1. education
2. graduate school
3. college

Lov e Go d, G r ow To g e t h er , R e ach t h e Wo r ld
AT
W H E AT O N
B I B L E
C H U R C H
In him the whole building is joined
together and rises to become a holy
temple in the Lord. And in him you
too are being built together
to become a dwelling in which
God lives by his spirit.
Ephesians 2:21–22
Winter 2010 / 2011 | Issue 06
Welcome
Rob Bugh, Senior Pastor
We want to hear from you.
Did a story in LIFE at Wheaton Bible
Church speak to your heart? Was there
something we missed? Do you have
another perspective? Got ideas for
future articles?
Please send us an email at:
[email protected]
or drop a note for the editor at
the Welcome Desk.
From time to time we have the opportunity to step back
and get a “10,000-foot view” of what happens in and
through our church on a weekly, even daily, basis. We
need and want big-picture reminders. This issue of LIFE
provides that kind of perspective, turning our thoughts
to the One we serve and giving Him the glory for how
He has used us this year—what He has done with our
willingness to serve—and how His Holy Spirit has
worked through us to point people to Jesus Christ.
It is God’s heart for us that we would be the church in our
community. It’s my prayer that in the years ahead, we’ll look
back to 2010—maybe pull out this magazine—and recognize
how God was shaping us through this year and giving us a
vision for what it looks like when the church begins to be
the church. What it looks like when we give ourselves, spend
ourselves so that people might come to know Christ.
This issue reminds us how some of us are being the church
to kids in our neighborhoods. How students are being the
church as they share the Gospel with other students. Community
Groups are reaching out and being the church to fresh-off-theplane refugee families. As Christ followers are being the church,
people out of work are finding a safe place to share their frustrations and fears in this difficult time in their lives. We are being
the church as we serve and love and sometimes do tedious and
hard things—all in the name of Jesus Christ.
But we need to make an important distinction about who we
are and why we do what we do. We’re not just “nice” people
or “good” people who want to do the “right” things. In fact—
and this is my personal testimony—God gives unlikely people,
imperfect people, knuckleheads, and people who were so far
gone, His power to live and serve and be the hope of the world
so that it’s clear the power and glory belong only to Him.
Never forget that the church of Jesus Christ is the hope of the
world—we are the hope of the world.
I long for that truth to transform us.
In His matchless grace,
Rob Bugh,
Senior Pastor
table of contents
IN EVERY ISSUE
FEATURES
3 Our Mission
9 Essential:
Connecting Young Adults
4 Connect at WBC
11 VIPS: Volunteers in
Pastoral Service
5 Community Groups:
Getting Outside Our
Circle and into Their Lives
14 Matters of the Heart
An Interview with Iglesia del
Pueblo Senior Pastor Al Guerra
29 Puente del Pueblo:
Case Management
31 Global Outreach:
Those Who Live In-Between
Pakistan Flooding Update
35 Worship at Home:
Family Worship at Christmas
37 Church Finances:
Biblical Giving
17 Authentic Worship at Studio78
11
19 Awana: Ready, Set, GO!
21 2010: Celebrating God’s
Goodness
25 Appointments Are Important
41 Elder Meeting Notes
26 Career Transition Workshop
and Networking/Support
Group
42 Elder Profile:
Ken Amstutz
33 WBC Preschool: Telling
the Next Generation
39 Women’s Ministry:
Discover a Place 4 You!
“
Dave guides, encourages,
and helps to facilitate each job
seeker’s journey toward the
discovery that your best work
is ahead of you.
26
”
When young people
come out of the highschool ministries,
in a way they’re in
no-man’s land.
9
14
Winter 2010–2011 | LIFE at Wheaton Bible Church
2
We exist to …
love God, grow together,
and reach the world
LIFE
AT WHEATON BIBLE CHURCH
Editorial Team
wbc MISSION
Nancy Langham, Editor
[email protected]
Dave Thomson,
Director of Communication
[email protected]
The mission of Wheaton Bible Church is to love God,
grow together, and reach the world. We believe that
God has called the whole church—young or old,
single or married, new or long-time believers—to a
lifelong journey of becoming and making disciples
of Jesus Christ. Our mission captures, in simple
phrases, what Jesus expressed in the Great Commandment and the Great Commission. Jesus
loved God, loved others, and shared this Good
News with all who would listen. We want to do
what He commanded and live how He lived.
Our mission is represented visually using three
interlocking circular shapes. Each element is unique, yet they cannot be separated
from the other two. The arrows suggest continual movement. Loving God keeps our
eyes focused on the Author and Sustainer of our faith and flourishes best among a
loving community of believers. Growing together is an ongoing process that is born
from our love for God and must flow out into reaching the world. Reaching the world
is a journey fueled by the desire to see all people come to know and love God.
Our mission provides focus and direction. Everything we do as a church begins
with it. Our annual plans, ministries, worship services and communication
are all evaluated against it.
Leslie Zander,
Communication Manager/
Graphic Design
[email protected]
Donna Stone,
Administrative Assistant
[email protected]
Contributors
Marie Allison, Writer
Kris Annen, Proofreader
Lauren Castady, Graphic Design
John Corcoran, Writer
Esther Erikson, Writer
Rhonda Ford, Writer
Nancy Gruben, Writer
Amy Hogan, Writer
Jim Judge, Writer
Scott Landon, Proofreader, Writer
Rich Lanenga, Photographer
Jon Langham, Photographer
Scott Murray, Writer
About the cover: The photo mosaic on the
cover is based on this photo by WBC member
Jon Langham. It combines more than 400
individual photos of the young, the more
mature, and those in-between who make up
the body of Christ at Wheaton Bible Church.
Bill Oberlin, Writer
Irene Owens, Writer
Rob Rienow, Writer
Linda Weddle, Writer
The production of LIFE at
Wheaton Bible Church is made
possible by paper generously
donated by Camelot Paper
and discounted printing
by ABS Graphics.
27W500 North Avenue
West Chicago, IL 60185
630.260.1600
www.wheatonbible.org
3
LIFE at Wheaton Bible Church | Winter 2010–2011
Traditional Worship
Sunday, 8:15 am,
West Worship Center
Contemporary Worship
Sunday, 9:45 am and 11:15
am, West Worship Center
Iglesia del Pueblo
Sunday, 11:15 am, East
Worship Center
Wednesday, 7:00 pm,
East Worship Center
Where are you
right now
?
ask questions
Ready to
about the meaning of life?
Check out the Alpha course. It offers a weeknight meal,
a thought-provoking talk on an issue relevant to life and faith,
and open discussion where your questions are welcome.
Ready to
and
EXPLORE community
start living the mission?
Register for Begin@WBC, a six-week, Sunday-morning
session where you’ll meet new friends, hear from the
pastoral staff, and learn how to get connected.
Ready for
membership and
taking the next steps
of participation at WBC?
Sign up for Belong@WBC, a two-part membership seminar,
where you’ll learn more about who we are, how the Body of
Christ functions, and how God can use you as a conduit of His
love in the ministry of encouraging, teaching, building up one
another, and reaching out to a broken and hurting world.
For more information or to register, contact Lynne Morris,
[email protected], 630.876.6659, or go online to
wheatonbible.org/connect.
Winter 2010–2011 | LIFE at Wheaton Bible Church
4
For more information, visit www.wheatonbible.org/Family_Fun_Events
or contact Pam Moore, 630.876.6627, [email protected].
No place to connect
Connecting
Young Adults
By Nancy Gruben
The Essential class, which meets each Sunday morning
at 9:45, is described as a community for young adults of
college age. But the emphasis is definitely on the age—
and more important, the life stage of those who come—
rather than on whether they are attending college.
G. John Morris, who with his wife, Cheryl, leads the class, explains that a
number of Wheaton College students are among their regular attenders.
However, they’ve also seen a growing involvement of those who have stayed
in the area to go to college or work, including many who are still living at home.
“We also have students from ITT, Columbia, and community colleges in
the area, including COD, Waubonsie, and Elgin. In addition, we have some
who are working part- or full-time or who have even finished college and
returned to the area but are still transitioning into full-time careers.”
Morris recognizes that in many ways, the class is most important for those
who aren’t in a campus atmosphere like Wheaton College, which offers its
own social network and a place for students to connect spiritually.
The Essential class
includes both teaching
time and roundtable
discussions with
mature adults as
table leaders.
9
LIFE at Wheaton Bible Church | Winter 2010–2011
“When young people come out of the
high-school ministries, in a way, they’re
in no-man’s land,” G. John says. “They
might attend church by themselves or
with Mom and Dad, but they don’t have
a place to connect with others facing
similar challenges. This class offers a
place where they can see some familiar
faces, join in serving activities, and
develop relationships and community.”
He also sees Essential as a place where
young adults can gain a deeper,
more applicable understanding of
Scripture. “There was a time when
I thought I wasn’t smart enough to
teach college-age kids,” he says. “But
while they have all the knowledge of
the world at their fingertips in their
smart phones or iPads, they still need
deeper roots into what the Bible actually
teaches and insights that come from
life experience in order to sustain a
lifelong, vibrant, and growing faith.”
That’s why the class format includes
both teaching time and roundtable
discussion, with more-mature adults
serving as table leaders. G. John is
quick to give credit to this team,
which regularly includes Cheryl,
Mark Nelson, Ed Chang, Nick and
Kara Smith, and others. He also gives
warm accolades to Karl and Annie
Muehlfelt, who organize the bus that
makes three complete round trips to
Wheaton College each Sunday morning.
Photo by
Jon Langham
The data
G. John’s observations about this age group are backed by
current research. The Barna Group reports that six out of
ten teenagers are involved in some sort of religious activity
each week. However, by the time they reach their early
20s, only one-fifth (20 percent) have maintained a level of
spiritual activity consistent with their high-school experiences. More troubling, according to David Kinnaman, the
director of the research, “For most adults, this pattern of
disengagement is not merely a temporary phase in which
they test the boundaries of independence, but is one that
continues deeper into adulthood, with those in their thirties
also less likely than older adults to be religiously active.”
A desire to make sure this wasn’t the case in their own
family was what got the Morrises involved in college-age
ministry two summers ago. Their youngest daughter,
Alisa, had gone away to college but then returned
home to attend College of DuPage for a semester.
They observed that she was “connected at the church
but not connected.” So when she asked her dad to lead a
college-age Bible study in their home, G. John agreed. It
grew rapidly, and by late summer they had moved to a larger
home to accommodate the 22 to 26 who were attending.
This class offers a place where they can see
some familiar faces, join in serving activities,
and develop relationships and community.
As the summer drew to a close, pastor Jeff Walser asked
G. John and Cheryl if they would consider leading a
new college-age class the church was starting.
Surprisingly, that decision was a difficult one for them. Most
people around WBC know G. John in his role as Director
of Facilities, which he’s held for the past nine years. What
they may not realize is that early in his career he worked
for four years as a youth pastor in Michigan and for more
than 15 years as a lay leader in high-school ministries at the
church they attended before joining WBC. Nevertheless, he’s
much more comfortable working with his hands, enjoying
the satisfaction that comes with seeing the immediate
gratification of making a physical repair or improvement.
G. John Morris leads
the Essential class
for college-age
young adults.
Photo by
Jon Langham
So taking on this new assignment required some serious
consideration and prayer. G. John remembers, “In one of his
messages during that time, Pastor Bugh said, ‘God calls us
to do hard things.’ So, we prayed about it and felt that God
was leading us to accept, even though it might be hard.”
A fluid group
One of the challenges the class has confronted is the
“fluidity” of a group this age. Though attendance has run
as high as 65, on most Sundays the group numbers 20
to 30, with a different mix of attenders each week.
“They’ve got so much going on,” G. John explains. “Establishing
consistency and deep community is difficult. They also have
so much to think about, whether they’re studying the right
things, how to find a job, what direction to take, where
to move from here.”
On the flip side, this time of transition is one of the things
G. John loves most about the class. “They’re still searching;
they’re interested in new things. They’re really fun to be with
because they don’t have everything completely figured out.
And they still want the input of adult figures who care.”
Seeing young adults grow and connect in the body of the
church for a lifetime may not be as immediate as fixing
a broken door or building a new sanctuary. But in the
long run, there’s no doubt it’s far more important. n
Nancy Gruben and her husband, Don, have been
WBC members for 15 years and have three
grown children, including one who attends
Essential.
