Building a church = Becoming the church…
We are amazed at the joyful sacrifice and generosity of our Soul City Starters. God has lovingly overwhelmed us with an amazing space for our Church in the heart of Chicago’s West Loop. This is a BIG answer to months and months of BIG prayers. And now, our team is responding to God goodness with BIG Shoulders.
Every Tuesday, Saturday, and Sunday we gather to build this Church together. We work. We sweat. We eat. We laugh. We pray. And in the process, we are BEcoming the Church.
We would love for you to join us. You don’t need any previous construction experience to be a part. All you need is the desire to be a part of this amazing story of our start. You can LITERALLY build a Church with us. It’s a crazy adventure that God has us on. And we’d love for you to be a part!
Tuesdays 4.00p – 8.00p
Saturdays 9.00a – 1.00p
Sundays 2.00p – 7.00p
Our next Work and Worship is Sunday, August 12 from 2.00p – 7.00p. You can sign up to work and Worship with us below.
Creativity + Courage + Chairs > Consumerism
We not only love WHAT God is doing at Soul City Church, but the WAY that he’s doing it. God is stirring our Courage and Creativity to whole new levels as we Leverage our lives for Him. One of those ways has been our Have a Seat, Give a Seat mini-campaign. It has been such a powerful picture to us of:
- Courage
- Creativity
- Generosity
- Sacrifice
- and Partnership
We love the ways that people have responded! From One Chair, to Three Rows of chairs, to Whole Sections being Purchased and Given. To date our church (as well as other churches who have partnered with us) have purchased 168 Seats! That means that we’ve put 168 Seats in our space at 1130 W. Adams as well as 168 Seats in the new Family Plex that Breakthrough Urban Ministries is building on the West Side of Chicago. It’s simple – for every seat that is purchased, we are giving a seat to Breakthrough, one of our partners here in the city.
Our goal is 250 seats purchased by the end of this month….and that’s where you come in.
We would like for you to prayerfully consider the Creative and Courageous Cost of making room for people here in the city. You may never sit in these seats yourself, but others will. People who are far from God. People who have been praying for a Church to call home. People who have hit rock bottom. People who have searched their whole life for purpose and meaning. People like me. People like you. We can make room for them together. One Seat At A Time.
It may seem like just a chair…but it is so much more than that.
If you would like to partner with what God is doing at Soul City Church and Breakthrough Urban Ministry, please click below.
At Soul City, we simply believe thatGod has made us FAR too Creative and Courageous than to simply settle for being a Consumers of Church.
This is one small way that we can prove that.
Have a Seat, Give a Seat…
We are so honored to partner with Breakthrough Urban Ministries for a truly unique opportunity to make room in the city of Chicago.
Both Soul City and Breakthrough are in the process of Making Space for people to have a Transformational Experience with the life, love, and hope of Jesus.
Soul City is focusing on the Unique Needs and Oppertunites of Chicago’s West Loop, while Breakthrough is focusing on East Garfield Park.
We are privileged to be Partners Together in loving and serving this city as God leads.
And you can tangibly be part of this great partnership and the work that God is doing by Making Space.
For $60 you can purchase two seats: One of those seats goes to Break Through, the other goes to Soul City Church.
Regardless of whether you can make it out to our Celebration on August 15. Regardless of whether you live in Chicago or not. Regardless of whether you will actually ever sit in one of these seats. You have the opportunity to join in something that God is doing, in a city that God, loves, for people you may never meet. You can give someone a seat.
You may be able to buy more than one.
You may be able to buy an entire row (10 seats)
You may be able to do more.
Whatever God leads you to do, we would ask that you pray for those who will find rest, those who will find hope, those who will find freedom, those who will find Jesus in the seat that you gave.
To purchase your seat(s) please click below
the whole process takes about 57 seconds
To hear more about the Story Behind The Start of Soul City Church, check out this video by Jarrett Stevens
To get a glimpse of how YOU will be making room at Breakthrough Urban Ministries, check out this video from the head of Breakthrough, our friend Arloa Sutter…
What the Church could learn from…The Hospital
This morning Jeanne and I had the joy of waking up to our little Gigi covered in some sort of Allergic Reaction all over her cute little body. Jeanne and I had the exact same thought at the exact same moment – “How do we avoid having to go to the Hospital over this one?” Don’t get me wrong – We love our baby, we just hate our Health Care Plan. And to be honest, I break out in an allergic reaction to Hospitals in general.
