Fellowship Church of Carol Stream
130 Shawnee Drive
Carol Stream, IL 60188
630-668-5400
While The Church is the believers who make up the
congregation, our church building is located not far from North Avenue and Gary
in the original subdivision of Carol Stream. We are one block west of Gary
Avenue and one block south of Thunderbird Trail (less than a mile north of North
Avenue)
Statement of Faith (as contained in our Church Constitution)
Section 1. BIBLE
We believe the Bible to be the complete Word of God, verbally inspired by God
and inerrant in its original form, the final authority in all matters of faith
and practice, and the true basis of Christian union.
2 Timothy 3:16, 2 Peter 3:16, Romans 3:2, Matthew 15:6, John 10:35, Hebrews
4:12
Section 2. GODHEAD
We believe in one GOD, Creator of all , holy, sovereign, eternal, existing in
three equal persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Deuteronomy 6:4, John 6:27, Hebrews 1:8, Acts 5:3-4, Matthew 28:19
Section 3. CHRIST
We believe in the absolute deity of Christ, existing with the Father before
the beginning. We believe He was born of a virgin, Mary, lived a sinless life,
died a substitutionary death for the sake of mankind, was bodily resurrected,
and ascended to the right hand of God the Father, from which we eagerly await
His personal and imminent return.
John 1:1, Matthew 1:16, 18-25, I John 1:9-2:2, Mark 16:19, I Thessalonians
4:14-17
Section 4. HOLY SPIRIT
We believe in the deity and personality of the Holy Spirit. He convicts
concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment to come; and He regenerates,
sanctifies, and illuminates all those who have received Jesus Christ as Savior.
He gives spiritual gifts for service, some which being sign gifts, have ceased.
Acts 5:3-4, John 16:7-15, I Corinthians 6:11, I Peter 4:10,
I Corinthians 12:4-11, 13:8-10, Hebrews 2:4, Acts 2:43,
2 Corinthians 2:12, Ephesians 2:20
Section 5. SATAN
We believe Satan exists, is the evil personality who brought sin to man, and
is the enemy of God and man.
Genesis 3, Job 1, Revelation 20:7-10
Section 6. MAN
We believe man was divinely created in the image of God, but through the sin
of Adam became utterly sinful and totally depraved in all aspects of his
personality, thus incurring physical and spiritual death.
Genesis 2:7, 3:1-24; I Corinthians 15:21-22
Section 7. REGENERATION
We believe regeneration is an act of the Holy Spirit, whereby those who are
spiritually dead in sin are made alive. Through this new birth experience the
believer's whole nature is renewed and he is indwelt by the Holy Spirit. This is
the work of God's free and special grace alone.
Titus 3:4-7, John 3:3-8
Section 8. REPENTANCE
We believe repentance is man's response to God, acknowledging himself a
sinner, and accepting the forgiveness freely offered by Jesus Christ.
I John 1:19, Luke 5:31-32
Section 9. FAITH
We believe saving faith is man's sole reliance on Christ's unique provision
of salvation for his soul.
Ephesians 2:8-9, Acts 16:30-31
Section 10. JUSTIFICATION
We believe justification is the repentant and regenerated man's release from
the guilt of sin and acceptance of man by God as righteous, through the atoning
work of Christ on the cross.
Galatians 2:15-16, Romans 4:25
Section 11. PERSEVERANCE
We believe no true believer will ever by lost, but salvation will be his
eternally, even though he may disobey God's commands. While we do not condone
sin, we believe fellowship with God can be restored through repentance.
Romans 8:35-39, John 10:27-30, Hebrews 13:5
Section 12. FUTURE THINGS
We believe in the personal, bodily, imminent, premillenial return of the Lord
Jesus Christ; in the bodily resurrection of the just and the unjust; and in the
eternal blessings of the redeemed and the eternal punishment of the
unregenerated soul.
I Thessalonians 4:13-18, Matthew 25:31-46
Section 13. ORDINANCES
We believe the New Testament teaches two ordinances to be practiced by the
church. Those two being Baptism and the Lord's Supper.
A. BAPTISM
Baptism by immersion is a one time event to follow a person's profession of
faith in Jesus Christ for salvation. Baptism is an outward picture of an inward
change of heart.
Matthew 28:16-20, Romans 6:1-5
B. THE LORD'S SUPPER
The Lord's Supper, consisting of the bread and the cup is for those
professing faith in Christ for salvation. It is to be served and taken as
frequently as the leadership of the church deems fit. the cup represents the
shed blood of Christ and the bread symbolizes the broken body of Christ.
Dr. and Mrs. Phil Wood have been with the
congregation since the inaugural service on Easter Sunday, 1991. Previous to
that he served several years on the pastoral staff of Bethel Baptist Church in
Schaumburg, Illinois. The Woods have four children (Joshua, Brittany, Brooke,
and Jeremy). Their oldest son is enrolled as a freshman math major at Liberty
University in Lynchburg, Virginia; the girls are at Wheaton Academy and Jay
Stream Middle School; and their youngest son is home-schooled. Penne is a
committed homemaker and actively leads the ladies' ministry at the church. She
is a graduate of Bob Jones University, is certified as a secondary education
math and science teacher, and has taught at Southside Christian School in
Greenville, South Carolina, Schaumburg Christian School and Medinah Christian.
Currently she tutors home-bound students for Glenbard North High
School. Pastor Phil graduated with a Doctor of Ministry from Trinity
Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois. He is from the
Chicago area and during the past 25 years has worked on church staffs in
Florida, Wyoming, and, of course, Illinois. His burden is for a congregation
that is building up one another in the church and, in turn, reaching outside the
church to Northern DuPage County and around the world with the Gospel of Jesus
Christ.
