Ministries

Life Ministries
Spanish-Speaking
Recovery Ministries

Youth and Family

and Teen Ministry

Overview

In the Chicago Church of Christ, it is our ambition to have an excellent ministry for every age group in our Youth and Family Ministry. Therefore, we believe it is important to approach each age group with clear and purposeful goals and plans. We call this desire, “Striving for an A+ Youth and Family Ministry.”

Clarity

The Chicago Church is made up of six main Ministry Centers. Each one of the six, shares its specific differences in ethnicity, economic class, geography, history, and leadership. Although different in these areas, each M.C. in the Chicago Church shares a clear and unified goal with regard to its youth. This goal is found in Deuteronomy 6:5, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children.”(NIV) Engaging the parents and guardians into the spiritual lives of their children is the number one goal of youth and family ministry.

Purpose

Start your children off in the way they should go,
and even when they are old they will not turn from it
Proverbs 22:6

In the Chicago Church, the children are divided into four ministries. These ministries are the Kingdom Kids (birth-4th grade), pre-teens (5th-6th grades), young teens (7th-8th grades), and the teens (9th-12th grades). It is our goal to have an excellent (A+) ministry at every level. Although each ministry shares the common goal stated above, each ministry also has specific needs.

Up to 4th Grade

Kingdom Kids

The Kingdom Kids Ministry is the foundation of the Youth and Family Ministry. In this ministry, parents are taught how to teach and train their children during the formative years in a child’s life. As a church, it is our goal and responsibility to equip parents in raising their children with sound Biblical teaching. Engaging parents with the proper training and teaching at this age is paramount in paving the way for the future of the children. We call the focal point of this ministry, “Family”.

5th-6th Grade

Pre-Teens

As our children grow up in the church, we cannot underestimate the need for spiritual friendships. As the Bible says in 1 Corinthians 15:33, “Do not be misled: bad company corrupts good character.’”(NIV) Likewise, the opposite of this is true also; good company promotes good character. In addition to engaging the parents, the pre-teen ministry will focus on helping the kids in building friendships. This will be done through fun pre-teen events and devotionals. The lessons will focus the kids on loving God and one another. We call the focal point of this ministry, “Friends”.

7th-8th Grade

Young Teens

By the time our kids reach the young teen ministry, it is our hope that the parents or guardians have continued to stay engaged with their young teen. In addition, it is our goal that the young teens have built friendships with other children in the church, prior to, and during his or her pre-teen years. Kids in the young teen ministry are now thirteen and fourteen years old. During this time, it is our goal to help the young teens take their faith and walk with God to a deeper level. In order to accomplish this, more time is spent in the Bible at young teen class and devotionals. In addition, young teens are encouraged to begin personal “faith building” studies with a parent and/or mentor. We call the focal point of this ministry, “Faith”.

High School

Teens

It is our desire that by the time a teen comes into the teen ministry; he or she will have a godly foundation, great friendships, and a growing faith in God. As the teen continues to grow in each of these areas, it is our goal to see the teens make Jesus the Lord of their life. In addition, we believe that training and equipping the teenagers for their future as college students and/or employees is crucial. We call the focal points of this ministry, “Fruit & Future”.

Audio from the recent family conference in Denver is now available! See the list of classes available here. There were classes on parenting, adoptive families, exceptional families, Kingdom Kids and more! All free!

2019 Summer Youth Camp

Camp	Grades (in Fall)	Dates
Discover	5th – 7th	July 28-Aug 3
Explore	8th – 9th	July 21-27
Quest	10th – 12th	July 14-20

Campus

About

Our Campus Ministry caters exclusively to college students and their spiritual needs. These needs are met through weekly group Bible discussions, personal Bible studies, Friday night Devotionals, and many other fun events. Additionally there are annual events that many of students attend such as the International Campus Ministry Conference and the Mid-American Campus Retreat as well as Spring Break road trips, camping and backpacking outings, and the Fall Costume Ball. On Sundays students join our local churches where they have the opportunity to worship, fellowship and serve in varying capacities.