After embracing the inevitable, we packed Gigi up and took her to Children’s Memorial Hospital here in the city. Here’s what we experienced in our first few moments there:
- We found great parking right outside the entrance.
- Easy to spot Signage that told us exactly which entrance to take.
- Three people in the first 60 seconds asked us if it was our first time and if we needed any help finding anything.
- An amazingly engaging and surprisingly calm environment.
- Someone walked us from the entrance down the hall in the direction we were heading.
- We got to keep our coffee!
Within 45 minutes we were signing out with the brilliant medical advice of “Just ride it out” (which was actually my advice from the very beginning, although not as welcomed by Jeanne).
We left that hospital wondering, Why can’t people’s First Impression of Church be more like ours at the Hospital (minus the bill)? Why do we make it so hard and so confusing for so many people who already have a million little battles of resistance running through their morning? What does a City Hospital know that the Church doesn’t? I know that not all visits to the Hospital are like this. But it brings up a great tension.
A great exercise for you and your team to do as often as possible is to go another church and see how they do it. See what your First Impression is – from when you park your car until you park your rear in a seat. Or better yet, survey your own experience:
- Where are you setting up unnecessary speed bumps or road blocks to people having a great First Impression?
- What do you assume that people know? What don’t they know?
- How are you anticipating and and eliminating unnecessary resistance?
- How can you get every single “insider” in your church involved as an owner of your church’s First Impression?
It really would be a shame if people had a better experience at a HOSPITAL than they do at our church. We could learn a lot.
A Gathering, A Building, Soul City Kids…and Jide
Our Brand New May Snapshot is out. It’s a great way for you to get a Quick Snapshot of all that God is doing at Soul City Church. It’s Chock full of Goodies. It’s Free. And all the Cool Kids are reading it.
You can check it out HERE
And subscribe to it HERE
enjoy.
The Nine Things You Need to Know To Start a Church
1) You don’t need to worry about money…but you won’t ever think you have “enough”.
2) You will not only believe in the power of prayer…you’ll depend on it.
3) A Clear Mission goes a lot further than a Cool Logo.
4) The craving for Comfort will be stronger than crack.
5) You will be on the adventure of a lifetime with people you haven’t even met yet.
6) You’ll be raising money for as long as you lead this church, you might as well get used to it and you might as well get good at it.
7) Don’t ever out clever things like the Bible, Prayer, and the Gospel.
8) The longer you go without an incredible team exercising their spiritual gifts, the shorter you’ll last.
9) You simply don’t have all that it takes to do this, but you are far more ready than you realize.
This Month’s Soul City Snapshot
So much is going on at Soul City Church. From our Good Friday Experience, to the launch of Soul City Sundays, to all that’s coming up this month. If you want to BE a part of it all, make sure you sign up for our monthly Soul City Snapshot. You can do so by signing up for it in the box to your right.
You can also view this month’s Snapshot by clicking HERE.
We’re so grateful and excited to have you a part of all that God is doing through the adventure of Soul City Church.
Only a Jesus Follower would celebrate the Death of their Savior
It’s always seemed a bit odd to me that we call Good Friday GOOD. I get it in the grand scheme of the Redemptive Story. I get that there is no Sunday without Friday. I get that there is no life without Death. I get it. It’s just a little odd. On that very Friday…as it happened in space and time, there was not a single Jesus follower on the planet who could have uttered the word “GOOD“. In their eyes, from their perspective at that point in the story, there was nothing “GOOD“. Everything had gone to hell. Their hopes. Their dreams. Their Master. Their Friend. Their Brother. Their Son…was dead and gone. And despite everything he had said and done to prepare them, they were utterly unprepared for their the grief, despair, and fear that infiltrated their little movement and their little faith.
