Need

At first glance, the spiritual life of Gurnee seems strong, vibrant even. For a city of 32,000 people, we have a high number of healthy, life-giving churches located in every part of the village. Our churches love one another and work together to support schools, serve meals to the hungry, and provide excellent care to those in need.

Upon deeper reflection, however, there are some unsettling truths. If asked, more than three out of every four people (75 percent) would affirm the existence of the God of the Bible. Yet, less than 15 percent of our total population attends a Bible-believing church on any given weekend. An even smaller percentage of people have been reconciled to God in an eternally significant way.

As pastors, we want to confess the hard truth that our churches have not been effective in leading the majority of our community closer to God. We also want to be the first to stand up and acknowledge that it is time for that to change. Too many people in our city have yet to experience the life-transforming love, hope, and security that can only be found through a relationship with Jesus Christ. There is no greater benefit we can bring to our community than to help as many people as possible discover the incredible value of life with God.