Children’s Chorus Updates

You’re invited to The Moody Church this Easter as we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! For centuries, followers of Jesus have greeted one another on Easter morning, “He is risen!” followed in response with, “He is risen indeed!” We’ll extend that ancient greeting to each other in our service on … [Read More…] April 05, 2026

Holy Week is special. Over the years, our family has found it meaningful to journey each day with Jesus through this week that changed history. The tradition actually goes back to my parents who outlined readings for each day from the four biographies of Jesus in the New Testament. If you’d like to read along … [Read More…] March 29, 2026

Ministry is full of hidden dangers. That’s true, not just for those in who are in professional full-time ministry, but for all of us who serve the Lord in different ways. As we turn to Acts 18:24–19:20 today, we find the apostle Paul coming face-to-face with three dangers: comparison, celebrity, and control.   We still … [Read More…] March 22, 2026

Throughout the book of Acts, we’ve seen how the apostle Paul reasoned with the Jews from the Scriptures and engaged philosophically with the Greeks to reveal the “unknown God.” In every context, Paul spoke the truth with courageous conviction and compelling clarity. In our cultural moment, we are called to do the same.   This … [Read More…] March 08, 2026

In Acts 17, the apostle Paul gives a masterclass on how to preach the Gospel to people without a shared biblical foundation. Unlike his previous sermons preached to fellow Jews who understood the Old Testament, Paul, in Athens, begins with the human intuition of the divine and the idolatry that captivates our souls. From there … [Read More…] March 01, 2026

We’ve officially entered the Lenten season this week, that 40-day period (excluding Sundays) between Ash Wednesday and Resurrection Sunday. In many Christian traditions, Lent is a corporate season of fasting and prayerful reflection on Jesus’ atoning work on the cross and glorious resurrection from the dead. While we don’t usually have a particular churchwide focus … [Read More…] February 22, 2026

This coming week, our Moody Church Media team will be headed to Nashville for the National Religious Broadcasters meetings. On Friday, we’ll be celebrating a very special milestone for our own Pastor Emeritus, Dr. Erwin Lutzer, as he is inducted into the Hall of Fame. This is the NRB’s most prestigious award, honoring those who … [Read More…] February 15, 2026

“To the Ends of the Earth”   This Sunday as we continue our series through the book of Acts, we reach another tipping point in the storyline. You’ll recall that Jesus told His disciples just prior to His ascension, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be … [Read More…] February 08, 2026

Dear Moody Church Family,   “I believe God made me for a purpose, but He also made me fast. And when I run, I feel His pleasure.” Eric Liddell in Chariots of Fire   Like Eric Liddell, who sensed God’s pleasure when he ran, we believe each follower of Jesus carries a unique reflection of … [Read More…] February 2026 Stewardship Letter

This Sunday evening at 5:00pm, I want to invite you to join me at the Chicagoland United in Prayer gathering. Gospel-faithful churches from across the city will come together at Moody Bible Institute in Torrey-Gray Auditorium for a time of worship and prayerful intercession. Our city needs Christ’s abundant mercies. Our country needs the Father’s … [Read More…] February 01, 2026

This Sunday, we come to Acts 15 and one of the most pivotal moments in early church history. The very first Church Council was held in Jerusalem concerning the growing number of non-Jewish Gentiles responding to the Good News of Jesus. The question is: What, if anything, in the Law of Moses should be required … [Read More…] January 25, 2026

As a church family, we’re learning what it means to Change Your World through Mission.   Right now, in each of our Communities, we’re leaning into Jesus’ call to everyday mission where we live, work, learn, and play. God has supernaturally and strategically placed us within a circle of influence with people far from Jesus … [Read More…] January 18, 2026

It’s time to Change Your World through Mission!   God has always used ordinary people to advance His mission in extraordinary ways. That’s one of the key insights we’re gleaning from the book of Acts. God’s mission to redeem this lost world and reconcile all peoples to Himself in Jesus Christ is a mission we … [Read More…] January 11, 2026

Dear Moody Church Family,   As we begin a new year, I’ve been thinking about our recent journey through the first chapters of Acts in Pastor Philip’s World Changers series. Those stories remind us of a powerful truth: the early church didn’t just talk about changing the world—they lived it.   They prayed boldly. They … [Read More…] January 2026 Stewardship Letter

It’s a big week for our Moody Church Media team. On Monday, the new daily radio program Living Hope launches nationwide. The program’s name is based on the powerful truth found in 1 Peter 1:3, God “has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” The … [Read More…] January 4, 2026