We however have the perspective of time that those first followers did not. We can see the greater narrative. We can see the fruit of that seed falling and being buried deep into the soil of humanity. And so….we celebrate. Odd as it may seem, we celebrate the Death of Jesus, because just like in OUR OWN STORY, it is not the END of the STORY! Death is really only the beginning. By celebrating his Death we are actually celebrating the LIFE that comes from it. That is why this is not merely a good thing…this is the greatest thing we have afforded to us in the time we have in this life. We must remember. We must tell the story. We must tell our story. We must celebrate.
This is why Soul City Church is so excited to CELEBRATE Good Friday, this Friday at 7.00p. This death and resurrection is at the Center of our Story as a Church and we pray at the center of your Life and Story as well.
If you live in Chicago and are in any way interested in being a part of Soul City Church, please make change plans to join us this Friday Night as we Celebrate Good Friday.
All the details you need can be found HERE.
It’s as though we gave up Blogging for Lent…
It’s been a couple weeks since we posted up here at Soul City Blog.
It’s not you…it’s us.
The Stevens Family has had a few things going on these past couple weeks:
- We packed up an entire house in Atlanta
- Jarrett replaced the Mother Board on our fridge (yep. The Mother Board!)
- We drove two U Hauls from ATL to CHI (Special thanks to Eric Edwards and Amy Lawlor)
- We moved in to our new place in Chicago
- Unpacked
- Hung some shelves
- Kept unpacking…
- Wrote this post
We’re excited to finally be up and running here in Chicago and are so grateful to God for our friends and family who helped us throughout these last couple weeks.
More to come.
So much more…
Our Brand New Soul City Snapshot
We just shipped out our Monthly Soul City Snapshot today and we think you might dig it. It’s full of all kinds of Insider Information that you can’t get through our Site or our Blog.
So, if you’re not yet a Subscriber, you can do so by clicking HERE. Once you do, you’ll become a member of an elite society of insiders who’s inbox’s shutter with shear delight at the start of every month. We promise.
Your Church is more complicated than LOST
Tonight marks the Beginning of the End of LOST. I can’t even begin to tell you how DEEP I am into this show and it’s endless mythology and storytelling. (If I told you that I owned not 1 but 2 Lost T-Shirts…would you still love me?)
However, I’ve noticed that for every 1 FAN of Lost there are 784,593 people who are not into it. Several friends this week have told me that they would love to watch, but it’s just too complicated, too confusing, or they missed too many episodes. They reiterate the fact that there is no such thing as a Casual Lost Fan.
I think the same could be said of our Churches. Without even realizing it, we’ve created Churches that are more complicated than Lost. There’s too much Insider Language. Too many Complicated and Confusing Linear Strategies. Too many Detours that make it difficult if not impossible for an “outsider” to get it. While there is no such thing as a Casual Lost Fan, there are 100,000′s Causal Church Goers in your community.
The question is – How are you making it SIMPLE for people to Get It, Get Started, and actually Grow.
Here’s Four Ideas for how you can make your church Simpler
1) Change Your Language. Listen to what you’re saying. Listen for what you’re not saying. From Worship Leaders, to Teachers, to Printed Materials. Think first of the First Time Person who hasn’t been here as long as you and don’t have a clue what things like Connexxus or Axiom are or even mean.
2) Change Your Website. This is your Virtual Front Door and if someone has to walk around the house two or three times before they can find the front door, they’re not coming back. I love the simplicity of Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley. Clear and to the point.
3) Have a SIMPLE Strategy and stick to it. I know that you’re a Linchpin and you love changing, tweaking, and tinkering, but you have to remember – They Are Not. They weren’t here when you used to call it Area Home Groups. They weren’t here when you used to do it Tuesday Nights. They don’t care. They need to be able to get within the first 2 minutes WHAT you about and WHERE they can START.
4) Go to another Church. Learn from their simplicity. Learn from their complexity. Listen to their Language. Better yet, go to the Apple Store (which you probably have in the last 7 days). Within 60 seconds you can find what you need and figure out what to do with it. And in the case that you can’t – there’s always an Apple Cult Member Employee within 5 feet to help.
Following Jesus is hard. Finding him shouldn’t be. Let’s fight for Simplicity!
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(btw – if you know what the picture is at the top of this post…than you truly are as much of a nerd as me. I’m praying for us now.)
