Vision Nehemiah

Is Divorce Ever Permissable?

2011-11-04T18:28:00.003-05:00

Get in a time machine with me and let’s travel back 100 years to 1911. Let’s crash a wedding of someone’s great grandparents, anyone’s great grandparents. It doesn’t really matter. It doesn’t matter if they were rich or poor. It doesn’t matter if it was in Chicago or Chattanooga. Nine out of 10 ten weddings we could have crashed would have ended the same way- with two individuals that have joined their lives together in holy matrimony who, given long life on the earth, would have grown old and gray together. They would have raised their sons and daughters together into adulthood and been together long enough to even usher their grandchildren into adulthood.

Yet if we go to a wedding today, there would be a five out of ten chance that the marriage will end in divorce. No longer are children growing up in the safety of a healthy family. Where has the shift come from? Can it be that the salt has lost its saltiness? Can it be that the light has grown dim? With the percentage of divorces being the same amongst self proclaimed believers as with unbelievers, can it be that the church has lost it’s distinction on the earth and has thus lost it’s effectiveness?

I will spend the next several weeks writing on my study from passages throughout Scripture dealing with marriage, divorce and remarriage. I will make the case that most evangelical churches have it wrong. We have allowed the sinfulness of our hearts to determine how we understand marriage & divorce. I will explain why I hold to the permanence view of marriage- that there is no grounds for divorce for a believer that has made a covenant with another. Covenants are life long. I ask that you take this journey with me and be open to prayerfully considering this view. Looking forward to the ride!

Chicago Peace Campaign

2009-10-22T11:34:00.001-05:00

Derrion Albert was walking home from school on Friday, September 25th when he got caught up in a gang mob fight. He would not make it home as he was beaten to death by fellow teens right in front of The Agape Community Center, a ministry that attends the Legacy Conference.

Read the following article written by Chris Butler of the Chicago Peace Campaign (a ministry of Vision Nehemiah).

Derrion Albert did not die because of a lack of jobs or social programs. He died because we expect more righteousness and leadership from our government and civil institutions than we do from each other.

As I watched the video of Derrion Albert's beating death, I couldn't help but notice the conspicuous absence of anger or passion. From the voice of the young person filming the mayhem on his camera phone to the faces of the perpetrators of the violence; there was no hatred, no rage. This was simply a leisure activity. Derrion's death was not the goal, just an unfortunate outcome.

Those young people were not doing something that they were forced to do; they were doing something they wanted to do.

As director of the Chicago Peace Campaign, an effort to fill the city with peace and drive out violence, I have worked in many neighborhoods across the city organizing and mobilizing churches and other Christian organizations. We have adopted schools, conducted all-night prayer-and-praise meetings on dangerous corners, beautified streets, and conducted activities for young people. But clearly we have not done enough.

I know that there are those who say the solution to our problems in America's inner cities is that we need more jobs and more afterschool programs. I say not so. We have in this city more afterschool programs and jobs available to youth than we did in 1959. But we did not see young people beating each other to death in the streets back then.

Derrion died just outside the doors of a faith-based community center that would not have turned a single member of that mob away if they were looking for afterschool recreation. As I watched, I realized that it's time for the church to come forth and lead. Allow me to explain.

In practically every generation prior to this one, the great problems in America had to do with civil rights. From the unjust system of taxation without representation which led to the Revolutionary War to the unjust Jim Crow laws that led to civil rights movement of the '50's and '60's, we have struggled as a nation to overcome problems that were a matter of public policy. Since those problems were emanating primarily from the halls of government, we struggled to shift public policy discussions, change laws, and elect men and women to national and local government who could make necessary changes and hold the line on previous victories. And as we did this, things improved.

I humbly submit to you that those days are over. Public policy and government statute are not the great source of our problems, and the methods of previous movements have been and will continue to prove ineffectual in our time. It is time for a new approach. I do not mean to assert that every law in this nation -- or even in this city -- is now just; this is certainly not the case. But the law and public policy discussions of our time are not the cause of our problems as they have been in the past.

In the past the law dictated that people of color could not vote. The accepted public policy held that people of color were somehow less human than white people. The clear solution for that kind of injustice is to change that law, to shift that public policy to something more just and humane. This is the basic ethos and methodology of civil rights. Civil rights can be demanded and won from the government.

But today we have laws against drug sales, we have laws against illegal drug possession, we have laws against murder. There is not a respectable public policy professional or organization anywhere in this nation that would make an argument against those laws.
So, why is Derrion Albert not alive today?

Perhaps, the answer is demonstrated better than it can be articulated by the radio DJ who plays endless hours of violence and debauchery, by the policeman who drives 70 m.p.h. the wrong way down a neighborhood street, by the crowd of misguided teens who dispassionately beat one of their peers to death with a piece of wood and their bare hands.

Imagine the impact that we could make if every believer in Chicago truly began to pray for peace in our city, then allowed that prayer to motivate and strengthen us toward action. What if every school in Chicago was adopted by a handful of churches? What if believers in every neighborhood began to take responsibility for a block, a train station, a bus route, and went out to meet the people there, serve them, and act as a presence for peace? What if we turned the power of protest onto the drug dealers by coming to the hottest spots at the hottest times (usually nighttime) and exposing their activities done in darkness with bright lights, singing, and prayer? What if there were a prophetic voice coming out of the church that, through both its words and actions, could consistently afflict the comfortable and comfort the afflicted? That would be an appropriate movement for Chicago -- and for every urban community.