A free nursery is available at all services and loving volunteers provide
age-appropriate care. During the 9:45 Sunday School and the 10:45 Sunday Worship
Service the nursery is available for infants through age 3. During the 8:20
worship service the nursery goes through pre-kindergarten.
The Preschool class is offered for children age 3 through pre-kindergarten.
The class begins at 9:45 am with the Sunday School hour and continues through
the 10:45 am worship hour. Our mission is to share Bible truths in order to
partner with parents in providing a firm foundation for salvation and Christian
living.
While programs are offered for the children, they are always welcome in our
worship services. There is also a Family Sunday School class at 9:45 am that is
specifically geared toward whole families attending together.
We love children at Fellowship Church and the place would seem dead if they
were not around. Aaron and Amy O’Brien, along with a whole crew of committed
volunteers, serves this age group.
Overall, there are age-appropriate Sunday School classes every Sunday at 9:45
with a 10:45 Children’s Church that complements and reinforces the teaching
from the previous hour. At 10:45 the children typically meet in the sanctuary
with their families and are dismissed after the singing.
The church also sponsors Boy Scout Troop 191 on Monday evenings, a children’s
program called A.W.A.N.A. on Wednesday evenings during the school year, Vacation
Bible School each year in June, A Harvest Party in October, A Christmas Musical
Program in December, and a Baptism class during the Lenten Season. There are
also summer camp opportunities to such places as Word of Life Ranch, AWANA camp
and Camp Cherith.
The Building Blocks to seeing your teen thrive spiritually
Sometimes frustrated parents show up at church as a last resort and expect
the youth workers to fix my teen. It many of those cases, it is not the
teen but the home or the parents that need to be fixed. Fellowship Church has
been blessed with some very godly teens who are now, as young adults, going on
for the Lord. The following is an overview of our youth ministry, beginning with
the ABC’s of our philosophy of ministry:
A-Authentic Relationship with Jesus Christ
Has your teen been saved and baptized?
B-Bible Study
Is your teen learning the Word of God through family devotions, personal
study, Sunday School, Bible Quizzing, school, or Word of Life?
C-Church
Does your teen and your family attend worship services on a regular basis
and interact with other believers?
D-Devotions
Does your teen have a personal time of prayer and Bible study each day?
80% of 20-somethings in America do not attend church on a regular basis.
Why was this not part of their spiritual disciplines or why did they discard
it? Teens, like adults, need to have the corporate worship service as a
regular part of their spiritual life.
Sunday School
The Sunday School hour is just about the easiest and most convenient time
to introduce your teen to a fuller understanding of God’s Word, to other
teens who are Christians, and to healthy role models. All of our teachers are
solid believers, parents, and dedicated to helping your teen.
Word of Life
As an extension of our AWANA program, Word of Life meets on Wednesdays and
focuses upon the teen developing a daily quiet time with God. Following a time
of games and teaching, the teens meet in small groups with an adult mentor.
After at least one year of Word of Life, the high-schoolers are encouraged to
begin serving in AWANA as an assistant.
Bible Quizzing
One of the more fruitful programs we have maintained with our teens is the
Bible Quiz Team. This year the team will study the New Testament books of
Romans and James and will
travel to quizzes in Illinois, Wisconsin, and Indiana.
Upper Room
Meeting every Friday evening during the school year from 7:30 pm until 10, the
teens drop-in the church gym for a loosely structured game time with
volleyball, basketball, or other activities in the mezzanine. Parents and
older siblings are always invited and encouraged to attend and the program is
designed to bring families closer together. Beginning at 9, the teens are
assembled for an hour of prayer and sharing. At 10, some leave, but the games
often begin again.
Serving
Our teens have opportunity and are encouraged to serve in our church in
many meaningful ways. The music ministry, our nursery, and the AWANA program
are key areas where the teens have had the most ministry opportunities.
Summer Camp
Our desire is to offer a local camp experience for our 7th and 8th
graders and to organize a major camp trip (such as Word of Life Camp in New
York) twice during their high school years.
Mission Trips/Service Projects
Every other year when we do not have organized camp trips for the older
teens, the high-schoolers are encouraged to take part in a cross-cultural
mission experience. The mission trips are small groups led by parents or
other volunteers. We also want to offer regular opportunities for the teens
and their families to serve others in meaningful ways.
Why don’t we . . .?
The question is often asked we don’t do something that maybe another youth
group is doing. We are constantly evaluating and maybe some things should be
changed. In a day, however, when even the leaders of the church youth ministry
movement are admitting that the popular approach to youth ministry is failing to
reach and engage young people in a devoted walk with the Lord, it is hard to use
the popular approach as a model. We are open to any biblical philosophies,
methods, and programs that genuinely help us reach teens with the Gospel and see
them grow in the Lord. Because we value the parental relationship with the teen,
the supremacy of the Word of God, intergenerational involvement in the church,
and godliness, holiness, and purity, we have to reject some approaches. However
if something:
Genuinely reaches lost teens with the Gospel
Helps the believing teens to grow in their walk with the Lord
Draws the teen’s heart closer to family and parents, not away
Does not conflict with what we are already doing
Does not duplicate what they can easily get somewhere else
Promotes godliness, purity, and holiness
Is biblical
Then we are all for it and would consider making it a part of our youth
ministry. Out youth ministry is Christ-centered, teen-focused, and parent-led.
