive nature of transformation, so settling for something less.
  12. Thinking too regionally and not going local enough in relationships and initiatives.
  13. A failure to mobilize believers and leaders from the marketplace.

NPPN: Who has had the most influence on your thinking about community transformation?

JT: Peter Wagner, John Dawson, Robert Lewis and Jack Dennison have captured a lot of the principles of city reaching/community transformation. Eric Swanson’s writings with Leadership Network on the Externally Focused Church have been instructive as well. John Perkins and the Christian Community Development Association have also had a profound impact upon my thinking.

NPPN: What is the easiest mistake to make when asking leaders to work together?

JT: Not giving them something to do, something to focus on, a hill to take. Leaders are wired for action. Prayer and fellowship are not motivators for leaders. They see prayer as a means to an end and fellowship as a by-product of taking a hill together.

NPPN: Where is the community most open to collaborating with the Church?

In the suburbs I see believers who want to meet the basic needs of under-resourced neighborhoods with food, shelter, and basic services. In urban areas missionally oriented believers want to partner with schools—helping to provide a safe and quality education for our children.

NPPN: When is a community ready for transformation?

JT: When the local “anchor pastors” embrace the unity of the Body of Christ and take ownership as the spiritual gatekeepers of their community, then the community becomes poised for real transformation. It begins with local pastors, but must move beyond them and engage the masses who are sitting in the pews to participate in that transformation on a practical level. Sustained community transformation will not happen without mobilizing believers in the marketplace, ministries and organizations already existing in the community. The pastors cast the vision and empower the people. The people get the job done.

NPPN: Why are mega-church pastors so rarely involved in these kinds of efforts?

JT: All pastors have to resist the tendency to think their church is the center of the universe. The larger the church, the easier it is to become consumed with the needs of the congregation to the neglect of the larger community beyond the walls. City reaching efforts will not be sustainable and successful without the engaged leadership of the “anchor pastors” which should include the local mega-church pastors.

NPPN: How should they be invited into the process?

JT: Leaders don’t get “invited into a process”, they launch movements! Leaders are always drawn to the bold, compelling “grander” vision. When they get a picture of what could happen if the Body of Christ could get united in a practical way, then they will pick up the mantle of leadership. Prayer leaders should pray that the local mega-church pastors see the vision and impact of a local unified Body of Christ. I am encouraged that the emerging mega-church pastors of the 21st century are more missional in thinking beyond the walls of their own congregations.

NPPN: List a few resources that have served you well.

    City Reaching: On the Road to Community Transformation by Jack Dennison This is really the textbook for city reaching along with John Dawson’s book Taking our Cities for God which is so useful to intercessors. Dennison’s book is very comprehensive. I always go back to this book.

    The Church of Irresistible Influence by Robert Lewis The pastor of Fellowship Bible Church in Little Rock, AR shares the Little Rock story—one of the most effective church-based community transformation examples.

    The Tipping Point: How little things can make a big difference by Malcolm Gladwell (The rest of the title tells why this book is important! Sometimes reaching an entire region or nation can seem to be such an impossible task. This book brings the task down to real possibilities.)

    Mission America---www.missionamerica.org---The education/sharing information site for Mission America is www.cityreach.com/. This site and the Mission Houston site have a lot of really useful articles on the subject.

    The “Transformations” Videos----George Otis is the person who “originated” the concept of spiritual mapping to help make prayer and intercession more effective. His video “Transformations” has been so inspirational for so many and it proves that transformation on a larger scale is not only possible it is already happening in many places around the world. The Sentinel Group is his ministry. www.sentinelgroup.org

    Arthur Burk of Plumbline Ministries has a set of tapes on the “The Redemptive Gifts of Cities” that are also instructive. www.plumblineministries.com

JIM TOMBERLIN
Bringing churches together for kingdom impact has been a life-long obsession for Jim Tomberlin. God has utilized Jim in a variety of ministries from pastoring a church in Germany, to growing a mega-church in Colorado Springs, to pioneering the multi-site strategy at Willow Creek.
As the Director of Catalyst in Chicagoland, Jim is leveraging his three decades of pastoral experience as a spiritual entrepreneur, international church leader, mega-church pastor, alliance-builder, visionary communicator, city-reaching specialist, and multi-site pioneer to help local churches fulfill their destiny.

Jim holds a B.A. in Anthropology from Georgia State University and a Masters of Theology from Dallas Theological Seminary.
Jim and his wife, Deryl, have three grown children.

