colors of chicago

a newsletter of youth with a mission chicago winter 2009

www.ywamchicago.org
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Time: 1 to 6 pm (seating starts at 12:30)

Date : Saturday, March 14th, 2009

Salvation Army
Mayfair Community Church
5040 N. Pulaski Rd.
Chicago, Illinois
and
io n is d es ig ne d for High School a $5 donation is suggested to help
Take Act uraged
ge A ge p eo p le , families are enco e.
cover the cost of the day
Colle
at e to ge th er an d all are welcom
to particip
 city scape
Recently a young Muslim man entered our community. His story represents a good picture of the strategic gift that Urbanization
has brought to the church. A young man from India, who has been a part of YWAM Chicago discipleship for several years, met
Mohammed* in a nearby McDonalds. Mohammed looked homeless and desperate. Our friend, as a result of seeing the Lord
use him in missions over the last few years and learning of his own calling to expand God’s Kingdom, felt compelled to help
Mohammed. He discovered that Mohammed, having just arrived from an African Islamic nation, was sleeping on the streets. He
told Mohammed that he knew some people in the neighborhood who helped immigrants and called us. We happened to have a
man named Jacque living with us that was from the same North African nation. Moments later, Jacque and I were on our way to
pick up Mohammed. Jacque spoke to him in his language and told him he could stay with us. After Mohammed got to our building
he looked nervous. After discovering that Jacque had become a follower of Jesus from a Muslim background and that we were
also Christians, Mohammed looked puzzled. He asked me, “Did you know I was a Muslim before you took me in? Why would
you do that, when my own Muslim community would not do anything for me?” We assured him that we knew he was Muslim
and that we believe God loves all nations and that as followers of Jesus, we had a desire to love the nations the way He would.

For the next few weeks, Mohammed asked many questions. We worked to find him help and to connect him with a com-
munity of people from his nation living in Chicago, but also told him he could stay with us as long as he needed. Ev-
eryday he would watch the Jesus film and read the New Testament that Jacque had given him. Churches and individu-
als began to donate clothing, food and medicines. He couldn’t understand why people who didn’t even know him,
would go out of their way to help him. Mohammed asked many questions about Jesus and the scriptures he was read-
ing. One day, he told me that he wanted to follow Jesus and that he wanted to know this “peace and rest” that we
had. He knew that his Muslim family would not be happy with his decision but didn’t want to wait anymore. He told me
of the scripture he had been reading that told him if he waited to accept Jesus, then he was unprotected from Satan.

It was a difficult decision for Mohammed. His family had borrowed money and used dishonest means to get him to the States in
hope that he could get a job and save his family from poverty. But now that he was following Jesus, he wanted to go home and
do the right thing, even if he never got to come back to America. The Devil tested him on this for a few weeks, throwing several
dishonest opportunities his way that could seemingly solve all of his families’ problems. He rejected them all. He told me one day
that following Jesus is hard. When God spoke to him and told him that he could choose to rely on what man could do or rely on
the destiny that God had for him, his response was to trust God. Every day his desire grew to go home and have the chance to tell
his family what Jesus had done for him. A few churches raised nearly $1500.00 to send him back. In the second week of January
we prayed over him and sent him home. He calls us every week to let us know how he is doing and that he is still following Jesus.

This is a story of Urbanization. God brings a Muslim man out of isolation into a city where he can come in contact with God’s
love. God’s people are positioned in the city in order to be at the right place at the right time to display God’s incarnate love
toward the nations. And now the gift of the nations is being sent back home to extend that light to a culture isolated from Him.

Every year Chicago averages 60,000 new immigrants moving

into the city; 170 a day, nearly 80 a day from the least evan-
gelized nations of the world. The Church must exist in the
cities, because it is where the modern mission story is un-
folding. Would you please pray for more laborers in the city
and for more divine appointments with the Mohammed’s
of the world, coming to the cities to find hope. May those
who come find Jesus, through His Church, waiting for them.

