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Friday, November 5, 2010
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Trunk or Treat
This Friday night from 5-7 pm at all the Faith Church campuses (Dyer, Cedar Lake & Valpo) we're hosting Trunk or Treat. It's a fun night where people decorate their car trunks and hand out candy to trunk-or-treaters. So that dinner doesn't completely consist of the sugary stuff, "real" food is also served. This is a great outreach event for our community and a fun night for everyone.
We need help though, and we need candy! If you can decorate a trunk, help with food, setup or takedown, you can sign up online here. Wrapped candy can be dropped off at the Dyer campus until Friday evening, or at the Community Arts Center at 13300 Lincoln Plaza in Cedar Lake on Thursday from 8:30-4. Help us serve our communities!
Friday, October 8, 2010
Faith Church's "Revolutionary Home": Sneak Peak- Promo Video
Faith Church's "Revolutionary Home": Sneak Peak- Promo Video: "Revolutionary Home Promo from Faith Church on Vimeo."
Monday, October 4, 2010
What a meeting!
Yesterday, 170 adults (and 25 kids) gathered to talk and dream about Faith's new campus in Hammond, Indiana. The feeling in the room was electric; there is a real sense that God is up to something. It will be fun to watch and see what God does in the weeks and months to come. Below is a recap of what we talked about yesterday.
The goal of our interest meeting was to share how Faith Church, Hammond would live out Faith's vision: "reach the disconnected and grow the connected." We made three points:
1) We will live out the vision by being a campus that reaches out to the least, the lost, and the broken. It is our hope to be a community that is full of people who desperately need Jesus. We want to have a relevant worship experience so that people can encounter the living Jesus. And we want to learn how to intentionally go outside of the walls to share Jesus to our neighbors.
2) We will live out the vision by being a campus that takes seriously the call to be disciples. We don't want simply to be religious consumers, we want to be fully participating in God's great story. We want Christ to be formed in us, so we will intentionally, creatively, and intelligently say "yes" to Christ's pursuit of every area of our lives.
3) We will live out the vision by being a community that equips one another to do the work God has called each of us to do. We want to be an empowering community. We want to equip one another to take risks for God and his kingdom. We don't want anyone on the sidelines but each one doing what God has called him/her to do.
That's the recap. Anything else you would like to see the community become or do?
The goal of our interest meeting was to share how Faith Church, Hammond would live out Faith's vision: "reach the disconnected and grow the connected." We made three points:
1) We will live out the vision by being a campus that reaches out to the least, the lost, and the broken. It is our hope to be a community that is full of people who desperately need Jesus. We want to have a relevant worship experience so that people can encounter the living Jesus. And we want to learn how to intentionally go outside of the walls to share Jesus to our neighbors.
2) We will live out the vision by being a campus that takes seriously the call to be disciples. We don't want simply to be religious consumers, we want to be fully participating in God's great story. We want Christ to be formed in us, so we will intentionally, creatively, and intelligently say "yes" to Christ's pursuit of every area of our lives.
3) We will live out the vision by being a community that equips one another to do the work God has called each of us to do. We want to be an empowering community. We want to equip one another to take risks for God and his kingdom. We don't want anyone on the sidelines but each one doing what God has called him/her to do.
That's the recap. Anything else you would like to see the community become or do?
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Special Invitation for those Interested in our Hammond Campus
Dear friends,
On Easter 2011, Faith Church will be launching a new campus in Hammond, Indiana. I am very excited about what God is going to do through this new ministry. Because of where you live, I think that you could be an important part of this new campus. With that in mind, I want to personally invite you to a interest meeting that will explain the vision of the Hammond Campus and give you opportunity to become part of the launch team.
The interest meeting is this Sunday, October 3rd after the 11am service. We will meet in the garage (the lower level of Faith Church, Dyer). Lunch and child care will be provided.
If you have any interest being part of this new community, please consider coming. I hope to see you there. If you have any questions feel free to call or email me.