Photo by Rich Lanenga
Essential is just one of the WBC ministries that benefits from the bus service to and
from Wheaton College, spearheaded by Karl and Annie Muehlfelt. A year ago, the couple
began using vans to provide rides—free of charge—to Wheaton College students, with
pick-up at 9:00 am and return to campus at 1:00 pm. As the number of students grew, the
ministry moved up to a full-sized school bus and a multiple-trip schedule each Sunday.
Karl and Annie Muehlfelt pause between trips
on a recent Sunday morning.
Today, the bus makes three full circuits to the college before and after second
and third services. Additionally, Annie and Karl often make an early run in their
own van for students who want to attend the first service. This allows Wheaton
students to attend both worship services and classes such as Essential and Ecclesia,
as well as to serve in our Sunday Morning Children’s and Student Ministries.
Winter 2010–2011 | LIFE at Wheaton Bible Church
10
Carol Lewis concludes a visit
with Mabel Christopherson
at the DuPage Convalescent
Center.
VIPS: Volunteers in Pastoral Service
John White, WBC’s pastor of caring and community life
for maturing adults, recently sat down with Jill Fenoglio,
who presently serves as the volunteer leader of WBC’s VIPS:
Volunteers in Pastoral Service ministry. VIPS is a caring
ministry that provides regular spiritual care for people of
any age who are in a hospital or a convalescent care facility, or are shut-in at home. These volunteers represent
the Lord Jesus Christ through this visitation ministry.
John: How long have you been a part of VIPS?
“VIPS is a team of Christ followers who exhibit the spiritual
gift of mercy and who desire to express His love to the suffering and lonely,” John explains. “Bearing the burdens of
others as Christ commanded, these folks assist the pastoral
staff at WBC through visitation and pastoral care.”
John: Can you describe the people the volunteers visit?
Photos by Jon Langham
John White: Jill, what got you interested in the VIPS ministry?
11
Jill Fenoglio: I’ve always had a heart
for seniors, and after going through
facility placement for both my mother
and mother-in-law, I realize even more
how much it means to the individuals
and their families to have people from
the church visit them regularly.
LIFE at Wheaton Bible Church | Winter 2010–2011
Jill: For about seven years I had a traveling job and was
not involved at all in ministry. When my job was terminated
last April, I knew God was opening the opportunity for me
to get back into ministry. Because I had served for a number
of years in a similar ministry in the past, it seemed like a
perfect fit.
Jill: Many of these folks are longtime members of Wheaton
Bible Church who are now moving into their very senior
years. Some are permanently in nursing homes; some
are temporarily in long-term rehab following an illness or
accident, and some are still in their homes but pretty much
confined there because of infirmities. We also do some
hospital visits to help pastoral staff in that aspect of the
church’s visitation ministry.
John: How do you hear about or connect with
people your team visits?
Jill: Usually the person or his or her
family expresses a desire for the visit.
Sometimes the request actually comes
from a friend or another member
of the person’s Adult Class.
John: Are there any particular
Scripture verses that challenge or
encourage you in your ministry, the
VIPS ministry, either to those who are
sick or just to those who are visitors?
out to them in the Lord’s name, this is
a great way to do it. In addition, we do
have some basic requirements, which
we would be happy to discuss with
anyone who is interested in joining us.
John: Thinking about a typical visit,
is there a particular need that the
VIPS volunteers meet? Something
that those you visit especially enjoy?
Jill: Well, the verse that we have taken
as our VIPS theme verse is Galatians 6:2:
“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this
way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”
And then in Matthew 25:36 we read, “I
was sick, and you cared for me” (NLT).
John: Is there training available
for those who will be serving?
Jill: Most of the people we visit are
just happy to have company. Some
want news of the church. Most are
pleased to have us read Scripture
and pray with them. And then, if we
have friends in common or a ministry
that we both served in, that’s always
encouraging to both of us—and a
good way to have a conversation.
John: We all know people who are
shut-in or hospitalized, at least for
a time, maybe, dealing with a longterm illness. From your experience,
how can we best minister to them?
When we visit these folks, the Lord
receives it as a personal visit to Him.
What could possibly be more fulfilling
than that?
We want to let them know
that they’re not forgotten
just because they’re not able
to be active in the church.
John: Why is VIPS an important
ministry?
Jill: By giving them our time and
attention. We want to let them know
that they’re not forgotten just because
they’re not able to be active in the
church. If you can’t visit, a phone call or a
little note means a lot. Just think of what
you might want if you were in their place.
Jill: We represent the Lord Jesus Christ
when we go on these visits. It’s a way
to honor the life of those we’re visiting
and remind them of their intrinsic
worth. I frequently remember that
someday I may be in their position.
John: How does the VIPS team
begin a typical visit?
John: What kind of person should
think about getting involved in
VIPS? Are there any requirements
for joining the VIPS team?
Jill: Well, if it’s a first visit, we introduce
ourselves, tell the person that we’re
from church and that Pastor John has
asked us to pay a visit. Then, depending
on his or her mental capacity, we ask a
few questions to start the conversation.
If it’s a return visit and they remember
who we are, we build on previous visits.
Jill: We have quarterly meetings for
continuing education and for encouragement and sharing with one another, and
we also have some handouts as needed
at the beginning. Also, we always pair
new people up with the coordinator for
a visit or two, letting them “shadow” us,
just to see what we’re doing and to help
them be comfortable with it. In addition,
Pastor John and the coordinator are always available if any kind of issue arises.
John: What would you like to say to
people who are reading this article?
Jill: I think that I would like people to
know that we are here. We are available
if they have a family member or a good
friend that has been moved into this
area. If you moved Mom or Dad to be
near you so that they can be better cared
for, we’d be happy to visit them. Even
if they haven’t been regular attenders
of Wheaton Bible Church, we want to
support you by visiting those family
members. And, of course, we are always
eager for others to join us in serving
in this very rewarding ministry. n
Jill: We are very interested in having
others join us in this ministry. If they
have a heart for those who are alone
or sick or coming to the end of their
earthly lives and would like to reach
Interested in serving with the VIPS
ministry? Know of someone VIPS should
visit? Contact Jill Fenoglio, jillbf@juno.
com, 630.653.4525, or John White,
[email protected], 630.876.6647.
If we’re coming to their home, we
call ahead so someone is expecting us. If we know that the person
we’re visiting will not remember our
visit, we leave a note card telling
their family that we were there.
We have very precious relationships
with some of these dear folk, and we
are really blessed by our opportunities
to visit them. We almost always end our
visits with Scripture and prayer—and
we leave feeling that we have been
blessed as well as being a blessing.
VIPS volunteer Nel Lair visits with Jim Newing at his home.
Winter 2010–2011 | LIFE at Wheaton Bible Church
12
IF YOU
COULD
ASK GOD
ANYTHING
ALPHA
A course for those who are searching for answers.
Wednesdays, 9:30–11:30 am
beginning January 19
13
Thursdays, 6:30–8:30 pm
beginning January 20
For more information, visit www.wheatonbible.org/Alpha_Course
or contact Lynne Morris, 630.876.6659, [email protected].
LIFE at Wheaton Bible Church | Winter 2010–2011
I recently had the privilege of sitting down with Pastor
Al Guerra to ask him about Iglesia del Pueblo. It soon
became clear that the story of our Spanish-speaking
congregation centers on matters of the heart. To understand Iglesia is to understand the heart of Gospel, the
heart of our Spanish-speaking church family, and the
heart of its senior pastor. We start with Pastor Al and
some of the experiences and relationships that have
shaped his heart.
—Dave Thomson, Communication Director
Pastor Al, tell us about your early life and the events
that shaped your heart.
I was born in 1955 and raised in Florida, Camagüey, a rural town
in the eastern part of Cuba. There were four in our family: my
parents; my brother, Ari, who is four years older; and me. My
first heart-shaping experience took place when I was 11, and
it has affected me, my family, and my ministry ever since.
On that day my father
gathered our family together.
I will never forget it. He
spoke to Ari: “You need to
be the savior of our family,
and to do that, you need to
leave home first.” He said
that Ari had to go to Spain
Al, his father, brother, and mother in Cuba.
alone. He had to go before
the rest of family, and we would eventually join him.
I still think about what could have been in my dad’s heart
that caused him to make the decision to send his son alone
across the ocean. I do know that two things played a big
part: Communism and his love and ideals for his children.
Photo by Jon Langham
Matters
Heart
of
the
An Interview with Iglesia del Pueblo
Senior Pastor Al Guerra
Just recently, in September of 2010, Fidel
Castro proclaimed that Cuba’s experiment
with Communism was a failure. But in 1966,
Communism ruled. Fidel Castro ruled—and all
I can remember from that time was that things
were going from bad to worse. Many Cuban
people knew that Communism was not good for
small businesses and professionals, and those
were the people who were eager to leave.
Al and big
brother Ari
At that time, the United States said that whoever wanted
to leave Cuba could come to America. Even Castro said, “If
you don’t like what I’m doing, you can leave.” And that’s
when my parents applied to go to America. There was a list,
and we were given a number to leave as a family.
Unfortunately, our number didn’t come up just as we expected
it, and my brother was about to turn 15—it was two weeks
before his birthday—and that was a big deal. At 15 he would
have been put into Castro’s army and would have been required
to serve until he was 27 years old. So, two weeks before Ari’s
birthday, my dad told him he would have to leave Cuba.
Winter 2010–2011 | LIFE at Wheaton Bible Church
14
My brother was in tears, and he was afraid. We all cried, but
it was even worse a few days later at the airport. We were
country kids and had never been to a big city like Havana, or
even to an airport. The plane was big, and looking out from
one of those tiny plane windows was my brother, scared and
alone.. He kept looking at my parents, who were making kind
and encouraging gestures toward him, and trying to smile.
My dad completed his six years in jail, got money to pay for
an airplane ticket, and flew to New York City. I will never
forget the scene at Kennedy Airport when he got off the
plane and ran to my mom. So now when I hear the song
“Mercy Came Running,” what I see is my dad running to
my mom, and I remember the longing of my heart to
be together with my family.
I stood there looking at all this, and I stood by as a passive
observer of this powerful dynamic between the hearts of
parents and the heart of a child. My heart was being acted
upon, being shaped by the question “What moves a parent
to make this kind of decision?”
Our time in New York
City, where we lived
and what we did, also
shaped my heart. For a
while we could only afford a one-room studio
apartment located in a
multicultural neighborhood. In New York City
being multicultural
Al, his mother, and brother Ari in Miami in 1974
was not something you
chose; it was something that was there. It was life. You couldn’t
avoid anybody, because no matter where you were or where
you were going, in the subway or on the street, you were
face-to-face, up close and personal, with all kinds of people.
Many years later, when my own son turned 15, my heart went
back to that day. As I looked at Jonathan, I thought about
my dad letting go of my brother. Even after all those years,
I was still being shaped by that moment back in Cuba.
What happened to your brother and your family?
That day in September of 1968, as we watched the plane take off
for Spain, my parents let out screams that I cannot forget. They
cried all the way home—which was an eight-hour train trip from
Havana. We wondered if we would ever see my brother again.
When he landed, Ari did what my parents told
him to do. “Go to a police person,” they had
told him, “and tell him that you are alone.”
The police took him to a Spanish orphanage, where a priest
cared for him for many months.
It was only two weeks after sending my brother to Spain that
my dad was put in prison, charged with being a CIA agent.
Although he had no idea what an agent was, or what the
letters CIA stood for, he was given a six-year sentence.
He had no defense.
He was kept in one of the highest-security prisons in Cuba,
one for political prisoners, and when my mom and I were
able to visit him two months later, we hardly recognized
him because he had lost so much weight. When he saw
my mom and me, he started crying. That was the second
time I had seen my father cry. Eventually, while my dad was still in prison, my mom and
I were allowed to leave Cuba. We flew to Florida to be with
my brother, who, by this time, had come from Spain and
was living with my aunt and uncle in Miami.
Soon after, the three of us moved to New York City because
the U.S. government wanted to spread out the immigrants
coming in. They didn’t force us to move; they suggested
it. And one of the encouragements was that there were
more jobs up north. It was colder, but there also was
better pay. Better pay sounded like something my
dad would go for, so my mom chose to go north.