As I reflect on this year, I’m especially grateful for our church family. Six years ago, Krista and I were praying about what the Lord might have in store for our future ministry. We’d had a few conversations with the leaders at The Moody Church and were seeking the Lord’s will together. I remember streaming … [Read More…] December 28, 2025

This Sunday, we have the joy of experiencing our Children’s Christmas Program as our kids remind us of our deep need for the new heart that only Jesus can give us. That new heart was promised long ago in a number of places in the Old Testament, but there are two central texts that speak … [Read More…] December 21, 2025

This Sunday, we have the joy of experiencing our Children’s Christmas Program as our kids remind us of our deep need for the new heart that only Jesus can give us. That new heart was promised long ago in a number of places in the Old Testament, but there are two central texts that speak … [Read More…] December 21, 2025

Dear Moody Church Family,   “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” —Acts 20:35   At times, this verse can feel like it denigrates receiving. Instead, I’ve been trying to view Jesus’ words as elevating giving above something that we all understand is fantastic. I love to receive things: food, hugs from loved … [Read More…] December 2025 Stewardship Letter

Advent is by very definition a season of waiting. Waiting for God to move. Waiting for promises to be fulfilled. Waiting for the redemption of all things. Israel was waiting for Messiah. We are waiting for Messiah’s return.   Waiting is difficult. Everything in our technology-driven world aims at the quick, convenient, and instantaneous. We … [Read More…] December 14, 2025

Christmastime is one of the best opportunities we have throughout the year to invite friends and family to join us here at The Moody Church. It seems like everyone is looking for tradition and festivity this time of year. Krista and I have found our neighbors to be warmly receptive to our invitations. So let … [Read More…] December 07, 2025

During Advent this year, we will be working our way through a series titled: The Canticles of Christmas. Canticle comes from the Latin canticulum, meaning “little song.” During the Christmas story, there are three human characters who burst out in song in response to what God is doing in sending His Son into the world … [Read More…] November 30, 2025

One hundred years ago, in his sermon dedicating our sanctuary building, Pastor P.W. Philpott titled his message, “What Mean These Stones?” Drawing upon Joshua 4, where the children of Israel made a memorial pile of twelve stones taken from the Jordan River to stand forever as a testimony to the miraculous way God had brought … [Read More…] November 23, 2025

It’s relatively easy to trust God when the birds are singing, the flowers are in color, and the sun is shining. It’s in the dark that trusting God becomes a challenge. How do you trust God when everything feels unhinged? When evil seems to triumph? When enemies plot against us? When the night is unrelenting? … [Read More…] November 16, 2025

In the Old Testament, when the harvest came in, God’s people would bring thank offerings to the temple to express their gratitude for the abundant mercies of God in their lives. In agrarian societies, people lived hand to mouth off the land. Survival depended on a decent harvest year after year, which meant everyone lived … [Read More…] November 9, 2025

Dear Moody Church Family,   How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? Romans 10:14   “I am inevitable,” boasted Thanos in Avengers: Endgame. Spoiler alert: He … [Read More…] November 2025 Stewardship Letter

On Sunday, November 23, we are going to have a very special celebration of 100 years of ministry in our sanctuary building. Pastor Lutzer and I will be collaborating in a service of thanksgiving for God’s goodness to our church and a prayerful look to the future. Please mark your calendars and make plans to … [Read More…] November 2, 2025

On Monday, my Grandma LaVern Joyce Miller went home to be with Jesus and is now reunited with her dear Eugene, my Grandpa. She was born on March 9th, 1933. She suffered a debilitating stroke about a year ago, and so these last months were challenging. I’m so thankful her struggle is at an end, … [Read More…] October 26, 2025

The joke in Illinois is that we only have two seasons: winter and road construction. That’s especially true of our expressways. It seems like they’re always a work in progress. If you’re like me, it’s easy to grow impatient when things are a work in progress. Projects often begin with enthusiasm and end with joy … [Read More…] October 19, 2025

October is Pastor Appreciation Month, and I’d like to encourage us all to take a few moments to express our gratitude to the pastors and ministry directors who faithfully serve here at The Moody Church. We are blessed by a wonderful team of Gospel ministers, and your encouragement means more to them than you probably … [Read More…] October 12, 2025

The apostle Paul’s influence within the early Christian movement is massive. He made three missionary journeys, planting churches throughout much of the ancient Greco-Roman world. Thirteen of the letters he wrote to those various churches are included in our New Testament. Additionally, he had indirect influence through his traveling companion and attending physician, Luke, who … [Read More…] October 05, 2025

Dear Moody Church Family,   But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your servant…even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:26, 28).   Jesus … [Read More…] October 2025 Stewardship Letter

