After several like-minded families moved into a growing suburban area, they decided to start a church. It wasn’t long before the church started to overflow with activity. Families were coming from miles around to worship. Children were being brought to confirmation and youth programs from over 10 miles away. The church members knew they had to do something.
Is this the profile of a modern mega-church? Is this the description of the latest booming ministry attraction in a sprawling suburban neighborhood?
No. This story began in 1837. The church is Zion in Bensenville, Illinois. In the first two decades of existence, the church planted six new congregations. I attended one of those daughter churches (last century, not two centuries ago!). Over its first hundred years, Zion also gave birth to a grade school, a high school, and a university (we now know it as Concordia, Chicago).
Nineteen families, numbering 42 people in all, were sent to start one of the new church plants (where I got my start in the Lutheran church). These families reached out to the community-—many spoke German, but they weren’t all Lutheran-—and went on to plant seven—yes, SEVEN—congregations. Once the congregation grew to 125 people, the planting began. A community of Christ, for Christ, was formed.
This is the DNA of our church.
What has changed? I don’t want to idealize the past, but changes have taken place. Are the following assessments accurate about yesterday and today?
Yesterday: We were convinced about the utmost importance of the Gospel
Today: We shy away from pushing religion
Yesterday: We were locked onto a Biblical worldview
Today: We compartmentalize church life, social life, etc.
Yesterday: We were self-motivated and resourced
Today: We look for others to do the work and to provide
Yesterday: We had a tenacious work ethic
Today: We are distracted and fatigued
Yesterday: We viewed life as a frontier
Today: We look at life from the perspective of fear
Yesterday: We were content to meet needs in small ways
Today: We worrying about growth and “bigness”
Yesterday: The church was about community cohesiveness
Today: The church is a consumer stop-over
Yesterday: We were Word centered
Today: We are financial plan centered
Yesterday: We demonstrated extreme sacrifice
Today: We shy away from discomfort
Yesterday: We were unafraid of small numbers
Today: We would rather hide in a crowd
I understand that Holy Cross, Warda was another powerful mission planting community. Who can comment on how many churches this powerhouse congregation started? What can we learn?
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