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Friday, December 22, 2006

Movie Premier ~ Evangelism Tool

Dear Phil,
I am privileged to be representing an independent film titled BELLA. This film touched my heart and soul deeply, and I believe it will do the same for Christian audiences. It is a film that speaks loudly through story but is not preachy; a film that has the power to impact lives in a positive and beautiful way.
BELLA is an important film that all high school and college students will benefit from seeing. I am inviting you to please come to a special screening of BELLA at the Yorktown Premium Room in Lombard at 7:00 pm on January 10. An E-VITE is attached. The producer of the film and the lead actor will be there to have a discussion following the screening. These two impressive men, Leo and Eduardo, are on a mission to make a difference with their films, and BELLA will do just that.
Please respond to this email. If you cannot attend the January 10 screening, there is also one in Chicago on January 9. Please feel free to pass on this invitation to other church leaders who may be in a position to mobilize groups to attend BELLA when it is released to theatres, tentatively in April.
Thank you and God Bless,
Margo Lange
Cell: 630-440-8391
Office:630-480-0799
BELLA RODUCTION SUMMARY
The Story
An international soccer star (Eduardo Verástegui) is on his way to sign a multi-million dollar contract when something happens that brings his career to an abrupt end. A waitress (Tammy Blanchard), struggling to make it in New York City, discovers something about herself that she’s unprepared for. In one irreversible moment, their lives are turned upside down…until an impetuous action brings them together and turns an ordinary day into an unforgettable experience.
Once a famous athlete, and now a cook at his brother’s Mexican restaurant, José has retreated from the world but he recognizes something in Nina, a young waitress, and reaches out to her. In the course of a single day, he not only confronts his past but shows her how the healing power of a family can help her embrace the future.
Metanoia Films presents BELLA, a heartwarming story about friendship, family and our capacity for love in the face of the unexpected. Alejandro Monteverde makes his feature film directorial debut from an original screenplay co-written with Patrick Million. Stephen McEveety, porducer of The Passion of the Christ and Braveheart, is the executive producer.
* * * *
OTHER HIGHLITES:
uBella took top prize at Toronto’s International Film Festival by winning the “Peoples Choice Award.”
uCast Member: EDUARDO VERÁSTEGUI portrays José, a former soccer star who has become a chef in a Mexican restaurant owned by his brother.
[Mr. Verastegui has toured the world as a singer in the Mexican pop sensation Kairo, acclaimed solo recording artist, performing sold-out concerts in over 13 countries; starred in five highly-rated “telenovelas” (Spanish soap operas) for Televisa (broadcast in over 19 countries); has been featured on hundreds of international magazine covers including People En Español which voted him one of 50 Most Beautiful People; has appeared opposite Jennifer Lopez in one of her most famous music videos “Ain’t it funny!” as well as in an international television commercial promoting her self-titled commercial fragrances. He has also co-starred in an indie film called “Meet Me In Miami” and has appeared in such primetime television series as “CSI:Miami, “ “Charmed,” and “Karen Cisco”].
u"Bella," is the first project from Metanoia Films (committed to projects that entertain, engage and inspire), which includes a group of 5 partners: Eduardo Verastegui, Alejandro Monteverde, Leo Severino, Sean Wolfington and Eustace Wolfington. “Our mission is to make films that make a positive difference” said Wolfington. After seeing the film Steve McEveety (Produced Braveheart, We Were Soldiers, Passion of the Christ) signed on as an Executive Producer to help market the film.
For more information and the trailer go to www.BellaTheMovie.com

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Monday, December 18, 2006

Catalyst promotes Concert of Prayer for Lake County

Concert of Prayer for Lake County
“When We Pray” ~ Transforming Lake County through Prayer
Bound by Purpose

Saturday, January 20, 2007

Christ Church Lake Forest
100 N. Waukegan Road
Lake Forest, IL 60045
847-234-1001
www.cclf.org

9:00 am to 1:00 pm

Open Prayer - There will be a time of prayer designated for teens and young adults.
Theme for January’s Meeting: Unity in Spirit and Purpose, Philippians 2:1-11
We would love to have you and your congregation come and partner with us in prayer. Even if you can come for 30 minutes to pray with pastors and believers of Lake County, it would be a blessing.
For more info, please contact Debbie Stackhouse, 847-746-3041, dstackhouse@catalystweb.org.

Many Congregations. One Church.
Catalyst of Lake County, IL 1200 American Way
Libertyville, IL 60048
847.201.2771
www.catalystweb.org
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Thursday, December 14, 2006

Chicagoland Prayer Summit Announces 2007 Dates

As you are preparing for the Christmas season we want you to remember the Chicagoland Prayer Summit that is coming up just after Easter. The next prayer summit is April 10, 11, 12 (that is the Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday after Easter). This will be a great time to refresh after the busy Easter Season. Jody and Dan Mayhew will be facilitating once again.