We have students at over 20 area colleges and universities! Our largest ministries include:

City: Columbia, DePaul, Harold Washington, Illinois Institute of Technology, Loyola, UIC
North: Harper
West: College of DuPage, NIU, North Central College
South: Prairie State College
Midwest: We enjoy fellowship with our sister campus ministries in Bloomington, Champaign, Detroit, Eau Claire, Indianapolis, Lansing, Madison, Milwaukee and Minneapolis.

Have questions? Wondering about a specific campus? We’d love to hear from you!

City of Chicago
Maurice & Sissy Charles

(630) 696-2416
maurice@chicagochurch.org

(312) 550-8720
sissy@chicagochurch.org

West Suburbs
Tanner & Jessica Versage

(757) 472-4638
tanner@chicagochurch.org

(845) 641-3317
jessica@chicagochurch.org

South Suburbs
Reo & Rachel Allen

(313) 525-6882
reo@chicagochurch.org

(904) 729-8552
rachel@chicagochurch.org

NIU
Phil & Jill Perez

(630) 803-3036
phil@chicagochurch.org

(630) 776-1567
jill@chicagochurch.org

Singles

We are over 400 singles spread throughout the Chicagoland area. Though we have an incredible diversity of age, race, education, and background, we are unified in our Biblical convictions as we live in undivided devotion to God. Whether you’re a single parent, have just graduated from college, or are a mature single, you will feel welcomed and are encouraged to participate as we inspire each other in our faith to become more like Jesus Christ.

This organized and focused ministry has many regularly scheduled events throughout the year, which are planned by singles representatives from all of the ministry centers of the church. We regularly have church-wide singles events like ice skating, semi-formal dances, camping trips and devotionals. If you are interested in pure Christian fellowship, come join us! We look forward to meeting you!

Our singles ministry operates in three tracks based on age:

Momentum Ministry (Age 22-34)
Broadcast Ministry (Ages 35-49)
Harvest Ministry (Ages 50+)

Our Single Shift mobile app is available on for iOS and Android!

Community Service

HOPE worldwide

Our church hosts a local chapter of HOPE worldwide to support their vision of bringing hope and change to the lives of the world’s most poor, sick and suffering. HOPE worldwide is an international charity that changes lives by harnessing the compassion and commitment of dedicated staff and volunteers to deliver sustainable, high-impact, community-based services to the poor and needy. HOPE worldwide serves more than 1.5 million people annually on every inhabited continent. Visit HOPE worldwide‘s website to learn more.

HOPE worldwide’s Chicago Chapter

HOPE worldwide has a long standing relationship with the City of Chicago and has been partnering with the Chicago Church of Christ and our 2,000+ willing volunteers for many years. Areas of service include:

The Skyline After-School Program. Click here for more information and to volunteer.
Chicago HOPE Youth Corps. 2000, 2016, 2017 (View our recap video from 2017!)
Toiletry drives for various homeless shelters
Christmas & Thanksgiving gift/food drives
Supporting META24/Banner Academy’s youth entrepreneurship programs through mentoring and after school programs
Back to school fun-fairs and back pack drives in the Austin and Englewood Community
And so much more!

Keep up-to-date with everything going on in the Chicago Chapter by following the HOPE worldwide – Chicago Chapter page on Facebook!

Spiritual Discovery

Addictions

Help for those battling an addiction

Sexual Impurity

Help for those trapped in a cycle of sexual sin

Codependency

Help for those entangled in a relationship

Strength in Weakness

Guidance for Christians struggling with homosexuality and unwanted same-sex attractions

Welcome to Spiritual Discovery!

Spiritual Discovery classes are focused Bible studies aimed to help those who feel spiritually stuck and cannot overcome an addiction, entangled relationship, anger or unhealthy pattern in their lives. We offer weekly classes for men and women around the Chicagoland area.

We have seen many men and women overcome their challenges and enjoy a closer walk with God. God has truly shown us his marvelous power to heal damaged lives and restore relationships.

For more information about the Spiritual Discovery classes, click on the adjacent tabs. If you are interested in attending a Spiritual Discovery class, contact Doug or Kathy Heinen.

