New is Now
Contents
HAPPY
Anniversary, COMMUNITY
It’s hard to believe we are celebrating 35 years of helping people find their way back to God!
Back in 1989, a handful of friends came together around a dream of planting a new church in the western suburbs of Chicago. From the beginning, God gave us a clear vision for what this church could become. We believed God was calling us to be an impact church, a church that would reach people who are far from God and make a tangible difference in our community. We believed God was calling us to be a reproducing church, a church that would apprentice and release new leaders and plant new churches. And, we believed that if God would bless these efforts, we could become a movement church, catalyzing a movement of reproducing churches both locally and around the globe. As we look back on the past 35 years, that is exactly what God has done! He has been so faithful to us! And most important, community has helped tens of thousands of people find their way back to God!
As we prepare for Ted Coniaris to become the new Lead Pastor of community, we couldn’t be more excited about the future of the church. While the mission of helping people find their way back to God will continue, it is time for a NEW VISION to carry community into the future. God is doing a new thing, and the time for New is Now!
a note from Ted Coniaris
35 years and we're just getting started.
As we celebrate this incredible milestone of 35 years together, I want to express how deeply honored I am to step into this new role as your Lead Pastor. Relying on God’s call and goodness, our founding pastors, Dave and Jon, have laid an amazing foundation—one that has helped tens of thousands of people find their way back to God, created a culture of impact, reproduction and real kingdom of God movement both locally and globally. This is the Christ-centered bedrock on which community has been built.
Now in this season of transition, I want to reassure you that the heart of community remains steadfast. Our mission of helping people find their way back to God is as vibrant and essential as ever. We will continue to be a church marked by our core DNA of authentic relationships, missional courage, joy and humility as we step into this exciting new chapter. That said, I believe God is calling us to something even greater as we look to the future. The new vision before us to become achurch where Every Heart is on Fire, Every Person is a Pastor, Every Child and Student are Equipped, and Every Neighborhood has a Thriving Church—is not a departure from where we’ve been, but a bold extension of what God has already done.
This God-sized new vision is only possible because we stand on the shoulders of all the amazing work that has been accomplished over the past 35 years. We have the unique privilege as a church to have seen God’s faithfulness in fulfilling our first vision, so we can move forward with a confident faith, knowing that He will do it again! The best is yet to come, community ! Let’s step into this new season with anticipation and excitement, trusting that God will continue to lead us and use us in ways beyond our imagination. The time for New is Now! With gratitude and expectancy,
Heart
Heart Fire
Every Heart on Fire
Father, we believe you are doing a new thing. You are making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland (Isaiah 43:19), and we believe you want to set Every Heart on Fire.
We pray for a profound spiritual awakening in our church, that we will become a vibrant community that is passionately devoted to you, Jesus, and deeply committed to helping people find their way back to God.
We pray that the powerful story of the disciples' hearts being set ablaze on the road to Emmaus wouldn’t just be a story anymore, but our lived experience.
We pray that our weekly gatherings would be expectant and spiritually dynamic. May they be marked by an intensity and authenticity of prayer and worship. May we respond to the teaching of your Word with full allegiance to you, King Jesus. Lead us into a deep engagement with Scripture so that together we can live as disciples who hear from you and do what you say.
We pray you will use our online services to reach people across our nation and across the world. We pray for the rapid expansion of our network of MicroChurches in our neighborhoods, our workplaces, and around the globe. We pray for Community Freedom to spark what could only be described as a revival behind the walls of our local prisons.
We pray for catalytic discipleshipconversations to become normative in our church community, bearing remarkable fruit in our lives. May the impact of these discipleship relationships be profound, creating a multiplying effect as each person discipled becomes a disciplemaker themselves.
We pray that the impact of our collective passion would extend far beyond the walls of our Sunday services. May we be a people who, individually and collectively, pray and fast fervently for the advancement of your Kingdom in our lives, our communities, and around the world. Every morning, may we start our days immersed in worship, prayer, and Scripture.
We pray we’ll become a community of Spirit and Truth. May we experience more of your Spirit in our gatherings and in our daily lives. May the stories of your Spirit’s power and activity that once seemed trapped in the pages of Scripture become a regular occurrence in our daily lives.
We pray our hunger for your Word will become insatiable, as we delve deeper into the Scriptures, seeing more of you, Jesus, and seeking to apply your truth in all aspects of our lives. May this growing passion for your Word grow us into a generation of believers who are theologically grounded and spiritually mature, capable of discerning truth and embodying your love in our increasingly complex world.
