The History
of The Moody Church A trusted place where
anyone can connect with God and others.
The Moody Church has long been a haven for the spiritually
hungry. People come here to deepen their relationship with Jesus Christ,
to receive sound Biblical teaching and to
fellowship with other Christ-followers through Bible studies, small groups
and other church programs. From mature Christians to those who may not
yet know Christ as Lord and savior, The Moody Church has always opened
its doors to everyone—from all walks of life. The following paragraphs
are about our beginnings…
A Church Is Born The
year was 1858. Dwight Lyman Moody, a traveling shoe salesman from Massachusetts,
began a Sunday school mission for underprivileged children in Chicago.
Moody and ministry partners J.B. Stillson and John Farwell actively recruited
children from the streets to attend the school. Class was held every Sunday
night in an abandoned saloon (the only place Moody could find for a Sunday
school mission) where children would sit on the floor and listen to the
teachings of D.L. Moody and his ministry partners.
The Sunday school grew quickly to the point that the saloon was too small
to accommodate the children. By 1859, Moody moved the school to North
Market Hall in Chicago, a facility that could easily accommodate the 300
children now attending the school, but one that was used for Saturday
night parties. Moody assumed most of the school’s responsibilities
including teaching the children and on other days during the week, visiting
absentee and sick children and inviting parents to attend evening services.
At North Market Hall, class was held all day Sunday and every evening.
By 1860, the school had grown to more than 1,000 attendees and parents
of the children began to attend. It had become the largest mission of
its kind in Chicago, prompting President Lincoln to visit one of its meetings
that year. At 24, D.L. Moody permanently retired as a traveling shoe salesman
in order to devote his full attention to missions at the Sunday school
and the YMCA where he was instrumental in sending workers by the thousands
overseas as missionary-like YMCA secretaries.
Around this time, it quickly became apparent that the church needed yet
another new building and more types of ministries to accommodate the growing
number of attendees. Moody, with school superintendents Farwell and Isaac
Burch and others, raised $20,000 to purchase a lot on the corner of Illinois
and Wells Streets on Chicago’s poverty-stricken North side.
There, a brick structure was built that included a 1,500-seat auditorium,
classrooms, an office and a library. The Illinois Street Church was formally
dedicated on December 30, 1864. Signs hung on the outside of the church
that read “Ever welcome to this house of God are strangers and the
poor.” Moody acted as pastor of the church until 1866 when, although
he continued work with the Illinois Street Church, he focused his efforts
elsewhere, including missions and serving as YMCA president from 1865
to 1870.
The Great Chicago Fire
On October 8, 1871, following a sermon by Moody on Jesus’ life,
the Great Chicago Fire swept the city. The Illinois Street Church burned
to the ground. Moody immediately began to raise money to construct a new
church and to help those left homeless in the fire. By 1873, a lot was
purchased on the corner of Chicago and LaSalle Streets (today, the site
of Moody Bible Institute’s women’s dormitory, Houghton Hall).
This permanent structure was paid for in part by Moody’s European
evangelistic campaign with Ira Sankey. They developed a hymnbook, “Sacred
Songs and Solos” (later called “Gospel Hymns and Songs”),
which grew out of solos that Sankey, who was the church’s new music
minister, and the congregation performed prior to each of Moody’s
messages. Eventually, the book sold more than 8 million copies and raised
$35,000 for the permanent church structure.
The Chicago Avenue Church, which could hold 10,000 people, was dedicated
in June 1876. Attendance was strong and the church’s first missionaries
were commissioned.
Although he was involved in other work, Moody continued to be influential
in bringing many to the church. In 1897, as a result of Moody’s
evangelistic campaigns, church attendance exploded. At one point, the
auditorium was filled to capacity while an overflow of 6,000 waited outside.
In 1899, D.L. Moody died in Northfield, Mass., after becoming ill.
The Moody Church in the 20th Century
A.C. Dixon took over as pastor in 1906, and in 1908, the church is formally
renamed “The Moody Church.”
In 1909, the church declared its theme “Jubilee Year” in honor
of the 50th anniversary since its founding. Meetings were held every evening
that November. According to the church’s executive committee, the
church prospered spiritually, materially and numerically under Dixon’s
leadership. Offerings for the work of the Lord more than doubled, souls
were saved every week, and 1,367 members were received into the church.