Doug: 847-942-1400 or doug.heinen@premisehealth.com
Kathy: 312-636-5086 or kathy.heinen@sbcglobal.net

Addictions

Spiritual Discovery Group for Addictions

“…for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him.”
2 Peter2:19

The goal of this ministry is to help people who struggle with an addiction to heal physically, emotionally and spiritually. Our definition of addiction is anything that has mastered you, whether it is alcohol, drugs, food, gambling, gaming, media, etc. Often addiction is an effort to escape painful emotions through the use of substances or unhealthy obsessive behaviors. What starts as an escape ends up as a trap. Repeated efforts to stop or control the behavior can end in frustration or self-loathing. It is very common to overcome one addiction only to end up in another.

Without God’s power, we are truly powerless over our addictions. The first step to overcoming an addiction is awareness, followed by ownership and surrender. Through biblically based, private small groups we seek to understand ourselves and take ownership of our behaviors and turn to God for healing and freedom.

Groups are facilitated by volunteers, and not professional counselors. We believe that God is the one who heals us through His word, Holy Spirit and that He works through the shared experiences of others and the accountability that comes with being a part of this support group.

Sexual Impurity

Spiritual Discovery Group for Sexual Impurity

Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.
2 Corinthians 7:1

God designed sex to be a beautiful and very personal gift for marriage, but like many of His good gifts, the fallen world we live in misuses and abuses it. The lies we hear from the world are:

“If it feels good, do it”
“It’s not personal; it is just biological”
“Pornography and masturbation help your sexual relationship”
“Hooking up doesn’t hurt anyone.”

If these statements are true, why is sexual abuse such a deep wound? If sex doesn’t mean anything, why does it create such deep shame and keep us in secrecy and in a bondage that is physically, emotionally, and spiritually damaging.

The first step to getting out of bondage and begin healing is to stop the cycle of secrecy. Through our biblically based, private small groups, we seek to understand ourselves, take ownership of our behaviors and look to God to fill the void of love, worthiness, security and belonging so we can overcome the bondage of sexual sins.

Codependency

Spiritual Discovery Group for Codependency

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ,
Philippians 1:9-10

God’s design for our lives is that we would be dependent on Him and His love for us, and that we would have loving, healthy, interdependent relationships with one another. A codependent relationship is characterized by unhealthy boundaries that can result in unhappy, disconnected and entangled relationships.

Growing up without appropriate love, protection, and guidance can lead to codependent patterns that result in unhealthy relationships. Through our biblically based, private codependency groups, we seek to understand ourselves, take ownership of our unhealthy behaviors and look to God to develop healthy relationships.

Strength in Weakness

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
2 Corinthians 12:9

The Chicago Strength in Weakness is a local chapter of the international Strength in Weakness Ministries which seeks to bridge the gap between the Christian community and the LGBTQ community through awareness, education and support.

Strength in Weakness Ministries mission statement states in part that, “we are currently assisting Christians from hundreds of Christian congregations in countries on every continent the world over. As well, we are teaching Evangelists, Pastors, Church Leaders, Pastoral Care Workers and all Christians how to effectively counsel Christian men and women who are same gender attracted; parents, spouses and siblings how to deal with this challenge in their family relationships, and all Christ followers how to reach out to our gay neighbors for Christ through our workshops.”

Men who are same-sex attracted are invited to meet together through an online connect group each Monday evening at 7:30 p.m. for a time of inspiration and fellowship. Contact Kevin Coleman (below) for more information or for the link used to join the Monday evening group.

For more information, contact Kevin Coleman at kevinc@recoveryministries.info or 773-557-8640. Or visit the Strength in Weakness Ministries website.

Ministries

Youth and Family

Kingdom Kids

Pre-Teens

Young Teens

Teens

2019 Summer Youth Camp

Campus

Singles

Community Service

HOPE worldwide

HOPE worldwide’s Chicago Chapter

Spiritual Discovery

Addictions

Sexual Impurity

Codependency

Strength in Weakness

Spiritual Discovery Group for Addictions

Spiritual Discovery Group for Sexual Impurity

Spiritual Discovery Group for Codependency

Strength in Weakness

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Resources

Chicago Church of Christ

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