15
LIFE at Wheaton Bible Church | Winter 2010–2011
Like other families in our neighborhood, we worked hard. My
dad worked in a grocery store; my mom worked in a factory
as a seamstress; my brother was a waiter in a restaurant; and
I was a newspaper delivery boy. I was 13 years old, and I had
a route and was on my own. Every day I delivered 200 papers
using one of those two-wheeled grocery carts. When it snowed
or rained, I would try to keep the papers dry. I did the best I
could, but many of the papers would get wet, and then people
didn’t pay me. There were a lot of those kinds of lessons and
memories that have made my heart soft toward those who
struggle to get things right; this still shapes my ministry today.
Al, can we shift gears a little and ask you to describe
your faith journey? Were there circumstances or
people God was using to draw you to Himself?
I grew up Catholic. We were all strong Catholics. I went to
mass, confession, and communion. I also was an altar boy.
From my earliest memories, I was attracted to “God things”
and to the Bible. Once, when I was around 10, I traded a special
3-D photo viewer for a pocket New Testament Bible. I didn’t
know what everything meant, so I just read the Gospels.
I was also very involved in gymnastics. It was something
I had done back in Cuba. After we moved here; I got into
it again and began to work toward the goal of being
in the Olympics. I was voted the most valuable player
in the whole high school in 1972, my senior year.
The next year I went to Southern Connecticut State
University, because they had a very good gymnastics
team. I was trying for the 1976 Olympic team, but by 1975
I knew I did not make the team. There was a Christian
guy on my team named John Hall. He just came in for
one semester, and he didn’t make the team either.
I was feeling really badly about the Olympics, but John seemed
okay. Something drew me to him. I asked him why he was so
different. He was a holy guy, and he told me about the Gospel.
There is a wall between God and man, he explained, and there’s
only one door, Jesus Christ. He said that he had taken that
door. When he said that, it did not make sense, but I remember
distinctly that my heart was attracted to what he had said. It
was like I was thinking, What? and at the same time, Tell me more.
Pastor Al prays during a
baptism service in July.
“The Lord has anointed me and
told me to bring good news to
the poor, bring liberation from
the incarceration.”
My image of God was as a Loving Protector and a Father who
provided a Son to save me. I understood that. My heart cried
out to not be alone, to have security. When I believed, there
was a very real sense of God approaching me and taking away
my loneliness. So now, even when I am alone, I am not alone,
because I always have this sense of His approving presence.
So how does it all come together? How have all your
heart-shaping experiences made you who you are today?
A part of my ministry and my passion goes back to that
day when my dad said my brother had to leave. It was
for his own good and for the good of the family, but
how could my dad let Ari go? That is the same question
that is being asked today. It is the same heart that I see
reflected in the people I’ve been serving for 30 years.
It’s a big part of the immigration issue when you see families
being separated or coming to the decision-making point.
In spite of the danger and the adversity facing them and
the politics against them, they are moved by a vision from
their hearts. No, no, they aren’t trying to break the law.
They are making heart decisions. I would not have made
it. I would not be here, without my dad’s decision to send
his son, my brother, Ari, ahead. It was the right thing to do
for him. And today I thank my dad; it was tremendous.
That experience has shaped me as a man and has shaped me
as a minister. I have seen my own story reflected in the Bible
because the Bible is a story of immigration and the story of
Christ coming from another world. It is the heart of a Father
sending a Son so He could save the rest of His children.
Photo by Rich Lanenga
Intellectually what I heard wasn’t what I was asking for, but
my heart was touched. I always describe my salvation this
way. When John explained the Gospel, he was giving me a
glass of cold water for my soul. My heart had been thirsty for
such a long time—thirsty to belong and to have somebody
with me, thirsty for meaning and for being adequate,
thirsty for identity and security, and thirsty for somebody
who was for me, not against me, a person to trust.
I am constantly aware of my life experiences and the power
of the Gospel. The memories and truths affect my preaching.
I take the words of Jesus in Luke 4:18 as my own: “The Lord
has anointed me and told me to bring good news to the poor,
bring liberation from the incarceration.” My primary calling is
to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to offer God’s gift of forgiveness and adoption into His family. It brings true and eternal
release, so every time I stand before my congregation, I give an
invitation [for people to accept Christ as their Savior]. And I can
praise God to say that there is a response almost every time.
Jesus’ words and my heart-shaping experiences also guide
me to seek relief and liberation in this life. I see parents like
my own who are making heartrending decisions. I see families
being split. I hear the cries of adults and children. So every day
our church is involved in offering “a cup of cold water in Jesus’
name” to the hundreds of thirsty hearts—representing 18
nationalities—who come to Iglesia del Pueblo. n
In our next issue of LIFE, we continue our interview with Pastor Al
and learn more about his heart for ministry, and how his heart has
been moved by those caught up in the immigration debate. We’ll
also take a look at the heart of our Spanish-speaking congregation
and how God is using Iglesia del Pueblo to reach individuals
and families in DuPage County and—through the opportunities
of the Internet—to Spanish speakers around the world.
Winter 2010–2011 | LIFE at Wheaton Bible Church
16
Students experiencing authentic worship on a Wednesday night.
Photos by Jon Langham
Authentic Worship At
By Scott Murray, Jr. High Pastor
Unless you have a middle
schooler, you may not know
that Studio78 is a gathering
for junior high students—
specifically seventh and
eighth graders—on
Wednesday nights.
The Junior High ministry of WBC meets
on two different days of the week. We
meet on Sunday mornings for smallgroup involvement and on Wednesday
evenings for a night focused on outreach.
We call Wednesday nights Studio78. So
what does a typical Studio78 look like?
We try to make every Studio78 feel like
the first night of summer camp. If you
have spent any time at camp, you know
what I mean: We use every minute in our
two-hour program. We begin the night
with worship, followed by a game and
more worship. A good chunk of the
time we are digging deep into the Bible.
17
The evening wraps up with more worship
as we give our students a chance to walk
to the back and make a decision to follow
Christ for the first time or to get some
things right before God.
In September we had our first Studio78
outreach night. Our students brought
76 new visitors, and we saw 25 students
give their lives to Jesus Christ—a direct
answer to prayer. This generation of
students is seeking to understand what
it means to be authentic worshipers
of Jesus Christ. Romans 12:1–2 says, “I
appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the
mercies of God, to present your bodies
as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable
to God, which is your spiritual worship.
Do not be conformed to this world, but
be transformed by the renewal of your
mind, that by testing you may discern
what is the will of God, what is good
and acceptable and perfect” (ESV).
The world calls us to give in to whatever
feels right, looks the best, or gets us the
easy way out.
LIFE at Wheaton Bible Church | Winter 2010–2011
But in a world where we are told there
are no absolutes, Student Ministry
pushes back against this perspective
with the hard-core truths of God’s
inerrant Word, the Bible. We expect
a lot from seventh and eighth grade
students. The days of smashing eggs
on each other’s heads, making hairdos
out of shaving cream, and spending
hours putting together silly skits are
just not the draw anymore. Those things
can be fun, but that kind of fun is not
the fuel that keeps the fire burning in
the hearts of the students in our ministry.
Authentic worship is
choosing daily to live
a life of epic proportions.
Please keep praying for our students
and families as God continues to move
in radical ways, calling them into an EPIC
adventure for His Kingdom this year! n
Senior Stefani Augustyn says, “What’s up?”
to 8th grader David Beamen.
Volunteers Britnee Barstatis and Zach Stoner
leading worship
Nathan Fischer hanging out with friends.
When explaining to our students what it means to live lives of authentic worship, we focus on four key
elements that help students understand what it means to be transformed into the likeness of Jesus Christ.
Experiential
We are called to renew our
minds. When we renew and align
our minds with the teaching of
the Bible, we experience what
God desires for us—no longer
conforming to the world but
transforming in front of the world.
Participatory
When we renew our minds, the
natural manifestation is a desire
to participate in God’s redeeming,
sanctifying work. As we participate
in this spiritual renewal, we become
part of His masterpiece . . . or His
workmanship: “We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus
for good works, which God
prepared beforehand, that we
should walk in them” (Ephesians
2:10, ESV).
We are all made in the image of
God; this is our chance to make
evident to the world the fact that
we are the sons and daughters
of God.
Image-Aligned
As participants, authentic worshipers will choose to align themselves
to the image of Christ and how
He calls us to live as His masterpieces. This is the very essence of
authentic worship: “If anyone is in
Christ, he is a new creation. The
old has passed away; behold, the
new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17,
ESV). We desire what God desires.
We want to see our ministry full
of students who look like Jesus.
Christ-Centered
The outward expression of an
authentic worshiper will reflect
the inward reality of a life centered
on Christ: “I have been crucified
with Christ. It is no longer I who
live, but Christ who lives in me.
And the life I now live in the flesh
I live by faith in the Son of God,
who loved me and gave himself
for me” (Galatians 2:20, ESV).
The Student Ministry of Wheaton Bible Church exists to partner with
parents to help students love God, grow together, and reach the world.
Scott Murray has been married to Katie for 11 years. They have three kids and are in the process of
adopting a child from Ethiopia. Scott loves being a pastor to the junior high students at Wheaton Bible
Church. He loves teaching God’s Word and leading a rowdy bunch of seventh and eighth graders in
worship. If he is not at a coffee shop, he is spending time with his family. Scott came to WBC two years
ago, bringing his family from Arizona, where Scott received his master’s degree from Phoenix Seminary.
Winter 2010–2011 | LIFE at Wheaton Bible Church
18
Ready,
Set . . .
By Linda Weddle
It’s 6:30 on a Wednesday night.
Two preschoolers clasp hands and run to the door of the Cubbie room, leaving
Dad in their wake. A Sparkie announces to his brother that he’s getting another
jewel for his pilot wing and then joins the other Sparkies in the gym. Two T&T
girls walk by giggling, causing two T&T boys to roll their eyes.
Another night of Awana begins at Wheaton Bible Church as 400 children, ages
2–12, converge on the church campus. In fact, weekly Awana Clubs have been
a staple of our Children’s Ministry for more than 30 years!
“I love Awana Clubs because they get children into the Bible.” says Renita Gilliland,
our Awana Commander, who oversees all the different age-based clubs. “Every
week kids are reading and memorizing God’s Word—and God has promised His
Word will never come back void. The Scriptures hold everything we need for
life and salvation, and the Scriptures the children are learning will be in their
minds and hearts for the rest of their lives!
Steve, a dad of three children who attend club, agrees. “Awana encourages my
kids to learn more about God and makes it fun and meaningful. The Word of God
is alive, active and powerful (Hebrews 4:12), and knowing it’s being tucked away in
my kids’ hearts is what really makes the difference. I hope as they grow and mature,
the truths they learn now will help guide and direct their decisions and actions.”
With a strong emphasis on Scripture memorization and practical application of
those Bible lessons, Awana supports the efforts of parents who want to help their
kids develop a biblical worldview. But it may be those outside the church for whom
the impact of our Awana ministry is most powerful.
Carla Page, a longtime Awana leader, was eight years old the first time she walked
into an Awana Club. Her parents, both Awana leaders at the church they attended,
had a weekly goal of “loading the van,” driving many neighborhood kids to Awana.
Carla remembers two friends she invited to Awana. Both girls trusted Christ as their
Savior, grew in their faith, and are living for the Lord as adults.
“Another one of my friends came from a tough alcoholic situation,” Carla explains.
“We invited her to Awana, and she, too, became a believer. We were best friends
all through high school, and as an adult, she not only continues to attend church
but also is an Awana leader herself.”
Xavier Gomez
typifies the Game
Time enthusiasm of
T&T boys and girls.
Photos by Jon Langham
19
As T&T (third- to sixth-grade) girls’ director, Carla said she loves to welcome the new
girls, see them get excited about Awana and come back week after week. “I want to
let them know how much we love them and how much God loves them and how
welcomed they are. I like seeing the girls I once had in Sparks now being part of T&T.”
LIFE at Wheaton Bible Church | Winter 2010–2011
T&T boys heading
to Council Time
Kari Ueland and Bridget Craig
concentrate during Sparks
Handbook Time.
