Healthy Churches Chicago http://healthychurcheschicago.org Helping people find healthy churches in Lombard, Orland Park, Aurora, Elburn, Carol Stream, Downers Grove and Chicago Fri, 26 Mar 2010 13:20:02 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 What is the Gospel? http://healthychurcheschicago.org/what-is-the-gospel/ http://healthychurcheschicago.org/what-is-the-gospel/#comments Fri, 26 Mar 2010 13:20:02 +0000 admin http://healthychurcheschicago.org/?p=208

]]> http://healthychurcheschicago.org/what-is-the-gospel/feed/ 0 Religion in America http://healthychurcheschicago.org/religion-in-america/ http://healthychurcheschicago.org/religion-in-america/#comments Thu, 25 Mar 2010 21:24:20 +0000 admin http://healthychurcheschicago.org/?p=149

WKRN News 2 Nashville Reports on Religion in America from Ed Stetzer on Vimeo.

]]> http://healthychurcheschicago.org/religion-in-america/feed/ 0 What is the importance of Church? http://healthychurcheschicago.org/what-is-the-importance-of-church/ http://healthychurcheschicago.org/what-is-the-importance-of-church/#comments Thu, 25 Mar 2010 21:10:00 +0000 admin http://healthychurcheschicago.org/?p=144

]]> http://healthychurcheschicago.org/what-is-the-importance-of-church/feed/ 0 Church Planting and Resourcing Churches http://healthychurcheschicago.org/church-planting-and-resourcing-churches/ http://healthychurcheschicago.org/church-planting-and-resourcing-churches/#comments Tue, 23 Mar 2010 02:50:22 +0000 admin http://healthychurcheschicago.org/?p=14 College Church in Wheaton is actively involved in planting churches in Chicago and the western suburbs.

]]> http://healthychurcheschicago.org/church-planting-and-resourcing-churches/feed/ 0 Glorify God by Digging for Treasure http://healthychurcheschicago.org/glorify-god-by-digging-for-treasure/ http://healthychurcheschicago.org/glorify-god-by-digging-for-treasure/#comments Wed, 17 Mar 2010 19:36:38 +0000 admin http://jnjbrewer.wordpress.com/?p=120 “We glorify God by working out our own salvation.  God has twisted together His glory and our good.  We glorify him by promoting our own salvation.  It is a glory to God to have multitudes of converts; now, his design of free grace takes, and God has the glory of his mercy; so that, while we are endeavoring our salvation, we are honoring God.  What an encouragement is this to the service of God, to think while I am hearing and praying, I am glorifying God; while I am furthering my own glory in heaven, I am increasing God’s glory.  Would it not be an encouragement to a subject, to hear his prince say to him, you will honor and please me very much, if you will go to yonder mine of gold, and dig as much gold for yourself as you can carry away? So, for God to say, Go to the ordinances, get as much grace as you can, dig out as much salvation as you can; and the more happiness you have, the more I shall count myself glorified.”

Thomas Watson “Body of Divinity” p.13,14

]]> http://healthychurcheschicago.org/glorify-god-by-digging-for-treasure/feed/ 0 What is planning? http://healthychurcheschicago.org/what-is-planning/ http://healthychurcheschicago.org/what-is-planning/#comments Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:48:14 +0000 admin http://jnjbrewer.wordpress.com/?p=107

“Planning is not deciding in advance every step we are going to take and then doggedly following those steps.  Rather, planning is an arrow which points a direction of the future.  You lay out the steps, take one step, and then re-plan.  Planning thus becomes a road map toward the future.  But unlike most road maps it’s one which we can constantly improve as we move further and further toward the future.

So what is planning?

  • Planning is being tomorrow-minded
  • Planning is pre-determining a course of action
  • Planning is trying to understand God’s will and responding to that understanding by our actions.”

– Edward Dayton, Tools for Time Management

]]> http://healthychurcheschicago.org/what-is-planning/feed/ 0 The Year of Living Biblically http://healthychurcheschicago.org/the-year-of-living-biblically/ http://healthychurcheschicago.org/the-year-of-living-biblically/#comments Thu, 04 Mar 2010 20:58:08 +0000 admin http://jnjbrewer.wordpress.com/?p=101 Jason Gray writes a great review of The Year of Living Biblically by A.J. Jacobs.

]]> http://healthychurcheschicago.org/the-year-of-living-biblically/feed/ 0 Shepherding the Flock http://healthychurcheschicago.org/shepherding-the-flock/ http://healthychurcheschicago.org/shepherding-the-flock/#comments Tue, 02 Mar 2010 21:17:13 +0000 admin http://jnjbrewer.wordpress.com/?p=94 “Everyone must be cared for. Everyone must be treated as valued members of Christ’s body.  And I, for one, am determined that will happen here at Tenth Presbyterian Church.  I don’t want a single member of Tenth Church thinking that they are not cared for.  Not one.  At least not because no one asks about them.  By this time next year, everyone will be able to say, ‘I have an elder who knows me and cares about me.’ Everyone will be able to say ‘I know who will help me when in need.’ Everyone will be able to say, ‘This is how I am involved in the church,’ or ‘I know how to get involved when I am ready.’” (The Shepherd Leader: Achieving Effective Shepherding in your Church by Timothy Z. Witmer, p.135)

]]> http://healthychurcheschicago.org/shepherding-the-flock/feed/ 0 What is the importance of Church? http://healthychurcheschicago.org/what-is-the-importance-of-church-2/ http://healthychurcheschicago.org/what-is-the-importance-of-church-2/#comments Fri, 26 Feb 2010 20:44:07 +0000 admin http://jnjbrewer.wordpress.com/?p=90 This video was made by a 16 year old high school student from College Church to highlight the theme of 1 Corinthians as Pastor Josh Moody has been preaching through it this year.

You can listen to the sermons here

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pblZQHBQH68&feature=player_embedded]

]]> http://healthychurcheschicago.org/what-is-the-importance-of-church-2/feed/ 0 10 Challenges Most Small Group Ministries Face http://healthychurcheschicago.org/10-challenges-most-small-group-ministries-face/ http://healthychurcheschicago.org/10-challenges-most-small-group-ministries-face/#comments Fri, 26 Feb 2010 15:38:42 +0000 admin http://jnjbrewer.wordpress.com/?p=86

  1. What do you do about all the kids?  Babysitting / care for the kids always seems to be a concern, especially for younger parents.
  2. It is hard to teach an old dog new tricks.  Some people will just not join a group no matter how many times you invite them or tell them how great it is.
  3. There are never enough qualified, trained leaders.  Leadership training takes time and effort.
  4. Small groups can easily take on a life of their own if not given constant direction.
  5. Leadership must be involved in a small group in order for people to see the need.  Pastors and Elders must see it as enough of a priority to join one themselves if they are going to expect others to join.
  6. A lot of programs in the church on a number of different nights of the week compete for people’s time and energy.  If small groups are to succeed, leadership must consider how to streamline the schedule.
  7. Groups can become ingrown if they are not challenged and occasionally split to accommodate more people.
  8. The right leader is the most important piece of a successful small group.  It can be difficult to turn away willing people who are not ready to lead a group yet.  Sometimes the most willing are not the most effective.
  9. Small Groups cannot be viewed as one program among many, but an essential means by which the church is seeking to accomplish its goals.
  10. People are busy and it is difficult to coordinate schedules of multiple people.  Just because someone lives close to another might not mean they are in the same group because they might have incompatible schedules.
]]> http://healthychurcheschicago.org/10-challenges-most-small-group-ministries-face/feed/ 0