- This post was written by Jarrett Stevens
- Co-Leader of Soul City Church,
- who believes that Nikki and Paulo are the key to it all!
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- .
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The Thank You Economy
If you’re familiar with Gary Vaynerchuk either through Winelibrary.com or his new book – Crush It, than you know that he is an insane entrepreneur who has a tendency to get a little excited.
While listening to an over-excited Vaynerchuk on a recent podcast, he passionately pontificated on the new “THANK YOU ECONOMY” that we are now a part of. In his words, we are living in a day when it’s no longer ok to push your “product” on people, tell them to buy it, and be done with them. We are here to SERVE those who are somehow engaged and connected to us, and when we do that well, we won’t have to push or sell anything to them.
He’s right. But this is not one of Gary’s crazy ideas, or even a new idea. This has been / should be the posture of the Church from day one. We are created and called to Love and Serve in and especially Outside our walls. It is precisely our forgetfulness and neglectfulness of this posture that has led to Overt Evangelism Campaigns and Strategies, and Bring A Friend Weekends.
When we love and serve, first and foremost, we position ourselves to be heard, respected, and followed. In other words, “…let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” (Matthew 5:16 NLT)
So, HOW are you “Thanking” the community that your church serves? Do they even know you exist other than the traffic hassle you cause on Sundays? What do they “get” from your church that is above and beyond Attending one of your services?
AND
WHO do you personally need to “Thank” this week? Who and How can you extend the Gospel in your neighborhood with no expectation in return?
4 things that mattered to our parents…
Innovation has always and is currently moving at a breakneck speed. There is of course, those things that continue to be true and great that remain and weather the gail force winds of change. There is a reason these things remain. And there is a reason that many former “innovations” fall by the wayside. They need to. It’s time. They are not bad, they just aren’t as good anymore.
And yet there are those who are not willing to let go of the past. They are deeply rooted in the meaning that these things once held. They are stuck in the systems that these former “innovations” have created, unable to embrace what is now. Here are FOUR examples (of many) from our Culutre and ONE Question that each of us must wrestle with.
The Encyclopedia.
A brilliant breakthrough of the Modern Era. Knowledge for the masses! Everyone can own…26 Giant Books with Tiny Print. We had a set in our house growing up – grossly outdated and too expensive and complicated to update, they became fantastic door stoppers and forts for my G.I. Joes.
.
The Phonebook.
Eclipsing the wisdom of a centralized Operator, now anyone could find a litany of phone numbers for 24 hour plumbers. They represent a centralized collection of localized limitedness that had to be updated every year with a new 18 pound 1384 page waste of paper. Not sustainable.
..
The Home Phone.
The Cordless Phone simply was not enough to save the icon of a bygone era of simplicity and boundaries. ”Call me sometime…when I’m home…not on another call…and am willing to stand still long enough for our conversation.”
.
.
The Newspaper.
An inky papery connection to the world around you…that the editors saw fit to represent. The world continues to move too fast, too far, and too wide for this iconic connection to the Greatest Generation. While the Newspaper may not die, it most certainly will not thrive in it’s current atomic state.
.
Right or Wrong. Good or Bad. These are FOUR things that matter(ed) to our parents. But they simply DON’T to us anymore. They have been replaced by innovation that itself will be replaced in a matter of time.
The Question is – WHAT IS YOUR CHURCH STILL DOING THAT MATTERED TO OUR PARENTS, BUT SIMPLY DOES NOT MATTER TO THE WORLD WE CURRENTLY LIVE IN?
What are we still holding on to because of it’s unorthodox and uncritical “history” and meaning to us? What is it that we are still doing because we are too entrenched in the systems we’ve created around it? AND…WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?
When 6.4% just isn’t enough…
Here are some fascinating numbers regarding Soul City’s Four Targeted Neighborhoods. It’s amazing to consider that in a city as LARGE as Chicago (2.9 million people downtown!) there is such a Surprising LACK of Vibrant, Growing, Transformational Churches. To be honest…we’re not even scraping the surface of our potential of reaching people in the City of Chicago with the transformational love of God. There is such a HUGE opportunity here.
Check out this video to see what we mean.
So how does a church (or churches) move from reaching 6.4% to reaching more and more people with the Transformational love of Jesus Christ?
