Friday, February 09, 2007

Caring in Chicago - Your Invitation

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6855 West 65th Street, Bedford Park, IL. 60638 Tel. (708) 496 – 0879 Fax (708) 496 - 0904

February 06, 2007

Dear Pastors & Community Partners,

Choicest greetings from the Oasis Dream Center and Angel Food Ministries! I am delighted and honored to introduce to you one of the most effectual answers to the Church’s role in helping feed families in our diverse global communities and through this ministry share the wonderful love of the Lord to multitudes of persons. Angel Food Ministries is a 501(c) 3 non-profit corporation based in Monroe, Georgia which partners with many host churches and sites in the country to deliver restaurant-quality food products worth $60 - $100 per box to thousands of people each month for a token donation of $25 per box.

We have the privilege of hosting the Founder of the Angel Food Ministry, Pastor Joel Wingo on February 27, 2007 at the Oasis Center, 6855 W. 65th Street, Bedford Park, IL 60638 at 12.00pm. This is a free, strategic, networking luncheon for progressive Pastors and Community Leaders like you to learn and unite to extend the Kingdom of God through this unique food ministry. At this enlightening and refreshing function, you will learn how the Wingos through the Angel Food Ministries have given over $14 million since its inception to its National host site partners to help them continue in building and strengthening our communities with the love of Christ.

To learn more about Angel Food Ministries’ inspiring history, myriad of wonderful partners and to review their up-coming menu, you can visit their website at www.angelfoodministries.com. We also have a short DVD presentation on the ministries and will be delighted to send you a free copy on request. I believe that as Leaders who serve the general public, utilizing some proven tools such as the Angel Food concept to help families supplement their incomes will progressively motivate and impact our communities in the right direction.

It is with much pleasure that I extend a warm invitation to significant stakeholders like you to come and enjoy a strategic opportunity and excellent lunch that promises to enrich our individual and corporate commitments to grow in 2007. I trust that long-lasting relationships will be built between the Angel Food Ministries and ourselves as we partner as churches, schools, non-profit organizations to demonstrate the love of God in our communities. I kindly request that you respond to this invitation today, at 708-496-0879 and/or send us your response card by February 19th, 2007. If your firm or organization is interested in renting a vendor booth to display your products or services in our Economic and Community Relations Exhibition, please contact Ms. Regina Banks at Oasis Dream Center at 708-496-0879. I look forward to a wonderful fellowship together.

Sincerely, Dr. Isaac Paintsil, Sr. Pastor, Oasis Dream Center

Community Service Profile

Our Mission: Empowering Non-Profits, Churches, Schools, and businesses as a supplement support to equip families or individuals to achieve more good successes.

Objective:

  • Provide food, clothing, furniture, or appliance to reestablish family units at home
  • Provide food distribution networks to feed the nation’s hungry
  • Provide fundamental literacy proficiency services for families, adults or children
  • Provide housing referrals for temporary or permanent residential living
  • Provide supplemental socio-economic continuum of care collaborations
  • Provide economic capacity building solutions to retain jobs and/or industry
  • Provide open forums on best practices for diverse social problems

The Oasis Dream Center (ODC) is one of the nation’s most innovative socio-economic development organizations, diversely impacting our global communities. It is strengthening our next generation of community leaders for those generations yet to be born. Its socio-economic development focus is the creation of progressive partnerships with entities actively serving families and individuals seeking help to deal with their unique everyday struggles.

ODC staff and volunteers daily enrich our global communities. We are feeding the homeless on the street, distributing clothing, furnishings, and basic necessity items. Other personal items given include things such as soap, and personal hygiene products. We also give employment/job leads, make housing referrals, and establish vital resource linkages.

The fundamental social and economic focus of ODC is to enable community leaders via active partnerships with diverse organizations. As our goals are fulfilled they fortify recipients as effective supplemental support alternatives. Our essential solutions offered are general items one would need to sustain wholesome family life, preventing chronic homelessness cycles, reduction or elimination of children starving in their homes.

ODC staff works with its partners to get a complete picture and understanding of how to help meet the defined social, healthcare, spiritual, and basic nutritional challenges. We work with our partners to increase their available resource supply capacity as providers of effective transformational support. ODC is working with its partners to enable families or individuals to build sustainable life opportunities. Our sole purpose is to enable people so they no longer need supplemental aide but become donors to others in need. So contact the Oasis Dream Center to become a member of an innovative force of excellence. We need your help in our communities to build global and economic solutions that serves all nations of hurting people. For more information call Ms. Banks at: (708)-496-0879.