We also want to remind you that we need you to register (and pay) no later than March 15th. We can accept credit cards on our website (through PayPal) or you can send a check (directions and address on the website). We are planning on returning to Cedar Lake again this year, but we need you to register (and pay).

If you plan on coming to the next prayer summit please go ahead and register now===>Click headline to access site . . .

Sincerely,
Adam Shields for The Chicagoland Prayer Summit Team

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Wednesday, December 13, 2006

Prayer Summit for Pastors & Prayer Leaders

Chicago Prayer Summit

ChicagoPrayerSummit
Even for Pastors and Prayer leaders, the Prayer Summit is different than any meeting you have previously attended. Think of it as a place where all of God’s children, red, yellow, black and white, can come together with humility that produces scriptural unity. An environment that welcomes the expression of every person and culture and tradition; a prayer meeting where all have the freedom to be themselves and the responsibility to serve others. Prayer summits are not about an event - they are part of a process; a much larger vision of prayer and relationships that are being developed in Chicagoland. Prayer summits are about relationships... with our our Lord, and with each other. If you have any questions please feel free to email at info @ chicagoprayersummit.org

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Friday, December 01, 2006

Chicago Nativity Decision "Outrageous"



ASSIST News Service (ANS) - PO Box 609, Lake Forest, CA 92609-0609 USA
Visit our web site at: www.assistnews.net -- E-mail: danjuma1@aol.com


City of Chicago Declares War on Christianity, Christian Leader Asserts

HOLLYWOOD, CA (ANS) -- The City of Chicago and its Mayor's Office of Special Events has declared war on Christianity with its decision to ban advertisements for "The Nativity Story" movie from a local Christmas festival, a spokesperson for the Christian Film & Television Commission declared today.

"This is an outrageous, despicable decision," said Dr. Ted Baehr, chairman of the Commission and internationally renowned media critic and educator.

"I'm absolutely shocked that at a Christmas festival, they would not allow commercials people could see tonight on TV," he added. "It is just more hypocritical, leftwing political correctness where everything is OK - except Christianity."

Dr. Baehr labeled Chicago officials as "corrupt" and "bigoted."

"They wouldn't show this kind of terrible intolerance to minority groups or homosexual groups," he pointed out. "Apparently, the term 'free speech' means nothing to the Mayor of Chicago and his employees."

"The Nativity Story" opens Friday at many movie theaters around the globe.

For more information about the Christian Film & Television CommissionT, please visit its Movieguide® website at www.movieguide.org or call 1-800-577-6684..


NOTE from Dr. Ted Baehr: For more information from a Christian perspective, order the latest MOVIEGUIDE® magazine by calling 1-800-899-6684(MOVI) or visit our website at www.movieguide.org. MOVIEGUIDE® is dedicated to redeeming the values of Hollywood by informing parents about today's movies and entertainment and by showing media executives and artists that family-friendly and even Christian-friendly movies do best at the box office year in and year out. MOVIEGUIDE® now offers an online subscription to its magazine version, at www.movieguide.org. The magazine, which comes out 25 times a year, contains many informative articles and reviews that help parents train their children to be media-wise consumers. MOVIEGUIDE® also regularly broadcasts several international TV and radio programs hosted by Dr. Baehr. Also, if you want to train your family to be media-wise, call 1-800-899-6684 in North America to order the book, video or audio version of THE MEDIA-WISE! FAMILY, Dr. Ted Baehr's latest book. © baehr, 2001

** You may republish this story with proper attribution.
Send this story to a friend.

ASSIST News Service is brought to you in part by Gospel for Asia (GFA). Through God's grace, GFA's native missionaries have established more than 29,000 congregations across Asia-and with them, a growing need for church buildings. A building not only provides a place for worship, but it also is a testimony to God and makes believers less vulnerable to anti-Christians activists. The average cost of a simple, concrete-and-brick building that reflects the local culture and seats 300 people is $11,000. Right now more than 1,000 churches are in desperate need of a building. To learn how you can play a role in constructing church buildings in Asia, visit our website at www.gfa.org or call 1-800-WIN-ASIA (US) or 1-888-WIN-ASIA (Canada).
ASSIST News Service is brought to you free of charge and is supported by friends like yourself. If you would like to make a donation (tax-deductible in the US) to help us continue this service around the world, you can do so by logging onto our website -- www.assistnews.net -- and making the donation by credit card or by sending a check to ASSIST, PO Box 609, Lake Forest, CA 92609-0609 USA .

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Thursday, November 30, 2006

Chicao Bans Publicity on "The Nativity Story" !