Over the years she’s served in Awana, Carla has seen many girls trust Christ,
including a visitor who came to her with questions. Carla was able to explain
the plan of salvation, and the little girl prayed right then to accept God’s gift
of forgiveness and eternal life. Although she never came back to club, Carla is
thankful that the girl had the opportunity to hear and respond to the Gospel.
Sparks leader Liz VanDerVliet listens to memory
work of Micah Syswerda and Cole Martin.
Many children who visit club never come back for one reason or another,
but each first-time visitor is given an entrance booklet designed for his or
her age group. The booklet includes the first few memory “sections,” to get
the child started on Bible memory work. This salvation-focused pamphlet
may also be a channel for the Gospel message into that child’s home.
For the children who participate in Awana, there is consistent encouragement
to reach out to others, including bring-a-visitor assignments and special
nights when children are encouraged to bring a friend to club. Many of these
visitors continue to attend and become active participants themselves. In
several cases, children and their families have connected to the church,
and some have come to Christ because a child was invited to Awana.
It’s not surprising that children are eager to bring their friends to club.
Several sixth-graders stood on the game line and bubbled over about
why they come each week.
Awana-at-a-Glance
The word Awana comes from 2 Timothy 2:15:
Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed.
“I learn about God.”
Each club night is divided into three segments.
“Right. Awana inspires me to memorize.”
Game Time—which is both good fun and a
draw for boys and girls who might otherwise
hesitate to attend a church program.
“And you make Christian friends.
What a great place to make Christian friends!”
Handbook Time—when leaders get
to know the children personally and help
children complete sections (memory
work, Bible study, and daily application
activities) in their handbooks.
“Oh, Awana is fun! Don’t forget that Awana is fun.”
Large-Group Time—when kids come
together to hear an age-appropriate lesson
centered on a truth from God’s Word.
The time is now 8:15 pm. During the past hour and forty-five minutes,
hundreds of verses were quoted, dozens of laps were run on the game
circle, a fifth-grader was able to talk to his leader about a problem he was
facing, and a visitor heard the message of salvation for the first time.
Started 60 years ago in the inner city of
Chicago, Awana is now in all 50 states—where
an estimated one million children attend club
in more than 12,000 churches each week—
and is reaching children with the Gospel in
more than 100 countries around the world.
The clubbers walk out the door, some a little tired, others excitedly talking
about awards they earned or new friends they made.
Another night of Awana comes
to an end. But the truths the
children have learned will live in
them for the rest of their lives. n
Linda Weddle is a writer and
curriculum designer at Awana
Headquarters. She also serves
with T&T girls at the Wheaton
Bible Church Awana Club.
How can I get involved? Learn
more at www.wheatonbible.org/Awana
or contact Renita Gilliland, 630.876.6655,
[email protected].
Winter 2010–2011 | LIFE at Wheaton Bible Church
20
December
AT WHEATON BIBLE CHURCH
A NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS FOR WOMEN*
Starstruck
6:00–9:00 pm
GLORY KIDS CHOIR CHRISTMAS CONCERT
The Cradle Rocks!
7:00–9:00 pm
VANGUARD GATHERING*
The Legend of St. Nicholas with Terrence Lynch
5:30–8:00 pm
BUILDING A CHRISTMAS MEMORY
A Christ-centered Family Experience
9:00 –11:30 am or 10:30 am–1:00 pm
CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICES
4:00 and 6:00 pm*
7:30 Iglesia del Pueblo
*Childcare available for four and under
“For to us
a child is born...”
Isaiah 9:6
For more information on any of these events,
visit www.wheatonbible.org/Christmas_2010
* Tickets required
Marie at her front
door, where her
“appointment”
with Tina began.
Appointments are
Important
By Marie Allison, Director of Evangelism and Connect Ministry
If
I have an appointment with a friend, I don’t want to miss
it and cause hurt feelings. If I have an appointment at
work, I don’t want to forget about it and risk losing my
job. If I have a doctor’s appointment, I don’t want to miss it
and get charged for a missed appointment. Appointments
are important.
My friend Bill once told me about another kind of appointment.
He said that if I kept the Gospel message in the forefront of my
mind and the Good News of Christ on the tip of my tongue,
God would set spiritual appointments for me.
Just recently I was finishing my devotions, and I thought
of Bill’s advice. I prayerfully reviewed the story of Christ’s
life, death and resurrection. I told God I was available for
any spiritual appointment He wished to set for me.
When we keep the Gospel message in
the forefront of our minds and the Good
News on the tips of our tongues, God
will set spiritual appointments for us.
An appointment with Tina
At that moment my doorbell rang. A young woman named
Tina* was selling magazines. She told me the story of her life
as she was trained to do. She was born to a drug-addicted
mother who was in and out of jail, eventually forcing Tina to
enter the foster-care system. Now, as a twenty-year-old, she
was selling magazines door-to-door in hopes of making a
better life for herself. I bought a magazine. Toward the end
of our transaction I asked, “Has anyone ever told you that
you could have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ?”
Tina replied, “No.”
I asked her if she would like to hear about that now, and she
said she would. I stepped inside my house and got a Gospel
tract. Tina scooted close to me, like a young child ready to hear
a wonderful story. We finished reading the tract, and I asked
Tina if she would like to pray and ask Christ to come into her
life. She said she would like to. Without any more prompting,
Tina bowed her head and prayed. Later that evening she came
back to my house to retrieve a Bible I had promised her.
An appointment with Connie
Two days later I was sitting in my office at the church. A young
woman called. She said that she didn’t attend Wheaton Bible
Church but she heard good things about it. She felt far away
from God and was wondering if anyone at Wheaton Bible
Church would be willing to help her. (I smiled; there was no
shortage of people who would be willing to meet with her.)
Connie and I set an appointment, and a few days later
she came in.
Connie told me about her religious background, which included
occasionally attending church as a child, visiting AWANA with
a friend, and participating in a Friday-night campus ministry
while in college. I sensed that Connie wanted to know God
but had never actually heard the simple Gospel message.
We read through “Steps to Peace with God,” a Gospel tract.
Connie pointed to the diagram that shows how our sins
separate us from God. She said, “That is how I feel.” She was
relieved to see that Jesus had died on the cross for her sins
and had made a way for her to be reunited with God.
Yes, appointments are important, and Bill’s advice was
true: When we keep the Gospel message in the forefront
of our minds and the Good News on the tips of our
tongues, God will set spiritual appointments for us. n
*Names have been changed.
25
LIFE at Wheaton Bible Church | Winter 2010–2011
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Career
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Workshop and Networking/Support Group
Meeting the unemployed and the underemployed
at their point of need.
T
oday, DuPage County has 42,142 unemployed
people—people who worry about when they
will be able to bring home a paycheck or when
money will be coming in to pay the utility bills,
the mortgage, or a child’s college tuition. Worse
yet, since their health insurance is now gone, what
will they do if a major illness should strike? Many
times people attempt to cope with the loss of a
job and the search for a new one on their own.
Others look for help from their church, public
library, community college, or former classmates.
Some pray.
continued on page 27 ››
Winter 2010–2011 | LIFE at Wheaton Bible Church
26
Wheaton Bible Church has been ministering to the needs of
the unemployed since long before the latest and steepest
decline in the job market. At first, back in 1995, the ministry
was limited to a short presentation on how to write a résumé,
but now, through steady growth of curriculum and other
materials, Wheaton Bible Church has a full-fledged ministry
assisting dozens of individuals in their quest for reemployment
and better career planning.
Spearheading the program is Dave Cox, a longtime Wheaton
Bible Church member who landed in the outplacement and
career-coaching industry after retiring from IBM as a branch
manager. Dave tapped into his natural gifts of public speaking,
humor, and compassion for people. Developing a Christcentered approach to career coaching and to the challenges
of a job search, he found that he could weave together
practical help in career transition—résumé writing, interview
training, and networking strategy—with spiritual support
and comfort.
Dave guides, encourages, and helps to facilitate
each job seeker’s journey toward the discovery
that “your best work is ahead of you.”
“I found this something I enjoyed doing,” he says. “I had
a calling—this was something that would benefit people,
and it was in a skill area where God had prepared me to be.”
Helen McAndrews, a career coach with a leading Chicago
career-transition and human-capital-management firm,
assists Dave. Helen brings her experience in coaching
hundreds of individuals who find themselves unemployed
as a result of reorganization, outsourcing, downsizing, or
mergers. Helen has the compassion and the abilities to
work with large groups, small groups, or individuals.
All Career Transition Workshop sessions are free and open
to the public. Dave said he takes his direction from the
Great Commission: “Go out into the world and make disciples,
Matthew 28:19–20 tells us, ‘teaching them to obey everything
I have commanded you.’ When we give assistance in areas
of great need, in love, without condition, we fulfill the Great
Commission.”
“If there is a flood and a home is damaged,
shouldn’t we help? If someone has surgery,
can’t we help by bringing some meals to
the home?” Dave asks. “So why should it
be any different if someone loses his or her
job? We should be there to help in practical
and spiritual ways.”
27
LIFE at Wheaton Bible Church | Winter 2010–2011
Those who have experienced a prolonged period of unemployment typically find it to be the most stress-filled period of their
lives. A significant number of attendees have been out of work
for over a year. Dave says he believes the spiritual aspects of
the workshop and support groups help relieve much of the
stress coming from this involuntary separation from their
previous employer—including the loss of their closest friends,
a diminished sense of personal achievement, and the need
to cope with the uncertainties of finding a new position.
The Workshop
The Saturday sessions—taught in a traditional classroom style
and supported by a 220-page workbook—place a strong
emphasis on learning the fundamentals of networking,
interviewing, résumé writing, self-assessment, and other
job-hunting skills. They also deal with the emotional impact
of losing a job, as well as the importance of being equipped
spiritually for the job quest.
Networking and Support
Much of the same can be said for the Wednesday-morning
Networking Support sessions (8:00–10:00 am). However, this
gathering has a different set of goals and follows a different
format. The main focus of the Wednesday-morning sessions
is helping the attendees develop the required skills in
networking so that they will be able to proactively target
the large number of employment opportunities that never
make it into job sites on the Internet.
“We’ve worked hard to create
a safe and secure atmosphere,”
says Dave. “It’s a place where
participants can share accomplishments, life goals, and current
frustrations. Attendees feel they
can be open with others and get
coaching and support in return—
even when they keep making
some of the same mistakes.”
BOB
The Networking Support sessions also emphasize personal accountability by encouraging
attendees to talk about what’s happening in
their lives and share prayer requests. Dave
also brings short devotionals, drawn from the
writings of pastors and writers such as Charles
Stanley, Elisabeth Elliott, and Chuck Swindoll.
The subjects range from overcoming discouragement, to prayer, to waiting on the Lord.
The word is getting out about what’s happening at Career Transition; new people
are coming, and this ministry is expanding
geographically. More than half the attendees
at the workshops come from outside Wheaton
Bible Church, including a number from area
churches. The Saturday sessions are drawing
40 or more people, and attendance at the
Wednesday-morning sessions has continued
to grow, even though many attendees
have “dropped out” because they got jobs.
“It was tough because you didn’t know what reception
you would get,” he says, “but I did it, and that’s why I’m
working now.”
Dawn
In the past several months, 22
people who have attended the
Networking Support sessions
have found new jobs.
The Career Transition program continues to
provide an important and growing ministry
at a time when our community needs it
most—a place where the unemployed and
underemployed are finding relevant training
and support in the context of caring Christian
community, where prayer is a natural response
to frustration and uncertainty, and where
men and woman are learning that Jesus
Christ wants to meet them in this area of
need and in every part of their lives. n
“Wednesday’s networking time at WBC was my lifeline,”
Dawn says. “I always felt so positive when I left.”
Winter 2010–2011 | LIFE at Wheaton Bible Church
28
Case Management at Puente del Pueblo
Serving individuals and families
of Westwood Apartments
By Irene Owens, Case Manager, Puente
del Pueblo (translated by Lauren Bruton)
Dear WBC Family,
ente del Pueblo
urch are aware that Pu
Most people in the ch
ntary School, right
gram in Wegner Eleme
runs an afterschool pro
pe that our church
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next to the Westwood
work Puente
the case management*
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ente helps families
case management, Pu
does at Westwood. In
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ate assistance.