How is YOUR church doing this…or not doing this?
Headline: People Start a Church for just $25!
We have been so amazed at how people are rallying around the Vision for Soul City Church. From people who are praying for Chicago and Soul City from quite litterally all over the world. To people who have encouraged us through tweets, emails, and comments on this blog. To people all over the country who are leaving good paying jobs and really warm weather to come be a Soul City Starter. To people who are Financially Investing in this vision. We are so indescriably grateful.
And we want to make sure that YOU have a chance to be a part of it as well. We would love for you to consider investing $25 towards our Year End Start Campaign. Your One Time Tax Deductible Gift goes straight towards our Start Up costs and makes it possible for the Vision of Soul City to become a Reality.
You can hear more about how you can BE a part of Soul City Church in the following video.
We are so excited for all the God is doing and is going to do in this new year. We are so grateful to have you BE a part of it all with us!
Please visit YEARENDSTART.COM to make a $25 investment
in what God is doing through Soul City Church.
Anyone can do ANYTHING with Money…
Overheard a great quote from Mike Michalowicz today that is so true for life and SOOOO true for the Start Up phase that Soul City is in right now.
“Anyone can do anything with money. What can YOU do without?
What a brilliant reminder for us personally and for whatever Business or Church Endeavor you find yourself in. The comforting deception is that “If we just had more (or some) money we could…”
- …Reach more people in our city.
- …Hire more people to do more work.
- …Get out of all this debt.
- …Be able to give more as a family.
- …No longer worry about NOT having money.
You fill in the blank.
But the naging question remains – “What can you do without?” What can you do without money that people with money can’t do? What kinda faith and creativity and ingenuity might God be trying to squeeze out of you in the absence of having all that you think you need?
Money is nothing to God. He could give you all that you need and then some. So money is not the point. Faithfulness. Obedience. Dependence. Sacrifice. Creativity. That stuff that is priceless. And all the money in the world can’t get you that. But not having it…that may be the only thing in this season that affords you the things that God desires most.
So – What is one thing you have done or are doing that is GREAT in your family, business, or church without the supposed luxury of money? We’d love to hear your stories…
Pete Wilson Hearts Soul City Church
Our Friend Pete Wilson from Crosspoint Church in Nashville offers up great support for what God is doing through Soul City Church. This is from a blog post he wrote earlier today from his blog Without Wax.
Most of you know that I”m a huge fan of church planting. God has allowed me to be a part of two church plants. Both Morgantown Community Church and Cross Point church were launched because a group of people believed in the importance of launching a church with a unique vision to reach it’s community.
And while every church plant excites me every once in a while I hear about one that I’ve just got to jump in and help. Soul City Church is starting in the City of Chicago in 2010 and they are committed to helping people become all of who God created them to be. I believe in Jarrett & Jeanne Stevens– they spent 12 years at Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, IL and 3 ½ years at North Point Community Church in Atlanta, GA. They are two of the most incredible leaders I’ve ever been around! I’m so excited to see the vision of this church reach many people in the city of Chicago and beyond and I have decided that I want to be a part of the story of seeing this Church start.
God is going to use this movement to make a significant impact on the city of Chicago!
Let’s help Soul City Church Start. Click below and give a one-time gift!
Promise ponders if there’s such a thing as “a new kind of church”?
Here’s a piece that our friend Promise Tangeman (Wurzell) put up on her blog today. Love her thoughts and love the opportunity to BE a part of Starting Soul City Church.
So… I want to ask…. What comes to mind when you think of church? Come on, you are all artists and creators in some way… therefore I KNOW you have opinions and have probably had an encounter with a church or church person at some point in your life. Here is a list that I came up with. Haha. Choir robes, sheet music, bad breath, sweat, stale air, no energy, the same thing all the time, hypocrites, judgement, know-it-alls, no creativity, cheesy, over produced services, bad acting/drama, weird, boring, annoying, to long, nagging, inward focused, no place for art, cliques and not accepting. That is a terrible list.
Not all churches are like that… but haven’t we all experienced that at some point or another? And it’s sad… but that experience was probably embedded in our minds giving us OUR definition of church. Ha. YUCK!
