We love cities. We love church planting. For over two years, Cathy and I have been prayerfully considering moving out again in a new ministry adventure. 

In 2017, we compiled a list of 12 cities we believed needed church plants.  Our hearts were drawn to each of these cities – each rich in culture, history, development, influence, ethnic diversity, food (of course), and spiritual need. Each having a history of glaring community struggles and tensions, crime and economic problems.

Chicago was #1 on our list.  We can’t get this city off our hearts! We know the work will be challenging, but Christ has inspired us to embrace the challenge.  We believe that, by his grace, and the support of his people, we are called to step out in bold, expectant faith.

Initial Narrow Ministry Target: We will prayerfully seek Christ’s Spirit to empower us to relationally connect to and serve urban professionals, the arts community, the college/university/graduate school students.  Most in this demographic are center-city-focused singles, marrieds, and families, most of whom are culture makers and civic leaders.  This is the most unchurched/de-churched demographic in America; however, this crowd, to a significant degree, has an ingrained justice ethic and pro-world vision.  They resonate with the Shalom/Peace vision of the scriptures.  Reach them for Christ and they will respond to his call to earnestly labor for the healing of the torn social fabric of Chicago. By the grace of God and for his glory, they will use their influence to spread the fragrance of Christ in every arena of society. 

Broader Ministry Target: By the power of Christ Jesus, we will labor for city flourishing, church flourishing and world flourishing. We will seek to plant a church out of which will come other church plants in the future.. We will share in Kingdom ministry to the whole of the urban community fabric in Chicago and share in the global mission of God. We will partner with non-profits and other ministries who serve the urban poor and marginalized, pursue Biblical justice and works of reconciliation, promote cultural enrichment, and community renewal. We believe the gospel leads us to seek the flourishing of individuals, families, neighborhoods, and the marketplace.

Our church will value incarnational ministry where people share life with their neighbors, love them where they are, provide people a safe process to consider the historic Christian faith, and persevere in faithful service to their neighbors regardless of their response.

We will prayerfully labor to be a multi-ethnic church planting movement.

We will be committed to catholic, evangelical (historic use of “evangelical” not currently politically hijacked use of that term) and reformed orthodoxyand faithful devotion to sacred scripture. We will be committed to lovingly speaking the truth of Christ’s word in a contextual fashion that addresses modern people’s questions and struggles. We will minister the grand story narrative of Jesus Christ into the story narratives on which modern people are basing their lives.

Our worship will be liturgical and soulful. We will emphasize our ancient-future faith in a heartfelt accessible manner.

We will be a Gospel-centric church emphasizing the power of Christ Jesus to reconcile us to God, one another, ourselves and our calling in God’s world.

We will maintain a spirit of unity, showing respect and gratitude for the broader body of Christ’s church.

We will teach a public/political theology that equips believers with the ethic of Christ’s kingdom.

Our governance will be Presbyterian.

Our emphasis will be urban center city ministry.

Goal:

Launch the inaugural worship service of an EPC Missional Church called Resurrection City Church Chicago (RC3 for short) by the year 2029. The desire is for this work to become particularized in due time and then to function as a missional church planting church movement in Chicago.

Objectives:

1)  Launch Jeffrey Lancaster as a Chicago Work/Life Community Chaplain beginning in 2024.

2) Establish a growing social media presence for the Chicago Work/Life Community Chaplain work by the end of 2024.  Work on putting out content videos.

3) Chicago Work/Life Chaplain: Host happy hour gatherings and felt need seminar luncheons at WeWork.

4) Chicago Work/Life Chaplain: Build toward 5-7 counseling/coaching meetings a week.

5) Continued engagement in regular friendship building, pastoral counseling, and discipleship ministry.

6) Host 6 to 7 seven-week dinner bible studies (on felt need topics) at our home each year.

7) Continue building goodwill with sister ministries and churches as well as non-profits in the city.

8) Build and minister Christ organically in a Life-Sharing Community – Social Community and City Service Community.

9) Host parties and concerts.

10) Keep Presbytery engaged in and impacted by this Mission.

11) Raise Prayer and Financial Support (Presbytery giving, local church giving, etc.).

12) Build a Missional Church Planting Launch Team by 2028.

13) Establish a succession trajectory.

14) Recruit an Assistant Church Planting Evangelist, Worship and Community Arts Leader, and Holistic Ministry and Cultural Engagement Coordinator by 2028.

15) Find meeting space for inaugural worship service and prepare for the launch service and follow-up lunch celebration.

16) Build website and start social media activity.

17) Have a plan in place for initial phases of building the worshiping community’s life and ministry together: social mixers, community groups, and ministry teams.