Church In The City, Chicago Il

To cap off our Leadership Summit, we invited Jody & Vanessa Romero to minister at our Sunday Celebration.

The Kingdom of God — the realm of the un-grieved Spirit — starts within our hearts before it impacts the way we live. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus describes what it looks like when God’s Kingdom overflows from our hearts to those around us and He starts by confronting an attitude in which we’re most likely to grieve the Holy Spirit — anger.

A visit from Jack and Leesa Deere-- new and precious friends.

The Beatitudes (“Beautiful Attitudes”) are not prescriptive — telling us what do — but descriptive. They tell us who were are now that we are part of God’s Kingdom with Jesus as King. Knowing that it’s not so much what we do but realizing and living in the freedom and fullness of who we are will enable us to change the world around us.

There’s an exhortation from Nehemiah 12 and a few cautions — things to be aware of — from Nehemiah 13 that are essential for us in this season of change.

God will use anyone, at any time. God is after everyone-- no exceptions. The City of God is not full yet.

The devil is real and actively opposes those who pursue the covenant purposes of God. But he’s not at all creative so he attacks us in the same way time after time. Our response is therefore simple and clear…remember the Lord and fight.

How do I use the power, influence, status and wealth (privilege) that I have in a God-honoring, compassionate way that will bless and benefit others?

Like Nehemiah, we too can say yes to partnering with God. Or we can be like everyone else.

A look at how we can go about rebuilding the broken walls around us by understanding that1. We are anointed for the task 2. We have been given authority 3. We need to put first things first4. We need to build together

What is vision fueled by? Faith-filled steps, testimony and God's promises.

Every faith journey towards the promises of God being fulfilled always involve WHO (Who made the promises?), WHAT (What did God promised?), HOW (How will God fulfill His word?) and WHEN (When will God come good on His word?). The mistake we often make is focusing on that which God does — the HOW and the WHEN — when our focus should be on WHO (the God of the Impossible who made the promise) and WHAT (the unique and specific things He’s promised me).

When you abide in God you begin to move with God; or more to the point: He begins to move you and the burden of your heart begins to move away from radical individualism, which is the culture of the day, towards God’s view of human flourishing which is how can I love and serve others according to God’s will and way — it’s then that you start to see the world around you “rightly”.How does the compassion of Christ overflow from me to others?1) Have a right view of God2) Have a right view of yourself3) Have a right view of your situation

Nehemiah’s vision didn’t start as a vision, it started as a concern and burden for his nation and its people. Vision begins as a concern. What burdens and concerns you? What breaks your heart?(1) Let His heart become your heart(2) Follow God’s “general will”(3) Take the long view(4) Make the decision to belong(5) Don’t settle for what you can do

God is our life source - in every way faithful and abundantly good. When the world sees us as a church, our hope is that they see an overwhelmingly generous family.