Much Grace,
Ron Citlau
On Easter 2011, Faith Church will be launching a new campus in Hammond, Indiana. I am very excited about what God is going to do through this new ministry. Because of where you live, I think that you could be an important part of this new campus. With that in mind, I want to personally invite you to a interest meeting that will explain the vision of the Hammond Campus and give you opportunity to become part of the launch team.
The interest meeting is this Sunday, October 3rd after the 11am service. We will meet in the garage (the lower level of Faith Church, Dyer). Lunch and child care will be provided.
If you have any interest being part of this new community, please consider coming. I hope to see you there. If you have any questions feel free to call or email me.
Much Grace,
Ron Citlau
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Looking for a building
For the last few months we have been looking for a site to house our new Hammond campus. We have looked at a lot of buildings, have prayed and still we haven't found that perfect spot. The whole process has been very frustrating. We believe that God has called us to this city, an amazing team is being formed, and there is a real a sense of "God is up to something."
Still there is no building.
We would do anything to find that right building but looking will only get you so far. In the end, it is all about waiting, praying and discerning what God is trying to say. In the midst of this, I am reminded of the words that God spoke to Moses and the people of Israel as they were being freed from the captivity of Egypt: "The Lord will fight for you; you need only be still."
Still there is no building.
For the people of Israel, this was a great comfort. They lacked military training, were unprepared to deal with the military superiority of Egypt and they were afraid. In the midst of this, God spoke, and he destroyed their enemies. He was faithful.
Still there is no building.
For sure, we have no enemies in Hammond. We are hoping to build many friendships. But still, we are as ill-equipped to face the challenges before us, just as Israel was. We can't make the right site appear; if God doesn't open the doors, it will not happen.
Still there is no building.
There is a greater reality than present circumstances. It is the Word of the Lord: "I will fight for you, you need only be still." It is God's church, his mission, and his glory that are on display. We need only stand, watch, and see how gloriously good he is.
We will have a building.
Still there is no building.
We would do anything to find that right building but looking will only get you so far. In the end, it is all about waiting, praying and discerning what God is trying to say. In the midst of this, I am reminded of the words that God spoke to Moses and the people of Israel as they were being freed from the captivity of Egypt: "The Lord will fight for you; you need only be still."
Still there is no building.
For the people of Israel, this was a great comfort. They lacked military training, were unprepared to deal with the military superiority of Egypt and they were afraid. In the midst of this, God spoke, and he destroyed their enemies. He was faithful.
Still there is no building.
For sure, we have no enemies in Hammond. We are hoping to build many friendships. But still, we are as ill-equipped to face the challenges before us, just as Israel was. We can't make the right site appear; if God doesn't open the doors, it will not happen.
Still there is no building.
There is a greater reality than present circumstances. It is the Word of the Lord: "I will fight for you, you need only be still." It is God's church, his mission, and his glory that are on display. We need only stand, watch, and see how gloriously good he is.
We will have a building.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
John 11 & Hammond Indiana...
Read John 11 the other day; specifically verses 38-40. This is the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. Here are some things - in no particular order - that impacted me and how I think they relate to what is happening in Hammond.
1. The tomb as a setting struck me. Plenty of people today, though they may be alive physiologically, often still live in some sort of a tomb. So as a setting, this seems relevant to society today.
2. Before Jesus raises Lazarus and calls him out of the tomb, he instructs Mary to roll away the stone. To me, this spoke of removing obstacles between the person in the tomb and Jesus. Certainly Jesus could've moved the stone himself but it gives a great insight into the way Jesus calls us today to continue to remove obstacles between people and himself, people he would desire to call out of their tomb.
3. Mary comments that moving that stone will reveal some unpleasant smells. Simply put, this is messy work at times but always worth it as we soon see.
4. Verse 40, one of my favorites. Jesus says "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?" It's precisely in front of this open and smelly tomb where belief can see the glory of God made manifest. This does not seem like an accident but rather the irony and power of the Kingdom of God.