by Brad Stanley
Director, YWAM Chicago
 immigrant housing
Here are some prayer needs that Najah has expressed
concerning the Muslim ministry and MBB Bible Studies.
Goals for the MBB Bible Studies
• Focus on issues that MBB’s struggle with such as: Feelings
of lonliness, not fitting in with American Churches, shame,
and lack of fellowship
• Study topics that are relevant, such as: explaining to Mus-
lims the Doctrine of The Trinity, Diety of Christ, death of
Christ, etc. These topics can be barriers in Muslim ministry.
• Encourage and Build up each other in Christ
•Seek ways to advance the Kingdom of God among our own
people in Chicagoland.
Prayer Requests
• Prayer that God continues to work in the lives of MBB’s
and through them to others.
• Pray that God continues to strengthen and guide them
through the Holy Spirit as they serve Him.
• Pray that the MBB Bible studies will continue to be a
blessing and great training to all who come.
• Pray that Arab and Muslim peoples in Chicgao will see
Christ in those who have become Christians that they may
come to Christ as well.
Nine years ago the Lord blessed us with a 3-story
apartment building in Rogers Park, one of Chica-
go’s most ethnically diverse neighborhoods. This
has served to house staff and thousands of out-
reach participants over the years. The third floor
apartment also facilitates short-term immigrant
housing for those who we come in contact with
needing housing assistance. Over the years we
have had men from over a dozen nations living
with us such as: Turkey, Kurdistan, Iran, Paki-
stan, India, Afghanistan, Morocco, and Senegal.
Many of these men have come to us as Mus-
lims or other Religions. It has been a joy to bring
them into our Christian Community and share
the tangible love of Christ. Some have accepted
the Lord after staying with us. The Lord has also
brought some from Muslim backgrounds who
have become Christians and are able to help
us in witnessing and discipling those whom God
brings our way. These people are called MBB’s
or “Muslim Background Believers”. Recently an
MBB bible study has begun to meet bi-weekly
on the 3rd floor, being led by an MBB living with
us, Najah from Morocco. Please pray for him
and those whom the Lord brings to him. Taking
immigrants into our home and community has
become the most effective way for us to reach
Muslims in our city. There are currently four men
staying with us. Please pray for Najah, that God
would continue to lead him in relationships with
people to love and minister to.
If you are interested in helping these
men and other immigrants like them
please contact us and we will be
happy to help you get plugged in
in a way that best suits your desires
and giftings.
ywamchicago@yahoo.com
773.262.9935
 chicago news
Planting a Multi Ethnic Expression of God’s Church
Martin Luther once said, “If we preach the Gospel in all aspects except for that one which speaks
directly to the issues of our time, than we have not preached the Gospel at all”. In an Urbanized
world where cities house nearly every nation in concentrated geographical areas,
it has become the challange of the Church to show the world what it looks like for
Nations to fellowship together in reconciliation, unity, and purpose. Over
the years it has been our purpose to support and partner with churches
and ministries who seek to fullfill that dream. For the past two years we
have had the priviledge of working with Living Stones Fellowship from
Indiana as they have brought numerous teams to the city to work in immigrant neighborhoods. The Lord began
to speak to them to plant a multi-ethnic church in Chicago’s ethnic gateway communities and to see that dream
become a reality. We are partnering together and had the first meeting as “Living Stones Chicago” on Thurs-
day, February 5 in the basement of our YWAM outreach building and continue to meet every Thursday. Please
pray for us as we network with the community and begin sending evangelism teams throughout the Northside
to draw the nations into fellowship together. The desire is to not only disciple the nations among us but to also
equip and send the nations back into the world with their nation’s gifting. Please pray for wisdom as we seek
to truly release a multi-cultural expression of the church in Chicago.

YWAM Chicago What others are saying about

Statement of Purpose
YWAM Chicago is committed to
citywide ministry, to presenting the
gospel to the immigrant and ethnic
populations of our city and training
and releasing them into missions,
while meeting social needs of the city
through long-term community devel-
opment and short term outreaches.
UNWILLING TO CONCEDE
“Questioning the character of God and who he is?
Read this book... Brad Stanley lays out the unshake-
able loving character of God in tragic circumstances in
his own life!! Amazing!!!! Thank you Brad for pressing
on through the struggle and being willing to be vulner-
able and UNWILLING TO CONCEDE yourself and shar-
ing this treasure with us.”
- S.G.

“In this broken world many of us look for ways to cope.