The great problems of our time -- and, as such, the violence problem in Chicago -- are not a matter of civil rights, but human rights. They are not caused by problems in our public policy and government structures; they are caused by great flaws in our values and cultural structures. The solutions cannot be demanded and won from the government; they must be demanded and won from one another. The challenge is not to turn an unjust government toward justice, but to turn an unrighteous culture toward righteousness.
And that's precisely why it's time for the church to come forth and lead.

Thi’sl will be ministering at the Agape Center (342 W. 111th St. Chicago, IL) on Friday, October 30th at 7:00pm. Please come and join us as we seek to pass on the message of peace that can only be found in Christ.

Chicago Peace Campaign

2009-06-06T22:46:00.002-05:00

The Chicago Peace Campaign is on the move! Friday Night Lights and Peace Projects are moving forward! Last Friday night we were on the corner of 59th and Normal, a corner filled with high volume drug trafficking, drinking, gun violence ,etc. Several churches were represented as we chanted, “Make peace happen!” We shined flash lights, car lights, generator lights, symbolic of shining the Light of Jesus Christ on the corner. Residents of the neighborhood came out and expressed heartfelt thanks for our concern and prayed and sang with us. We will be back again tonight and all summer! Friday Night Lights is going on in the Lawndale community, Humboldt Park and in West Garfield Park on the corner of Gladys and Kildare.
There are several service projects being implemented around the city! Let’s make peace happen!!!!

PURSUE PRO-AM

2009-06-06T14:57:00.002-05:00

Join us next month for the PURSUE PRO-AM!

If you like to golf and want to support students going to college, then the PURSUE PRO-AM is for you.

Look for more info HERE!

PURSUE scholarships

2009-04-20T09:51:00.003-05:00

Last Wednesday was the deadline for this years PURSUE scholarship applicants. I am excited to announce that we have sixteen applicants for this years scholarships. We plan to offer three new scholarships to go with our seven students who will continue to receive scholarships through the PURSUE program.

Please pray for us as we assess the many worthy candidates. We must make some tough decisions to decide how to best allocate our limited resources. Also pray that we can be a valuable resource to all sixteen of our applicants as they work hard to PURSUE God's plans for their future.

Lecrae talks about Legacy Conference

2009-04-05T20:40:00.001-05:00

2020 Vision for schools

2009-01-06T16:36:00.003-06:00

With the start of a new year, we at 2020 Vision are praising the Lord for his wondrous provision and his definitive movement in this city! It has been a whirlwind since September when we formed a working committee to bring this vision of partnering schools with neighborhood churches to Chicago. After one general meeting at Marshall in the fall with Vision 2020 founder, Mr. Jeremy Del Rio, we started a working committee that has since met weekly to bring that Vision to our city. Loosely based off of the concept that was so powerful and well received in New York, our Vision 2020 for Chicago included a call to end the violence that plagues the CPS.

We shared this vision and plan in an informational session at Sunshine Gospel Ministry and also at two luncheons for pastors and administrators of churches in Chicago. As a committee, we constructed an informational brochure outlining the premise of Vision 2020 and a suggested plan and sent those out to over 500 churches in Chicago! (Want to receive one? Email Chris@visionnehemiah to get on our mailing list!) We also launched a website that can be found by clicking the 2020 Vision on the Vision Nehemiah webpage. The fruit of our labor is being manifested as the Lord has steered 34 churches and organizations to partner with Vision 2020 for Schools!

This first quarter of 2009, we as a committee are looking forward to working on increasing our monetary support through a fundraiser and are excited to participate in a training event to sharpen our skills as organizers. Look for more information about this training and how you can join us for free at this event. Several churches have come forward and expressed desire to hold an event to increase awareness of Vision 2020 and we can’t wait to get the ball rolling on these and more events!

We also hope to increase our working committee...Are you interested in this project? Please, email chris@visionnehemiah.org for more information. We have a working committee consisting of 7 members with which we have reached all sides of Chicago with the vision, but with your help and partnership, WE CAN do more!

Dye Family Christmas 2008

2008-12-11T21:14:00.005-06:00

It’s hard to believe that 2008 is almost over. It certainly has been an exciting year for us and our family! The first six months of the year were busy with Heidi teaching (3rd grade) and Brian driving a school bus and leading Vision Nehemiah. The summer months were filled with planning, planning, and more planning while we prepared for the Legacy Conference and a trip to Zambia. What a blessing both of those events were to us!

Legacy update: This past August 14-16, 600 youth and young adults from 27 different states gathered in Chicago for the 2nd annual Legacy Disciple-Making Conference. The mission of the Legacy Disciple-Making Conference is to assist youth and young adults to grow as disciples of Christ and in making disciples for Christ. The Legacy blends urban culture, hip hop music, sound biblical teaching and great fellowship. Conference attendees participated in workshop tracks such as Hermeneutics, Basic Bible Doctrines, Biblical Manhood, Biblical Womanhood and Evangelism. As a result, people leave hungering for more truth.