We have been blessed with so many solid young people going through our church
and continueing on with the Lord. That is amazing in this day and age. I have also
seen, however, in the same year two young people graduate high school whose
lives and hearts seemed worlds apart. What made the difference? Primarily, the
home. People who dabble with God often have children who don’t want anything
to do with Him. People who live authentic lives generally have children who want
to follow in their paths. While God has used the church and the youth ministry
to reach and help young people who had no support at home, by and large the
youth ministry is only a supplement and addition to the home ministry. Your
teens will usually never rise higher than your home.
The best way to help your teen is not to send them off to church, but to
accompany them and invite them into your own spiritual journey with the Lord.
Yes, there is a group that meets on Sunday evening all year long under the
direction of Steve and Janine Petry, both graduates of Wheaton College and the
Graduate School. While we draw primarily from Wheaton College during the school
year and even offer a Sunday morning shuttle, the burden is to have a greater
outreach to students at College of DuPage. During the summer many students come
home from various state and private institutions.
In addition to the worship services, there are Adult Bible Fellowships on
Sunday morning that include an Intergenerational Family Class, A Ladies’
Class, A Men’s Class, and several general classes. There is also a 13 week
Foundations Class taught twice per year.
While some of the home fellowships continue year round, many of them take a
break for the summer. At various times during the year there are weekday evening
and daytime ladies’ small groups, a Saturday morning men’s group, and
several home fellowships.
Forty years ago Jay Stream had a dream. Maybe it was to create the perfect
community or perhaps it was to make a financial killing by growing houses out of
farmland. In either case he succeeded.
As he began his quest for Utopia, a minister friend from Wheaton challenged
Mr. Stream to do something for the souls of the people in his new town. Within a
year after completing his first house in the new subdivision, he began work on
attracting new churches. He was even offering free property to congregations
that would make Carol Stream their parish. One church that he contacted was
First Baptist of Wheaton. Though First Baptist’s location was only a few miles
from the hub of Carol Stream’s humble beginnings, in those days the
intersection of Gary and Thunderbird seemed like it was in a different world
from the well-rooted, tree-lined community of Wheaton. Besides, the church in
Wheaton knew that Carol Stream needed to establish local churches which
understood and ministered to the people of their own community. It is always
best to worship with your neighbors.
First Baptist accepted the challenge to plant a congregation in the new
community, but did not accept the offer for property. Instead, the church
decided to start right where Carol Stream began. First the church met in a house
at Gary and Thunderbird and then in the old library on Blackhawk. Finally, the
new congregation purchased a model home/office of Mr. Stream and the Durable
Developing Company along with several adjacent lots. In 1961 the church building
was completed and the Carol Stream Baptist Church became one of the first to
charter after the forming of the Village.
For 32 years the Carol Stream church served the community through Sunday
School, AWANA, Vacation Bible School, providing a polling place for voting, and
even as a temporary classroom for the local public school during expansion. The
church watched the first wave of families grow up and move out as well as the
whole village population and boundaries swell.
In 1992 the Carol Stream church had a new beginning. The teaching, commitment
to God’s Word, and burden for the Village stayed as it always had and the name
was changed to Fellowship Church of Carol Stream. The tradition of a
community-minded church went on with a renewed excitement and vision. Today
Fellowship is made up of families and individuals from the Carol Stream area.
Located deep in the heart of Carol Stream near the intersection of Gary and
Thunderbird, Fellowship Church carries on the tradition of a community-minded
Church dedicated to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Word of God, and the people of
Carol Stream.
A non-denominational church, in our case, is a Christ centered,
Bible-believing Congregation that is not formally connected with a larger
denomination, association or organization. While the roots of Fellowship Church
goes back to a church plant by First Baptist Church of Wheaton in the early 1960’s,
it is considered an "Independent, autonomous, non-denominational
assembly." We support missionaries through such organizations as AWANA,
CAM, Campus Crusade for Christ, HCJB, Leadership Resources, SIM, and TEAM and
members of the church are attending such Christian Colleges as Crown College,
Huntington College, Moody Bible Institute, Taylor, Trinity International
University, and Wheaton. We are also please to partner with and endorse such
area ministries as Carenet Crisis Pregnancy Services, ECFA in Wheaton, Pacific
Garden Mission, and Wayside Cross Mission in Aurora.
The Mission is the heartbeat of our church. It is our desire and we do all we
can to equip every member to be active with personal evangelism. Currently, we
are partnering with 4 other local churches to deliver a Jesus DVD to every home
in Carol Stream and during the past 13 years we have mailed out or delivered
over 750,000 pieces of literature containing the Gospel to residents of Northern
DuPage County. We encourage and support our members who take short-term mission
trips. We also prayerfully and financially support foreign and national
missionaries through such organizations as AWANA, CAM, Campus Crusade for
Christ, HCJB, Leadership Resources, Pan-American Mission, SIM, and TEAM.
I like boxes. Since I am not naturally organized, I find that if I stuff my
junk into boxes, give it a label and put the box on a shelf, everybody is happy.
I appear organized, my wife appears happy, and I still get to keep my clutter.
It is sort of an organized mess.
I also like to put people and organizations into boxes. Life appears less
cluttered if we can stick everyone into a pigeon hole and pretend we have them
all figured out.
People also like putting churches into boxes. Sometimes it is according to
denominational labels, cardinal beliefs, or even informal associations, but
often inquiring minds want to know what type of church we are.
Every church, like every person or organization, has core values that it
embraces and upholds. They are the pillars that hold the building together.
Often, the pillars on the outside are different from the ones you notice when
you are on the inside.
To a those outside the church, especially those who do not have a history
with the evangelical-type church (there I go with my box and labels), the core
values include 1) Faith in Jesus as the only way of salvation; 2 Belief in the
Bible and accepting it as literal (including a literal heaven and hell); and, 3)
a commitment to evangelizing the lost. These three pillars go hand-in-hand. If
there is no afterlife and the Bible is not even true, what credibility does
Jesus have and why even encourage others to also believe? But if the Bible can
be trusted, then Jesus is the only option, and it is important that we as
believers share with the world the only legitimate serum for the disease of sin
that plagues all of mankind.