The Moody Church Herald that December
said, “Scarcely a day or night passed that souls did not accept
Christ as savior.” Dixon resigned in 1911 in order to pastor a church
in London.
John Harper, a native of Scotland, accepted the senior pastorate; however,
he never became the church’s pastor. He was called to The Moody
Church for a series of meetings and in April 1912, was to return to Chicago
for an indefinite period of ministry. With his niece and daughter in tow,
Harper boarded the Titanic for the trip to the states. Harper’s
traveling companions survived; however, Harper perished in the Titanic
disaster. E.Y. Woolley, who had been serving as assistant pastor, became
acting pastor of the church.
In 1915, the congregation moved to the corners of North Avenue, North
Clark and North LaSalle Streets, the present site of the church. In 1925,
upon raising $500,000, construction began
on the new building that holds more than 4,000 people. The Moody Church’s
permanent home was dedicated on November 8, 1925.
The Moody Church has since grown tremendously in terms of members, ministries
and God’s blessings. In the eight decades since its permanent structure
opened, The Moody Church has featured noted evangelists including Gypsy
Smith, Billy Graham and Billy Sunday; hosted major evangelical events
including the National Sunday School Association Convention; established
media ministries to bring its teachings to people all over the world;
instituted various programs to reach specific groups of people including
youth, singles, women, business men and women, people facing difficult
urban problems and others; and began Adult Bible Fellowships for people
from all walks of life.
As God wills it, The Moody Church will continue to grow and offer ministries
that bring praise to the Lord and minister to and reach out to others.
Moody Church will continue to be a trusted place where anyone can connect
with God and others.
For photos of The Moody Church when construction began
click here.
Timeline of the Senior
Pastorate
1858 D.L. Moody organizes a Sunday school in a saloon
in Chicago.
1866 J.H. Harwood, the first full-time pastor of the
church, is appointed. Remains as pastor until 1869.
1876 William J. Erdman becomes the church’s pastor.
Serves until 1878.
1878
Charles Morton becomes pastor. Serves until 1879.
1879
George Needham serves as pastor until 1881.
1885
Charles F. Goss serves as pastor until 1890.
1890
Thomas B. Hyde, a former Northfield student of Moody’s, acts as
pastor until 1894.
1894
R.A. Torrey becomes pastor of the Chicago Avenue Church while serving
as superintendent of the Chicago Bible Institute. He serves until 1906.
1898
James M. Gray serves as supply pastor until the early 1900s.
1906
A.C. Dixon assumes pastorate. Dixon is well known for spearheading the
Watch Night meetings, one of which filled the church auditorium with 12,000
people, and many had to be turned away. He serves until 1911.
1909
William Borden of Yale is ordained in the church.
1911
John Harper is invited to become pastor; however, he dies in the Titanic
disaster.
E.Y. Woolley becomes senior pastor and serves until 1915.
1915
Paul Rader becomes pastor. Under his preaching, 3,614 members join the
church. He serves until 1921.
1922
P.W. Philpott is appointed pastor and champions the church’s work
around the world. He resigns in 1929.
1930
Harry Ironside, first-time pastor, accepts the pastorate. During his pastorate,
many church ministries flourish and many of his sermons appear in books
and devotionals.
1948
H.A. Hermansen becomes acting pastor and serves until 1950.
1951
Frank Logsdon is appointed church pastor.
1953
Alan Redpath is welcomed as pastor and emphasizes personal revival and
holy living. Major evangelical events are held at Moody under his pastorate.
He resigns in 1962.
1962 - 1966
Church pastorate is left vacant.
1966
George Sweeting accepts pastorate. His focus is on outreach to many and
diverse communities in Chicago neighborhoods. He leaves in 1971 to become
president of Moody Bible Institute.
1971
Warren Wiersbe becomes pastor and contributes significantly to the growth
of the radio ministry. He remains until 1978.
The
year was 1858. Dwight Lyman Moody, a traveling shoe salesman from Massachusetts,
began a Sunday school mission for underprivileged children in Chicago.
Moody and ministry partners J.B. Stillson and John Farwell actively recruited
children from the streets to attend the school. Class was held every Sunday
night in an abandoned saloon (the only place Moody could find for a Sunday
school mission) where children would sit on the floor and listen to the
teachings of D.L. Moody and his ministry partners.