the Church of God. Most of our members are from the Catholic Church, and many others who were new to our congregation also needed to know about our denomi- nation’s Wesleyan/Methodist roots, gov- ernment, and so on.
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Following the video, I logged on to the international Church of God website and projected the images onto the large screen. We visited a few of the state links, some divisions and departments, and spent most of our time on the World Missions area. The overarching take-away was that we are a part of something much larger than our local congregation.
Our Local History
Life Church of Chicagoland held its first public service in the Holiday Inn in Oak Lawn (a south Chicago suburb) in September 2000, and in May 2003 we purchased our facility located in Palos Heights (another suburb). For the first three years, we remained unaffiliated. My goal was to take time to put some dis- tance between church storms of the past that many of our members had experi- enced and the start of our new adventure. I also wanted to know that I had a word from the Lord saying, “This is the way to go.” After reading the book Good to Great, I knew that being a part of something larger than ourselves would be the safe place for our church plant to be estab- lished, covered, and nurtured for genera- tions to come, should the Lord tarry.
The Case for Being Connected
I am an ordained bishop in the Church of God who has been creden- tialed since 1981. I have ministered extensively in various denominational and independent churches and have gleaned much from observing them through the years. Many great things can be said about them and their particular structures and ministry emphases. How- ever, I believe the Church of God is a movement whose future will continue to evolve in step with the moves of the Holy
22 EVANGEL • SEP 2010
URING A RECENT men’s ministry event at our church, I played a video describing the structure, ministries, and history of
S ARE’ ‘FMY
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SUPPORTING OUR GLOBAL MANDATE by Freddie Steel
Spirit while, at the same time, drawing from its rich spiritual heritage. I have had great fellowship with lead- ers from other Pentecostal denominations who have all said they see the Church of God as a movement devoted to remain- ing Pentecostal in reality. I believe we are moving toward our finest hour.
Submission and Trust
We brought Life Church into the Church of God for several reasons. The main reason was protection from ourselves. I have a close friend who is a coach, and he says the difference between a winning team and a losing one is the attention to details. At Life Church, we have several layers of accountability throughout all levels of leadership that act as a default mechanism should intervention ever be warranted due to strife, self-sabotage, or wrongdoing. Being part of the Church of God provides more accountability. I am committed to something greater than philosophical submission to author- ity. I am committed to genuine and prac- tical submission to authority, especially when I may be tempted to cast off the restraint and assert my own agenda.
Our denomination’s administrative bishops are invaluable resources, and mine is located about 30 minutes away. He has mentored us, prayed for us, and stood with us. He has shielded us from assaults and has been an invaluable asset concerning business and administration, personnel issues, care and counseling, and friendship. His local office has shared resources with us freely and enabled us to tap into dynamic youth camps, Christian education resourc- es, outreach programs and campaigns, and global networking that we would not have had access to on our own.
For the small amount that we send in monthly, we get far more than our money’s worth. We get quality consulta- tion and guidance, strength and security, and a shared identity with a global move- ment. Why would I not give the proper financial support to those whom I desper- ately need and who faithfully serve me?
One Accord
It is unhealthy and a waste of time to find fault with someone or something if my church is not prospering. I have never cast blame anywhere except at my own doorstep when enduring the rough
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