Those three pillars are huge and are pretty big objects for some people to
get around, but they fairly standard in Bible-believing churches. Christians who
have gotten by these values or pillars often want to know about the pillars you
often don’t visualize until you are on the inside.
To those dear and wise individuals, I commend you for seeking out a church
where you are like-minded. While we cannot and do not even want to claim
uniformity among our congregation, we do value unity. It is wise to seek out
values in a church that are in line with the values of you and your home and it
is wise for a church to publish what they really stand for.
Coinciding with the pillars out front, there is also an inside pillar of
authenticity and truth. We want people to be real and to be really going on in
their Christian walk. We value the truth, we seek the live the truth, and we are
truthful with one another. Hypocrisy, when exposed, is challenged.
Also supporting this ministry is active participation. Every member is given
the opportunity and even expected to get involved. A chain is only as strong as
the weakest link and we want to build up one another. Every believer is called
and equipped to be a special part of the church. Just like a human body, every
part has an important role. While excellence is important in all we do,
professionalism will gladly be sacrificed in the name of involvement and to let
other members, especially the younger ones, develop and begin to utilize their
gifts from God.
A third value, or pillar in our church, is the exaltation and protection of
the family. We do not want to see the family destroyed, redefined, or abused.
The institution of the family actually preceded the instituting of the church
and should take precedence. While we know many people do not have families, and
the church becomes their family, we want to build up homes, exalt marriages that
last, and hold up as examples children who honor their parents.
A fourth pillar, among probably many others, is closely tied into the third
pillar and is the expectation that men should provide leadership both in the
home and in the church. What type of rascal would send his wife down to check on
a noise or confront an intruder in his home at 2 am? Any man that has any amount
of self-respect would be the first one to deal with such a matter. In the
Scriptures the Apostle Paul used two non-cultural reasons for why men should
take the lead in fighting spiritual battles (1 Timothy 2:13-14), and godly male
leadership should be expected today. At the same time, women are encouraged to
exercise their gifts in all areas that are not prohibited by Scripture. As males
and females work together, God is glorified and a God-ordained order is modeled
to the world.
A little boy stood at the edge of the Grand Canyon with a frown on his face.
When his parents asked why he looked disappointed he replied, I though you
said this was going to be a giant cannon. Even great things can be a
disappointment depending on our expectations.
We don’t want anyone disappointed with Fellowship Church. People arrive at
church with all types of expectations. These expectations are generally based
upon a combination of their past experiences and their current needs. Sometimes
people come to a church with a valid personal need and get frustrated or even
angry when those needs are not met.
While churches need to keep evaluating whether they are functioning as the
Lord instructed, they also need to know what they are not designed to do. Just
as you don’t get upset with your insurance agent because he doesn’t offer
snowplowing service, everyone should know what a church should and should not
provide.
A church provides Christians an opportunity to glorify God in a
greater way together than they could glorify Him by themselves.
You should expect the church body to help equip you for the work of
the ministry and to provide opportunities for service. You will be disappointed
however, if you are expecting the church to just serve you.
You should expect a church and pastor to provide spiritual food to
feed the flock of God. You will be disappointed, however, if that is your only
source of nourishment. The Christian must feed himself daily from the Word of
God or spiritual growth will be retarded. No one goes to a restaurant on Sunday,
eats a big meal and then becomes disappointed that they are not still full on
Tuesday. It is unrealistic to go on a spiritual fast all week and then expect a
Sunday binge to hit the spot.
You should expect a church to help train up children and young people
in the faith. You will be disappointed, however, if the home is not the primary
place of spiritual training and discipline. Children’s programs and a youth
group can only supplement what is taught at home; it will never be a substitute.
You should expect to make friends at church. You will be disappointed,
however, if you expect the church to primarily meet your social needs. The best
friends are made when people with no demands on one another work and minister
side by side for the glory of God.
Many people shop for and choose churches like consumers looking for
the best dry cleaners. The church is not a business. Though it should be run
with as much efficiency and integrity as any business, it is not a service
industry that provides a product to a bunch of consumers. In one sense, the
church is more like the bank in It’s a Wonderful Life. The only
resources available are the ones that others put in.
But the church is much more than a bank. The members don’t keep track of
their individual accounts and expect returns. They come to give of themselves.
When they do they feel blessed, other’s needs are met, and no one does
without. Much like a volunteer organization, people are there to give of
themselves in order to make the best use of their lives and resources.
But, the church is also much more than a club. It is not just a group of
people united for a common cause. Like a team, they have linked up with one
another because they each have been endowed with different gifts and skills and
together they form a whole. They are incomplete without one another and church
gatherings are times to huddle. The huddle is not the game; it is the time to
regroup to be ready to get back into the game.
But the church is even more than just a team. More like a family, we are
united because we have the same Father, the same ancestry, and the same future.
We are not just huddled together, trying to survive this age and its wickedness.
No, we are busy about the Father’s business, serving in His fields. The Lord
has promised to return, so until He comes, we faithfully wait as children,
obeying the Father’s instructions to help others be part of His family. And we
are even more than just children. We are also the brothers and sisters of
Christ, bought with His blood, waiting for His return. We, the church, are also
the bride of Christ, being prepared to spend forever with Him.
If the Lord has called you and placed you in Fellowship Church, you will not
be disappointed. The Lord led you here because He knew we needed you and you
needed us. Together, we make up the church and we will stand united, battling
the gates of hell until the Lord returns.