We pray that our collective passion for the Jesus Mission will lead to a marked shift in our community’s generosity and support for local and global missions. God, as individuals and families, may we put you first in our finances, honoring you with a biblical tithe and generously partnering with local and global ministries.
Father, may our hearts, set ablaze by your Holy Spirit, fuel a movement of spiritual awakening and revival, both locally and globally. May we become a city on a hill, displaying the transformative power of hearts fully surrendered to you.
Person EVERY
Person Pastor
Every Person a Pastor
Every Person a Pastor
Father, we believe you are doing a new thing. You are making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland (Isaiah 43:19), and we believe you want to make Every Person a Pastor.
Every Person a Pastor
We pray you will transform our church into the embodiment of the priesthood of all believers described in Scripture. May we become a vibrant congregation of people who have been discipled and who embrace our unique role and identity as pastors. May we represent and re-present you, Jesus, everywhere we go, living out your pastoral heart in every arena of life. May the barrier that has existed between professional “clergy” and “lay” people disappear in our community as each of us sees ourselves as fully empowered pastors. As transformed people, may you use us to transform the world.
Every Person a Pastor
We pray you give our staff and leaders wisdom as they train and equip us to serve not just within the church walls, but in our homes, workplaces, and communities.
We pray for parents in our church community. May they confidently step into their roles as the primary spiritual leaders of their families, transforming their homes into greenhouses of Kingdom growth, vibrant with faith and love.
Every Person a Pastor
We pray for those in the workplace. May they serve as pastors in their spheres of influence, bringing a sense of peace, integrity, and purpose into their professional environments. May they impact their colleagues not just through their words, but more powerfully through their actions and character. We pray for impact in our communities. May we become spiritual guides in our neighborhoods, creating a rippling effect of restoration that impacts thousands of people locally and around the world.
Every Person a Pastor
We pray for our small groups. May they develop into thriving centers of discipleship, support, and mission. May they be led by capable, passionate leaders who are deeply invested in individual group members. May our groups be known in their communities not just for what they believe, but for how they live out those beliefs with compassion and integrity. May the growth in these groups be organic and dynamic, marked by authentic relationships and a lifestyle of B.L.E.S.S.ing their neighbors to help people find their way back to God.
Every Person a Pastor
We pray you will grow us into pastors who are trained not just in skills and knowledge, but also in the heart, character formation, and the deep health needed to flourish as a pastor in any context. May we raise up a generation of pastors who are passionate about you, Jesus, deeply rooted in Scripture, filled with your Spirit, and skilled in guiding others in their spiritual journey.
Every Person a Pastor
Father, may we become not just a congregation, but a movement, a living testimony to your power working through people who are fully alive to their unique calling and purpose in Christ.
Child & EVERY EQUIPPED
& Student
Every Child & Student Equipped
Every Child & Student Equipped
Father, we believe you are doing a new thing. You are making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland (Isaiah 43:19), and we believe you want Every Child and Student Equipped. We pray, God, for every child and student in our community. They are our greatest source of hope for the future of the Church. May our children be equipped with a thorough understanding of your Word, a solid foundation in their identity in Christ, and an unquenchable passion for sharing your love with their friends. May they be confident in their faith and able to articulate what they believe and why they believe it.
Every Child & Student
Equipped
We pray for a blessing over our Kids’ City and StuCo ministries. May they be dynamic environments where young minds and hearts are nurtured to grow in wisdom and stature. May all of our children give their full allegiance to you, Jesus. May an increased engagement with Scripture grow them into disciples who hear from you and do what you say. Use us, God, to serve our kids and students, nurturing them to become confident, Christ-centered leaders who influence our world by carrying the torch of faith wherever they go.
Every Child & Student
Equipped
We pray you will give us wisdom and practical strategies for developing the next generation of female leaders in the church. God, it grieves us that research has shown that the average woman’s self-esteem peaks at the age of 9. May that not happen in our church community! May we become a launching pad for young women, empowering them to confidently step into the fullness of your vision for their lives.
Every Child & Student
We pray for transformation in our homes. May you equip and empower parents to confidently pastor their families, turning their homes into greenhouses for Kingdom growth. May family devotions, prayer times, and discussions about faith be common in our households. May we, the church community, provide support, encouragement, and practical resourcing that those on their parenting journey need to invest in their kids with greater intention. Together, may we raise up a generation grounded in faith.
