Another major area began to unfold as we moved into that fall season. Several months after beginning Circle Church, I had a conversation with the rector of an Episcopal church, several blocks from where we meet. His comments were, “David, if you are able to have a family from the neighborhood attend regularly, you will be accomplishing something I have not been able to do in many, many years.”

The first contact we made involved a black family. The father and mother attended a prayer group in the basement of Cook County Hospital’s Nursing School at the invitation of a white woman who had been burdened to make calls and work in the neighborhood.

On his first visit to Circle Church, Abraham Cuff wasted no time in immediately pinning me with questions as to the purpose of my ministry. Because of his previous church experiences, he was suspicious of my motives; in attempting to classify the stripe of my clerical cloth, he demanded to know the model car I drove. (A Volkswagen, of course!)

Eventually, Abraham and his family began to attend regularly and we found their story typical of many. It was the second marriage for both, resulting in five children, two boys and three girls. A history of spasmodic employment had created financial obligations and aggravated the tendency toward drink. With time, Abraham began to take an interest in our church affairs, leading discussion groups, and eventually becoming a Board member.

One Sunday he related that he had been walking home after a morning service—he couldn’t remember now exactly what had been preached—when all of a sudden he experienced a clear understanding of the power and purpose of Christ. Right there on Jackson Street it was as though a great burden rolled off his back. In these words, which have great sociological meaning in light of the position of the African-American male, Abraham expressed his experience of conversion: “Now I knew for the first time in my life that I could be the father to my children I had always wanted to be.”

It was through many conversations with the Cuff family and the determined efforts of a young seminarian from Garret Theological Seminary in Evanston—who left the church eventually because it wasn’t socially concerned enough for him—that I first began to awake to the staggering needs of the non-student portion of our community.

I will never forget taking my little daughter, Melissa, then three, to visit a family in the neighborhood. She saw some of her friends from the Sunday school playing ball in a littered empty lot, jagged with broken bottles. Going up the dark stairway we were both overwhelmed with the smell of urine in the hall and by the crude crayon pictures scratched on the walls. The impression of decay rudely interjected itself into the sheltered womb of her world, and she began to cry. Often in the despair of it all, I have had similar feelings.

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Pastor, when “sermon prep day” rolls around each week, do you face the task of preparing another sermon with a frown on your face? If so, you’re not alone. Many pastors literally dread preparing their Sunday sermon. There just doesn’t seem to be an easy solution. The good news: David Mains and Mainstay Ministries can help, whether you need to create a Topical Sermon, an Advent Sermon, a Christmas Sermon, an Easter Sermon, a Sermon Series, or any other Sunday Sermon. For more information on how to create better Bible Sermons and how to turn Sermon Ideas into Sermon Outlines, and then into effective, meaningful Sunday Sermons, please click here to visit David Mains’ website.

For so many of us, the Christmas celebration can be a mile wide and an inch deep. We tire ourselves with an ever-growing list of gifts to buy, activities to complete, and traditions to uphold. And through a maze of cards and calls, outreach and entertainment, we struggle to connect with others in meaningful ways. Our intentions are sincere, but often trivial. When we look back on the season, we’re often left feeling like our holidays somehow lost the Christ in Christmas, and only touched the surface.

Every pastor needs resources to help him or her find appropriate Sermons for Advent and Sermons for Christmas. With Christmas Sermon resources from Mainstay Ministries, you can help your congregation season their Christmas traditions with the flavor of Christ. More than simply helping them to remember that “Jesus is the reason for the season,” you can encourage people to focus on Christ in the very traditions that have become part of our celebration of Christmas: decorating our homes, conveying Christmas greetings, giving and receiving gifts, gathering with family and friends, entering the new year with goals. Click here to see a list of special Christmas Sermon Packages available.

Looking forward to Christmas? Looking for key Sermon Ideas? Wondering what to preach throughout the Christmas Season? Searching for help in preparing for your Sermons on Christmas Day? In addition to the above special offer, Mainstay Ministries has many valuable resources filled with Christmas Sermon Ideas to help you plan for your Christmas preaching and for such Sunday Sermons, including resources for the following: Advent Celebrations, Advent Sermon, Advent Sermon Series, Advent Sunday Sermons, Christmas Advent Sermons, Christmas Sermon, and Christmas Sermon Series. Connect with us on-line by clicking here.

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In September, only one-and-a-half years old, we topped two hundred and were beginning to be concerned about this unexpected mushrooming. The facilities at the Union Hall were large enough to service growth, but we wondered what kind of effect this increase would have on the intimacy which the congregation shared.

It was easy to slip into a kind of psychology that almost resented newcomers because of the intrusion they represented and because of the effort it required to attain in-depth knowledge of them. All along, we had generally conceded that two hundred would be a maximum figure of growth, and from that point we would branch out.

I remember specifically preaching that it seemed more feasible for God to use many such vital lights around the city rather than one great beacon in a given location. When we experienced rapid growth, we felt it was now time to divide.

Simultaneously with this decision, our attention was drawn to various other congregations around the city that were dying and much in need of a transfusion. One in particular was another Evangelical Free Church on the far west side of the city in the potentially explosive, radically changing Austin area of Chicago.