Zambia update: Thank you so much for being faithful to remember us in your prayers while we were in Africa! God truly did open a door for us to speak the mysteries of Christ in many different ways. First, we were able to equip Zambian pastors and their wives to minister to their congregations through solid, Biblical teaching. Second, we were able to share our testimonies and our lives with the people of the village. Brian's best memories: “We were all amazed to see the book of Acts lived out in these pastors. Some of them had only been saved a few years, but they were already planting churches in neighboring villages, looking for faithful men that they could train to be pastors in that town. We also got to be a part of a strategy session in which they were planning where to take the gospel to next. We were so impressed with the faithfulness, perseverance and commitment to the gospel by these men.” Heidi: "One of the most vivid memories I have is the day that Dan did a teaching on being Biblical husbands and wives and he asked the families to sit together. This went against the cultural norms as the men and women usually sit separately. I will never forget the joy I saw on the women’s faces as they were allowed to sit next to their husbands and encouraged to be affectionate and to serve one another.”

Church update: As many of you know, we left Judson Baptist Church this last February to find a church home in our neighborhood. After months of searching, we were impacted by the Legacy and our trip to Zambia to start a house church (Legacy Fellowship) that gives 100% of its tithes/offerings to missions. We meet in our home on Sunday afternoons and have grown to about 30 people. We have been blessed by the tremendous fellowship and family atmosphere that has developed through it.

Family update: All of our young men are a part of the church as well. We currently have five boys staying with us and a dog (which we are dog-sitting for a friend...indefinitely).

Matt (23) – Matt is working at a warehouse full time and recently started volunteering at By the Hand Kid’s Club. Matt is very gifted in computer graphics and has been designing flyers for Vision Nehemiah. Matt also joined us in Zambia.

TJ (22) – TJ is working at Breakthrough Urban Ministries and Starbucks. He keeps very busy ministering through rap at various churches and volunteering as an MC at The House (Hip-hop church) in Lawndale.

Paul (20) – Paul is working full time at By the Hand Kid’s Club and is also involved at The House. He is a gifted dancer and singer. Both he and TJ are working on putting out their own CD’s.

Caleb (19) – Caleb (Brian’s youngest brother) just moved in with us. We are looking forward to getting to know him better as he has spent most of his life in Oklahoma with his family.

Justin (18) – Justin is a junior at Kenwood Academy. He is doing very well in school and made the honor roll in the spring. Justin’s greatest interests are basketball and the dog, Coco.

Thank you all for your faithful prayers and support over the past year. Your partnership in the gospel is making an impact world-wide! Merry Christmas!

The Legacy Snap Shot

2008-12-02T12:47:00.018-06:00

The vision for the Legacy Conference began in January 2006 when 60 ministers from across Chicago gathered to be challenged by Soup Campbell, Dan Baugh, LeCrae and others to be world visionary disciple- makers. We were challenged with the necessity to impart into the faithful who would spread the Gospel to the ends of the earth.

As the vision was caught by many of these original participants, we began to dream bigger dreams. The conference was brought back in September 2006 known as Heavyweights, and then in August 2007 finally settling as The Legacy with more than 600 in attendance in 2008.

This year the Legacy will be July 30-August 1 at the Moody Bible Institute.

If you would like to be in the know on Legacy happenings we have an exciting opportunity for you! Simply text "Legacy" to 66937 to have up to the minute updates on artist confirmations and session speakers or visit www.legacy-conference.org.

Supporting young leaders

2008-11-25T17:34:00.001-06:00

Why urban?

2008-11-18T17:44:00.003-06:00

The ministry of Vision Nehemiah is committed to empowering the urban church for global impact.

The urban centers of the world have been the greatest places of influence throughout history and especially in today’s day and age as large cities are both magnets and magnifiers. Magnets in that people are drawn to the cities and magnifiers in that the cities influence the world. While only 8% lived in urban centers in 1900, today over 50% live in urban centers[1] and thus should command the attention of the Church today. Even people that don’t live in urban centers are influenced by urban culture. The early church seemed to realize this fact and focused on urban centers such as Philippi, Ephesus, Colossae, Rome, and Antioch. By being missional in the cities, they knew the message would travel throughout the world. In Chicago, there are 629,000 foreign born people living in 77 different neighborhoods. There are neighborhoods made up of Italian, Greek, Puerto Rican, Mexican, Chinese and dozens of other people groups.

Jesus commanded us to “go and make disciples of all nations” and He has simplified this command by bringing the nations to our own backyards. Thus, if we are serious about reaching the world, the cities are a great place to begin with. Isaiah 52:7 is a verse that is quoted often about “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.” Yet the following verses are just as beautiful. Verse 9 follows with how the city of Jerusalem is redeemed and verse 10 reveals the result being “all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.” When God accomplishes a work in the city, the rest of the world can’t help but recognize it. Its impact reaches the ends of the earth.

[1]Ray Bakke, A Theology As Big As The City (Downer's Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1997), 12.