Chicago Bans Nativity Movie From Christmas Festival
November 30, 2006 – The city of Chicago has banned advertisements for “The Nativity Story” from a local Christmas festival for fear it might offend non-Christians.

Traditional Values Coalition Chairman Rev. Louis P. Sheldon was outraged when he learned of this latest attack on Christmas: “Just when I think political correctness can’t possibly become more ridiculous, along comes Chicago’s leaders to show me there’s no limit to how insane this kind of thinking has become. Will they insist during Ramadan that there be no public discussions of Muhammad? Will they insist that Jewish Menorah’s be removed from public displays to avoid offending Muslims? Are Santa Claus and his tiny reindeer next on the list of banned characters from Christmas? This anti-religious lunacy must stop.”

In a related anti-Christmas story, a Crate and Barrel executive says the company will definitely not have its employees say “Merry Christmas” to customers. According to the company, it has atheist, Jewish, and Muslim customers. Crate and Barrel spokeswoman Betty Kahn: "We would definitely not say Merry Christmas," she said. "It's all about holiday shopping, getting together with friends and family."

“TVC supporters may want to contact Crate and Barrel and tell them why they will not be shopping at their store this Christmas season,” said Rev. Sheldon.

Wednesday, November 22, 2006

Unity Prayer Breakfast

National Black Evangelical Association Unity Prayer Breakfast


Host: Chicago Chapter of NBEA
Location: Salvation Army - Temple Corps
1 North Ogden (at Madison & Ashland), Chicago, IL View Map
When: Saturday, December 9, 9:00am-11:30am
Phone: 312-733-1516
Jesus said, "Men ought always to pray and not to faint." In the spirit of Christ, we invite you to join with us in our Unity Prayer Breakfast on Saturday, December 9th. There are many issues that we need to pray about, such as HIV/AIDS in our community, an end to the Iraq war, the leadership of our nation, crime and violence, drug addiction, incarceration of our men, the growth and focus of our churches, glocal missions, as well as personal concerns.

In addition, we need to ask the Lord to give us wisdom as we wrestle with defining ourselves as Black evangelicals as it impacts our dealing with issues that confront us. We believe that God will show us together and in unity the paths to take. Rev. Dr. Walter A. McCray, our national president, will give a prayer meditation.

At the NBEA Summit held in June of this year, the participants engaged in spirited dialogue about what is a Black evangelical and what do they do? This prayer breakfast is one phase of moving beyond dialogue into action.

Summary materials of the Summit are available at your request. For additional information, contact:
Dr. Ruth Bentley
312-733-1516
ruthbentley@sbcglobal.net
Temple Corps Phone #: 312-492-6803

What Is the NBEA?

The National Black Evangelical Association was organized in 1963 by a group of committed followers of Jesus Christ, who possessed a burning desire to holistically reach their community for Christ. It is an umbrella association called of God to identify, empower, and unite leaders for Jesus Christ, who demonstrate biblical and cultural integrity.

Our National Board members are:
Dr. Ruth Bentley, Rev. Russell Knight,
Rev. Dr.Walter McCray, Rev. Ertie Nevels - Chicago, IL
Mr. Robert Crossland, Ms. Barbara Pope - Dallas, TX
Rev. Carl Ellis - Chattanooga, TN
Rev./Mrs. Donald Govan, Rev. Ronald Potter - Jackson,MS
Dr. Dwight Guinn - Memphis, TN
Rev. Milton G. James, Sr. - NYC
Rev. Troy Lewis - Lusaka, Zambia
Bishop George D. McKinney, Rev. Marshall Sharpe
San Diego, CA
Rev. Dr. Velma Smith - Washington, DC


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Thursday, November 09, 2006

Observe Wolrd AIDS Day in Chicago - December 1st

Each day, 6,000 children are orphaned by AIDS.
Every 14 seconds, another child loses a parent.
We must take action.

On World AIDS Day, take 6,000 steps (about 3 miles) and raise awareness and funds for the 6,000 children orphaned each day. Join Chicagoans to advocate for these children and make others aware of the greatest humanitarian crisis of our generation.

World Vision's AIDS Walk for Orphans


Downtown Chicago


North Shore - Glenview
Date: Friday, December 1
Date: Friday, December 1
Time: 5:30 pm
Time: 6:30 pm
Start: Christmas tree at Daley Plaza, Dearborn and Washington
Start: Park Center,
2400 Chestnut Ave
End: Caffe Baci for hot chocolate, 225 W. Wacker
End: same as start

World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. Motivated by our faith in Jesus Christ, World Vision serves alongside the poor and oppressed as a demonstration of God’s unconditional love for all people. World Vision serves all people, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, or gender.