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offer prayer to all the
context of
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happily receive it in the
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d invite our neighbors
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Sharing exciting storie
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eri
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Matthew McNiel,
Director, Puente
del Pueblo
29
LIFE at Wheaton Bible Church | Winter 2010–2011
Looking back over the last two years of working in
the Westwood Apartments is like gazing out over the
valley down below and watching as our relationships
in the community continue to slowly yet steadily
grow. I remember those first days, the nervous
excitement and wondering how we were going to do
it, especially in the area of case management, where
our beginnings in the community were without
contacts, without anyone who knew us in a personal
way. We were a group of newcomers who certainly
generated suspicion and raised many questions
and reservations in the community. At the same
time, our work has truly been a door that the Lord
has been opening little by little, in both our hearts
and in the hearts of the people of Westwood.
The memory of these two years is a canvas filled
with many faces of different colors, sufferings,
and passions: Of immigrant people and the
price of being such. Of the pain of families torn
apart. Of women who were left behind in the
uncertainty of how life would be from then on,
without the support of men who had no other
choice but to abandon them—or the pain of
knowing they did have the choice, of single
mothers daily fighting to raise their children.
Case Manager
Irene Owens helps
José Sánchez
The cacophony of voices from the last two years stirs in my mind:
“I don’t know how to read or write.
I can’t fill out the forms to look for
work, or understand what the letters
from school say about my children.”
“I just got out of jail
and I can’t find work.”
“I’ve had to work since I was seven
years old; I feel like I just can’t learn.”
“What I earn doesn’t cut it.”
“I don’t know where to go for help
because I’m alone in this country.”
“The factory closed, and now
I wait at the temp agency every morning
at 3:00 in hopes that they’ll give me
the opportunity to work even
a few hours.”
“I’m sick, and I lost my job.”
“I arrived here at Westwood not long ago as
a refugee. Now I don’t earn enough to live.”
Our hearts have been enlarged as we have begun to comprehend
the plight of the immigrants and the poor, struggling to stay afloat
in spite of their circumstances.
Little by little, the community’s perception of us is shifting, and they
are coming to know us as people they can count on, people they can
trust because we come alongside them in crucial moments and come
through for them—trying to always be there to hear their needs and
respond. We are grateful to connect with our neighbors who have come
to trust us deeply. We understand that we are reaping the harvest of
our past work, the relationships we have forged, and the reputation
we have earned in the community, one of safety and faithfulness.
Have we grown? Yes, we have grown in trustworthiness, in our number
of contacts, and in our understanding of the suburban poor. We have
witnessed the persistence of those fighting for their livelihoods, and
have seen dignity in the midst of poverty. We have experienced the tears
and shame of those asking for help. We have made friends and grown in
our understanding that in spite of having little, those in our community
have much to offer us. In these lessons, we understand a profound
truth: that many of those who have received are willing to give, too.
On this journey, we have also grown in opportunities to demonstrate
through our words, attitudes, and actions—and with our mere
presence—that Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life. n
Case management—A service that, within the context of a therapeutic
relationship, helps people to obtain (and/or coordinates) community
resources, such as income assistance, education, housing, medical
care/treatment, and vocational preparation.
“Who is going to help me
take care of my children?”
The Puente del Pueb
lo Initiative
gic partnership
is the result of a strate
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WBC formed with Ou
. Outreach’s
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st
our neighbors in We
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“Praise the Lord with us
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to Puente for our first tw
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The partnership conti
idance with stragu
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pri
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Bible Church in
ton
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Ellerman of OCM.
this project,” said Chris
Winter 2010–2011 | LIFE at Wheaton Bible Church
30
Those Who Live In-Between
By Jim Judge
“They inhabit their own
country, but as sojourners,
and endure all things as aliens:
every foreign country is theirs,
and every country is foreign.”
This is how a second-century letter
described the early Christians—and it
might well describe the more than 100
missionary families supported by Wheaton Bible Church. Of all the personal
costs that come with the decision to live
and work as missionaries, it may be that
living in between is one of the heaviest.
Missionaries often end up not being
fully at home either here or there
but, in truth, are residents of a place
that doesn’t exist on any map. That
is one of the reasons we as a church
take missionary care so seriously.
Finding appropriate housing can be a
challenge for those who return to the
area on furlough, and for many years
Wheaton Bible Church had two homes
located in the neighborhood near our
church campus that were available
housing for missionary families during
times of home assignment. When our
Main Street campus was sold, those
homes also were sold, along with
the rest of the church properties.
31
The Elders committed the church
to continue to meet this need
but agreed that it might be wiser
stewardship to rent rather than buy.
In God’s provision, within five days of the
sale of those homes, we were contacted
by a realtor representing a couple from
South Africa. While studying at Wheaton
College, they had purchased a large fourbedroom condominium and had been
praying that when they moved back to
South Africa, the property would be used
for God’s glory—and particularly that it
might be used to house missionaries!
One look at the condo, and the Global
Outreach staff was convinced it was
perfect! It was not only beautiful and
spacious—and completely furnished—
but it was also in a wonderful friendly
neighborhood and within walking
distance to great schools. The owners
agreed to rent the property at a significant market discount. When combined
with the WBC subsidy, missionaries are
able to rent this home at an extremely
low rate, affordable even to missionaries
on very limited budgets.
More good news came when owners of a
townhouse near the campus of Wheaton
College made it available for a couple
or smaller missionary family—again
at a significant market discount.
LIFE at Wheaton Bible Church | Winter 2010–2011
Within months we had two units
available to our missionaries!
By combining donated furniture with
the furnishings already present in these
homes, Ann Lautz, Nancy Lewis, and
Cindy Judge—the team that oversees
furlough homes—were able to create
two beautiful spaces in which our
missionaries can feel loved and cared for.
Last year, Thad and Joy McAuley
and their four children, who
serve in France with Greater
Europe Mission, were our first
missionary residents. They enjoyed the extra space and even
home-schooled all year long!
Home in the U.S. for an entire year for
the first time in nearly a decade, Drs.
Laurel and Tim K. [last name withheld
because they serve in a limited access
central Asian country] and their four
sons are thrilled to have such a lovely
and spacious place to call home.
Laurel, describing her reaction
upon first seeing their new home,
said, “We were stupefied. All I could
think was, We don’t deserve this!”
We at WBC could not disagree more! n
Aiding Pakistan
Flood Victims
Bill Oberlin, Pastor of Global Outreach
In response to devastating floods that killed more than 2,000
Pakistanis, left many more injured, and displaced more than
20 million people, Wheaton Bible Church sent a $10,000 grant
to one of our ministry partners on the ground. That partner,
Rev. A.*, recently sent us the following update:
Shalom WBC,
Our team of volunteers, pastors, and new believers joined
us in the work of serving needy people and sharing the
Gospel. By the grace of God, we were successful in our mission.
The cooperation of local people was important because
management of some of the situations was difficult due to
the hunger of the people. However, thanks to our Lord, we got
the opportunity to pray among many groups of people and
distributed precious gifts of food, medicine, and basic necessities.
In one of the remote areas, we had a wonderful connection with
210 families, and new believers distributed literature about Jesus
to nearly all of them. In one city, we had the opportunity to provide
a special meal for the Eid (holiday) celebration to mark the end of
Ramadan (the fasting month). When I shared the message of the
Good Samaritan and love of neighbor, it was very appealing to
all those gathered there. Thanks to our Lord who provided this
opportunity to share the love of Christ at Eid Festival with homeless
people, new believers, and inquirers through love gifts and
delicious food.
Our sincerest thanks for all of you who shared your love and
money for this great cause. May our Lord abundantly bless
all of you.
Your Brother, A.
Will you continue to pray for those dealing with the aftermath of this crisis, that their needs would be met and that
the seeds of the Gospel will continue to bear fruit. n
*Name withheld for safety reasons.
Did God save you for a life of comfort?
Or did He save you to join His rescue
mission to a hurting world?
You decide. GO Teams 2011.
For more information, visit www.wheatonbible.org/GO_Teams or
contact Global Outreach, 630.876.6685, [email protected].
Esther Erickson leads three-year-olds in play-based learning.
Four-year-olds celebrate the birthday of a favorite storybook character.
Wheaton Bible Church Preschool
Telling the Next Generation
One day this past summer a package arrived at
my desk. Wondering who it was from, I opened
the box and found inside a plastic bag full of
used Matchbox cars.
By Esther Erickson,
Director of Weekday
Preschool Ministry
The note read:
“I am writing to you on behalf of
my son. He has been experiencing
some working of the Holy Spirit in
his heart. Two years ago when he
attended your preschool, he took
a couple of toy cars home (which
I wasn’t aware of at the time). He
recently admitted his wrong and
wanted to repay with a four-fold
return. So he picked more cars of
his own and added to the group.
Please accept this with his sincere
apology and determination never
to do that again.”
While the arrival of this particular package
was unexpected, I wasn’t a bit surprised
to see another example of how God
is at work changing young hearts.
33
LIFE at Wheaton Bible Church | Winter 2010–2011
Reaching Our World
We are thrilled by the opportunity to
have that kind of impact on the lives of
young children, including many who
don’t normally attend our church.
The weekday preschool ministers to
our church family but also serves our
community, which now includes DuPage
County and even beyond. Before our
campus moved from downtown Wheaton to our North Avenue location, nearly
all our students were from Wheaton,
with a much smaller number from each
of several surrounding towns. Today,
children representing 135 families come
from Bartlett, Aurora, West Chicago,
Carol Stream, Wheaton, Winfield, St.
Charles, and even Sugar Grove!
Another change we’ve seen
is in the rich diversity God
has brought to our preschool.
Every year we look forward to seeing
what families He will send us. This
fall one of the classes was not full. I
prayed, as we do each year, that God
would send families to the class—and
it was fun to see who He sent.
God decided that this particular class
would be full of children from around
the world—including an Ethiopian
boy, girls from Iraq and Romania, and
children of several other ethnicities.
In addition to being diverse, this class
also represents several kinds of families,
including traditional two-parent families,
single moms or dads, and even children
being raised by grandparents.
I am so proud of the teachers who are
embracing diversity and teaching the
children real-life lessons about respecting
others even if they look different or come
from a different kind of household than
theirs. Praise God that these children are
learning, at a very young age, what it
means to love one another.
The ABCs of the WBC Preschool
Like those of most preschools, the
curriculum of the WBC Preschool is
designed with the educational needs
of 3- , 4- , and 5-year-olds in mind.
But while we agree that preparing
preschoolers for their future education
is important, we have a different “ABC”
priority. We call them the ABCs of life.
A—Loving God
B—Loving Others
C—Loving Learning
If you “love God” first, “love others”
second, and then “love learning,” you
will have all that you need for a solid
foundation in life. We love teaching
these ABC truths because this age
(3–6) is when a child’s early spirituality
is being developed and formed. It is
in these years that many children first
become aware of their need for a Savior.
Early Bible Lessons
An important part of that “ABC” curriculum is the Bible lessons we teach,
with our three-year-old classes learning
nine Bible verses by the end of the year.
Four-year-olds learn about making wise
choices based on what God teaches us
in His Word. They enjoy lessons built
around a beautifully illustrated book
called Right Choices, written by Ken Taylor, founder of Tyndale House Publishers.
The prekindergarten classes—our older
4- and 5-year-olds—have fun hearing
and acting out favorite Bible Stories.
Another note I received—this one from
the parent of a child in our three-year-old
class—reminds us how these lessons are
being “caught” by our preschoolers. She
wrote, “On Christmas Day our family of
15 was gathered around the table for
dinner. Just as it was announced it was
time to pray, our son folded his hands
and loudly prayed, ‘Thank you Jesus for
today. Thank you for my food.’ Before
Wheaton Bible Church Preschool, he
didn’t pray at meals or bedtime.
His family didn’t even attend
church on a regular basis—
and now he is leading
the family in prayer.”
through-Friday opportunity to build
these important lessons into young lives.
A mom who sent four of her children
to the WBC Preschool over the years,
has also seen that reality in action. She
commented, “As an educator myself, and
the parent of kids in elementary school
and preschool, I value the experience
each of my kids has had in a play-based
learning environment. The imaginative
play, creative self-expression, exploration
of the world, and appreciation of music,
have helped my children develop areas
of the brain that enable them to become
creative, curious, and engaged thinkers.
“But when I enrolled my kids at the
Wheaton Bible Church Preschool,
little did I realize how the teachers
would minister to the hearts of my kids.
