Chicago Fellowship Talks

As we begin the New Year, Ray explores what it means as a follower of Christ to be brave in a world filled with both real and imagined reasons to be afraid. What is the key to overcoming our fears and not allowing them to paralyze and compromise our commitment to being the men the Lord has called us to be? 

Dominique Gilliard concludes our series on the family by walking us through biblical passages and practical ideas for how we can faithfully follow Christ in leading our families to mutual flourishing. 

Jon Houghton continues our series on family by sharing thoughts from Mark 5. Regardless of the age of your kids, or whatever young people you are investing in Jon shares a framework for how we play our part in developing thriving children. 

Jarrett Stevens, Co-Pastor of Soul City Church in Chicago joins us to share about how we identify red flags in our family history that need healing in order to ensure that we don't pass them on. 

Jon Houghton interviews Ken Hooten about calling, vulnerability, serving and investing in disinvested communities.

Ray walks through some ways the Bible describes signs of unjust economic systems and ways for us to engage in making things right.

What did Christ accomplish on the cross? Skye explains the contrast between our horizontal relationship with each other, our vertical relationship with God, and how being reconciled to each other first is what makes it possible for us to be reconciled to God.

Dominique Gilliard kicks off a series that leans into spiritual maturity. Spiritual maturity includes a biblical and robust understanding of justice. This week focuses on the reality that biblical justice is inherently restorative.

Dr. Cha leads a discussion on the questions young people are asking today as compared to the questions we were asking when we were young.

Resisting the temptation to make God in our image and instead being made into God's image. 

Expanding on 1 John 3:16-18 and John 13:34-35

Skye Jethani shares at the Chicago Fellowship 2022 Annual Fall Retreat on identity and calling.

Skye Jethani shares at the 2022 Fall Annual Retreat on identity and calling.

Jon Houghton describes how all of the things that we care about flow out of the development of our character. This takes intentional investment and we explore 6 strategies for developing character. 

Ray completes the series "Thoughts on Prayer" with some summary thoughts on how to personalize the instructions Jesus gives to His disciples about how to pray. Also, Ray, Tim MacKenzie, and Jon Houghton give a brief update on plans for the Retreat and Fall Season.

Jon Houghton interviews two Chicago Fellowship members Brian Dye and Kevin Taylor about where they find God's beauty in their neighborhoods of Garfield Park and Rogers Park. We are all challenged to ask the questions,  "What is the beauty to celebrate in our own community? and Where there is brokenness in our community, how might God call us to engage in addressing it?"

Prayer has been called a "compelling wonder" and "confounding mystery". It is certainly these things but it is mostly a "profound invitation". As we consider the words of Jesus in Matthew 6:10 we will explore the nature of the invitation He is extending to us to participate with Him as intercessors representing His Kingdom in our present world. 

In a culture that promotes a profound sense of denial and the managing of the image of who we are, how do we become a community of men that is a safe place to make ourselves known. A place where honesty with God and one another both heals us and strengthens our witness of who Jesus is to our world?

Ray continues the series "Thoughts on Prayer" with a look at the Lord's Prayer and the deep and powerful meaning of the words "Our Father…" with which the instruction of Jesus begins.

Jon Houghton and Jordan Raynor discuss how Christians respond to the radical, biblical truth that their work matters for eternity.

Dr. Peter Cha shares with us some of the cultural and social narratives that have infiltrated our Christian communities and the negative impact these narratives have had on our lives and our witness to the world.

Joel Hamernick of our Fellowship explores what the scripture has to say about the importance and power of play. While it is easy to relate to God based on a "work ethic" made up of things like calling and purpose, why it is important to have a "play ethic" as well. To be intentional about enjoying God and our world in imaginative and creative ways?

Why are we always in such a hurry? What do these words from Psalm 46 tell us about God, ourselves, and the value of being still? 

Ray begins a short series on prayer by sharing some general thoughts about what prayer is and some of the questions we all have related to it. Do our prayers matter to God? Do they matter in this world? How do we experience more of the peace Paul talked about in Phil. 4:5-7 when we pray?