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Wednesday, November 08, 2006

Pastor of Europe's Largest Church Hits Chicago

Ukraine-based pastor Sunday Adelaja, who has made international headlines for encouraging Christians to get involved in social and political campaigns, is bringing his message to the United States. The Nigeria-born pastor of Embassy of the Blessed Kingdom of God for All Nations in Kiev will lead a one-day conference in Chicago on Nov 12, titled “The Return of the Kings,” which host pastor Gregory Lanre Ijiwola of The CityLight International Assembly hopes will stir Christians in his city to a higher level of civic involvement. “[The conference] is to stir up the pastors and laymen people in Chicago to the kingdom of God,” Ijiwola said. “We believe there is an apostolic grace [now]; this will help break the ground.” The pastor of Europe’s largest church, Adelaja has been called a revolutionary leader with an apostolic gift for the 21st century. He grew in prominence after encouraging his 10,000 members to join the Orange Revolution, which was marked by a series of protests in response to electoral fraud during Ukraine’s 2004 election and forced a second election. “If we don’t do anything as a church that is big enough to make a difference, posterity will not forgive us,” Adelaja said. “I feel it is the direct responsibility of the church to campaign for a good government and good leaders.” He will be the only speaker at the Chicago event, which is expected to draw several hundred pastors and lay leaders. –Felicia Mann

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Thursday, November 02, 2006

Unity Without Conformity

The ‘School of the Prophets’ is an ecumenical group of men and women from many backgrounds who have been meeting together since January 2000. Please see the attached PDF of our brochure to get more details on our history and purpose. Our next gathering is this Saturday November 4, at 7 a.m. at Austin Corinthian Baptist Church at 823 S. Cicero Ave., just 2 blocks south of the Eisenhower Expressway on the east side of the street next to Marvin’s Soul Food Restaurant.

Our aim is to pursue the unity of believers that Jesus prayed for in John 17:20:

“I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.”

This Saturday our teaching and devotional time will be led by Rev. Tim Hoekstra. Brother Tim is a founding member of the School of the Prophets, and will be addressing our group on the topic “Unity Without Conformity.” Tim is a graduate of Calvin College and Calvin Theological Seminary and is an ordained minister in the Christian Reformed Church in North America. After serving in different churches in the mid to late 80’s as far away as Ripon California, he was called back to his home town of Chicago to plant the church he now pastors, Suburban Life. In 1997 Suburban Life, Back to God All Nations Christian Reformed Church, and Austin Corinthian Baptist Church crossed paths and began a relationship that continues to thrive today.

The Lord began preparing Tim for this ministry of conciliation in his formative years growing up in Roseland neighborhood on the south side of Chicago. In junior high Tim recalls being the only white kid on the softball team. Indeed, his family was among the last to move out of Roseland.

Tim has also been the chaplain at Trinity Christian College since 1999, while maintaining his responsibilities at Suburban Life. Tim and his wife Laura have three children and live in Darien, IL.

We will begin our time together at 7 a.m. with worship and prayer. We will allow plenty of time for discussion and questions.

If you can stay, breakfast will be served at around 8:30 a.m. for a cost of $5.

To the glory of God!

Brother Bob Marsh
323 West Chicago Ave.
Hinsdale
, IL 60521
630-290-2388
bob@marshdesign.biz


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Thursday, October 26, 2006

A Call to Prayer


A Call to Pray, a Cry for our Land!

Queen Esther came before the King and implored with tears. There is a call for Esther type intercessors to rise up and pray for our nation.

God is neither a Republican nor a Democrat He is a righteous God and will hold all of us accountable for everything we do. With 52 million more people in the US and no church growth in 15 years isn’t it time to cry out dependant on God as Esther.


We are in an intensive time of prayer and fasting especially for 7 days before the election October 30th – November 6th.

You are invited to come and join us as we pray seven days onsite from 7:00 am until 11:00 pm. We are also calling for an off site night watch. This means you can join the off site team to pray for an hour or more at home during the night between 11:00 pm – 7:00 am.

Let us all cry out and pray together, “Father, have mercy on us, have mercy on America!” In Jesus name!

During this same week we are bringing a good winter shirt, sweater, coat, mittens, hat, gloves etc from our closets and imperishable food to give to the needy in Elgin. If you would like to participate please leave your gift on the 3rd floor, Light & Life Ministries. We will give these gifts to local compassion ministry in our city.

Seven Days of Prayer
  • Monday, October 30th, 7:00 am - Monday, November 6th, 7:00 am.
  • Sixteen Hours a day On Site at the House of Prayer, 7 am – 11 pm
  • 8 Hours Off Site, at home, 11:00 pm – 7:00 am



Elgin’s House of Prayer is a ministry of Light & Life Ministries

and meets at Eagle’s Nest, 270 E. Chicago St, Elgin, Il.