This wasn’t why I signed them up
for preschool, but as they grew, it is
the value I am most thankful for. “
For now, I’m keeping a box of used
Matchbox cars in my office. It’s a reminder
of why we’re here and how God can
work in hearts and lives—even very
young ones. How grateful I am that God
has blessed us with a strong passion for
children! I pray that their young teachable
spirits will begin to see our great God
and wish to follow in His steps. n
For more information about the
WBC Weekday Preschool, visit www.
wheatonbible.org/WBC_preschool
or contact Esther, eerickson@
wheatonbible.org or 630.876.6674.
Esther Erickson has been the director of the WBC Weekday Preschool
for 20 years and has been married
to Jeff, Director of Operations and
Planning for Wheaton Bible
Church, for 32 years.
As a part of WBC’s
broader Children’s
Ministry, we are
so pleased to
have a MondayWinter 2010–2011 | LIFE at Wheaton Bible Church
34
WORSHIP AT HOME
by Rob Rienow, Family Pastor
Compassion
Capers
Dear Parents
and Grandparents,
If you have been a part of
our church for even a short
time, you have heard about
the importance and power of
family worship. Family worship
refers to the few minutes when
a family comes together in the
home for prayer, Bible reading,
and spiritual growth. But many
of us rarely if ever have these
times of spiritual connection
at home.
Christmas is the perfect
time to increase and deepen
the spiritual strength of your
family! The more your family
focuses on worshiping the
risen Christ, the more blessed
this Christmas season will
be. With a little planning and
intentionality, you may see
God transform your family
relationships and use your
home to shine Christ’s love
into our church, your neighborhood, and beyond.
I hope you’ll enjoy reading
about how the Field family
found a fun way to incorporate
serving others at Christmastime. Think of how you might
adapt this idea, or let it spur
your own creativity as you
think of your own ways to
get your children involved in
making your home a center
of worship, discipleship, and
service this year.
–Rob Rienow, Family Pastor
By Christine Field
“There must be more to Christmas. I think we’re
really missing something,” the character sings in
the classic Veggie Tales movie The Star of Christmas.
H
ave you ever had the same
thought? When our four children
ranged in age from preschool
to high school, we knew we had to
do all we could to keep the focus on
the true meaning of Christmas—the
amazing birth of our Lord and Savior.
Several years ago I surprised myself, a
usually uncrafty mom, by sewing an
advent calendar. Composed mostly of felt,
it had 24 pockets, each decorated with
either a number or a holiday symbol. The
first year we used it, I filled each pocket
with candy and trinkets for the children
and allowed them to take turns each day
drawing out a surprise. They certainly
enjoyed it, but we wondered whether
the calendar might be put to better use.
The next year, rather than fill the pockets
with treats, I thought of 24 loving things
my children were capable of doing. I
wrote them on slips of paper and placed
one in each pocket. The Advent notes
included activities such as “Shovel a
neighbor’s walkway” or “Make a getwell card for someone who’s sick.” An
older child (or a younger one with
help) might be able to “Make cookies
and deliver them to a neighbor.”
Why do we call them Compassion
Capers? Caring for others is one of the
most important life lessons we can
teach our children. In our family they
are called “capers” because we do them
anonymously, as much as possible,
and certainly without expectation of
recognition or reward. The children are
doing good simply for the joy of bringing
Christ’s love and compassion to others.
As the days before Christmas passed,
the children were challenged to think
of others, not about what bounty they
would reap come Christmas Day.
How about your family? You don’t have
to sew to make an Advent calendar. You
can create something workable out of
paper. Get the kids involved in making
the calendar and in creating the notes.
This could be your best Christmas yet! n
Christine Field and her
husband Mark are parents of
four children from ages 13 to
21, and grandparents of a
one-year-old. They have
attended WBC for five years,
live in Wheaton, and both love to write and
encourage others.
Getting Creative
Day 5:
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35
Think
about other
ways to use the
Advent calendar to involve
your kids in family worship
and to help them worship
God by loving those around
them. Consider advent
notes such as the following:
•Do a “secret service.”
Do something nice for
a family member, but
don’t tell anyone.
•Read the Christmas story
from the Bible during a
time of family worship.
•Visit a nursing home
as a family.
LIFE at Wheaton Bible Church | Winter 2010–2011
•Ask a sibling how you
can pray for him or
her, and then pray
with that person.
•Choose two Christmas
Carols to sing together
at family worship.
• Give a financial gift, large
or small, to a missionary.
•Write an encouragement
note to a family member.
List three things you
appreciate about
that person.
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CHURCH FINANCES, by Scott Landon
Director of Finance and Administration
BIBLICAL GIVING:
If ‘Money Talks,’ What Is Our Money Saying?
The following article was based on the content of position papers written by Pastor Rob
and his friend and counterpart at Christ Community Church in St. Charles, Dr. James
Nicodem. We thank them for their careful examination of biblical teachings on this
important subject and for allowing us to draw from their more extensive documents.
A huge part of your life and mine
revolves around money. A lot of our
time and effort goes into making,
spending, budgeting, investing, and
worrying about money. No doubt
that’s why God’s Word has so much
to say on the topic.
Did you know that Jesus talked about
money in 16 of his 38 parables? And
although the Bible has 500 verses on
prayer and 500 on faith, more than 2,000
verses talk about money and possessions.
So what does the Bible teach us about
how we are to handle the financial
resources God has entrusted to us?
What does God’s Word teach about
giving? What about tithing? Is there a
difference between how God spoke
to His people in Old Testament times
about giving and how He speaks to
the church today? Most important,
what does biblical giving look like for
those who desire to be fully devoted,
obedient, and joyful followers of Christ?
Old Testament Teaching
The word tithe (in its various forms) is
mentioned 31 times in the Old Testament, and in each case it means “a tenth
part.” The phrase “a tenth” also occurs
more than 30 times in reference to
giving. The Law instructed the people
of Israel in the giving of tithes, but it is
interesting to note that Abraham tithed
even before the Law was given (Genesis
14:20). He understood that tithing was
key to both worshiping God and giving
Him first place in our lives. Tithing was
also practiced in other early cultures,
37
even predating Abraham. Perhaps
this is the way God wired us from the
beginning. The Old Testament’s teaching
on tithing affirms our belief that God is
the source of all income and wealth.
New Testament Teaching
The phrase “a tenth” appears 11 times
in the New Testament in the context of
giving; however, Paul doesn’t use the
phrase, nor are there any commands
to either “tithe” or give “a tenth.” In the
New Testament, believers are taught
to pay taxes (see Matthew 22:15–22;
Romans 13:1–7) and give generously to
the work of Christ. The local church,
God’s ordained vehicle for ministry, is
the focus of New Testament giving.
These six principles describe key
New Testament teaching on giving
to the Lord:
• Giving is investing with
God (see Matthew 6:19–21;
2 Corinthians 9:6).
• Giving is to be substantial, if not
sacrificial (see Mark 12:41–44).
• Giving amounts are proportionate to one’s income
(see 1 Corinthians 16:2).
• Giving is to demonstrate love,
not law (see 2 Corinthians 9:7).
• Giving is to be planned, not
haphazard; regular, not infrequent (see 1 Corinthians 16:2).
• Generous giving always
results in God’s blessing
(see 2 Corinthians 9:6, 10).
LIFE at Wheaton Bible Church | Winter 2010–2011
Proportional Giving?
So is tithing an Old Testament practice
that has been superseded by New
Testament teaching? Some have said
yes, concluding that since the New
Testament doesn’t command tithing,
tithing is now passé. They would use
the phrase proportionate giving to summarize New Testament giving. But unless
proportionate giving is seen through
the baseline of the Old Testament tithe,
that terminology is too often reduced
to something much more random and
thoughtless than the biblical ideal.
The fact that Jesus endorsed tithing
in Matthew 23:23 is an important
indication that the giving of a tithe is
a specific application of proportionate
giving and is a practice for believers
of all times. The Christ follower who
practices tithing is simply practicing
basic obedience—and obedience is
foundational to our relationship with
God. Tithing says, I love you, Lord.
What does biblical giving
look like for those who
desire to be fully devoted,
obedient, and joyful
followers of Christ?
The Truth about Money?
Everything we have and the ability to
earn more comes from God, and when
we give the Lord the first 10 percent of
our income, we’re acknowledging the
fact that 100 percent of what we have
belongs to him. When we withhold
our tithe, we are acting as if the money
were ours to do with as we pleased. God
says this even more strongly in Malachi
3:8-10: “Will a man rob God? Yet you
rob me. But you ask, ‘How do we rob
you?’ In tithes and offerings . . . . Bring
the whole tithe into the storehouse.”
Today there is a growing gap between
what God’s people can and should give
and what they actually do give. A 2003
survey among evangelicals reflects that
they gave 4.4 percent of their income
to God’s work. Even though we are the
richest nation in history, we are becoming
less generous toward God with our
money. In light of Jesus’ consistent
teaching on the subject, this reality is
alarming. Far too many of God’s people
are living in disobedience in this area of
their lives. Few Christ followers today
are experiencing the blessing that
comes from bringing in the whole tithe.
It is infinitely better to face
our financial challenges
with 90 percent of our
income plus God than
to be hanging on to 100
percent of what we make
and leave God out of
the picture.
Two common responses:
I can’t afford to tithe. What if we told
the government that we couldn’t pay our
taxes until we had paid off our debts?
The government would probably remind
us that our taxes belong to them and
we are not free to withhold them for
any reason. Similarly, our tithes belong
to God and should be given to Him.
Obedience always brings God into the
equation. It is infinitely better to face
our financial challenges with 90 percent
of our income plus God than to be
hanging on to 100 percent of what we
make and leave God out of the picture.
I’ll grow into it. Does tithing seem
like “advanced Christianity” to you:
801- or 901-level course work? Many
believers reason that someday they’ll
grow into tithing. In the meantime,
they figure, there are more-basic steps
to be taken on their spiritual journey.
Nothing could be further from the truth!
Not only is tithing one of the basic steps
to spiritual maturity, but also, the Bible
teaches that learning to manage our
money in a God-honoring way is a key to
experiencing overall spiritual progress:
“If you have not been trustworthy in
handling worldly wealth, who will trust
you with true riches?” (Luke 16:11).
If we get tithing wrong, it will be very
difficult to get anything else right in
our relationship with God. Tithing is
foundational! The greatest roadblock
to spiritual growth in the lives of many
Christ followers in an affluent culture
is their attitude toward money. We
cannot expect God to bless us if we
are not faithfully obedient, and we
cannot become mature Christians if
we’re not generous. We long for you
to experience the blessing and joy
that obedient giving produces.
Take Up the Challenge!
In Malachi 3:10, God issues an amazing
challenge to His people:
“Bring the whole tithe into the
storehouse, that there may be food
in my house. Test me in this,” says
the lord Almighty, “and see if I
will not throw open the floodgates
of heaven and pour out so much
blessing that you will not have
room enough for it.”
Will you take up God’s challenge? Will
you tithe for the next six months and
watch what happens? The blessing
God promises may not come in the
form of financial reward. It may be the
blessing of answered prayer, peace of
mind, spiritual growth, clear direction
in a decision, or healing of a broken
relationship. Some people have found
that just the simple act of calculating
the tithe brings structure and discipline
to the overall management of their
finances—and that, too, is a blessing!
May we be joy-filled, generous
stewards of our time, talent, and
treasure—fully devoted, obedient,
and joyful followers of Christ who are
experiencing the blessing of being fully
devoted, obedient, and joyful givers. n
What you should
know about
Online Giving
to Wheaton
Bible Church
This free and convenient service:
• simplifies the giving process
• allows you to give 24/7
• improves stewardship
• encourages consistency
• increases our administrative
effectiveness.
Try it today! Go to
wheatonbible.org and click
on Online Giving at the
bottom of the home page.
You can either create a
login account—or “Pay as a
Guest” for a one-time gift.
Easy to start, change, or stop!
No check writing!
No mail delays!
No bank charge!
Questions? Email the Finance Department
at [email protected] or
call 630.876.6625.