I grew up in church. In fact I think I was born in the pews. All of my life my dad has been a Pastor in the Seattle area and my husband is a worship leader at a large church in Arizona. Let’s just say that I have seen my fair share of churches through conferences, visiting other churches, and being connected in the world of church. There is one thing that I have seen to be consistent in most churches. There is not very much room for artists, out-of-the-box thinkers, dreamers, culture shapers, perfectionists, or creators. For many people… art as seen a luxury; meaning: not practical and not needed.
This has been an issue that I have thought about a lot when it comes to art and the church. You see… I have to be honest and say that it’s hard for me to connect and volunteer in the church when I am not gifted at hospitality, holding babies, making people feel welcome, singing, playing instruments, counseling, coaching, speaking, or cleaning. But I can make stuff… Hmm… Well, I guess that could be a tough fit. What could the church do with those people who are willing to contribute to the church and society with their art?
The church used to be the only place that would PAY for art. If you wanted to see art in the 1500s you would go to the CHURCH to see it. Instead of church trying desperately to keep up with society, wonder if the church took back the arts and society tried desperately to keep up with the church?!?! What can we do to help develop a place for art and creative thinking within the church?
There is a particular movement that I want to tell you about for a minute. This movement has a passion for artists, liberal/outside of the box thinkers, leaders in our culture, politicians, designers, creators, people with ambition. This movement is passionate about serving others before ourselves, serving our community, being apart of the gay and lesbian community, neighboring our neighbors, and seeing transformation in people’s lives. It’s a movment that reaches out to the community instead of focusing inward. Please check out this RAD video.
God is revealing the new type of church to our friends Jeanne and Jarrett Stevens. This is a church that is really inspiring to me. We are really excited to see what God does through them in the city of Chicago in spring 2010. Check out this video about how this idea has been brewing in their hearts. It gives me the chills thinking about how a church like this will influence the city for the good.
If you are like me and you want churches like this to populate the city. The first thing we need to do IS HELP churches like this get started. One practical way we can do that is to give financially. I am no sales girl and I don’t ever intend to be. haha…because I am terrible at it. All I ask is that you give $1, $5 or $100 to help the Soul City movement get started.
John mayer wrote a song that plays in my head alot:
“one day our generation
is gonna rule the population
so we keep waiting, waiting on the world to change
we keep waiting, waiting for the world to change..
we keep waiting”
Soul City is asking US to take a step in changing the world and give towards their “first impressions” category, so that they have the necessary funds for Soul City Church to have a strong and sustainable start in the spring of 2010. They are trying to raise $15,000 toward start up expenses for First Impressions. You can learn more HERE.
Of course, every dollar you give is tax deductible, but more than that, every dollar you give will be used to literally make the vision of Soul City Church a reality. You may never actually go to Soul City Church, but your generosity will make it possible for multiple people in the city of Chicago to experience the transformational love of Jesus. Your gift is a significant expression of your thanks to God.
First impressions are usually lasting impressions — and they always want to make great ones (even if it’s silly like avoiding bad breath, bad acting, sheet music, over produced services.. You get the idea). You can ensure this happens by supporting a variety of projects — from marketing initiatives to online and print materials, all the way to Sunday hospitality and signage. Your gift can supply all the essential start-up items needed to help people have a great 1st experience that will ultimately lead them to calling Soul City Church their “home.”
To help make a GREAT First Impression, to YEARENDSTART.COM to make a one time year end gift toward helping the Soul City Movement in Chicago.
Thanks Promise. Your Friendship. And your Support of Soul City means a ton to us.
Carlos Whittaker wants this Year End to be a Great Start…
Our Friend Carlos Whittaker wrote an awesome piece on his blog about WHY Team Whittaker is moving to Chicago to BE a part of Soul City and how WE can all invest in and BE a part of the Vision of Soul City Church. Here’s what Carlos wrote:
I am moving to Chicago to BE a part of a movement.
Of’ course the movement is initially a selfish one.
I want more transformation in my life.
I feel like this is the community where the next stage of growth in my family’s life will happen.
Some people think I’m crazy.
But I’m just following the story that God has placed in my heart to lead my family with.
So with that, I feel confident in asking you guys to pray about contributing in some way to Soul City Church.