847-695-5133, light-life-ministries.org or lalm.org

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

New Network Brings Congregations Together

What is Catalyst?

Catalyst is all about local churches working together in the name of Jesus to serve Lake County, Illinois.

Our Vision
Our Values
Our Absolutes
Our Goals
Our Strategy
Our Initiatives
Our Structure
Our Director
Our FAQ
Join Us

Come be a part of the spiritual revolution that is occurring across Chicagoland.

Catalyst Churches
Membership Options
Membership Application

Events

Check out what God is doing across our region.

Night of Power Prayer Vigil for Muslims
10/20/06: Muslims believe that Mohammed received the first revelation of the Qur’an on the Night of Power,... [more]

Concert of Prayer/When We Pray
10/21/06: Gurnee, IL - When We Pray meets quarterly on Saturdays from 9:00a.m. - 1:00p.m. The worship team is made up of people from various churches. We pray the needs of the county and churches. We encourage people to come even if it‘s only for an hour. [more]

Catalyst Forum 2006 - Igniting a Spiritual Revolution
11/16/06: Thursday, November 16, 2006 9:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. [more]

More Events

ShareFest

Showing God's love by putting thousands of local church volunteers to work across Lake County this October.

Read On...

Catalyst Forum '06
"Igniting a Spiritual Revolution."

Click HERE to register

November 16, 2006
Annual gathering of Lake County churches for a time of inspiration, instruction and invitation to The Revolution.

Read On...

Monday, October 16, 2006

Prayer Focus: New Life Covenant

A Call to Prayer

SEW Ministries is holding its next Night of Holy Fire at New Life Covenant Church (NLCC) on Friday November 10. It will be held at their church from 7pm until midnight. 1665 N. Mozart Street, Chicago, IL 60647. We are again inviting the churches of the region and the people of prayer to join us on that night to worship and pray for the needs of NLCC===>Click headline ot access website . . .

To remind some of you, we pick churches and lavish them with prayerful support as an act that is designed to encourage unity across denominational lines; giving us opportunity to climb into the trenches with each other, sharing our burdens.

As a part of our usual preparation, we ask that as often as you can over the next 30 days, hold NLCC up in prayer (starting Oct 10). Pray for some of their prayer needs or all of them, pray once or pray every day until the night of Holy Fire. Included below is an extensive list of their prayer needs as they perceive them.

To listen to our worship team sing the prayer needs of NLCC as an aid to pray along with click here: http://sewministries.com/prayer_oct06.html

As a word of encouragement for you and the effectiveness of your prayers, our previous 30 days of prayer and night of Holy Fire, which was for Wheaton Christian Center on July 28th, was a miraculous success! They encouraged us by saying their Night of Holy Fire brought them to new levels of experiencing the Holy Spirit they had not been before. They said they attained a brokenness of spirit they never want to rise above. To learn more about the ways they were touched by their night of Holy Fire, click on the following link to view testimonials and listen to music from that evening. http://sewministries.com/WCC.html

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Sunday, October 08, 2006

Re:Load - Urban Youth Workers Institute

Phil,

I am on the planning committee for the Chicago Re:Load. ReLoad===>Click headline to access . . . is a 1 day confernce that is held in 20 cities around the nation, a local version of the national conference for urban youth workers sponsored by the Urban Youth Workers Institute
(www.uywi.org )

Chicago's conference is Saturday March 3 8:30a-3pm, with a planned bonus session ending around 4:30pm

A suggestion I had was to have something called "Unload", where at any time during the conference, attenders could go to a prayer counselor. We're even suggesting that people skip a seminar (at least 10 options, which would be high quality) if they need prayer -- it's that important. We would love it if you and anyone you know that would be appropriate could come and volunteer. If they could even come for an hour, that would be great.

We would also love to have someone coordinate that aspect of the conference.

For more information contact myself at jp@youthpartnersnet.org or 312-282-2809, or also contact Chicago's coordinator,
Alison Burkhardt
Assistant Director, Center for Youth Ministry Studies
North Park University, 3225 W Foster Ave, Chicago, IL 60625-4895
773-244-5207 phone / 773-244-5218 fax
www.northpark.edu/cyms

Thanks! Blessings,
--JP­-
JP Paulus
YouthPartnersNET Chicago CIty Networker
312-282-2809
jp@youthpartnersnet.org


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Friday, October 06, 2006

Annual Catalyst Forum

Ever met a Revolutionary?