5. Jesus calls Lazarus out. To be clear, while we may partner in removing obstacles and what not, it is Jesus alone who has the power to call people out of a tomb, out of death, out of darkness into light, into life with Him! But what a sight to behold!
6. Community. Lazarus did not emerge from the tomb only to find Jesus there and nobody else. Rather, family and friends waited for him. It's important that when people are called out, that they are also called into. That as we see them emerge from their tomb we also see to it that they are enfolded into community.
For us at the Hammond campus, we realize that post Christian culture is full of people living in tombs. Therefore, we see it as our mission to listen to the voice of Jesus and in concert with him, do our best to remove as many obstacles as we can between people and him. This could be anything from the language we use to the love that we convey. We realize that at times, this process will be messy; that it will reveal some foul things along the way but we know it's worth every bit of it. We know this because we believe Jesus and what he said. We believe that this setting is precisely where we will see the glory of God made manifest as he resurrects, heals, and restores. Then, we watch as Jesus calls them out of their tomb unto himself; something only He and His power can achieve. However, we watch with intention and follow the example set by this text by surrounding the person Jesus calls out with family and community. We do not thrive on our own! It's my prayer that God will do this and far more as we prepare to launch this campus.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Who are we seeking to reach?
Below are 4 examples that we think aptly portrays who we are seeking to reach. In real ways, they represent the post-Christian culture that is all around us.
•Tom and Sue are a couple that lives in Munster and commutes into Chicago. They are working professionals, well educated, and have a bright future. They simply do not get church. They feel that they have no “need” for church.
•John, Susan, Ignacio, Fred, and Allison are a group of friends; they live in Hammond, Lansing and Munster. Fred is gay, Allison and Ignacio are living together and John is an agnostic. They are younger, inquisitive, spiritually open, and have been hurt by “church.”
•Debbie is a single mom recently divorced and lives in Hammond. She has 2 boys. She is fighting to just survive. Though she has gone to church for much of her life, she wonders if she will ever measure up and if God will ever be proud of her.
•Jason and Brenda are married and devoted Christians; they live in Lansing. They have grown up in the church and love Jesus. They are pure and mature. For the last few years though their hearts have been aching to do something more. They want to be Jesus to the outsider, the other, but don’t know how.
•Tom and Sue are a couple that lives in Munster and commutes into Chicago. They are working professionals, well educated, and have a bright future. They simply do not get church. They feel that they have no “need” for church.
•John, Susan, Ignacio, Fred, and Allison are a group of friends; they live in Hammond, Lansing and Munster. Fred is gay, Allison and Ignacio are living together and John is an agnostic. They are younger, inquisitive, spiritually open, and have been hurt by “church.”
•Debbie is a single mom recently divorced and lives in Hammond. She has 2 boys. She is fighting to just survive. Though she has gone to church for much of her life, she wonders if she will ever measure up and if God will ever be proud of her.
•Jason and Brenda are married and devoted Christians; they live in Lansing. They have grown up in the church and love Jesus. They are pure and mature. For the last few years though their hearts have been aching to do something more. They want to be Jesus to the outsider, the other, but don’t know how.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
What's Next? (Part 4 of 4)
We feel deeply called to reach out to men and women who have little or no Christian memory--people who are post-modern/post-Christian. If that same calling burns in you, we would love for you to consider joining the launch team. For more info email me at: rcitlau@faithchurchonline.org
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Part 3 of 4
How do we start a Missional, multi-site in or around Chicago?
The heartbeat of the missional, multi-site would be the individuals, couples and families that have the initial vision to see the site birthed. The kindling of the missional, multi-site would be the 75-100 people willing to be part of the Core Launch Team(Faith has 2000+ regular attenders and members that live in the South suburbs). The community at large is who we are seeking to love, reach, and invite into Christian relationship. The ultimate goal: gracious acceptance, salvation and participation with Jesus and his community.
The hope is that as people experience life and transformation they will be willing to more “heavily” commit to the vision of this missional multi-site.