Youth With A Mission
Statement of Purpose
YWAM is an international move-
ment of Christians from many
denominations dedicated to pre-
senting Jesus Christ personally to
this generation, to mobilizing as
many people as possible to help in
this task, and to the training and
equipping of believers for their part
in the fulfilling the great commis-
sion. As citizens of God’s kingdom
we are called to love, worship and
obey our Lord, to love and serve
His body, the church, and to pres-
ent the whole gospel for the whole
person throughout the whole world.
The author of this book does a great job in explain-
ing ‘personal loss does not mean loss of hope’. God
is there for us and many of us just don’t know it yet.
Using God’s amazing power in our lives is the best
coping method you could choose. Over all this book
really helped me to realize what’s out there and I be-
lieve everyone should read this book who believes and
is ready to learn and experience God’s love and amazing power! “
- Male Student
“Amazing!!!!! I couldn’t put this book down, it really inspired me to reach out to others who are
going through hard times in their life and it gives you a sense of hope and encourages you to
continue to seek God’s light and truth no matter what. I love the way Stanley included Bible
verses in his book and applied them to his teachings. Overall I absolutely loved this book!!”
- Student
IN STORES NOW
for more information go to www.unwillingtoconcede.com
 chicago ministry
What happens when people pray?

Will you pray with us for 2009 to be a year of prayer that

tills the ground for an explosion of growth in Chicago?

The Ethnic Embrace 31 Day Prayer Guide details one na-

tion represented in Chicago for each day of the month.
You will read about the history of those people in their
own nation as well as the history of them coming to Chicago, where the majority of them live in the
city and where to find that nation’s cusuine. The vision is to see the Kingdom of God brought to
them through the people of God that are in the city and the suburbs. We would like to challenge
your church, small group, men’s, womens or youth groups to pray through this guide for one month
in 2009 and ask God to give you his heart for one of these nations.
We believe that when we pray...God leads.

Contact Emily Bond at 805.400.5846 or jesseandemily08@yahoo.com for more information.

july 6 - 11, 09
9am to 5am daily
age 6 to 18 (kindergarten a prerequisite
Camp fee $130
Registration fee (per family) $15 ($25 after June 18th)
* New Venue
First Evangelical Free Church
5255 N. Ashland Ave., Chicago, IL 60640
ywamchicago@yahoo.com or 773-807-0972

October 2, 2009 to
March 12, 2010
$3,400 (tuition, food, housing & 3 wk outreach)

school of urban frontiers

A 5-month, internship-like program engaging the diversity of peoples, worldviews and cultures in an
urban setting through interactive classroom studies and unique community outreach. The school will
alternate weekly bet ween teaching and practical city ministry. (DTS is a prerequisite)
 beauty from ashes
The Great Chicago fire of 1871 is one of the defining points of our city’s history. History
is full of tragedy, but we are reminded in Luke 4, when Jesus identifies his anointing and
ministry purpose in Isaiah 61, that God is a Redeemer. Every tragedy becomes an oppor-
tunity for us to allow God to bring beauty from ashes. I believe every city and community
faces these unique opportunities throughout history. As Chicago lay in ruins in the winter
of 1871, it was given the chance to cry out to a Redeeming God for help, allowing Him
to rewrite our history. Unfortunately, the city decided to erect a statue called the “I will
Spirit” to declare our confidence in self-reliance. Since then, a few statues have been
dedicated to this “unofficial city spirit”, with a replica of the original statue on display at
the city’s Historical Museum. Much attention has been put on Chicago politically in recent
weeks, with even our current President coming from our city. May Chicago not transfer
that Spirit of Self-reliance to a nation facing the ashes of economic ruin! We are praying for
the reversal of that covenant with self to God’s original dream for Chicago; that we might
be a city that can display what reliance on God in the midst of great turmoil can produce.

How you
can help us ...
1. EMAILS!!! We are hoping to do as much of our updating and
advertising electronically (including this newsletter). It saves us a lot
of time and money to do so. If you DID NOT receive this newsletter
via email that means we don’t have your email. If applicable can you
email us your email address to ywamchicago@yahoo.com.
2. VOLUNTEER At certain times of the year, some of the events
we run require a lot more people than we have on staff. We could use
your help. YWAM Chicago
3. DONATE As with all ministries, the winter months bring higher PO Box 268408
bills and less money. If you would like to make a donation towards Chicago, IL 60626
ministry expenses, please contact us for more information. 773.262.9935
www.ywamchicago.org
ywamchicago@yahoo.com