Winter 2010–2011 | LIFE at Wheaton Bible Church
38
Place 4 You
Belonging & Bible
Study for Women
By Amy Hogan
M
ost of us look for a place to fit in, a place to belong. A place where people
know us, care about us, listen to us, encourage us—and where we can do
the same for others. That’s what inspired the name for the midweek women’s
Bible studies on Tuesday nights and Wednesday mornings. If you are a
woman—from 16 to 96—Place 4 You truly is “A Place for You!”
Begun over a decade ago, Place 4 You (P4Y) has grown into the largest Bible
Study option for women at our church, and one of the largest in our community.
We believe that P4Y’s success has a lot to do with its underpinnings as a ministry
built on the mission of our larger church body—to love God, grow together, and
reach the world. Through P4Y, women are simultaneously increasing their love
for God, growing together, and reaching the world through serving others and
sharing the Gospel.
“He brought me back to His Word and opened my heart.”
The Study
The Groups
Because the women study the
Bible at home throughout the week,
they come to the Tuesday-night or
Wednesday-morning gatherings prepared for that week’s lesson—either
presented by one of the P4Y teachers
or on video— during large-group
time. Later, discussion flows freely
as women talk about how they are
being inspired or affected by what
the teacher shared that particular
week. It’s common to hear women
asking, “How does she know what’s
going on in my life? That was just
what I needed to hear!” Our leadership team and most participants are
quick to affirm how God uses His
Word to teach us more about Himself
and to meet us right where we are!
At the heart of Place 4 You are the
small groups. In these groups, women
talk about what they’ve learned in their
study during the week and encourage
one another to allow the Bible truth
they’ve learned to transform them as
followers of Christ. Groups also spend
time praying with and for one another.
It is so exciting to see how the women
grow to love one another—they’ll meet
for coffee or lunch, go to movies with
one another, and most important, meet
one another’s needs as they arise.
“This was my first Bible Study.
He is bringing me closer to Him.
I can’t learn fast enough! It was
a bonus that I met wonderful
women and made great friends!”
“Being new to the area and the
church, it helps me meet other
women to study and visit with.”
Each week Place 4 You welcomes
women who are new to our church
and our community. What a joy it
is to see God’s Word come alive
for a woman who has never heard
it before! n
Check out Place 4 You and other Women’s Ministry opportunities online at wheatonbible.
org/women, pick up a Women’s Ministry brochure at the Welcome Desk, or contact
Women’s Ministry Director Kellie Kammes, [email protected] or 630.876.6602!
39
LIFE at Wheaton Bible Church | Winter 2010–2011
MORE FOR WOMEN AT WBC!
Heart2Heart— Have you ever
wanted a mentor—an older woman
willing to share her seasoned faith,
life experiences, and encouragement
from someone who’s “been there”?
You’ll have that opportunity when
the new WBC Women’s Mentoring
program kicks off on January
29! Check the website for details
wheatonbible.org/women.
Moms Together—Offers moms of
kids ages birth through 5th grade a
presentation on a relevant topic, the
opportunity for discussion around
tables led by veteran moms, and a
hot breakfast. At the same time,
their younger children participate
in the Kids Together program, a
structured, active time of songs,
crafts, games, and stories.
A Night Before Christmas —
Designed to give each woman a
fresh look at the baby in the manger,
why He came, and the impact it has
on her life. Invite a friend to get a
great start on her Christmas celebration, as we focus together on the real
meaning of Christmas. Thursday,
December 2, 6:00–9:00 pm.
Women’s Retreat—Scheduled for
February 25–27, 2011. Don’t miss
this weekend when women can build
relationships with other women,
spend some quiet time alone and
with God, and return home ready
for what’s ahead. Our speaker will
be Ellie Lofaro. More info online at
wheatonbible.org/women.
ALSO FOR WOMEN:
Precept Upon Precept
Alpha for Women
Amy Hogan works in
Women’s Ministry as Bible
Study Staff Coordinator. She
is the wife of Worship Pastor
Brian Hogan, and mom to
Jansen, Carson, and Tyson.
WOME N ’S R E T R E AT • F E B R UA RY 25–27, 2011
SAY
TO
with featured
speaker Ellie Lofaro
For more information or to register,
visit www.wheatonbible.org/Retreat_2011
or call Women’s Ministry, 630.876.6689.
BOARD OF ELDERS MEETING HIGHLIGHTS
Each month’s Board of Elders meeting
includes updates on matters of concern and interest,
and staff reports. For this issue of LIFE, I am sharing
highlights of a few of those that best represent
both God’s hand on our ministries and the range
of topics and issues that the Board addresses. My
hope is that these will encourage you in your walk
of faith and energize your prayers for our church.
Jim Goetz
Chairman, Board of Elders
JULY 13th MEETING
Ministry Planning Process in Its Fourth Year
The Board approved the plans submitted by each ministry for
the 2010–2011 ministry year. The plans lay out 171 goals and 503
objectives that align with our mission and a set of annual priorities.
Operations and Ministry Planning director Jeff Erickson said that
the process ensured that ministry plans (1) support the mission, (2)
tie into available resources, and (3) roll into overall church plans.
Jeff added that this level of planning is rare for churches and
that although we still have a ways to go, the level of cooperation
and collaboration among our ministries has been increasing.
Cost-Reduction Contingency Plan Implementation
Contributes to Parking Lot Construction Delay
A slowdown in giving during June and July, amounting to 7.6 percent
below budget, triggered the use of a plan created to ensure that we
would be able to promptly, thoroughly, and appropriately address
unexpected financial situations like this. The Board approved a
Finance Committee recommendation that all contingency expenses
and capital projects be placed on hold. This included construction
of the South Parking Lot that already had been delayed because of
a three-month construction-permit approval process and project
scheduling backups caused by an area construction-workers’ strike.
Seeing this situation as God’s leading, the Board and Finance
Committee recommended that we build the lot next summer.
AUGUST 10th MEETING
Students continued to bring friends to Monday Night Live all
summer long. There were games, theme nights, free BBQ dinners,
and strong Gospel messages. More than 200 students attended
the last night!
SEPTEMBER 14th MEETING
An “Up” Summer
Children’s Ministry pastor Vance Frusher reported that June, July, and
August were used to tune up, sign up, and gear up. “Summer Sundays”
offered regular teachers time off and gave elementary children time
with missionaries and an array of special guest speakers, including
Master Ron and the Merry Heart Clowns. About 1,000 children
attended our 12 Neighborhood Bible Clubs, and at least 50
accepted Christ. Encouraged by the NEXT campaign, along with many personal
invitations and a great deal of prayer, 550 volunteers answered God’s
call to serve in Sunday morning Children’s Ministry this fall. The result
was that every room was open and staffed from the very first Sunday.
From August to May these ministry partners team up with Vance’s
10-person—part-time and full-time—staff to lead almost 1,000 open,
young hearts on a spiritual expedition, an adventure with God. About
800 children are involved on Sunday mornings. On Mondays, 30
attend Treasured Promises. Awana’s Bible memorization focus draws
400 on Wednesday evenings, and GEMS, our special-needs ministry,
now has eight children signed up for a new midweek gathering.
Alpha Expands Its Reach
As we begin our fourth year of Alpha, we’re seeing how God can
use a ministry totally dedicated to providing a safe place for people
to explore the meaning of life from a Christian perspective. Alpha
Leader Jonathan Ziman said that 240 people have had the Alpha
experience since it began. The 10-week, Thursday-night program
of dinner, video, and discussion is a life changer for the four to
eight attenders who accept Christ during each class and for the 48
volunteers who set the spiritual, personal, and actual table each
week. In addition to traditional Alpha, Lois Linnane and a team
of women began Alpha for Women on Wednesday mornings,
and this year we are exploring a version for neighborhoods.
Global Outreach: the Next Generation
Pastor Jeremy Tullis said that Student Ministry experienced an extra
measure of God’s presence and power on Sunday mornings, on
Project Serve, and at Summer Monday Night Live (MNL) in June and
July. Throughout the summer, junior high and high school students
gathered together on Sunday mornings. God used the energy of the
age mix and larger group to keep students engaged and growing.
For the first time ever, in one night the Board of Elders approved
the sending and support of 10 new missionaries. Eight will form
the first MOVE Team, serving North African immigrants in France,
and two, Luke and Shannon N. will serve on a church-planting
team in Asia. Global Outreach pastor Bill Oberlin said that eight
of these young adults are first-time missionaries and added that
we are sending “our best.” (The MOVE Team was introduced to
the congregations during worship services on September 19.)
Project Serve was different this year. Project sites were aligned with
church missionaries or major initiatives to challenge, train, and
equip students to be more involved in ministry and missions when
they returned home. One hundred fifty students and adult leaders
ministered in five domestic sites and one international location.
Bill also outlined plans for this year’s MissionsFest, held on October
3–7. The week of events brings focus to the refugee and immigrant
experience around the world. “Where Do We Go from Here?”
includes a special 30-day devotional, time with 21 missionaries/
families, and the opportunity to give to the MOVE Initiative. n
Student Ministry “Takes Off” during Summer
41
The Genoa, Italy, team distributed 320 New Testaments to
Muslim families; the Manhattan team shared the Gospel on
the street; a team ran VBS camps in West Chicago; the Chicago
team learned about social justice, and a team member accepted
Christ. The Minneapolis team worked with Somali refugees, and
the Brooklyn team members shared their faith with peers.
LIFE at Wheaton Bible Church | Winter 2010–2011
ELDER PROFILE: Ken Amstutz
When did you first begin attending Wheaton
Bible Church?
Our family moved to Naperville in 1963, and we started
attending around that same time. I remember giving my
testimony during a Wednesday-evening prayer meeting
and joining the church during high school.
What are your most memorable experiences?
I will never forget the business meeting when we voted to
sell “the church” to St. John’s Lutheran. I was an Elder at the
time and made the presentation that evening. I described
the plan, and I also shared how God had changed my heart
about the relocation. Having been involved in many of
the discussions about property selling, land purchase, and
building construction, I had been apprehensive; there were
so many details. However, by the time I stood to present
the plan, the fear had turned to trust. As we know now, God
was intimately involved in all the details. The sale, building
costs, and congregational donations all came together.
Tell us a little about your service at WBC.
I am currently serving my fourth term (each one is three
years) as an Elder and am now treasurer and chairman of
the Finance Committee. Previous positions have been
on the land-sale committee.
For many years, my wife, Margit, and I have been on the
greeting team. And we have been members of the Community for Christ Adult Class since it started in the early
1970s—when it was known as the “young married class.”
When and how did you accept Christ as your Savior?
I accepted Christ as my Savior during a father-son retreat
while I was in junior high school. I have to admit that at that
point my choice was more to protect me from hell than out
of gratitude for Christ’s sacrifice. With each passing year, I
have come to adore Christ more and more for His amazing
love and gracious individual sacrifice for me. It’s now more
about worshiping for His glory as King rather than Judge.
Tell us a little about yourself and your family.
I grew up in Naperville, and after Margit and I were married,
we lived in Wheaton, Carol Stream, Winfield, and now Glen
Ellyn. We will celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary in
2011. We have three married children and 12 grandchildren.
All our children and grandchildren are faithfully following
God—we are very blessed.
Not many people know it, but Margit and I met at this church
during high school. At that time, the Student Ministry had a
choir that led worship during one of the morning services.
What is your favorite Scripture?
My favorite verses are Ephesians 1:13–14: “In him you also,
when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation,
and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,
who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire
possession of it, to the praise of his glory” (ESV).
Photo by Rich Lanenga
Because in my profession I deal with money and real estate, the
idea of the Holy Spirit as God’s deposit in us, as “earnest money,”
when we accept Christ as Savior really resonates with me.
The King James Version says, “redemption of the purchased
possession” (v. 14). We are already purchased. God just hasn’t
come back yet to collect what He has paid for!
Is there a favorite recent book that comes to mind?
The Hole in the Gospel is very convicting. It contrasts the
abundance and blessings we have with the desperate
needs of the third world.
If you could speak with each member of the
congregation, what would you ask?
How are you involved? Where are you using your spiritual
gifts? To become the local church that God intends for us
to be, everyone needs to participate. As Pastor Rob says,
we are the church. The “we” in our mission statement is
so important. I have been encouraged since our move as
hundreds of new people have chosen to get involved. n
Winter 2010–2011 | LIFE at Wheaton Bible Church
42
GOD’S
KINGDOM
WITHOUT
BORDERS
MISSION ON YOUR DOORSTEP 2011
MULTI-CHURCH EQUIPPING CONFERENCE
MARCH 4–5, 2011
WHEATON BIBLE CHURCH
www.MissionOnYourDoorstep.com
When is the indoor playground,
the Play Zone, open?