This Sunday, we come to one of my absolute favorite scenes in the book of Acts. God arranges for Philip the evangelist to have a “chance encounter” with an Ethiopian eunuch as he travels along the road of a 2,000-mile, round-trip, spiritual pilgrimage to Jerusalem. A trip of that duration was extraordinarily expensive and quite … [Read More…] September 28, 2025

One of the things that makes church leadership unique is the fact that our ultimate Leader is Jesus. As He says in Matthew 16:18, “I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” So, unlike the CEO of a corporation or the executive director of a nonprofit, to be … [Read More…] September 21, 2025

Jesus never said following him would be easy. In fact, he prepared us for the opposite, “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Following Jesus means taking up our cross daily, and following him no matter the cost (Luke 9:23). Peter writes to the first … [Read More…] September 14, 2025

Dear Moody Church Family, I hope you had a wonderful summer and had a chance to attend a Summer Seminar! The seminars were a great lead-in for our fall ministry launch. As followers of Jesus, we want to not only know the Gospel, but also “do” the Gospel (James 2:26).   This fall, we’ll return … [Read More…] September 2025 Stewardship Letter

We Millers are so looking forward to being back with our church family this Sunday! After three years of intense doctoral work, this end-of-summer break was just what the doctor ordered. We return refreshed, recharged, and rejuvenated!   This year our thematic emphasis is on the fourth stage of The Journey of a Lifetime: Change … [Read More…] September 07, 2025

“People don’t want a friendly church, they want friends.” I’m not sure where I first heard that, but I say it in every Membership Class because, although it's not its main purpose, facilitating godly relationships is what a healthy church strives to do. A believer’s church family is one of the best gifts our Heavenly … [Read More...] August 31, 2025

No one wants to be thought of as a fool. And yet…   So, how do we avoid living foolishly? Proverbs 9:10 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.   Fearing the Lord is a good thing. Fearing the Lord keeps us … [Read More...] August 24, 2025

Years ago, I heard a friend repeatedly quote the second part of Proverbs 10:8 after saying something she regretted, “A chattering fool comes to ruin.” It was both funny and wise at the same time. What are the verses of Scripture that most guide your walk with the Lord?   By God’s grace, I have … [Read More...] August 17, 2025

Are you paying attention? It seems like a simple thing to do, but if you spend any time with people (including yourself), you realize that paying constant attention to what we are doing or what is going on around us is not as easy as it sounds. I often wonder what some drivers on the … [Read More...] August 10, 2025

Dear Moody Church Family,   Have you ever noticed how many things are celebrated with their own special day or month? August has many such items: National Sisters Day (3rd), Book Lovers Day (9th), World Elephant Day (12th), National Middle Child Day (also the 12th—they don’t even get their own day!), and not to be … [Read More…] August 2025 Stewardship Letter

What’s more fun than a church full of happy, screaming, and singing kids? Apart from all the screaming, not much! This past week we shared the glory of God with hundreds of children during Summer Blast, where kids got to see how amazing God’s creation is: from the smallest to the largest parts. A huge … [Read More...] August 03, 2025

Seventeen hundred years ago, in response to the controversial teachings of Arius, the first ever Ecumenical Council of over 300 church fathers gathered in Nicaea in AD 325 to settle the issue and proclaim a unified doctrinal confession for the church. Arius contended that Jesus, while divine, was a created being and therefore was subordinate … [Read More...] July 27, 2025

When I was a teenager and found it difficult to fall asleep in the evenings, my parents gave me permission to read books or listen to Moody Radio until I got tired. Because I'm an auditory learner, the radio became my nightly companion. One of the programs that I listened to regularly was Grace to You with … [Read More...] July 20, 2025

In our secular progressive age, there are a lot of cultural pressures to keep our faith to ourselves. Following Jesus is viewed as acceptable so long as it’s kept private. After all, we’re a pluralistic society, and since religion tends to divide, the pressure is always to keep quiet.   Of course, this flies directly … [Read More...] July 13, 2025

In communications there’s a little adage that goes like this: “Numbers tell; stories sell.” In other words, when giving a presentation, it’s not just the graphs and data that matter, it’s the stories of real people that will connect most with your audience.   At the end of Acts 2, Luke told us about the … [Read More...] July 6, 2025

As the world is in turmoil and leaders boast and threaten, it is good to know that our God is on His throne. The Father is sovereign. The Son is exalted. The Spirit is present. The world may seem unhinged, but it is ultimately playing into God’s hands for His greatest glory and our everlasting … [Read More...] June 29, 2025