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Wednesday, February 07, 2007

Amazing Grace ~ You've Sung the Song; Now See the Movie!

I was privileged Monday night to pre-screen the upcoming movie, "Amazing Grace," and I heartily recommend that you not only see the movie on the opening weekend of February 23rd, but that you invite your church's small groups, your co-workers, and anyone else you can think of to join you.

Movie is as well done as "Pride and Prejudice," with the Gospel message even clearer than in "Chariots of Fire." It's the kind of movie all Christians should support, and we can send a strong message to Hollywood
if we all get out and see it on the February 23rd opening weekend. Here is how it is described:
"the epic story of the abiding faith and uncommon courage of William
Wilberforce and a community of abolitionists...the story of a reluctant
leader called to do the impossible and the loyal friends (including John
Newton, the man who wrote the song Amazing Grace) who risk everything to
join him"

Go to http://amazinggracemovie.com/ for additional movie information and to view the movie trailer. Those who have already seen a screening from Tyndale have given it great reviews!! It's a remarkable story and Albert Finney (John Newton) and Ioan Gruffurdd (William Wilberforce) give awesome performances!

Your brother in Christ, Larry Kendrick
lkendrick@wheatoncrc.org


http://lists.christianitytoday.com/t/6039779/202765/126652/0/ The 10 Most Redeeming Films of 2006
What do a shy-but-brilliant speller, a dead Mexican guy, a street thug from Soweto, a compassionate spider, an anti-Nazi young woman, and the baby Jesus have in common? They're all in movies that we've just voted the ten most redeeming films of 2006.
from ChristianityTodayMovies.com

What do we mean by "redeeming" films? They're all stories of redemption—sometimes blatantly, sometimes less so. Several of them literally have a character that represents a redeemer; one even includes the Redeemer. With others, you might have to look a bit harder for the redemptive thread, but it's certainly there.

| Finish this article |

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Friday, February 02, 2007

Bless Your Block ~ Praying, Helping, Sharing


Light Your World

You can start by getting to know your neighbors.

By Judy Busic

I grew up in a neighborhood on the near north side of Chicago. There was no air conditioning back then, so we would spend our summer evenings sitting out on the front steps visiting with the neighbors. We not only knew most of the people on our block, we also watched out for one another. I knew if I did something wrong my mother would hear about it from someone! After living in Berwyn, Illinois, for eight years, I was sad to realize that I only knew two of my neighbors well. I missed the kind of neighborhood I grew up in. Jesus tells us to love our neighbors. But how could I love them if I didn’t even know who they were?

Forming a relationship with someone is never easy, but something wonderful can sometimes begin by sharing a simple hello. I used to work at a large office, and at Christmastime I would get a sizeable quantity of the WMBI (the Moody radio station) Christmas music postcards and leave them on my co-workers’ desks. I realized a good way to introduce myself to my neighbors would be to wish them a Merry Christmas and leave a postcard with them as well, in hope they would continue to listen after the holidays. I was surprised at how well my efforts were received! It got me thinking about ways to reach out to my neighbors with the love of Christ. Here are some ideas that have worked with my neighbors – perhaps they’ll be helpful as you reach those in your world.

Prayer
I suggested getting together regularly to pray for our neighbors with my Christian friend and neighbor, Annette. She agreed, and I offered to go door-to-door to gather prayer requests. Most neighbors were very surprised when I showed up on their doorstep. Some invited me into their homes, but others were very cautious. As I continued to visit, however, even the most hesitant became friendly.

The first time I went around asking for requests, I got vague responses like, “just pray for my family” or “pray for world peace.” The next month people started taking us seriously. We got our first real prayer requests from children: Katherine asked me to pray for Grandma Katie and her stomach problems; Alex asked for prayer for their safe travel to Mexico, and Erica asked that the new kids on the block would be nice to her.

On my second time around, I met one of the husbands and explained why I was there. He thanked me and said things were fine. When his wife asked who was at the door, he told her and she came running. I learned that while they were trying to adopt their foster child, a man claiming to be the father had shown up, wanting the child back. Now the requests were getting serious.

One day, when leaving (my neighbors) Doris and Joe’s house, their daughter Diane was behind me signaling to her mom. Doris asked if I would pray for Diane’s friend, who was being abused. We stood on their front porch and joined hands. With heads bowed and tears flowing, we asked God to protect this little girl. A short time later, the girl was removed from her home and placed in her grandmother’s care. She attends the same school, so she and Diane can continue to see each other.

