Happy New Year! We at TGP-Chicago have plans to partner with God in big ways in 2017. Before we get into the three categories we will develop, let’s recap some of the highlights from 2016.
- TGP Elder, Jonathan launched a once a month Evangelism and Outreach class. In it students go over the principles of practical evangelism and outreach. Then they go into the area in teams to share the Gospel with people through guidance from the Holy Spirit and Prayer.
- Pastor Todd hosted a once a month Bible Class which is free and open to the public. It normally met in local libraries. Each class focused on one of the eight literary genres found in the Bible
- TGP hosted it’s first ever joint service with Rivers of Restoration Church from the Arlington Heights area.
- Pastors Byron, Nancy, and Todd oversaw several pre-marital counseling workshops and performed many weddings.
- TGP continued their commitment to missions with existing missionaries and by adding two more.
- TGP’s website got a make-over and is now an online place for believers to get resources. From sermon series’ to books published by our leaders to devotional blogs to online giving.
- We launched the Isaiah 61 Initiative, defining Isaiah 61 as the founding scripture for the ministry.
- Elder Cal Johnson oversaw several I-61 inner healing/deliverance sessions throughout the year.
- Elder Cara Miller went on a short-term missions trip to Africa.
Developing Category 1: Isaiah 61 Initiative
As we launched the Isaiah 61 Initiative in 2016, 2017 will be a time to partner with the Lord in further building a ministry around meeting people where they are and helping them grow in their faith and work for the Kingdom of Heaven. From inspiring and spurring on those who are thriving in their faith to creating an atmosphere for freedom and restoration to the afflicted, TGP is a place where anyone can come and experience God’s presence, love, and power. It is our desire to be a place where people can pursue God with a spirit of excellence filled with love and a dedication to meaningful kingdom work. Our ministries will be geared toward a greater fulfillment of the Isaiah 61 Initiative.
Developing Category 2: Goals
We are petitioning the Lord for several goals at TGP in 2017. The Pastors and leaders have begun to seek the Lord for greater fruit in the ministry.
Our primary goal is to better impact lives with the Gospel. Through teaching, preaching, small groups, and other avenues, our goal is to partner with God in seeing transformed lives for eternity.
To aid in this we have begun to specifically seek the Lord to provide us with a permanent building for our ministry; one that is accessible throughout the week for our expanding ministries. This will allow for a centralized location for our meetings.
We also have goals involving greater spiritual growth and maturity as well as intentional outreaches to our community. It is our desire to create more value to the community we are in.
The last goal I will mention here is an increased online presence. We understand that the culture is shifting at an astronomical pace. More and more people are connected to online social media outlets. Since it is the ultimate mission of the Church to reach people, an increased online presence is necessary to reach people who wouldn’t normally show up at our church.
Developing Category 3: Strategies
In the coming weeks, the TGP leadership team will be meeting to develop strategies regarding these goals. We fully acknowledge that no one can build the kingdom of heaven through physical means alone. When we look at scripture, we see a partnership with God in advancing the kingdom. We are called to faithfully put our gifts, talents, and abilities to work on creating an atmosphere of love, service, and growth. God has gifted us with the ability to plan. When we put our strength forth to the service of Heaven, we believe God will also be working to increase the fruit of our work. As Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “I planted the seeds, Barnabas watered, but God gives the increase.” We are putting our hands to the plow and water bucket more intently in 2017 as we believe God will bring the increase.
It is our heart’s desire to see lives transformed for the Kingdom of Heaven. We believe that involves supernatural invasions as well as lifestyle changes that can bring freedom from any bondage, restored relationships, and a life that thrives in the presence of God. Join with us as we pray and seek the Father for TGP’s work in 2017.