No English-Speaking Congregation

Phil Hoover · Postby **Phil Hoover** » March 9th, 2010, 8:24 am

what's up with that?

EagerBeaver · Postby **EagerBeaver** » March 9th, 2010, 12:02 pm

I personally am not shocked, as the COGOP in Washington State does not have an English-speaking church in Seattle or Spokane, the state's two largest cities.

It's been thatway for awhile here. I don't know why it is and I won't speculate, but honestly there are other churches in these areas that are doing far more than the COGOPs could do with limited resources.

I'm not knocking the org, that's just my opinion. If a church never had much of a foothold in the community in the first place, it can't expect to have much of a sphere of influence.

Jennifer Smith · Postby **Jennifer Smith** » March 9th, 2010, 12:58 pm

I think it's harder for a church organization with a smaller town focus and structure of operation to compete in a larger market. But I don't say that to be mean... I think small churches can be effective communities.

EagerBeaver · Postby **EagerBeaver** » March 9th, 2010, 2:06 pm

You're exactly right, Jennifer -- in my opinion the COGOP is not built to reach out to population centers very well. The organizational, financial and outreach structure of the COGOP needs to change from the ground up to reach the severely impacted in large cities in America.

paul · Postby **paul** » March 9th, 2010, 2:48 pm

EagerBeaver wrote:You're exactly right, Jennifer -- in my opinion the COGOP is not built to reach out to population centers very well. The organizational, financial and outreach structure of the COGOP needs to change from the ground up to reach the severely impacted in large cities in America.

So what happened? at one time cogop had good influence and large churches in the cities (what would have been considered large for cogop).

To me it is a sad commentary for cogop and other denominations that gave up on the citties.

So my question is...what will they do about it ?

I grew up in cogop in St. Louis Mo. Does cogop have any english speaking curchs left in the city or just the burbs?

forestwalker · Postby **forestwalker** » March 9th, 2010, 3:23 pm

Jennifer Smith wrote:I think it's harder for a church organization with a smaller town focus and structure of operation to compete in a larger market. But I don't say that to be mean... I think small churches can be effective communities.

That might be true in your parts, but not this side of the Rockies. It's in the suburbs that the mega-monstrosities dominate. Inner cities are full of small store-front churches. The problem is more likely just one of demographics. The majority of people living in city centers are immigrants (who are either Catholic, something other than Christian, or worship in one of those storefront churches--some COGOP--in a language other than English) or are yuppies (who are either not religious at all, Mainline or Catholic, or drive out to the suburbs to a Willow Creek clone). Blacks are the main "market" for an English-speaking Pentecostalism (and the urban cogop's here in CA, and I'd assume elsewhere, are by far majority-Black) but Blacks are becoming a smaller percentage of the population of most city centers every year.

jdavis · Postby **jdavis** » March 9th, 2010, 5:23 pm

We have three churches in towns that border the city limits of Chicago.
The Evanston church meets right across the street from the city limits. Most of the members live in Chicago. We also have the Burbank Church on the Southwest side and Glorious Life Church in Blue Island. This strong congregation was blessed with the building there a few years ago. Pastor Pagel Williams has pastored this congregation for over 20 years. When they got the opportunity to move a few miles from 69th street in the city to a beautiful building they took it.. Especially since the associate pastor was shot going to his car in the neighborhood that the old church was located. Thankfully he survived. Sorry Phil Hoover if it disappoints you that we don't have a church where you think we should

free · Postby **free** » March 10th, 2010, 3:47 am

Couldn't you reverse this and say we don't have a Spanish/French/German speaking church in an area?

Jennifer Smith · Postby **Jennifer Smith** » March 12th, 2010, 5:00 pm

jdavis wrote:We have three churches in towns that border the city limits of Chicago.
The Evanston church meets right across the street from the city limits. Most of the members live in Chicago. We also have the Burbank Church on the Southwest side and Glorious Life Church in Blue Island. This strong congregation was blessed with the building there a few years ago. Pastor Pagel Williams has pastored this congregation for over 20 years. When they got the opportunity to move a few miles from 69th street in the city to a beautiful building they took it.. Especially since the associate pastor was shot going to his car in the neighborhood that the old church was located. Thankfully he survived. Sorry Phil Hoover if it disappoints you that we don't have a church where you think we should

I actually think that's great that the church moved to a better area. Unless a church body feels called to outreach in a depressed area and has a strong base to support it with that vision it is tough to stay. Sometimes churches have to move when neighborhoods or other circumstances change.. in order to survive. Sometimes it is simply the failure to adapt that does us in. Sometimes it is simply not having a vision.