But God has combined the members of the body…that its parts should have
equal concern for each other…Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of
you is a part of it. -I Corinthians 12:24-27
Hello, Pastor, this is Mr. Jones. My wife and I would like to meet with you.
We are thinking about joining another church.
That might just be one of the hardest phone calls a pastor receives, but it
sure beats many of the alternatives.
It is evident that the Lord often moves people from one church to another. It
is also evident that the Devil leads others.
Often it seems that the vibrant and growing church member is the one most
tempted to move. It is astounding how the devil will raise the stakes when
someone gets serious about following the Lord. Sometimes it comes in the form of
a lucrative job offer. For years a person could be stuck in a job situation, and
then mysteriously, just when their spiritual life catches on fire, they are
offered a great new position in another city. So the family will fly to the new
city, check out the job, check out the neighborhoods, check out houses, and even
check out the schools, but never consider how the move will affect them
spiritually. So in preparation for the move they begin to drop out of everything
at church. Then after they move, because they are so busy getting settled, they
don’t have time to find a new church. And often by the time they recognize
what has happened, they have taken so many steps backwards in their spiritual
lives that it often seems that their marriages or children may never recover.
These folks often return for a visit and say things like, You know, we just
can’t seem to find a good church.
Could it be that the Lord never led them away from their old church and
environment?
In other cases, however, I am convinced that the Lord moves a person’s job
to get them and their family to the right church for that stage of their lives.
He knows best which church family people need and which people each church
needs.
There are also the times where no move is involved, but it just seems that a
change in church families is needed. How do you know if the Lord is leading you
to another church across town or across the country?
1. First, this decision is easier if you know for certain that it was
God who led you to where you are! A good rule of thumb is If God has clearly
led you to where you are; don’t move on until His leading is as strong or
stronger than the leading that brought you here.
2. Along the same line, the Lord usually doesn’t lead you from
something as much as He leads you to something. It is sound advice
not to quit a job before you have taken a new one. You should generally not
leave a church unless the Lord has specifically led you to a new one.
3. Be godly in how you handle your disagreements. In reality, many
people who leave a church to go to another church across town do so because of a
conflict. But, people that just pull up stakes and disappear are violating all
types of biblical guidelines for handling conflicts with other believers. The
Lord never called us to burn bridges. If anything, we should be bridge builders.
If you have a problem with someone that you cannot get over, it is your
responsibility to go to that individual privately, without needing to share the
story along the way with others, and make it right with them (Matthew 18:15-20).
If they will not respond, then you need to bring in other godly individuals to
help mediate. After that, if resolution has not occurred, further confrontation
and church discipline is necessary for the one who refuses to make
reconciliation. It is most amazing that believers could actually think that they
can go on with bitterness toward another believer just because they physically
remove themselves from that other person. What will happen when they see that
person in heaven? For heaven’s sake, believers need to make things right on
this earth.
An individual is not helping the church, the body of Christ, when they choose
to leave because someone else is a hypocrite. If there is a church member who is
sinning against others and is not responsive when confronted, the situation
needs to be brought to the attention of the church leadership so that others are
not hurt. Even if the pastor or other church leaders are the ones at fault, it
is for the sake of God’s church that they are confronted, rather than allowed
to continue sinning against their brothers and sisters. If the whole church,
however, is supporting the unrighteous ones, than that’s not the church for
you.
Without exception, anyone who leaves a church family with bitterness and
without attempting to resolve a conflict has violated God’s guidelines and has
allowed the one who has sinned against them to now cause them to sin.
4. Be fair in how you leave. A typical approach to leaving a church is
to just drop out. People will miss you from the services and sometimes from the
responsibilities the first week and maybe even the second week they will think
you’re on vacation. But as the number of weeks grow, it becomes awkward for
the church family to call you to express concern. For some, the longer others
wait to approach them, the more evidence they accumulate against the church
family to prove the church really didn’t miss them or care about them.
That really isn’t fair. As early as ten year old league, coaches tell the
boys that they are old enough to take the responsibility to let the team know if
they are going to be missing practice. When children miss school, the parents
call. If a person quits a job, they give notice. If you are not going to a
wedding, you R.S.V.P. and let them know. In what area of life are we not
individually responsible to indicate to the group our intentions? Unless there
is sin, guilt, or irresponsibility, a person generally never sneaks away from
something.
5. Take advantage of the insight of church leaders to help you make
your decision. The church that you and your family join will greatly impact your
life. It will have an effect upon your spiritual life, your schedule, and your
children.
Consider two scenarios. One person calls the pastor and says, I have
decided to leave our church. Another person calls the pastor and says, For
these reasons I think the Lord is leading me to another church, what do you
think?
The first person is showing a lack of wisdom by evidencing that they have not
recognized the God-given spiritual authority of church leaders nor the gift that
they are to the church body (Ephesians 4:11-12). A pastor is given to the church
by God to help guide the flock. A good pastor will not try to talk people into
joining the local church which he leads and he will not try to talk people into
staying. He will try to help people find the Lord’s will and the biblical way
to work through difficult situations. Most pastors, being acquainted not only
with your family but also the other churches in the area can probably offer some
good insight.
In a God-honoring, biblical church, Pastors, Elders, and Deacons are there to
help guide and serve the congregation. They are all men who have been proven and
qualified for their positions and are a resource for your spiritual growth. It
is foolish to not consider their honest opinions.
As a pastor, when someone visits from another Gospel-preaching church, and
indicates they are looking for a new church, I will generally ask them if they
have talked with their pastor about their concerns. If they haven’t, I
encourage them to make a phone call right away. If they are generally
disgruntled with their last congregation and they haven’t left in the right
way, I generally don’t expect them to remain too long with us.