We also hope to be intentionally missional. We will seek ways to be the church in the community.
The heartbeat of the missional, multi-site would be the individuals, couples and families that have the initial vision to see the site birthed. The kindling of the missional, multi-site would be the 75-100 people willing to be part of the Core Launch Team(Faith has 2000+ regular attenders and members that live in the South suburbs). The community at large is who we are seeking to love, reach, and invite into Christian relationship. The ultimate goal: gracious acceptance, salvation and participation with Jesus and his community.
The hope is that as people experience life and transformation they will be willing to more “heavily” commit to the vision of this missional multi-site.
We also hope to be intentionally missional. We will seek ways to be the church in the community.
Friday, June 11, 2010
Part 2 of 4
What is a Missional Multi-Site?
A Faith Church, Missional, multi-site has the same values and theology of Faith Church. In the sense of a basic structure, it is essentially the same: a Sunday service, with Treasureland and worship. The goals are also similar to other Faith Church multi-sites: to have a Faith Church presence in a community other than Dyer and through that presence see lives transformed. But, there are differences. The differences of a Faith Church, Missional, multi-site are its target audience, its mini-churches and its form.
Target Audience
The target audiences of this Faith Church, Missional multi-site are the following:
• Men and women who are post-Christian and post-modern people. For sure, post-Christian people come to Faith Church. But because of our geographic location (the heartland), the majority of people in and around us are still part of Christendom. It is the intent of this Missional, multi-site to tell the story of salvation, and Reformation theology to a post-Christian, post-modern community.
• The “Other”—we seek to be prayerfully diverse economically, racially, and politically.
Missional Mini-Churches
Mini-church life will be foundational to this missional multi-site. Every mini-church will have the same values, characteristics and boundaries as a Faith Church mini-church. The one difference will be that each mini-church will form around a purpose. For example, the initial 8-20 people (the initial mini-church) that move into the neighborhood of the missional multi-site purpose will be starting a Sunday morning service with Treasureland. Subsequent mini-churches will begin around common purposes (examples: Celebrate Recovery, TRL, MOPS, etc).
Form
To reach men and women who are not only unchurched but post-church, there is a need to adapt the worship service to speak their language, talk about the things they care about, challenges them to counter-culture living, and that trains them up as theologians who can testify in the public square.
The form of the service will at times line up with the form of Faith Church. At other times, we will hear from Bob B. (whether live or dvd). But there will also be times that the missional multi-site will deviate from the traditional model in the effort to bring the gospel to post-Christian men and women in relevant ways.
Another point to be made here: art, literature and music are essential tools that will have to be used in order that we might get a fresh hearing in a community that no longer even knows the Christian story. Thus the use of such material will be intentional, thoughtful and weekly.
A Faith Church, Missional, multi-site has the same values and theology of Faith Church. In the sense of a basic structure, it is essentially the same: a Sunday service, with Treasureland and worship. The goals are also similar to other Faith Church multi-sites: to have a Faith Church presence in a community other than Dyer and through that presence see lives transformed. But, there are differences. The differences of a Faith Church, Missional, multi-site are its target audience, its mini-churches and its form.
Target Audience
The target audiences of this Faith Church, Missional multi-site are the following:
• Men and women who are post-Christian and post-modern people. For sure, post-Christian people come to Faith Church. But because of our geographic location (the heartland), the majority of people in and around us are still part of Christendom. It is the intent of this Missional, multi-site to tell the story of salvation, and Reformation theology to a post-Christian, post-modern community.
• The “Other”—we seek to be prayerfully diverse economically, racially, and politically.
Missional Mini-Churches
Mini-church life will be foundational to this missional multi-site. Every mini-church will have the same values, characteristics and boundaries as a Faith Church mini-church. The one difference will be that each mini-church will form around a purpose. For example, the initial 8-20 people (the initial mini-church) that move into the neighborhood of the missional multi-site purpose will be starting a Sunday morning service with Treasureland. Subsequent mini-churches will begin around common purposes (examples: Celebrate Recovery, TRL, MOPS, etc).