Sharing Christ at Holidays
Many of my new neighbors are Latino. One year, Annette and I gave them New Testaments for Christmas, providing them in both English and Spanish. The following Easter we gave them the Jesus film. This video, which includes a prayer of salvation at the end, is available through the Lighthouse Project for about $5 each and is available in English and Spanish (see box for purchase information). We attached popcorn and a gift card to the video and invited them to have a movie night on us. One child hugged my knees to thank me and said I was a nice lady.

We realized we’d found a great way to reach people. On Halloween, we delivered goody bags to the kids. They were surprised that we came to them. Heading home after my last stop, I heard someone calling my name. One of the children had goodies for me!

We are able to reach out to our new friends throughout the year, not just on holidays. I share copies of the devotional booklet, Our Daily Bread (which I get free), with them quarterly. It’s available in English and Spanish, and the neighbors really look forward to receiving them.

Crafts and Homemade Gifts
In addition to sharing the Scripture with others, we are able to be witnesses of God’s love to our neighbors by sharing our time and gifts with them. Since I’m into crafts and Annette is an artist, one Christmas we decided to have the ladies in the neighborhood come over to make wreaths. We had fun doing it together, and I had an opportunity to explain to the ladies, using a cross anchored in a gift box, that each of us needs to accept God’s gift to us: His Son. This past Christmas we made personal gifts and gave them to each neighbor with a homemade card and gospel tract enclosed.

Helping Neighbors with Needs
As we get to know our neighbors better, we become more aware of their personal needs. One of the neighbors I have gotten to know well is a shut-in, and I am able to help her by getting her mail for her, and feeding the birds, squirrels, and outdoor cats for her. These are small things for me to do, but they mean a lot to her.

I’m not the only one sharing a helping hand. One neighbor, also a believer, joined me in shoveling snow for someone recovering from surgery. Annette helps out by making extra portions when she cooks so she can take meals to some of the elderly ladies on the block. Another friend of mine gets baked goods from a local bakery and shares some with me so I can give them to the larger families. When a neighbor is sick, we leave a card or note letting them know we care and are praying for them. I recently found door hangers that I can print my own message on (and some Scripture) to let neighbors know I’ve stopped by to see them, and remind them to call if they have a special need for prayer.

Continue Feeding Your Friendships
God knows me well enough to know He couldn’t just tell me to start a neighborhood ministry. He started by having me take one small step, which resulted in the desire to do more. I’ve come a long way in getting to know my neighbors, but I’m already dreaming about how to reach out to them this year. Perhaps I’ll organize a block party so the neighbors can get to know each other. After that I’m hoping the ladies will feel comfortable enough to come to a Bible study in my home.

Amazingly, God uses the talents and gifts He has given us so we can enjoy serving Him. God has not only used my gift of evangelism, but He has brought Annette alongside as well, using her to reach out in her own unique way with her own unique gifts. What a joy it has been to watch her grow in the process. We hope others will in some way see the light of Christ in us and be drawn to Him.

Through the years, I’ve rejoiced with some over answered prayers, and mourned with others over the loss of a family member. But now, when I pray for them, it’s with a concerned heart. I have been so blessed, receiving back far more than I’ve given. I wish I could tell you that neighbors call or visit regularly to ask how they can know Christ. That hasn’t happened yet – but we’re still praying!

We continue to let our light shine by being available to our neighbors. I no longer consider the individuals in my mission field as simply my neighbors, they have become friends. The best part is that when I walk or ride my bike down the block, I can greet my neighbors by name!

{Judy Busic retains full copyright on her testimony as it was printed in Just Between Us magazine of Elmbrook Church. She grants you permission to post it on your log.}

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Monday, January 29, 2007

Church Economic Development Summit 2007

Announcing the

Church Economic Development Summit 2007

April 11-13, 2007, St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church, Harvey, IL

Click Here to Download the Flyer

Click Here to Download the Brochure

For more info: Dr. Jonathan Jordan

Email

Cell: (708) 308-1624


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Sunday, January 28, 2007

The Amazing Grace Race!!!

On February 24, you have the exciting opportunity to have a grand old time running around with a few of your friends, participating in a first-ever goofy, educational, entertaining, charity-benefiting event: the Amazing Grace Race!!!