This November 16th, John Perkins will be our keynote speaker at our annual Catalyst Forum. Born and raised in Mississippi in the 1930s-40s, John rose above incredible poverty and racism to become one of the true heroes of our time. He is a great man whom God has used to teach and equip the Body of Christ in holistic ministry across our nation. Being around John is like being around one of the Apostles.

Dr. Perkins recently received the 2005 Leadership Award from the Center for Public Justice as a “pioneer in equipping Christian citizens to transform communities, mentor to young leaders, defender of the poor, and advocate for justice and racial reconciliation in the service of Jesus Christ.” He expresses the heartbeat of Catalyst from his book Beyond Charity,

It is time for the church, yes, the whole church, to take a whole gospel on a whole mission to the whole world. It is time for us to exhibit by our very lives that we believe in the oneness of the Body of Christ. It is time for us to prove that the purpose of the gospel is to reconcile alienated people to God and to each other, across racial, cultural, social and economic barriers. It is time for the reconciling love of God that has touched each individual heart to spill over into love for our neighbor.”

Attached is a document that summarizes his life story. John Perkins represents so powerfully what Catalyst is all about—transforming Lake County for good!

Mark your calendar for November 16th and register today online at www.catalystweb.org.

Viva la revolution,


Jim Tomberlin

Catalyst One Church. Many Congregations.

ANNUAL CATALYST FORUM

Thursday, November 16, 2006
9:00 am – 1:30 pm

Register online today for this one-day conference

at www.catalystweb.org.



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Thursday, October 05, 2006

30 Congregations Collaborate in Lake County

Sharefest is in full swing this month with over 30 churches serving Lake County in Jesus name. When we “do good” in the community, we make Jesus “look good” because we are His Body in the world. What we do reflects upon Him. When we meet the needs of our community together in Jesus’ name, we multiply our impact and help restore the reputation of Jesus in our culture. Check out www.sharefest.net for more information about Sharefest 2006.

Mindy Caliguire will be our guest speaker at our next Catalyst gathering on Friday, October 13. Mindy is the founder/director of Soul Care. Soul Care is all about helping people restore health to their souls. Mindy consults in the area of spiritual formation, conducts workshops, and publishes resources to help people in their spiritual journey. She is a great resource in our region. You can learn more about Soul Care at www.soulcare.com.

I look forward to updating you on the latest Catalyst developments on Oct. 13. God is moving in Lake County!

Restoring the reputation of Christ—together,

Jim

Catalyst One Church. Many Congregations.
Join me for our next Catalyst Gathering…

Friday, October 13, 2006

8:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.

(8:00-8:30 coffee/light breakfast provided)

Christian Faith Fellowship

1727 27th Street

Zion, IL 60099

847-731-0700

Visit www.cffczion.org for directions.

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Saturday, September 30, 2006

Letter Hits Several Thousand Chicagoland Church Mailboxes...

Loving Our Communities to Christ logo

From Phil Miglioratti (One Great City & Loving Our Communities to Christ)

I hope and pray you will give a serious read to the accompanying flyer regarding the launch of the Children's Hunger Fund Food Pak Campaign in our metro region.

CHF has a proven track record (highly rated by Forbes, no less!) of delivering 99% of donor's contributions into the hands of those who need it most; hungry, helpless children. Wonderful, but why am I telling you this?

It goes back to a meeting with CHF President Dave Phillips in a Baker's Square not too long ago. From the moment he shared their vision to "serve children in need across America and around the world," I knew his heart for compassion was authentic. After hearing the amazing success of their Food Pak program to not only feed starving kids but to mobilize sit-in-the-pew Christians into active caring for others, I was hooked ~ And this is my attempt to spread the word.

As you may know, my work locally with One Great City and nationally with Loving Our Communities to Christ, involves three strategic components: Prayer, Care, and Share. Both OGC & LC2C cast a vision for the whole Church to collaborate in taking the whole Gospel to the City, community-by-community; neighborhood-by-neighborhood. The Food Pak program of Children's Hunger Fund is a big step into that vision.

This simple campaign engages your congregation in the powerful act of feeding a needy child. Here’s how it works. Your members take a box home, fill it with the needed food items and return it to the church. CHF then collects the boxes and distributes them to the poor through their network of trained church volunteers.

As pastors lead their members to participate in the simple Food Pak program, I believe they'll find those same members increasing their awareness of the lost and the least right next door. They will better respond to the Holy Spirit's prompts to pray for their neighbors and to demonstrate the Gospel in practical ways. In other words, caring for those in need is eye-opening and contagious.

Please Care for the needs of the fatherless in our city. Conduct a Food Pak Campaign at your church. To do so, contact Bill Wigboldy at CHF Chicago: 708.769.3019 or bill@childrenshungerfund.org.