Many have heard the story of the old man that would greet people as they
moved to his town out west in the 1800s. The new move-ins would indicate they
were looking for a friendly town. To help guide them, he would ask them
what the folks were like the in the town they moved from. If they indicated the
people there were warm and friendly, he would reassure them that they would find
his town warm and friendly. If they described their old neighbors, however, as
cold and unloving, the old man would tell them that they would probably find his
little town pretty cold and unfriendly, and that they probably ought to just
keep looking for another place to settle.
People need to find the church home where the Lord has led them and settle
there. When He wants to lead them on, the Lord will guide them. When we learn to
settle in the place where God has led, we often discover the riches and depths
that come from weathered relationships, and we find the peace that comes with
following the Lord’s directives instead of our own whims.
Consequently, you are…fellow citizens with God’s people and members of
God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with
Christ Jesus as the Chief Cornerstone. Ephesians 2:19-20
Pastor Phil will generally meet with anyone who is sincerely looking for
help. In most cases, after one or two counseling sessions where he can get a
sense of the need, he will refer the counselee to local counseling ministry. In
many cases he is pleased to refer counselees to Dr. Ron Alchin’s counseling
ministry at the Biblical Counseling Center in Arlington Heights. Dr. Alchin is
an elder at Harvest Bible chapel in Rolling Meadows.
Each month, in conjunction with communion, a Benevolence Offering is
received and it is used for the physical needs of those in the congregation and
community. Generally, most of the funds are needed and used for those in the
church family. Financial counseling is always available for anyone seeking a
long-term solution. For those with an immediate need, they should visit one of
the worship services on Sunday morning and after the service ask an usher to
speak to someone in the benevolence ministry. If funds are available, we will
help as we can and deem necessary. Please bring complete information on what
bills need to be paid. No funds are given directly to individuals.
We will also transport those who are homeless to Pacific Garden Mission in
Chicago or Wayside Cross Mission in Aurora.
At a time when marriage and family is often attacked and couples are opting
to just live together outside of marriage, it is great that you are pursuing a
God- honoring wedding ceremony, especially in a church!
Typically, Pastor Phil only performs first weddings for those in the church
family. There are exceptions, however, depending upon the particular
circumstances. We will also, in limited instances, consider letting those
outside the church use the building for a wedding ceremony.
If someone is interested in getting married at Fellowship, the first step
would be to visit a worship service and see if they are comfortable with the
church facility and the Pastor. A wedding ceremony is a very special event and
you need to feel comfortable with both. After a visit, an appointment needs to
be made with Pastor Phil to further discuss the details of the ceremony and the
required pre-marital counseling. If the church cannot accommodate, we can often
direct the couple to another church or pastor that is better suited. We are
somewhat limited in this area of ministry, but we would love to do whatever we
can to help you start your marriage with the type of God-honoring ceremony that
you have always dreamed of.
We commend you for wanting to bring your child up in the faith and to
introduce her to Christianity! We do baptize children, but only after they are
old enough to make a personal choice to follow God through Jesus Christ.
As a Bible church, we seek to have all our practices rooted in the
Scriptures. There is no instance of infants being baptized in the Scriptures and
the only water baptism in the New Testament is believer’s baptism by
immersion. What that means is that only those who have already believed in
Christ were baptized publicly by being dipped in water. Jesus, of course, is our
example and was baptized at about the age of 30 (Matthew 3). Baptism is an
outward picture of what has already happened in the heart.
For the church family, we do practice baby dedications. This is a ceremony
during a worship service where the family commits to and calls upon God for help
in bringing the child up in the faith. We as a church also commit to surround
that family in prayer and encouragement as they seek to have a godly home. Our
desire is that as the child grows, he will accept the Lord’s offer of
salvation and be born-again at the earliest age possible.
As God’s children, we want to please the Lord. Ideally, our lives should be
shaped by simple trust and obedience of His Word. It is out of this commitment
that we as a church practice believer’s baptism.
Our church family is careful to not stray from water baptism because it was
included in the Great Commission. Just before He ascended to Heaven, Christ
instructed His disciples to go out and make disciples. That was the reason they
were being left behind and not immediately taken up with Him to Heaven. His
strategy for winning people into His kingdom and making disciples was the
proclamation of His Good News Gospel, the teaching of His Word, and the baptism
of those who gladly receive Him. A church that is not reaching and baptizing
converts is not doing its job.
As individual believers, we obey this ordinance as a way to publicly declare
our desire to be identified with the family of God both now and in eternity.
It grieves me that the humble act of baptism, a simple practice that ought to
unite all true believers everywhere and in all generations, should be turned to
cause division and confusion in the church. At Fellowship we approach the Word
of God with great reverence and we seek to understand it by the clearest and
most obvious interpretation.
While we respect the views of others, certainly the most consistent biblical
interpretation and application of Christian baptism is when believers, after
they have personally accepted Christ as their Savior, willingly submit
themselves to water baptism by immersion. We do it to follow the example of
Christ, to help portray the saving message of the Gospel, and to keep a clear
conscience before God.
If you have placed your faith in Christ, baptism ought to a wonderful step in
your spiritual growth, not a stumbling block. You are invited to join the
millions of saints who have unashamedly declared through baptism that they are
part of the redeemed body of Christ.
The meaning of baptism:
We believe that baptism is the way to outwardly declare the salvation that
has already occurred inwardly in your soul. It is the first step of the
Christian life and it is a way to say you are not ashamed to be part of Christ's
team.
In baptism is seen the picture of the believer following Christ to the grave.