This scavenger hunt is for teams of 3-5 people, modeled on PBS' Amazing Race, and will include fun destinations, wacky challenges, and a celebration at the end. It's a fundraiser sponsored by the junior board of SCUPE, the Seminary Consortium for Urban Pastoral Education - a $100 donation gets your whole team five hours of fun. It's a great activity for a high school youth group, a church young adult group, or a small fellowship group!

The race is from noon-5, starting in downtown Chicago; teams will travel by foot and public transportation. The Amazing Grace Race benefits a 30-year-old interdenominational urban ministry education organization, which prepares students and pastors for a variety of callings in city ministry.

For more information or to register, contact Mark Walden at (312) 287-0151 or mail to: marksrwalden@yahoo.com

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Tuesday, January 23, 2007

Post-Super Bowl Prayer Breakfast

Six years ago The Community Church of Rolling Meadows hosted our city’s first Community Prayer Breakfast. It was such a positive and powerful experience that it has become an annual tradition. As a result, our Sixth Rolling Meadows Community Prayer Breakfast has been scheduled for Saturday, February 24th at 7:30 a.m. The purpose of this non-denominational Christian event is to gather together our elected officials and other community leaders to demonstrate our support and encouragement. The program will include breakfast, music, prayer, and a meditation.

Chief Justice Robert R. Thomas will be the keynote speaker at this year’s breakfast.

Justice Thomas graduated from Loyola University School of Law in 1981, and was a practicing attorney until 1988. At that time he was elected DuPage County Circuit Court Judge. From 1994 until 2000 he served as Justice of the Illinois Appellate Court for the Second District. Justice Thomas was elected to the Supreme Court of Illinois in 2000, and was elevated to Chief Justice in 2005.

Prior to his legal career, Justice Thomas graduated from the University Of Notre Dame, where, as an academic All-American, he set many Notre Dame kicking records, including the winning field goal in the 1973 National Championship Game (Sugar Bowl) vs. Alabama.

He then played in the National Football League for 12 years; 10 of which were with the Chicago Bears. He is the 3rd leading scorer in Bear history.

Justice Thomas, who is on the Academic All-American All-Time Team, was inducted into the Academic Hall of Fame in 1996, and was the NCAA Silver Anniversary Award Winner in 1999.

The breakfast will be held at The Community Church of Rolling Meadows, 2720 Kirchoff Road. Tickets are available at Community Church, Crossroads Church, Meadows Baptist Church, Trinity Lutheran Church, St. Colette Catholic Church, Bethel Lutheran Church;

and Cardinal Drive Church of Christ or by calling 847-255-5510. Tickets are $10 each, which will cover expenses. Because seating is limited, tickets must be purchased by Monday, February 19th. All tickets must be purchased in advance. There will be no tickets sold at the door.

The Community Church of Rolling Meadows 2720 Kirchoff Road, Rolling Meadows, IL 60008 847-255-5510 Dr. Rande Wayne Smith, Pastor

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Monday, January 22, 2007

Three Chicagoland Congregations Among Nation's Most Innovative

The top 25 most innovative churches according to Outreach magazine:

1. LifeChurch.tv - Edmond, Okla.
2. Granger Community Church - Granger, Ind.
3. North Point Community Church - Alpharetta, Ga.
4. Fellowship Church - Grapevine, Tex.
5. Mosaic Church - Los Angeles, Calif.
6. Seacoast Church - Mt. Pleasant, S.C.
7. Community Christian Church - Naperville, Ill.
8. National Community Church - Washington, D.C.
9. Mars Hill Church - Seattle, Wash.
10. New Hope Christian Fellowship - O'ahu, Honolulu
11. Mars Hill Bible Church - Grandville, Mich.
12. The Potter's House - Dallas, Tex.
13. Crossover Church - Tampa, Fla.
14. Church of the Open Door - Maple Grove, Minn.
15. Redeemer Presbyterian Church - New York, N.Y.
16. Healing Place Church - Baton Rouge, La.
17. The Journey - New York, N.Y.
18. Saddleback Church - Lake Forest, Calif.
19. North Coast Church - Vista, Calif.
20. Willow Creek Community Church - South Barrington, Ill.
21. Imago Dei Community - Portland, Ore.
22. Christ the King Community Church - Mt. Vernon, Wash.
23. Radiant Church - Surprise, Ariz.
24. Living Word Christian Center - Forest Park, Ill.
25. The Sanctuary - Santa Clarita, Calif===>Click headline to access article . . .