Five years back it had enjoyed a healthy three hundred and fifty attendance, but had now dwindled to about thirty people. Having been rejected by the last three pastoral candidates, the people of the Zion church were very close to closing the doors permanently.

We contacted their Board chairman and explained our fears about our numerical growth—we just might have more people than we could handle. Would they be interested in an arrangement whereby we would provide a pastor and some new blood from Circle Church in return for the Zion group’s continuing and adapting our program to their building? Their dwindling bank account still had a balance of over $3,000 which could help pay a man’s salary.

We seemed to fulfill one another’s needs perfectly. And, the votes sailed through both congregations. A young man from our congregation, Al Nestor, agreed to take on his first pastoral responsibilities (and in so doing joined our staff at Circle Church), and our people began to pray about whether they should go to Zion church or stay at Circle. The way was led by Board Chairman Bill Weiss and his family.

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Whether you need to create a Topical Sermon, an Advent Sermon, a Christmas Sermon, an Easter Sermon, a Sermon Series, or any other Sunday Sermon, David Mains and Mainstay Ministries can help. For more information on how to create better Bible Sermons and how to turn Sermon Ideas into Sermon Outlines, and then into effective, meaningful Sunday Sermons, please click here to visit David Mains’ website.

For so many of us, the Christmas celebration can be a mile wide and an inch deep. We tire ourselves with an ever-growing list of gifts to buy, activities to complete, and traditions to uphold. And through a maze of cards and calls, outreach and entertainment, we struggle to connect with others in meaningful ways. Our intentions are sincere, but often trivial. When we look back on the season, we’re often left feeling like our holidays somehow lost the Christ in Christmas, and only touched the surface.

Every pastor needs resources to help him or her find appropriate Sermons for Advent and Sermons for Christmas. With Christmas Sermon resources from Mainstay Ministries, you can help your congregation season their Christmas traditions with the flavor of Christ. More than simply helping them to remember that “Jesus is the reason for the season,” you can encourage people to focus on Christ in the very traditions that have become part of our celebration of Christmas: decorating our homes, conveying Christmas greetings, giving and receiving gifts, gathering with family and friends, entering the new year with goals. Click here to see a list of special Christmas Sermon Packages available.

Looking forward to Christmas? Looking for key Sermon Ideas? Wondering what to preach throughout the Christmas Season? Searching for help in preparing for your Sermons on Christmas Day? In addition to the above special offer, Mainstay Ministries has many valuable resources filled with Christmas Sermon Ideas to help you plan for your Christmas preaching and for such Sunday Sermons, including resources for the following: Advent Celebrations, Advent Sermon, Advent Sermon Series, Advent Sunday Sermons, Christmas Advent Sermons, Christmas Sermon, and Christmas Sermon Series. Connect with us on-line by clicking here.

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There’s a huge difference between street preaching and giving a sermon inside a church. On the street you have to work much harder at capturing people’s attention. You also have to quickly get across what you want to say, or people will simply walk away on you. Most church sermons, if preached out-of-doors, would not hold a crowd for very long.

The exceptional preacher, of course, was Jesus. He drew great crowds in the open air and his hearers hung on every word. Revivalists like John Wesley and George Whitefield were also great street preachers. Like Jesus, they, too, often resorted to stories to keep people’s attention. Of course, that was a different time from the present. When the traveling preacher came to town he was often the big attraction of the day.

If you preached your last Sunday’s sermon in the open air, would anyone stop to listen? It’s a good question to ask yourself. If your answer is “Probably not,” your preaching style might need some tweaking.

People in church usually look like they’re really listening to what’s being said. It’s quite amazing, however, how little they retain. Some of that is because they are poor listeners. Another factor could be that the sermons they hear aren’t that interesting or relevant.

Why not work on your introduction to next Sunday’s sermon, so that you feel it would capture people’s attention even if you preached your sermon on the street.

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Sunday’s coming. Do you have your sermon ready? Is it relevant? Will it effectively motivate your congregation to walk more in step with the Master? What about that Sermon Series you’ve been thinking about? Or, what will you preach for your Easter Sermon, your Advent Sermon, your Christmas Sermon? David Mains and Mainstay Ministries can help you learn how to create better Bible Sermons and how to turn Sermon Ideas into Sermon Outlines, and then into effective, meaningful Sunday Sermons. Just click here to visit David Mains’ website.

For so many of us, the Christmas celebration can be a mile wide and an inch deep. We tire ourselves with an ever-growing list of gifts to buy, activities to complete, and traditions to uphold. And through a maze of cards and calls, outreach and entertainment, we struggle to connect with others in meaningful ways. Our intentions are sincere, but often trivial. When we look back on the season, we’re often left feeling like our holidays somehow lost the Christ in Christmas, and only touched the surface.

