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In West Town, that guy is Mark Bergin, 29, who leads prayer meetings wearing a cap embroidered with the Guinness logo. The self-described “hot-dog-eating, baseball-loving, tool-owning missionary” is part of the church planting movement in the United States — an effort to start thousands of churches a year that reach people in more culturally relevant ways.
When he moved from Seattle a few months ago to start a church on Chicago’s West Side, he met more than 50 potential churchgoers by visiting neighborhood coffee houses and bars, including the Chipp Inn across from his house.
November 19, 2009
Angry Preachers or Gospel Musicians?
What types of witnesses are our churches forming?
by David Swanson
There wasn’t much that could have distracted me on the way to the train station on a recent Saturday evening. After two days at an outdoor music festival—in the rain one day and under the blazing sun the next—I wanted nothing more than to return to our apartment for a long shower and some blessed quiet. Lollapalooza was a blast, a great opportunity to see some new bands and observe Chicago’s diverse youth culture. I might have stayed for the day’s final acts, but I’m a pastor and my ringing ears and tired legs needed a good night’s sleep before Sunday morning.
Before I’d walked even a block from the festival, I bumped into a small crowd whose attention was fixed on two men speaking loudly to the bedraggled onlookers. One held a handmade sign that read—I kid you not— “TURN OR BURN!” He spoke into a bullhorn, warning the young people of God’s coming judgment and listing in vivid detail the sins that would lead them to an eternity burning in hell. The other man held an open Bible and vigorously debated anyone who disagreed with his companion’s portrayal of God. Continue reading “Angry Preachers or Gospel Musicians? “… David Swanson is Community Life Pastor at New Community Covenant Church in Chicago’s Logan Square neighborhood
LeToya Luckett’s big screen debut will come in the Warner Brothers Release “Preacher’s Kid.” The film stars LeToya Luckett who portrays an unworldy young woman named Angie who takes off with a charming actor in a touring gospel play, despite her widowed, preacher father’s warning her not to do so. (PG13)
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Raven Outreach Ministry there are some things that you can expect.
You will be loved. Regardless of where you have come from, what you look like or how you have been raised, we are committed to loving people unconditionally. We may not agree with you on every subject or have the same view on certain things but this will in no way deter us from loving you.
You will see Jesus lifted up. The reason that we gather together in worship is to “lift up Jesus”. It is not to entertain you or to accommodate your need to satisfy some religious quota for the week. We are about serving, knowing and worshipping the Lord Jesus Christ.
We are more concerned with TRUTH over TRADITION. We do not have a monopoly on every truth. We are in the process of having His word revealed to us in a greater and clearer way day by day. My motto is, “You don’t have to know everything- just know what you do know real good!” We will never do anything “just to please” people. People are rarely pleased with anything for any great length of time. We are here to minister the Word of God into peoples lives and to love them; not to cater to the needs of their flesh.
You will see the gifts of the Spirit in operation. We will never make excuses or cower from the fact that we believe the whole Bible; even the parts that may make us uncomfortable or go against the things that have been ingrained in us through past affiliations or denominational upbringing. You may hear people “speak in tongues.” You may see people “healed” by faith in the work of the Cross. What you will not see is a bunch of “flakey”, unbiblical manifestations “just for the sake” of being “spiritual.” We know that the Word of God has revealed enough POWER IN TRUTH and genuine manifestation; that we will call to order that which is not. If it is of God, then the person operating in a particular gifting should not be opposed to having that particular gift or manifestation measured or judged in accordance with the Word of God. While we firmly believe in the gifts of the Spirit--it is not what we primarily seek--we seek the Person of the Holy Spirit to operate in our lives, ministry, and services and we welcome His “gifts” as the fruit of that relationship.
You will see people of all races, creeds, nationalities, and socio-economic backgrounds worshipping with us. If you hate a person of another color- either repent or find somewhere else to go. If you are rich and despise the poor or you are poor and despise the rich this will probably not be the place that you would want to come and feel comfortable. Everyone is welcomed in our ranks.
We will seek Him first and foremost. If you are looking for a quick “fix” for your religious cravings and all you have is 45 minutes or an hour to spare- then there are many places that will be more appealing to you. While we endeavor to not “waste time” , our main objective is to come and have an intimate time of worship and hearing the Word of God.
There will be “liberty in worship.” Some people may jump and dance before the Lord. Some people may kneel at the altar and pray. Some people may lift their hands and weep. Some may just want to sit quietly and listen to His voice. There is liberty here to do all of those things.
If you are a member of this body you will be required to be not only a “hearer but a doer of the word.” This is not a place of all inspiration and not application. Everything that you will learn here is so that you can actually go out and do it. Everyone has a part and no one is excluded.
Our primary reason for serving God is so that we can be equipped to go out and win others to the saving faith in Jesus Christ. EVERYONE who claims Jesus as Savior is a “minister of reconciliation.” YOU are to witness and tell others about Jesus as your “primary” ministry.
You will be instructed in truth and righteousness. Our purpose is not to implement and espoused the vain philosophies of man in the hopes to draw a large crowd or increase our church coffers. Our purpose is to invest into your life the unchanging, all-powerful word of the Living God that you might live a victorious life.
The Greg Laurie Evangelistic Outreach for Chicago
has been announced for Sept 24-26, 2010.
http://www.harvest.org/crusades/
There is an email sign up if you want further information.
http://www.harvest.org/contact/
RECOMMENDATION:
Get a copy of Greg’s book, Upside Down Church, Tyndale 1999…good read and will give you a look into the evangelistic heart of this man.
HOT BUTTON ISSUES Greg Laurie
Southern California pastor Greg Laurie took on some “hot button” issues from the pulpit on Sunday, covering everything from capital punishment and homosexuality to Tiger Woods’ apology.
Commenting on the professed faith of pro golfer Woods, he stated, “Here’s the problem with Buddhism: they don’t believe in a personal God that is there to forgive a person.”
CHICAGO, November 13, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Mauck & Baker, LLC, and the Thomas More Society in Chicago have announced that they reached an out-of-court settlement after joining forces to preserve the constitutional right of Moody Bible student Matthew Rivera and his classmates to share the message of Jesus on Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) train platforms.
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