The old, sinful man is laid to rest and God raises up a whole new person. (See
Romans 6:3-5; Colossians 2:12; 3:1; Galatians 3:27; 1 Peter 3:21)
Who Should be baptized?
A person is ready for baptism when he has confessed and repented of his sins
and has invited Jesus Christ into his life for salvation. Adults, as well as
children, who have personally accepted the Lord are ready. (See Mark 16:16; Acts
2:41; 8:12; 8:13; 8:36-37; 16:14-15; 16:32-33; 18:8; 19:5; Matthew 28:19)
When Should I be baptized?
There is really no need to wait. In the Bible, converts were baptized
immediately on the same day they first believed (Acts 2:41; 8:36-37; 16:33). If
you sincerely believe in Christ, there is no reason to delay. Our church
generally baptizes on Sundays at one of the worship services. (See Acts 2:41
& 16:33)
How Should I be baptized?
Every baptism in the New Testament was done by immersion in water. The Greek
word baptizo means to to dunk, to immerse, to bury. When John the Baptizer
baptized Jesus in the Jordan River, he was baptized by immersion. Jesus, because
He never sinned, had no personal reason to be baptized. He was baptized to
identify with us, His brothers and sisters, and we are baptized like He was to
identify with Him. (See Matthew 3:16; Mark 1:9; Acts 8:38)
How can I get baptized at Fellowship?
Using the early church in Acts as our example, there is no waiting period to
prove yourself or class you must take before baptism. You may be baptized
immediately upon your personal profession of faith. If you say you trust in the
Lord Jesus Christ and wish to follow Him with your life, we will take you at
your word. Simply notify Pastor Phil or one of the deacons. You will be asked to
write out your "testimony," or how you came to accept the Lord, and
you will be encouraged to read it at your baptism.
Newsletter Article Reprint:
I Would Do It over Again!
Sometime in the past this dear couple at the altar before me also stood in
front of another minister. Back then their skin was less wrinkled and their
backs a bit straighter, but their eyes were never brighter. This milestone they
were now observing was the celebration of a long and joyous journey together
that brought them through both high waters and glorious mountain peaks. And now
they were renewing those same wedding vows they had pledged many years prior.
This simple ceremony had nothing to do with the legality of their union or the
scope of their commitment. They were just glad to show each other, and a group
of their family and friends, that they would gladly do it all over again.
Water baptism in the church is somewhat like that little ceremony at the
chapel where this dear couple renewed their vows. The ceremony is not the basis
of the relationship, it is an outgrowth of it. Often when folks sincerely come
to the Lord or come back to the Lord, there is sometimes the question of
"should I get baptized (or rebaptized)." Personally, as a
baptized believer, much like my friends who renewed their vows, I'm not sure why
there is ever resistance because I would be glad to do it over again. Baptism to
me, and to many that I know, was a blessed event.
That's how my friend felt when his wife came to faith and he, after years of
marriage, revealed to her that he had also previously accepted the Lord before
they even met. At that point he was baptized after his conversion, but had not
been living for the Lord. She was actually surprised when he brought out his
well worn Bible and could quote it so readily. For him, it was a privilege to
join her in the baptism waters and to say, this is a new beginning for my wife
and me together. Another couple went on the trip of a lifetime to the Holy Land.
Though baptized before it was their privilege to go down in that river where
Jesus was baptized and to say, I'd do it all over again! One individual was
originally baptized by immersion into a works-based religious cult. She saw the
need to be baptized as her testimony of grace. Another was baptized as an older
child after making a profession of faith in Sunday School. As a teenager,
however, he realized that he did not sincerely have a relationship with Christ
and after receiving Christ as a teenager, was baptized for conscience sake.
Another friend was baptized as an infant. After he matured and was born again
into the family of God he recognized the need for believer's baptism and saw it
as a fulfillment of, not a conflice with, the baptism of his infancy. Another
friend struggled for many years with the idea of being baptized by immersion. He
was sprinkled as a believing teen, but for two reasons he was rebaptized.
First, after carefully studying the Bible he concluded immersion is a purer and
more accurate picture of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Second, for the sake of unity in the body and out of godly submission to the
spiritual leadership at his local church, he joined his teenage boys in stirring
the baptism waters. I can honestly say that the people who have followed the
Lord in believer's baptism, especially the ones who struggled long with
decision, have been blessed for it. Remarkably blessed!
The church today is operating off Christ's Great Commission in Matthew
28:19-20 to make disciples by winning, baptizing, and teaching. We can't let go
of any part of that command. The complication today is that most new converts in
the contemporary church have already been baptized by one form or another in a
church that is identified with Christ. Some were immediately baptized after
walking a church aisle and professing Christ at the altar. In some of those
cases their lives soon bore witness of the insincerity of their decision and
thus they were, in reality, baptized non-believers. Others were baptized as
non-believing infants. The beauty of infant baptism is that it portrays the one
in need of salvation as being totally powerless and unable to contribute
anything to their redemption. The breakdown is that there is no biblical
precedent for infant baptism and, unfortunately, it places the power and choice
not upon God or the individual, but upon the parents. Many folks have followed
the Lord in believer's baptism even though they were christened as an infant
because they realize their decision to follow Christ and subsequent baptism is a
fulfillment of the parents hopes and prayers when they initially brought their
child to the Lord and the church. Apparently the circumcised of the heart in the
Old Testament had no problem submitting to first, John's baptism, and then also
baptism into the church of Jesus Christ as prescribed by Paul and the Apostles.
The clearest, most consistent biblical interpretation and application of
Christian baptism is when believers, after they have personally accepted Christ
as their Savior and been born again, willingly submit themselves to baptism by
immersion in a Gospel preaching church. We do it to follow the example of Jesus,
to help portray the saving message of the Gospel, to submit to the church and
its ordinances, and to keep a clear conscience before God.