Every Child & Student
Equipped
We pray for the resources to provide student leadership, residency, and internship programs to increase our intentional investment in students. Through these programs, we pray our students are not only learning about leadership, theology, and biblical principles, but are equipped and empowered to apply these in practical, lifetransforming ways. Through these programs, may we develop young leaders who are ready to make significant contributions to our church and our communities.
Every Child & Student
Equipped
We pray for opportunities for our students to experience cross-cultural missions through our local and global partners. May you use these experiences to expand their understanding of the diverse body of Christ and instill in them a heart for disciple-making, church planting, and global missions, while helping them become agents of change in the world. May you grow in this next generation a heart to alleviate poverty for all children at home and around the world.
Every Child & Student
Equipped
Father, may we witness a generation rising up with a heart for your mission, ready and equipped to make a significant impact for your Kingdom.
Neighborhood Church
Neighborhood Church EVERY THRIVING is Now
Every Neighborhood a Thriving Church
Every Neighborhood a Thriving Church
Father, we believe you are doing a new thing. You are making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland (Isaiah 43:19), and we believe you want in Every Neighborhood a Thriving Church.
We pray we’ll become a living example of the Kingdom of God on earth – a network of communities passionately following you, Jesus, as we love our neighbors and transform our world one person and neighborhood at a time. May our church be a movement, a living organism that’s continuously growing and influencing the world for you and your Kingdom.
Neighborhood a Thriving Church
We pray for the transformation of our neighborhoods through thriving small groups and MicroChurches. May every neighborhood in which we live echo with the life of a vibrant, active church community. May our homes, community centers, and local businesses become centers for the mission. Transform our concept of “church” beyond our traditional boundaries so that we will see communities of people on mission where Jesus is King active and alive in every corner of Chicagoland. Unify us by our shared mission and vision and use us to revitalize our neighborhoods. May we bring hope and true community to the people around us while directly addressing and meeting their needs.
Neighborhood a Thriving Church
We pray for the growth of our global network of MicroChurches, creating a mosaic of faith communities that are deeply connected and supportive of each other. May our community locations in the Chicago area become gathering, training, and resource centers for this movement of MicroChurches. We pray for a significant reduction in our debt as a church so that we can free up more resources to move the mission forward and take new ground for the Kingdom.
Neighborhood a Thriving Church
We pray that our strategic partnerships through NewThing would lead to a multiplication of new churches locally and globally. We pray that you’d use each of our Chicagoland locations to start networks of local churches to support an increase in church plants and church revitalizations in the city of Chicago and beyond, each one a thriving community making a tangible difference in our city.
Neighborhood a Thriving Church
We pray that the impact of this movement would be profound, that stories of transformation would be common as individuals find their way back to God, families are restored, and communities unite under the banner of Christ’s love. God, we ask not for mere numbers, but for a quality of discipleship and community life.
Neighborhood a Thriving Church
We pray that the spiritual temperature of our people and our church would rise dramatically and that your presence, God, would be palpable whenever we are together. May you grow in us a sense of unity in diversity, as people from all walks of life come together, bonded by our shared passion and mission.
Father, we pray our church will become a more full and beautiful mosaic of cultures, ages, and backgrounds, yet remain harmoniously united. May our commitment to multi-ethnic, multi-generational communities represent our world and Chicagoland in its diversity of culture, ability, ethnicity, and language giving us a beautiful foretaste of our eternal destiny when every tongue, tribe and nation will worship together at your throne.
WHAT’S NEXT FOR US?
New is Now
A two year faith-raising initiative for Community Christian Church with two goals
Our primary goal is 100% engagement. This vision will only happen if every one of us takes these steps of faith together. It will take everyone moving from wilderness and wasteland towards hope and transformation in Jesus. We want every person who calls community home to be a part of, and invest in, our new vision.
Our secondary goal is to raise $19 million over the next two years. This number represents our current annual giving, plus additional dollars to help us accomplish even more life-changing ministry. All these funds will catalyze what we believe God has called us to for the next two years of…
Helping people find their way back to God and igniting every heart on fire.
Equipping every student and child to lead today’s and tomorrow’s Church.
Discipling every person to become a pastor wherever God has placed them.
Reducing debt to create margin for every neighborhood to house a thriving church.
is Now
Ministry Investment Summary New
Here is a glimpse of how $19M of generosity will be strategically invested over the next two years. Some of these dollars will fund the amazing things community is already doing now, and some of those dollars will be used to reduce debt and fund the NEW opportunities we believe God is calling us to in this next season.