May we see an increase of collaborative in-Jesus'-name efforts throughout Chicagoland. And, as we do, I know CHF's simple and compelling Food Pak strategy will be a catalyst for many congregations seeking to better obey our Lord's command to bless the poor and love our enemies.

For His unifying work across our region,

Phil Miglioratti

One Great City ~ Chicagoland

Loving Our Communities to Christ



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Friday, September 29, 2006

Elgin's House of Prayer offers Harp & Bowl Training





Harp & Bowl Training Seminar, Saturday September 30, 11:00 am – 1:00pm

The Harp & Bowl Seminar is an easy way to understand the structure that most of our prayer meetings use. We look into three of the values behind the structure of the Harp & Bowl model and then try it out ourselves. It is great fun, and opens up doors to be an active participant or team member. There is no registration fee but an offering will be taken.

Harp & Bowl Seminar will be held from 11:00am - 1:00 pm at Elgin’s House of Prayer 270 East Chicago Street, Elgin.

Elgin’s House of Prayer is a ministry of Light & Life Ministries, 847-695-5133 or info@light-life-ministries.org

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Saturday, September 23, 2006

Uniting the Body of Christ ~ Saturday, Octboer 7th

Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,

Cynthia Milsap, best known by our group for her involvement SCUPE (Seminary Consortium for Urban Pastoral Education www.scupe.com), had everyone’s attention as she shared the story of how the Lord called her to himself at a young age. She was born in Mississippi, the oldest of 4 children. Her family moved to Chicago when she was just 4 months old. Cynthia describes her family as “non-church” going Baptists. She attended St. James Catholic School at 29th and Wabash until her family moved to the Roseland neighborhood at 102nd street when she was 9. It was there that her family was able to buy their first home. When they arrived Roseland was in transition with 50/50 ratio of blacks and whites. Within one year she said 99% of the population was black. Not long after moving Cynthia’s mother was shot and killed while she was walking home from work. Cynthia remembers asking what she must have done wrong for this to happen. Did she not say enough prayers? Did she not say the right prayers?

Not long after her mother’s death, Cynthia was invited to a neighborhood bible class by a woman on her block named Gloria Redis. She recalled that ‘Sister Gloria’ was trusted and well respected by the people in her neighborhood. Cynthia remembers cookies and punch, games, the discipline of learning bible verses verbatim address included! Most of all she remembers that Sister Gloria taught her that God loved her no matter what, a relationship of love, not fear. She was invited to respond to Gods love for her. By age 12 her father had remarried and her stepmother began taking her to Baptist Church. She was so taken by the Sunday school program that she soon became a volunteer leader and now has devoted her life to serving the Lord through her work at SCUPE and many other causes.

This story is a great example of how we are called to obedience in mentoring the young people God puts in our lives, you never know when one of them might be a Cynthia Milsap!

Cynthia closed her time with us by encouraging the leaders in attendance to seek balance in their lives. She accurately referred to the School of the Prophets as a safe place where ministers and lay leaders could come and be refreshed. She invited all of us to sit quietly while a CD played calming worship music, an invitation to reflect on ways that our lives are out of balance. We were blessed by her leadership and encouragement.

Please consider joining us for our next gathering on Saturday October 7. We all benefit from being with one another!

In Jesus name,
Bob Marsh
323 West Chicago Ave., Hinsdale
, IL 60521
630-290-2388
bob@marshdesign.biz



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Thursday, September 21, 2006

PRAY the VOTE

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Real Hope in Chicago ~ Transformation in Lawndale

Real Hope in Chicago

Real Hope in Chicago is Wayne Gordon's inspiring account of how people, white and black, rich and poor, old and young, worked together to transform a decaying neighborhood into a place where love is lived out in practical and miraculous ways. It offers an exciting model for interracial cooperation, urban-suburban church partnering--and real hope for the inner cities of our nation.

When Wayne Gordon and his wife started a Bible study for high school kids in North Lawndale, Chicago, people warned them that a white couple moving into a black neighborhood as a recipe for disaster. That was twenty-five years ago. Today, what began as the Gordons' seedling Bible study has become the Lawndale Community Church. It has a staff of 150, has renovated more than 100 local apartments, has helped more than 50 young people graduate from college, runs a medical clinic that treated 50,000 patients in 1994, and has become a vital part of rebuilding an inner-city neighborhood into a community of faith and hope. Real Hope in Chicago is Wayne Gordon's inspiring account of how people, white and black, rich and poor, old and young, worked together to transform a decaying neighborhood into a place where love is lived out in practical and miraculous ways. It offers an exciting model for interracial cooperation, urban-suburban church partnering--and real hope for the inner cities of our nation===>Click headline to access more information . . .


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