Every pastor needs resources to help him or her find appropriate Sermons for Advent and Sermons for Christmas. With Christmas Sermon resources from Mainstay Ministries, you can help your congregation season their Christmas traditions with the flavor of Christ. More than simply helping them to remember that “Jesus is the reason for the season,” you can encourage people to focus on Christ in the very traditions that have become part of our celebration of Christmas: decorating our homes, conveying Christmas greetings, giving and receiving gifts, gathering with family and friends, entering the new year with goals. Click here to see a list of special Christmas Sermon Packages available.

Looking forward to Christmas? Looking for key Sermon Ideas? Wondering what to preach throughout the Christmas Season? Searching for help in preparing for your Sermons on Christmas Day? In addition to the above special offer, Mainstay Ministries has many valuable resources filled with Christmas Sermon Ideas to help you plan for your Christmas preaching and for such Sunday Sermons, including resources for the following: Advent Celebrations, Advent Sermon, Advent Sermon Series, Advent Sunday Sermons, Christmas Advent Sermons, Christmas Sermon, and Christmas Sermon Series. Connect with us on-line by clicking here.

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Because we remained in a very mobile situation throughout the ten years I served at Circle church, I am still not sure I ever understood clearly God’s reason for this constant dispersion, It remained hard to continue letting go of people you had come to love. It was difficult not only to say, “God bless you, go in peace,” but to feel it.

Somehow, I began managing more and more to accept this all as from God’s hand. Of course, the people who left were always replaced by several others. In the light of the Circle experiment, we watched with intense interest the progress of those who have moved. We have seen them multiply themselves again and again in their chosen areas of ministry or in the churches with which they have affiliated.

Sherm’s intense interest in Circle Church was demonstrated by his hand-picking a successor. Consequently, we began the second year of Circle Church with Larry Mayfield as a member of the staff. At that time, we were pleased to learn that Larry and his wife Diane were both graduates of Moody Bible Institute, and he had completed his master’s degree in trombone with work accumulating toward a doctorate. The two were the type you look at and say, “There are a couple of swingers!” Larry’s sideburns, collection of rainbow-hued shirts, and slightly mod style were as welcome in our diverse group as his music.

The choir flourished under Larry’s direction, and the enthusiasm produced two major concerts a year. A small madrigal group was formed for those with a special interest in that type of sound. The music of Sunday morning was undoubtedly one of the major factors contributing to our growth. A great variety was employed from Bach to rock, but it was always done well and in the proper context. I don’t know when I began to notice it, but soon sideburns began to appear more and more throughout the congregation on cheeks that were clean-shaven before. Larry was making himself known in more ways than one!

The second summer was hard again financially. I state that to relate briefly another story of the way the people of the church demonstrated their great concern for what was taking place.

At the time, we were renting office space in an old Music and Arts Building in the Loop, which has since been razed. The three families which had supported the work the most had moved. Salaries were already late and the office rent was due. Everything else was progressing well. We were all growing spiritually and the bonds were extremely close, but the finances were a hazard.

One afternoon, a young father in the congregation told me he believed God was putting his dedication to the test. Knowing about the summer difficulties, he had withdrawn his savings and wanted to contribute $1,000. We literally would not have made it through the summer without his sacrifice.

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You can learn how to develop highly relevant Sunday sermons that grab the attention of your congregation and help your listeners respond effectively to the deep truths of God’s Word. David Mains and Mainstay Ministries have a whole range of helpful solutions. Do you need to prepare a Topical Sermon, an Advent Sermon, a Christmas Sermon, an Easter Sermon, a Sermon Series, or any other Sunday Sermon? You can find help on how to create better Bible Sermons and how to turn Sermon Ideas into Sermon Outlines, and then into effective, meaningful Sunday Sermons. Just click here to visit David Mains’ website.

For so many of us, the Christmas celebration can be a mile wide and an inch deep. We tire ourselves with an ever-growing list of gifts to buy, activities to complete, and traditions to uphold. And through a maze of cards and calls, outreach and entertainment, we struggle to connect with others in meaningful ways. Our intentions are sincere, but often trivial. When we look back on the season, we’re often left feeling like our holidays somehow lost the Christ in Christmas, and only touched the surface.

Every pastor needs resources to help him or her find appropriate Sermons for Advent and Sermons for Christmas. With Christmas Sermon resources from Mainstay Ministries, you can help your congregation season their Christmas traditions with the flavor of Christ. More than simply helping them to remember that “Jesus is the reason for the season,” you can encourage people to focus on Christ in the very traditions that have become part of our celebration of Christmas: decorating our homes, conveying Christmas greetings, giving and receiving gifts, gathering with family and friends, entering the new year with goals. Click here to see a list of special Christmas Sermon Packages available.

Looking forward to Christmas? Looking for key Sermon Ideas? Wondering what to preach throughout the Christmas Season? Searching for help in preparing for your Sermons on Christmas Day? In addition to the above special offer, Mainstay Ministries has many valuable resources filled with Christmas Sermon Ideas to help you plan for your Christmas preaching and for such Sunday Sermons, including resources for the following: Advent Celebrations, Advent Sermon, Advent Sermon Series, Advent Sunday Sermons, Christmas Advent Sermons, Christmas Sermon, and Christmas Sermon Series. Connect with us on-line by clicking here.

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