>Inspiring resources for timely reading:
The Multi-Site Church Revolution: Being One Church in Many Locations
Evaluating the Church Growth Movement: 5 Views by Elmer Towns, Craig Van Gelder, Charles Van Engen, Gailyn Van Rheenan, & Howard Snyder; Gary McIntosh, general editor
Finding a Church You Can Love and Loving the Church You've Found by Kevin & Sherry Harney

>Extra Points: Five Streams of the Emerging Church
(Christianity Today) Scot McKnight: "Along with unfair stereotypes of other traditions, such are the urban legends surrounding the emerging church -- one of the most controversial and misunderstood movements today. As an evangelical, I've had my concerns, but overall I think what emerging Christians bring to the table is vital for the overall health of the church. In this article, I want to undermine the urban legends and provide a more accurate description of the emerging movement....
•
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Wednesday, January 17, 2007

Moody Church: Praying for "The Event of the Century"

Happy New Year!!

The Lord laid prayer on my heart for 2007, and we have over 200 people signed up to have a special full hour of prayer every week in 2007, What is more, our prayer meetings in January are dedicated to Pops...Parents Of Prodigals ... the attendance has doubled and the Holy Spirit is leading us in an energetic spirit filled way to pray for Prodigals who have wondered from the faith or perhaps were never saved.

Never in my days at Moody Church have I ever seen such faith, such determination and such worship and prayer. In the two weeks we've done this, we have not come close to praying for all the prodigals ... I ask one person to come and pray for each prodigal and then I pray also, along with giving parents instructions about forgiveness, their part in reconciliation, etc. dozens of people have taken the names to fast for one day a week in prayer for the names of the children. We are risking everything on the promises of God!

On Sunday mornings I am preaching a series titled; When God Comes to Church, these are 5 messages one from each chapter of I Thessalonians, listing the characteristics of a living revived church from that chapter. I really sense as do others that Moody is on the verge of something wonderful....as we pray.

This fall, I had people pray for something at Moody that we\'ve not seen before; to lift our eyes beyond the usual to the unusual -- to believe God for great things. We as a staff had Dr. John Woodbrige here recently and he gave a lecture on the revival of 1858---which a secular historian called The Event of the Century!! I knew about the revival but I had to be reminded that God had done such great things in Chicago.

Blessings and love for the New Year, Pastor Erwin Lutzer

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Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Amazing Grace Sunday, February 18, 2007

Movie: Amazing Grace to be released - February 18, 2007


On Sunday, February 18, I invite you to join churches around the globe in singing the treasured hymn, Amazing Grace. The significance of this occasion is to commemorate the work of William Wilberforce, a courageous evangelical who two-hundred years ago faced down the powerful men of his day to facilitate the abolition of the slave trade in the British Empire. His mentor was John Newton, the slave-trader-turned-song-writer, whose words influenced Wilberforce, and continue to resonate today in the lyrics of Amazing Grace.

Today the fight to end slavery continues. It's estimated that 27 million people are currently in slavery around the world. From forced child labor to bonded labor and sexual servitude, millions are suffering and need evangelicals to speak out on their behalf. On February 18, Amazing Grace Sunday is a wonderful opportunity for the church to make our voice heard.

We ask that you set aside a few moments of your worship service on February 18 to sing Amazing Grace and to commit yourselves once again to speak for the oppressed. The Amazing Grace Sunday website (www.amazinggracesunday.com) offers several valuable resources including an opportunity to register your participation, lyrics to a new arrangement of the hymn by Christian artist Chris Tomlin and bulletin inserts about the hymn, which you are free to download and print for your congregation.

In addition, a major motion picture, with the same title as the hymn Amazing Grace, (www.amazinggracemovie.com) about the work of William Wilberforce will open in theaters across the country on February 23. You can also learn more about the fight to end modern day slavery at the partner campaign, Amazing Change (www.theamazingchange.com). The World Evangelical Alliance has also provided resources for churches. We encourage you to make use of these wonderful resources.

We look forward to your participation and show of solidarity on February 18 and in the days of work ahead. The NAE has been recognized by the “abolition movement” of today as one organization, through our Office of Governmental Affairs, that has been a premier leader in passing anti-trafficking legislation. We believe your involvement in this effort is a signal of NAE’s continuing commitment to the fight to end modern-day slavery

Sincerely,

Leith

Leith Anderson
President
National Association of Evangelicals
202-789-1011

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 VerĆ”stegui) 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, JosĆ© 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 VERƁSTEGUI portrays JosƩ, 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 EspaƱol 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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