• Monday, 8:00 am–5:00 pm
• Tuesday–Friday, 8:00–9:30 am,
11:30 am–1:00 pm, 3:00–5:00 pm
• Saturday, 8:00 am–12:00 pm
• Sunday, closed
• Parental supervision and
socks required.
What are the Library and
DVD Corner hours?
• The Library is open when
the building is open.
• The DVD Corner is open Sunday
and Wednesday mornings.
When is Chapters, the bookstore, open?
• Monday–Friday,
9:00 am–2:00 pm
• Wednesday, 6:30–9:00 pm
• Sunday, 7:30 am–2:00 pm
When is Gathering Grounds open?
• Tuesday and Wednesday,
9:00 am–1:00 pm
• Wednesday, 6:00–9:00 pm
• Sunday, 7:00 am–2:00 pm
I wasn’t here on Sunday. How
can I make an offering?
• There is a drop-box slot in
the atrium wall. It is next to the
West Worship Center doors and
to the right of the Visitor Center.
• You can also give online at
www.wheatonbible.org/Online_Giving.
When is the Prayer Tower open?
• The Prayer Tower is available
when the building is open.
Where is the Lost and Found?
• The Lost and Found is located
in a large cabinet on the main
level to the right of the Children’s
Ministry Welcome Desk.
• Also at the main Welcome Desk
in the atrium.
I wasn’t here on Sunday. How
can I listen to the sermon?
• You can listen to Sunday sermons,
subscribe to podcasts, download
MP3 files of sermons, and access
sermon PowerPoint notes and
Daily Devotionals at
www.wheatonbible.org/Sermons_Online.
For answers to other questions, call
the Welcome Desk, 630.260.1600.
Looking for your December to February calendar pages? Find them
online at wheatonbible.org/calendar—ready to view or download and print!
FAQ/Contact
Adult Ministry
• Sunday Adult Classes
• College Ministry
• Young Adult
• Singles 35+
Rhonda Ford, 630.876.6610
[email protected]
Baptism
Lynne Morris, 630.876.6659
[email protected]
Chapters Bookstore
Sally Wirth, 630.876.6673
[email protected]
Children’s Ministry
Pam Moore, 630.876.6627
[email protected]
Church Finance/Giving
Augustine Gilmore, 630.876.6613
[email protected]
Communication
Dave Thomson, 630.876.6642
[email protected]
Community Groups
Rhonda Ford, 630.876.6610
[email protected]
EquipU
Topical discipleship and instruction
Katie Labosier, 630.876.6628
[email protected]
Family Ministry
Pam Moore, 630.876.6627
[email protected]
Funerals
Caroljoy Spensley, 630.876.6635
[email protected]
Men’s Ministry
Pam Moore, 630.876.6627
[email protected]
Getting Connected
Lynne Morris, 630.876.6659
[email protected]
Preschool—Weekdays
Esther Erickson, 630.876.6674
[email protected]
Global Outreach
• GO Teams
• Heart for AIDS
• MOVE Initiative
Susan Wegner, 630.876.6685
[email protected]
Puente del Pueblo
Eileen Carapia, 630.876.6633
[email protected]
Iglesia del Pueblo
Rosa Matos, 630.876.6623
[email protected]
Student Ministry
Kristin DeMerchant, 630.876.6650
[email protected]
Low Income Legal Aid
Administer Justice, 1.877.778.6006
[email protected]
Support Groups
Andrew Flores , 630.260.1600
[email protected]
Library
Judi Turek, 630.876.6671
[email protected]
Volunteering
Rhonda Ford, 630.876.6610
[email protected]
Local Impact
Eileen Carapia, 630.876.6633
[email protected]
Weddings
Judi Gillison, 630.876.6612
[email protected]
Maturing Adults
Andrew Flores, 630.260.1600
[email protected]
Women’s Ministry
Becky Anderson, 630.876.6602
[email protected]
Membership
Lynne Morris, 630.876.6659
[email protected]
Worship and Creative Arts
Caroljoy Spensley, 630.876.6635
[email protected]
Scheduling a Room
Judi Gillison, 630.876.6612
[email protected]
Winter 2010–2011 | LIFE at Wheaton Bible Church
44
Helping you find healing and hope
in the midst of struggle and brokenness.
u
DivorceCare
Foradultswhohaveexperienceddivorceorseparation.
u
Treasured Promises
Supportgroupforchildrenwhohaveexperiencedchangeintheir
familiesastheresultofdivorceorthedeathofalovedone.
u
Single Parenting Track
Educationandencouragementforsingleparents(divorced,
widowed,ornevermarried)whohavechildreninTreasuredPromises.
u
GriefShare
Forthosegrievingandstrugglingwiththedeathofalovedone.
u
Substance Recovery Group
Forindividualsstrugglingwithalcoholand/ordrugaddiction.
u
RESTORE After Abortion
Forthosewhohaveexperiencedapregnancylossthroughabortion.
u
Faithful and True for Women
Encouragementandsupportforwomeninasettingwheretheycan
discussandlearnaboutissuesrelatingtosexualintegrityinfamilies.
u
COMPASS for Men
Forsingleandmarriedmenwhoarestrugglingwithsexual
temptationorsin,includingpornography.
u
Widow/Widower Support Group
Acaringgroupofindividualswhounderstandwhatit’sliketogoon
withyourlifeafterthelossofaspouse.
For more information,contactSupportGroupCoordinatorBillBrown,
630.876.6686,[email protected] orvisitwww.wheatonbible.org/
Support_Groups.
December 2010 Calendar of Events
4cp
For more information on any of these events, please visit www.wheatonbible.org or call 630.260.1600
N OTES
28
S u n day
29
MO N DAY
30
TU ESDAY
WE DN ESDAY
1
EquipU: Understanding
Islam 4 of 4, 6:45-8:00 pm
2
THU R SDAY
A Night Before
Christmas, 6:00-9:00 pm
3
FR IDAY
GEMS Christmas Dinner,
6:00–8:30 pm
SATUR DAY
4
Quest Christmas Party,
6:30-9:00 pm
High School Girls’
Sleepover, 8:00 pm
5
DuPage Community
Clinic Info Meeting,
12:30–1:30 pm
6
7
Board of Elders Meeting,
6:30-9:30 pm
8
EquipU: Visionary
Marriage, 6:45–8:00 pm
9
Vanguard Gathering,
5:30–8:00 pm
10
11
Building A
Christmas Memory,
9:00 am–1:00 pm
GEMS Respite Care,
11:00–2:00 pm, Off site
Glory Kids Choir
Christmas Concert,
6:00–8:00 pm
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
Refugee Resettlement
Info Meeting,
12:30–1:30 pm
Treasured Promises
Celebration,
6:00–8:30 pm
Staff Offices close at
noon
Christmas Eve Services,
4:00 and 6:00 pm
Iglesia Christmas Eve
Service, 7:30 pm
26
No Children’s Ministry
(K-6)
No Student Ministry
No Adult Classes
27
Building closes at
5:30 pm
28
Building closes at
5:30 pm
29
Building closes at
5:30 pm
30
Building closes at
5:30 pm
31
Staff Offices and Building
close at noon
Iglesia New Year’s
Eve Service,
11:00 pm–1:00 am
Christmas, Staff Offices
and Building Closed
January 2011 Calendar of Events
4cp
For more information on any of these events, please visit www.wheatonbible.org or call 630.260.1600
N OTES
S u n day
MO N DAY
TU ESDAY
WE DN ESDAY
TH U R SDAY
FR I DAY
SATUR DAY
1
New Year’s Day, Staff
Offices and Building
Closed
2
No Children’s Ministry
(K-6)
3
4
5
Children’s Ministry
Summit, 6:30-8:00 pm
No Adult Classes
Building closes at
3:00 pm
9
7
Precepts Women’s
Bible Study begins,
9:15–11:30 am
No Student Ministry
Hunger Team Training,
12:30-2:30 pm
6
Huddle for Men
resumes, 6:15-7:30 am
10
SearchLight Forum,
9:30 am–1:00 pm
Monday Night Live
resumes, 7:00–9:00 pm
11
Place 4 You Women’s
Bible Study begins,
6:30–9:00 pm
12
Place 4 You Women’s
Bible Study begins,
9:30–11:30 am
8
GEMS Respite Care,
11:00 am–2:00 pm,
Off site
13
14
15
20
21
22
Prayer for Missionaries,
9:30–10:30 am
Career Transition
Workshop begins,
8:00–10:00 am
Kenya GO Team departs
Studio78 resumes,
6:30–8:30 pm
EquipU: Educational
Choices for the Christian
Family, 6:45-8:00 pm
16
Begin@WBC starts,
11:00 am–12:15 pm
17
18
19
Alpha for Women
begins, 9:30–11:30 am
Alpha begins,
6:30–8:30 pm
EquipU: Taking Your
Teen Before the Lord,
6:45–8:00 pm
Hands & Heart Quilters,
1:00–5:00 pm
Budget Forum,
6:45–7:45 pm
23
Single Purpose Retreat
Refugee Resettlement
Info Meeting,
12:30–1:30 pm
24
Moms Together,
9:30–11:30 am
25
High School Winter Camp
Annual Meeting, 6:00–7:30 pm
Rob and Amy Rienow Farewell Open House,
4:00-6:00 pm
31
Single Purpose Retreat
Winter Blow Out,
4:00–9:00 pm
27
28
High School Winter
Camp
GEMS Friday Night
Fellowship,
7:00–8:30 pm
Treasured Promises
starts, 6:00–8:00 pm
30
26
Single Purpose Retreat
29
High School Winter
Camp
Heart2Heart Mentee
Coffee, 9:00-11:30 am
February 2011 Calendar of Events
4cp
For more information on any of these events, please visit www.wheatonbible.org or call 630.260.1600
N OTES
S u n day
MO N DAY
1
TU ESDAY
WE DN ESDAY
2
EquipU: Addiction: A
Biblical Looks at Causes
and Cure, 6:45–8:00 pm
3
THU R SDAY
4
FR IDAY
SATUR DAY
5
Vanguard Gathering,
11:30 am–2:00 pm
Jr. High Winter Camp
Jr. High Winter Camp
10
11
12
Baptism Preparation 1
of 2, 7:30–8:30 pm
6
Jr. High Winter Camp
7
Administer Justice Info
Meeting, 12:30–1:30 pm
8
9
Brunch with a
Missionary,
9:30-11:15 am
EquipU: Bringing Your
World to Christ 1 of 3,
6:45–8:00 pm
Board of Elders Meeting,
6:30–9:30 pm
Baptism Preparation 2
of 2, 7:30–8:30 pm
Quest56 Game Night,
6:30-9:00 pm
Belong@WBC
Membership Seminar
part 1, 7:00–9:00 pm
Family Dedication
Preparation,
6:45–8:00 pm
13
Baptism
14
15
16
EquipU: Bringing Your
World to Christ 2 of 3,
6:45–8:00 pm
17
18
Prayer for Missionaries,
9:30–10:30 am
Belong@WBC
Membership
Seminar part 2,
9:00 am–12:00 pm
GEMS Respite Care,
11:00 am–2:00 pm,
Off site
19
Hands & Heart Quilters,
1:00–5:00 pm
Awana T&T Grand Prix,
6:00–8:00 pm
20
Family Dedication
21
Big Buddies Info
Meeting, 12:30–1:30 pm
27
Women’s Retreat
22
23
EquipU: Bringing Your
World to Christ 3 of 3,
6:45–8:00 pm
Core Group Competition
Night, 7:00–9:00 pm
28
24
25
Women’s Retreat
GEMS Friday
Night Fellowship,
7:00–8:30 pm
26
Women’s Retreat
4cp
Upcoming events
For more information on any of these events, please visit www.wheatonbible.org or call 630.260.1600
Mark Your Calendar...
Mission on Your Doorstep Conference
Moms Together
Saturday, March 4
March 7, 9:30–11:30 am
Local Impact Sunday
Building A Successful Step-Family
Conference with Ron Deal
March 5
March 19, 8:30 am–4:00 pm