There’s a well-known African proverb that says, “If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.” It even made it into the recent Mufasa: The Lion King movie—CGI song and dance included. This proverb is a reminder of the power of "together," and that teamwork eclipses autonomy over … [Read More...] June 22, 2025

This Sunday we are going to look at one of the most influential sermons ever given. The apostle Peter, freshly anointed with the power of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, preached the Good News of Jesus on the streets of Jerusalem. Luke tells us that 3,000 souls responded to the message. Talk … [Read More...] June 15, 2025

Dear Moody Church Family, I hope you are enjoying your summer! As our church nears the end of the fiscal year in August, I want to say thank you and highlight some examples of the impact of your generosity:   In November, we provided over 1,200 shoeboxes to kids in need around the world with … [Read More…] June 2025 Stewardship Letter

In Acts 2, the Holy Spirit comes during the Feast of Pentecost with wind, fire, and power to send the church out on mission to the ends of the earth. This is a decisive moment in God’s redemptive plan—one we’re tracing throughout the book of Acts and in which we ourselves are participants today. Jesus … [Read More...] June 8, 2025

This Sunday launches one of my favorite weeks of the year. It’s Missions Week at The Moody Church! We gather to celebrate God’s work among the nations for His glory as He draws people from every tribe, tongue, and people into His multiethnic family. Jesus will receive worship from all peoples everywhere!   We have … [Read More…] June 1, 2025

I don’t know about you, but waiting is one of the most frustrating things to me. I don’t like waiting in traffic, the grocery store checkout line, or for the next episode of my favorite show to drop. Waiting is hard. I’m not very good at it.   But waiting is inevitable, of course. It’s … [Read More…] May 25, 2025

Today, we begin our series in the Book of Acts, which is the second volume of Luke’s dual histories. In the first volume, Luke gave us the history of what Jesus began to do in His person. Now, in the second volume, Luke is going to show us what Jesus continues to do through His … [Read More…] May 18, 2025

I’ve just boarded the flight back from Tirana through Frankfurt and then on to Chicago. Pastor Bill Van Tuinen, Krista, and I have had a tremendously encouraging visit with our ministry partners here. I’m leaving with four key takeaways.   First, we are grateful to have solid partners in our global Gospel ministries. As you … [Read More…] May 11, 2025

Greetings from Albania! Pastor Bill Van Tuinen, Krista, and I are having a wonderful time visiting the various ministries we support here in Tirana and Korçë. The regime of communism lies in the not too distant past, having fallen in 1991. The evangelical church is therefore a young one, having just over 35 years of … [Read More…] May 4, 2025

Dear Moody Church Family,   Summer camps are one of my favorite annual traditions for our youth. Research shows that summer camps often play a pivotal role in a child’s decision to follow Jesus. As a parent, I am also excited for my kids to partake in camps that are fun, done with excellence, and … [Read More…] May 2025 Stewardship Letter

Would you keep us in your prayers this coming week? On Monday, Krista and I will be headed to Albania with Pastor Bill Van Tuinen. I’ll be the plenary speaker at the Albanian Forum, a local chapter of the European Leadership Forum which is one of our church’s Key Global Initiative partners. I’ll be encouraging … [Read More…] April 27, 2025

It’s Resurrection Sunday! This is the day we get our lives back. Two thousand years ago, the crucified Jesus walked out of the grave, and the world has never been the same. Jesus has a death-defying life, and He wields His resurrection power on behalf of His people. The resurrection changes everything!   That first Easter … [Read More…] April 20, 2025

Dear Moody Church Family,   As we look forward to Resurrection Sunday, I am so thankful for the wonderful worship service our team puts together each year. The music, the preaching, and the full sanctuary create an overwhelming sense of the Lord’s presence. It is a highlight of the season and always a great reminder … [Read More…] April 2025 Stewardship Letter

One of my favorite Holy Week hymns is “Man of Sorrows” by Philip Bliss. He had been working as a music teacher, but had given himself to evangelistic work on the advice of his friend D. L. Moody. He wrote this hymn in 1875, shortly after that career change. Just a few months later, Bliss … [Read More…] April 13, 2025

When I was a kid, I was always afraid of the dark. Even after all these years, the darkness is not my friend. Sinister things lurk in the shadows. Under the cover of night, evil grows.   Jesus was betrayed, arrested, denied, and condemned under the cover of darkness. What the religious leaders were too … [Read More…] April 6, 2025

A few years ago, a lady here at The Moody Church was praying about her granddaughter who had grown up in church, but wandered from the Lord in her teenage and young adult years. Her grandmother was burdened for her and decided to take a risk. She invited her to come with her to church … [Read More…] March 30, 2025