Sunday at Sugar Grove

Here’s a slideshow of our visit to Village Bible Church yesterday. If the slideshow doesn’t start automatically, hold down the Crtl button while clicking on Refresh. You can click on each picture to see my comments and then click on Resume Show to go the next picture.

Photo Gallery

Yesterday we spent most of the day at Village Bible Church in Sugar Grove, a fast-growing congregation on the far-western edge of Chicago. When I say “far-western,” I mean past Oak Brook, past Naperville, past Aurora, all the way to the very edge of current growth. Beyond Sugar Grove you mostly find farmland. It’s an ideal place for a church because you never run out of new families moving into the area.

Last August I preached for the first time at the church and found the congregation to be warm and friendly. We enjoyed it so much that when Tim Badal (the teaching pastor) invited us back, I was happy it worked out for us to say yes. Since August they have completed a brand-new educational wing built with 90% of the labor donated by members of the congregation, saving themselves $2 million in the process. That alone is remarkable. Very few churches in a metropolitan area would attempt to do their own construction, but at Sugar Grove it not only worked, the results are spectacular. Marlene and I were blown away by the high quality of the workmanship and the little finishing details that transform a nice building into something very special. I also learned that almost 80% of the people are involved in a small group ministry. No wonder the church has grown by 25% in the last year. Yesterday the attendance was larger than on Easter Sunday. And that’s amazing. But best of all–and this is no small thing–you can sense the deep unity that exists among the leadership. There is no division between staff and elders or between elders and other lay leaders. It’s obvious that the people love each other and trust their leaders. That sort of unity is all too rare today, and it is a gift from God.

I preached on “Why God Picks Splendid Sinners and Lovable Losers” from 1 Corinthians 1:26-31. Along the way I managed to work in American Idol and the Chicago Cubs, guaranteeing the audience paid close attention. At the end I told the story of how Alistair Begg once remarked that “we’re all pathetic losers and if God doesn’t rescue us, we’re sunk.” It’s true, and that sort of insight keeps us humble and it also allows us to have a sense of humor and not take ourselves too seriously. After the service we had a leadership luncheon where Tim Badal announced that the church is starting a second worship service in September. As one elder remarked, “It’s a no-brainer,” especially for a growing church in a growing area. I encouraged the people to take steps of faith by “acting on the belief part” and to “lean into the curve” of change.

All it all, we had a wonderful time. It’s always fun to be around a growing, happy church where good ministry is happening and people are coming to the Lord. That’s Village Bible Church in Sugar Grove, Illinois.