Faith Like Abram: A Chicago Update

Abram’s family must have thought he was crazy. He left his family and the security of his ancestral home to go to a land that he did not know. More than that, he left to go to an unspecified place. He didn’t leave to go to a place he had heard of but never visited. He went to a completely unknown land. All he knew was that he needed to go.

I feel a bit like Abram. My wife and I will be moving to Chicagoland in September. We’re not moving because of a job. We don’t have those lined up yet. We’re not moving because we know someone. Neither of us have family in the area we’re moving to. We don’t even have a place to stay when we move there. What we do know is that God has called us and so we’re going. Against conventional wisdom, without friends and family, because we want to be obedient to God.

Now it’s not like we’re just going completely blind. We are actively looking for work and a place to live. However, often the one requires the other. We have neither. And we do feel God calling us to a specific area of Chicagoland. For a lot of people this would be crazy. I have to admit I have felt crazy. But what I know is that God doesn’t buy something he can’t pay for. He doesn’t use credit. Sometimes it feels that way to us, but God ALWAYS comes through.

The only person building a church in Chicago is God. It’s His church. He’s calling His creation back to Himself. 

Here’s the other thing about this move. It’s not impulsive. I’ll admit I’m a very impulsive person. And I know I appear even more impulsive than I actually am. I have a bad habit of not communicating my thoughts in a timely manner. In February of last year, I communicated God’s plan for my wife and I in Chicago. For many of you that was the first time you heard about it. For me it was ten years after hearing the call. I spent years praying about this before I married my wife. We have spent the last four years of our marriage praying about this. And we have spent the last six months actively praying with a core group of prayer warriors. This is anything but impulsive. This is what God has called us to do.

None of this means we feel ready to go. We don’t. We’re scared. We don’t know the details of what God is doing. We don’t have a strategic plan with ten steps to success. Honestly, if you asked us today what success looks like we would say it looks like being obedient to what God has told us to do. For many of you that probably seems like a non-answer. The equivalent of answering “Jesus” in church school. I know I feel that way about it sometimes. And I also know that’s exactly the way God wants it.

The Truth

Here’s the truth about me. It’s easy for me to take credit for things. If it looks in any way like I made it happen, I will convince you of the reasons why I certainly made it happen. That’s my pride. God knows I’m prideful and that’s the reason that God is stripping any semblance of me building this church in Chicago. I’m not. My wife is not. Our denomination is not. The only person building a church in Chicago is God. It’s His church. He’s calling His creation back to Himself. My wife and I just get the blessing of participating in what God is doing.

Honestly, I wouldn’t blame you for calling us crazy and swearing to never be a part of it. But here is the thing. God blesses those who step out in faith.

One more thing. My wife and I have a lot of student loan debt. Like, too much of it. Now we could tell you that we were part of the generation that got sold a lie about college education providing income. But here’s the truth. No one forced us to go to the colleges we went to and no one forced us to take out student loans. That was our decision. I’m not going to lie and say I haven’t prayed for God to send a miracle benefactor to make it all go away. I totally have. But, I also know that’s a lot like a child praying for God to take away the tummy ache from eating too many jelly beans. Sure God could do it, but we are suffering the natural consequence of a decision we made.

Why I'm Writing

There’s a couple different reasons I’m writing all of this. First, it’s been over a year since I wrote anything public on this. There is new information. We didn’t know the neighborhood a year ago. We do now. And there are many of you who are interested in the progress of God’s plan in Chicago that I don’t see regularly. This is a way for me to give you that update.

Second, God told me to write this. I’ve been thinking about writing something on this for a few months now. I was never quite sure what it would look like. I have been praying about what exactly to put in this. I don’t take updates like this lightly and I want to make sure that I’m sharing what God wants me to. No more. No less.

Third, we’re looking for support. A year ago I stated that you could support us through prayer. I still believe that. God is already building His church in Chicago, but the only way anyone is going to know how God will do that is through talking to Him about it. I have learned that sometimes God chooses to use other people to convey His purpose in my life. If you’ve been praying about this church plant and feel that God wants to tell my wife and me something about it, reach out to us. We’re open to hearing about it.

We believe that God wants to plant a Seventh Day Baptist church in Chicagoland. We believe that God has called us to partner with Him in what He is already doing there.

Churches don’t get planted without people and money. My wife and I trust that God has both waiting for us in Chicago. God knows what we need to build His church. We know that God brings the harvest from and through unlikely places. We also know that everything I have just stated are conventional reasons NOT to support us with time, talent, and money. Why would you trust a couple who are moving out of state without a real plan to speak of? Why would you give money to a couple who haven’t even paid down their personal debts? Honestly, I wouldn’t blame you for calling us crazy and swearing to never be a part of it. But here is the thing. God blesses those who step out in faith.

Faith Like Abram

Remember Abram? In Hebrews we are told "By faith Abraham obeyed... And he went out, not knowing where he was going." (For those that don’t know, part of the blessing Abram received from God was to get part of God’s name. Abram became Abraham.) I don’t expect you to believe me when I say that God is calling me and my wife to Chicago. I don’t expect you to think that it’s financially sound to do this. Frankly, I don’t think it is. At least not under conventional wisdom. But I serve a God who owns the cattle on a thousand hills. He lacks for nothing, and He takes care of those who are thankful and obedient.

I’m going to be real honest with you. If you have any reservations about supporting us, then don’t. That kind of support can become a stumbling block to the one supporting. We don’t want that for you. We believe that all support (whether prayer, financial, or talent) should be given with a thankful heart. We’re also not asking you to support us. We’re fallen humans. We will fail you. God will not. We believe that God wants to plant a Seventh Day Baptist church in Chicagoland. We believe that God has called us to partner with Him in what He is already doing there. We also believe that God has called others to this church plant. What we don’t know is who those others are. If you feel called by God to be a part of this mission, then please be obedient to that call. If you want further information on how you can do that with us, please reach out to us.

May you come to understand the call God has on your life. May you have the faith and courage to follow that call in obedience. And may God bless all those who are thankful and obedient to Him.

Amen!