Not it’s not an orphanage.
No it’s not a women’s shelter.
No it’s not a teen crisis center.
But I think it will be ALL these things one day.
I believe in my pastors, Jarrett & Jeanne Stevens – they spent 12 years at Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, IL and 3 ½ years at North Point Community Church in Atlanta, GA.I can only imagine that guy. Let’s call him Carlitos.
In the HUSTLE that is the city life of Chicago.
Hustle, sleep, play, hustle, sleep, play.
He puts his head down every night wanting that other thing.
But he can’t put his finger on it.
I can.
Meaning.
Transformation.
Community.
I think this community could be the one he’s been dreaming about and we aren’t even there yet.There are lots of things that the church needs to get rolling…one would be to create a gathering space where we can communicate the transformational message of Jesus Christ.
You know I’m all about environments.
It’s what I do.Here is my ask.
If you have resources at the end of the year that you are looking to give away for any reason…
I simply ask that you pray about providing for the Start of a new church at the End of your year.Your gift today will help install sound, lighting and video systems that will be used to create authentic weekend experiences that speak right to the heart of that hustler I was talking about earlier. Carlitos
Let’s help Soul City Church Start. Click HERE to give a one-time gift!PRODUCTION – $50,000
Thanks again for your partnership in this adventure. You are playing a huge role in the Kingdom of God extending in the city of Chicago.
Late,
Carlos
We love that Heather and Carlos are a part of the Vision of Soul City Church. We love the idea that ANYONE can BE a part of that vision. One of the easiest ways to BE Soul City is through a small but significant financial sacrifice. You may be thinking, “Man, the most I could give is $10.” You’d be amazed what God can do with just $10. And you’d be amazed at what God can do in our hearts when, together, we move the kingdom of God forward like this.
To find out how you can Give / BE a part of Soul City Church, check out YEAREND START.COM
WWYD if YOU Started a Church Tomorrow?
There seems to be no lack of opinion when it comes to what the Church Is / what is Should be / what it Could be / what it must Never be. Everyone’s got an opinion, conviction, dream, or idea. This is your chance to share yours!
What THREE things (and only three) would make your Imaginary Church a truly Remarkable Church?
- ______________________________
- ______________________________
- ______________________________
We’d love to get as many different and diverse thoughts, opinions, and convictions as possible. So share your thoughts, and dreams. Invite your friends to share theirs. Who knows, you may just learn something about yourself, about others, and about God’s heart and dream for the church.
The Rules:
- Keep it brief.
- Keep it kind.
- Keep it inspired.
- Keep it inspiring.
- Keep it to yourself, and you may end up keeping someone from hearing the thunderous whisper of God.
We’re serious. We’d love to hear from you…like all of you…including you.
3 Easy Ways To Start A Church From The Comforts Of Your Own Home!
Let’s face it – building a brand new Church from scratch takes a divine sort of insanity. It is a faith filled, knee knocking, miracle requiring endeavor. You’d be crazy to want to do it. Trust us…we know.
That’s why we would like to offer you the opportunity of Starting a Church without ever having to leave the comforts of your own Home…or stable paycheck! Here are THREE EASY WAYS for you do to just that.
- 1) Commit to PRAYING once a day through the month of December for Soul City Church and for the City of Chicago. Seriously. We’re asking you to pray BIG PRAYERS to a BIG GOD who can do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine. If you would like to explore how to be a part of our Prayer Advocacy Group you can click HERE
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- 2) Direct a portion of your TITHE or YEAR END GIVING towards the Start of Soul City Church. This is one of those Unique opportunities that your financial faithfulness and generosity can quite literally make a HUGE and tangible difference. You can make a COURAGEOUS One Time Investment by clicking HERE. Or you can make a CONSISTENT Investment by going HERE.
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- 3) Invite Jarrett & Jeanne to SPEAK at your Church, Weekend Service or Retreat. Inviting them to speak at your Church can meet a very real need for Their Family as well as meeting a very real need for Your Church. I believe they call this a Win Win. To inquire about a potential speaking opportunity for Jarrett or Jeanne click HERE.