Every Heart on Fire
30% - 5.76m
NOW
Fully fund community's Mission of helping people find their way back to God through our Four Expressions, Core Ministries, Community Outreach Activities, and Community Staff. This means we will fully fund everything you already love about community.
NEW
Explore and implement New Practices and Rhythms which will take us deeper in worship through prayer, fasting, baptism, hearing from God and walking in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Invest in New Community Engagement and Outreach Strategies to continue growing our reach through all of our Chicagoland locations.
Develop New Ways to Train future missionaries behind the walls of our local prisons who are ready to bring the Kingdom of God back to their communities through Community Freedom.
Help even more people find their way back to God through a New Intuitive App and a New Website designed to reach new people and connect our existing community in meaningful ways.
Every Person a Pastor
28% - 5.31m
NOW
We will continue our remarkable investment in developing and equipping coaches, leaders and apprentice leaders across every area of ministry.
Launch a New Disciple-Making Track which will result in our people embracing their unique role and identity as pastors and removing the barrier between professional “clergy” and “lay” people in our community.
Design and offer an extensive New Pastor Training focusing not just on skills and knowledge, but also on the heart, character formation and the deep health needed to minister with power, transforming our small groups and ministries inside and outside the walls of our church.
Develop a New Big-Idea Creative Process providing a pathway for anyone in our church to dive into the depths of the passages and Biblical themes we teach through every week and be more equipped for ministry and life.
Create a New “Kingdom Justice” Discipleship Experience designed to develop a kingdom worldview that supersedes cultural perspectives and political ideology and help our church be able to analyze current events from a thoroughly biblical perspective, including the importance of racial reconciliation through a New Intuitive App and a New Website designed to reach new people and connect our existing community in meaningful ways.
Utilize New AI Technology to Personalize Next Steps and spiritual growth for everyone in our church using our existing message and writing catalogs from the last decade.
Every Child and Student Equipped
27% - 5.13m
Our Kids’ City and StuCo ministries are incredible, and we will continue to develop what we love about these programs like our staff, special events, camps and retreats. However, these critical ministry areas are under-resourced and that needs to change moving forward.
Initiate New and Expanded Outreach to New Families through Camps and Retreats that will result in significant growth in our Kids’ City and StuCo ministries.
Make New Investments in Parents and Families through resourcing and training that is aimed at transforming every family and home into a greenhouse of kingdom growth.
Create New Leadership Development tracks for Kids’ City and StuCo to help our kids start to see the Kingdom impact they can make earlier in life.
Create New Paid Internships and Residency Programs for our Junior High and High School Students to work alongside our staff teams to learn leadership, theology and practical ministry skills in order to be better prepared for their lifetime of Kingdom impact.
Provide New Opportunities to Partner with the Global Church for our students through scholarships and trips abroad. This exposure will instill a heart for disciple-making, church planting, and the global mission in our kids while also helping them become agents of change in the world as we work to alleviate poverty for all children at home and around the world.
Every Neighborhood a Thriving Church
15% - 2.8m
NOW
We will continue supporting our key Celebration Generosity partners like Frontline Philippines, Compassion International and others. And, in addition, the rise in interest rates coupled with a post-pandemic economy means that the elimination of mortgage debt NOW will release even more funds for greater ministry impact.
NEW
Set a New Focus to Retire 2M in Debt which will free up almost $200,000 a year to be reinvested in helping even more people find their way back to God.
Launch a New Online MicroChurch Training Platform which will allow us to expand our outreach from 135+ community Microchurches to thousands of Microchurches helping tens of thousands find their way back to God around the globe.
Increase our investment in New Holistic Community Development through Community Cares, focusing on helping people find their way back to God by addressing the pressing issues of poverty, education, racial reconciliation and immigration in our communities.
Establish a New and Elevated Partnership with NewThing to grow our global impact from 25k churches to more than 100k churches planted by 2030 and draw even closer to fulfilling this vision of a thriving church in every neighborhood.
Make New Improvements to our Aurora Facility. In the Spring of 2024, community was blessed to receive and take ownership of a new debt-free facility in Aurora and $100,000 is needed to improve this highly-visible location that has the potential to reach thousands of people in Aurora and surrounding communities.
"See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland."
Isaiah 43:19
Ask
God to raise your faith and to grow in the grace of giving. Ask Him for a faith-filled financial amount.
1 John 5:15
Believe that God will lead and provide you with resources to honor your commitment Mal. 3:10
Commit to giving God all the glory for writing a new story in and through your life
Pro.16:3