Having been blessed to have done that myself, I have no doubt in my mind that
if there ever was the slightest reason to follow the Lord once again in baptism,
I would gladly follow the example of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who really
never had any need to be baptized in the first place, but believed it was
needful for those who were looking on. As a testimony of God's grace to me, I
know I would gladly do it all over again.
Have you ever noticed how some families, though very close-knit,
have the remarkable gift of welcoming outsiders into their
home and making them feel like they belong? Guests are made to feel
comfortable and visitors are left wishing that they really belonged
to a family like that.
On the other hand, do people still feel the need to belong?
Children in blended families whose last names do not match the one
on the mailbox still do. So do orphaned children who no one will
love and adopt. More than one woman has cried over the fact that
even with the trappings of two children, a house, and a dog, the
group that lives in this house will never really be a family until
the parents grow up and get married.
But things like vows and commitments are scary these days. That,
coupled with the fact that self-interest groups are attempting to
redefine the term family, has made things like engagements,
marriages, and legal adoptions appear as old fashioned and
mere formalities. In the past the family was a group of people
related by blood, marriage, or adoption. But today, with
homosexual couples wanting to adopt, and live-in companions wanting
to share insurance benefits, the family is reduced to merely a
group of individuals who share a common bond. In essence, these
individuals want to share in benefits that were traditionally
reserved for the nuclear family, without having to subscribe to its out-dated
ideas.
In the same way, our society is no less questioning the need to
belong to a church. Even Christians ask, what does it matter?
To tell the truth, in some respects at Fellowship, it doesn’t.
Like the hospitable family that makes even the guest feel at home,
the Fellowship family always gets high-marks on hospitality. Great
care is taken to make visitors and regular guests feel like they
belong. But is there something more to formally uniting with a
church?
In the early Church in Acts, the Holy Spirit noted the normal
pattern for healthy spiritual growth. After being born into the
family of God by receiving His Word, the believer needs to signify
his identification with the death and resurrection of Christ by
water baptism, and then he should be added to the local assembly or
church (Acts 2:41). It is noteworthy that the professing believer
does not automatically belong to the local church (I Corinthians
5:4-13), nor does attending the meetings automatically make one a
member (I Corinthians 14:23). It is not exactly clear how they
joined the church, but it is certain that the local churches were
made up of definable and countable groups of believers who publicly
and willingly committed themselves to the Lord and to the others in
their assembly.
It is important to belong to a godly local church. A
biblical study of body life in the church reveals that membership
does have its privileges. While God gave the family as a place to
grow up, He also gave the church family as a place to mature
spiritually. His plan is always our best and a strong local church
is where every believer needs to belong.
If you have placed your faith in Jesus Christ as your Savior and
been Born-again, signified that conversion publicly through water
baptism by immersion since your conversion, and am in agreement with
the teachings and practices of Fellowship Church, you are invited to
join us as a member. To begin the membership process, please request
a membership packet from the church office, a pastor, or a deacon.
After returning the information, a meeting will be scheduled with a
couple of deacons where you will be given the opportunity to share
how your came to faith. Following that meeting, you will be
presented to the church family to be received into church
membership.
One way of looking at the church is to compare it to a team. The
members are players and the pastor is a coach. With a sports team
the goal is always the same: to win. The strategy, however, changes
with the talents and gifts of the players that are available in that
particular game or season. The coach will help the players develop
individually in the roles that they are most suited for while still
maintaining the focus of the whole team. A great danger is for the
coach to force the players into positions that they are ill-equipped
to play. Consider basket ball great Michael Jordan. He obviously had
the ability to play all over the court with great skill. Yet if
placed in the wrong position he would at best be frustrated and at
worst be labeled a failure. If Michael was forced to play the center
position each game, his critics would no doubt indicate that he was
not a very good basketball player. But the critics would be wrong.
Just because his is not a good center does not mean he is not a
great player.
Similarly, a person can be a great church member and yet be a
poor Sunday School teacher or choir member. It doesn’t mean he is
not a good player, it means he is not equipped for that particular
position.
Like any team, the goal of Fellowship Church remains constant: to
carry out the Great Commission of Matthew 28:19-20. But the strategy
of how to get that accomplished will be adapted to the uniqueness
and gifts of the team players. If you are on the team at Fellowship,
in what position are you developing? The church leaders, acting as
coaches, only desire that you serve wherever God has prepared and
gifted you to serve.
It is so reassuring for a pastor to look over the congregation
and know that the Lord has placed within his church family every
gift and resource needed to accomplish God’s unique calling for
the group. Yet at the same time, it is awfully discouraging to see
gifted teammates sitting frustrated on the sidelines. God does not
lead a person to a church without having a special position and
purpose just for them. Every church has a unique personality and
that personality is determined by the people that God sends.
You are Fellowship and Fellowship Church is like it is because
you are a part of it. If you were not an integral member of the team
God would have never found it necessary to lead you here. The Lord
has equipped Fellowship with every team member that we need to win,
but we have to find and play our positions. Sometimes it just takes
trial and error. You will never know if you excel in a certain
ministry if you never try. The coaches at Fellowship want to get you
in the game, but nothing can happen until you volunteer and are
willing to try.
The best way to begin the volunteer process is to become a church
member. Otherwise, non-members are allowed to be involved on a
limited basis, but must first fill out a volunteer application which
includes a background check. Because so many of our volunteers work
with children, we must protect them by subjecting all volunteers,
members and non-members alike, to an extensive screening process.
The following is a list of ministry heads and leaders. Please
refer to your church directory or call the church office for phone
numbers, addresses, or email address