Form
To reach men and women who are not only unchurched but post-church, there is a need to adapt the worship service to speak their language, talk about the things they care about, challenges them to counter-culture living, and that trains them up as theologians who can testify in the public square.
The form of the service will at times line up with the form of Faith Church. At other times, we will hear from Bob B. (whether live or dvd). But there will also be times that the missional multi-site will deviate from the traditional model in the effort to bring the gospel to post-Christian men and women in relevant ways.
Another point to be made here: art, literature and music are essential tools that will have to be used in order that we might get a fresh hearing in a community that no longer even knows the Christian story. Thus the use of such material will be intentional, thoughtful and weekly.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Why Faith Church should plant a Missional Church in or around Chicago.(Part 1 of a 4 part series)
(This is the beginning of an essay written to the leadership of Faith Church to give background, rationale, and practical application for a missional multi-site).
Introduction
In the last 50 years, the culture in the United States has experienced a major sociological shift. Previous to this shifting, the U.S. was ensconced in a Christian culture that dominated the “institutions of society.” So, even though not everyone was a regenerate Christian, largely everyone was Christianized—they agreed with the values of Christianity, spoke its moral language, and desired that public institutions be molded by a Christian ethic. This reality is commonly referred to as “Christendom”.
It can be stated clearly that the United States is now a post-Christian country. Christendom is all but gone. This can plainly be seen in cities, and on either coast. The shift is less pronounced in the “heartland [where the] remnants of old Christendom society [still reside]” but it is happening all around us. In this post-Christian society there is a growing group of people who are economically vibrant…., morally relativist, urban-oriented, culturally adventuresome, sexually polymorphous, and ethnically diverse.
When Christendom ruled, “The Church’s job was to challenge persons into a vital, relation to Christ.” It rightly assumed “that a stream of ‘Christianized’, traditional/moral people would simply show up in services.” Now, in a post-Christian world, the church must come to grips with the reality that its neighbors are in no way part of Christendom; its neighbors are post-modern and are critical and skeptical of Christian religion. These post-moderns do not speak our language, they do not have our values, they see the world wholly different than we do and they do not know our story. Jesus desires to reach this Post-Christian world.
Faith Church is strategically located by one of the largest areas of post-Christian culture in the United States: Chicagoland. Because of proximity, resources and vision, Faith Church should plant a missional, multi-site in or around Hammond, Indiana.
Introduction
In the last 50 years, the culture in the United States has experienced a major sociological shift. Previous to this shifting, the U.S. was ensconced in a Christian culture that dominated the “institutions of society.” So, even though not everyone was a regenerate Christian, largely everyone was Christianized—they agreed with the values of Christianity, spoke its moral language, and desired that public institutions be molded by a Christian ethic. This reality is commonly referred to as “Christendom”.
It can be stated clearly that the United States is now a post-Christian country. Christendom is all but gone. This can plainly be seen in cities, and on either coast. The shift is less pronounced in the “heartland [where the] remnants of old Christendom society [still reside]” but it is happening all around us. In this post-Christian society there is a growing group of people who are economically vibrant…., morally relativist, urban-oriented, culturally adventuresome, sexually polymorphous, and ethnically diverse.
When Christendom ruled, “The Church’s job was to challenge persons into a vital, relation to Christ.” It rightly assumed “that a stream of ‘Christianized’, traditional/moral people would simply show up in services.” Now, in a post-Christian world, the church must come to grips with the reality that its neighbors are in no way part of Christendom; its neighbors are post-modern and are critical and skeptical of Christian religion. These post-moderns do not speak our language, they do not have our values, they see the world wholly different than we do and they do not know our story. Jesus desires to reach this Post-Christian world.
Faith Church is strategically located by one of the largest areas of post-Christian culture in the United States: Chicagoland. Because of proximity, resources and vision, Faith Church should plant a missional, multi-site in or around Hammond, Indiana.
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