Phil Hoover · Postby **Phil Hoover** » March 13th, 2010, 5:33 am

jdavis wrote:. Sorry Phil Hoover if it disappoints you that we don't have a church where you think we should

That your snotty attitude says more about you, than it does about me.

In a city the size of CHICAGO, there should be at least one English-speaking congregation in this town.

I live IN THE CITY, I use PUBLIC transportation...

oletimer · Postby **oletimer** » March 13th, 2010, 12:06 pm

Phil Hoover

In a city the size of CHICAGO, there should be at least one English-speaking congregation in this town.

I live IN THE CITY, I use PUBLIC transportation...

If you feel the need that bad why don't you talk to the Lord about and just maybe He will lead you to work out one there. That how most came into being.

1. Need
2. Prayer
3. Preacher
4. Work
= Church

Pastor Chip · Postby **Pastor Chip** » March 13th, 2010, 4:09 pm

WOW!!!!

jdavis · Postby **jdavis** » March 14th, 2010, 5:46 pm

Phil Hoover wrote:
jdavis wrote:. Sorry Phil Hoover if it disappoints you that we don't have a church where you think we should

That your snotty attitude says more about you, than it does about me.

In a city the size of CHICAGO, there should be at least one English-speaking congregation in this town.

I live IN THE CITY, I use PUBLIC transportation...

Snotty attitude?????

I'm sorry if you feel that I have a snotty attitude. I explained where the COGOPS are located in relation to the city limits and explained why the last one moved a few miles south. I truly am sorry that we don't have a church downtown Chicago. It would be wonderful if we did. Our resources in the region are very limited and the cost of planting a church in the city would be very expensive not to mention the fact that we have no one to send to plant it. If we every have one it will probably be an immigrant one.

BTW If you ever want to attend COGOP you have an invite to attend mine. You can take the union Pacific North line out of Olgive station to Zion. It takes about an hour and 40 minutes. I will pick you up, bring you to service, feed you lunch and reimburse you for your ticket.

john

Phil Hoover · Postby **Phil Hoover** » March 15th, 2010, 10:35 am

[quote="jdavis
BTW If you ever want to attend COGOP you have an invite to attend mine. You can take the union Pacific North line out of Olgive station to Zion. It takes about an hour and 40 minutes. I will pick you up, bring you to service, feed you lunch and reimburse you for your ticket.

john[/quote]

In a city this size, it is heartbreaking that the COGOP doesn't have an English-speaking congregation in the city limits.

The Church of the Nazarene doesn't have an English-speaking congregation in the city limits either.

The suburbs are fine for "suburbians"...but I live in the City....

paul · Postby **paul** » March 15th, 2010, 1:56 pm

quote="jdavis"

[quote]I truly am sorry that we don't have a church downtown Chicago. It would be wonderful if we did. Our resources in the region are very limited and the cost of planting a church in the city would be very expensive not to mention the fact that we have no one to send to plant it. If we every have one it will probably be an immigrant one.

BTW If you ever want to attend COGOP you have an invite to attend mine. You can take the union Pacific North line out of Olgive station to Zion. It takes about an hour and 40 minutes. I will pick you up, bring you to service, feed you lunch and reimburse you for your ticket.

john[quote]

I am sitting in an airport in China waiting on a flight, passing some time I logged on. I am always amazed at how we sell God short and find ready excuses to justify given situations. This one being no english church in a city of million plus. I wonder how much time is being spent in prayer, fasting and guenuie intercesstion for the Lord to bring forth someone to plant the church there. Lack of Money is never a legimitate excuse to negate action. Bottom line is most denominations left and turn the cities over the the enemy and then decry the plight of the cities.

BTW I pastored in Rockford, Ill. several years ago and am very familiar with Zion. I also have several pastor friends in
Chicago who are indeopendant and have large churches....english speaking as well.

Jude 2