There you have it. THREE EASY WAYS that you can be a part of the Start of Soul City Church. We would absolutely love to have you join with us in whatever capacity you can. We are grateful for anyone and everyone that comes alongside of this unique and powerful vision.
thanks.
Sabbath Saturday
Today the Stevens Family and the Soul City Family choose to Sabbath.
- We choose to Rest instead of Work.
- We choose to Trust instead of Hustle.
- We choose to Sip coffee instead of Pound it.
- We choose to Talk instead of Tweet.
- We choose to Refill instead of Pour out.
- We choose to stay in Jammies for as long as possible instead of getting Dressed.
- We choose to Sabbath instead of just taking a Day Off.
It’s Sabbath Saturday. See ya Sunday.
We are not starting a Church…
…we’re EXTENDING it.
The language of Church Planting / Church Starting is ubiquitous. I use it all the time. You’ve probably used it or heard someone else use it as well. It’s the language that has settled on top of a movement that is 2000 years in making and has been part of the Blueprint of our Existence on this planet throughout all of Eternity.
We are not STARTING a Church…
- We’re Continuing God’s original idea. HIS idea…not ours.
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- We’re acting out of OBEDIENCE. I wish this was just some cool idea we had, but the truth is, this is what God has asked us to do for HIM in this season.
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- We’re JOINING up with God and Others. We’re not the FIRST PEOPLE to bring this revolutionary idea to our city. Many have gone before us, are working alongside us, and will continue on long after we’re gone. (thanks Steven Furtick for this reminder)
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- We’re a part of a RADICAL MOVEMENT of God. Not just building buildings. Not just managing programs. Not just doing a job.
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- We’re LIVING out the way of Jesus in our city and inviting others to do the same. The Church is the MEANS to life with Jesus, not the POINT.
I need to be reminded of this everyday. Perhaps you needed to be reminded of that today as well.
Bow Down to Nothing But God (pt. 4 of Idol Week)
So this week we have looked at a few ministry idols.
BUSYNESS, COMPARISON, & SUCCESS being the idol you worship.
If you did not have one moment where you related to any of these idols then I invite you to please call me so that you can tell me what it’s like to walk on water! There could be many more idols that I have not mentioned and the ones that I have mentioned have lots of different forms and faces, but these are some of the ones that I have most recognized in the world of ministry because they are some of the ones that I have most recognized in myself. Many of us in ministry have invisible altars that define who and what we truly worship. The things that exist on our disguised platforms of preference are the forces that drive our intentions, decisions, and actions. We are called to a life of having no other god’s but the one true God, yet we continue to bow down to a wide variety of golden cows.
You don’t have to turn to far into the pages of scripture to see idol worship all over of the place. The very first sin of the Bible was a form of Idol worship. Adam and Eve were not content with who they were and with all that God had given to them. They selfishly wanted to be like God so they put themselves ahead of their maker and took the apple. The second they yanked that Granny Smith from the tree they made their desires more important than God and therefore they made themselves an idol. Any time we put someone or something ahead of God we worship an idol.
And God spoke all these words:
“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. “You shall have no other gods before me. “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God
- Exodus 20:1 – 5
God made it explicitly clear, He has an issue with Jealousy. Not the kind of immature jealousy where a guy won’t let his girl-friend talk to another guy. It’s the kind of healthy jealousy that the maker of the universe is entitled too in not wanting to share His alter with our self made idols. Even though God clarified his desire for the human race you can span from Genesis to Revelation and the universal tendency to place value on something or someone in a way that rivals the love and affection that only belongs to God is stained throughout the story of humanity. From Baal to Buddha people have been bowing down to man-made gods for centuries. So who are we to think that we aren’t capable of being idol worshipers ourselves? And if we are… what do we do?
“So if you’re serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ—that’s where the action is. See things from his perspective.”
Colossians 3:1 – 2
Maybe today is a day to come clean with the idol(s) in your life. Maybe today is the day to start to pursue the things of Jesus – pick your eyes up, be released from the things that are absorbing you right in front of your face, confess your need for grace and bask in the freedom and truth and hope that you are free in Christ and you need to start living like it.
So if you want – leave a comment and let us know the idol that you are renouncing in your life and how you are going to live a life that only worships the one true God.
