Urban Church Ministry

After being senior pastor for 18 years of New Life Church (an African American Congregation Scott founded - now self supporting and with a beautiful facility/ pictured above).  Scott Reese turned the church over to African American Leadership – first Rev. Roy Patterson of Moody Radio and then current pastor Rev. Bishop David Gills whose previous home in the projects is where the church was started 40 years ago.

Scott did not feel led to start another church but did want to continue to invest his time and talents to make a difference in urban Chicagoland. He founded a couple non profits which eventually became Christ Cares to make this possible. When considering how to make a difference, he determined to make a major priority to help, encourage, and empower URBAN CHURCHES. 

This was birthed as a result of Scott’s personal experiences. With dealing with the emotional drain of over 100 murders, constantly dealing with various crisis situations, and being overwhelmed with need but having very few resources to help, Scott became very weary, burned out and drained. 

He determined a major emphasis of CHRIST CARES should be to help those on the from lines, especially the pastors and their churches. There is a need to empower these churches to be the center of hope and help in their community. Many do not have any contact with suburban churches or to any extra resources. CHRIST CARES PROVIDES RESOURCES TO EMPOWER THEM TO SHARE JESUS - TO BE THE CENTER OF HELP AND HOPE IN THEIR COMMUNITY. It is also our desire to develop TWO WAY RELATIONSHIPS with suburban and urban churches… not just bringing resources to urban churches but also fostering relationships for racial healing and to provide ways for suburban churches to learn and grow from their urban brothers and sisters… they also have so much to offer also!

It’s Obvious Urban Neighborhoods are Under Distress!

THERE ARE MANY COMPLICATED ISSUES AT PLAY TO FIGURE THE NEEDS AND SOLUTIONS… 

Christ Cares is involved in holistic solutions – helping and empowering in practical ways… we also stand for justice and aim to bring two way racial understanding and healing… we are involved with political, economic, and social solutions. Scott has served on the City’s Community Relation’s Board, and has had difficult conversations with political leaders etc. … these issues are addressed in other parts of this website….

Yet we feel that although the economic and social needs are great and need to be addressed,  we feel the greatest needs in our nation are spiritual. PEOPLE NEED THE LORD! When souls are saved and lives are transformed by the power of God, so many other things will fall into place.

Who will bring hope, help, and salvation to urban America?

Rom. 10 “And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?”

WHO WILL SHARE THIS GOOD NEWS? It’s the urban churches – there are many fine organizations and government agencies doing wonderful things… but the spiritual needs must also be addressed!

“CHRIST CARES HELPS BY PLANTING AND ESTABLISHING CHURCHES AND ALSO PROVIDING RESOURCES AND ENCOURAGEMENT TO EMPOWER URBAN CHURCHES TO EFFECTIVELY REACH OUT TO THEIR COMMUNITY.”

CHRIST CARES HAS A VERY CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH NEW LIFE CHURCH of Chicago Heights.

Working together some powerful things are happening for the kingdom…

This church was planted was planted with no seed members or sponsoring  organization. Scott Reese came across David and Regina Gills in the projects of Ford Heights while doing youth ministry. A Bible Study was formed in their home which soon became New Life Church. The church grew and soon a storefront was was rented and  then through miracle of God and the kindness of CONVERGE, New Life was able to get it’s current facility in Chicago Heights.

Many programs are run jointly. We are blessed to have a full court gymnasium where we can run Basketball Youth Outreaches. We’re able to have homeless programs there if and when needed and jointly do some homeless ministry.  We are blessed to have an office in the facility and two rooms to house resources we jointly use for outreach and empowering other ministries. We are also in the process of starting an AA/NA Program at the church. Scott still serves in the background as Founding Pastor and is available to help members or people of the community. We help cosponsor a monthly Prayer Breakfast as well as resources to reach bless the members and reach out to the community like School Supplies, Holiday Baskets, Christmas Toys, and Evangelism Materials and Training.  Recently Christ Cares has taken an active role in helping sponsor and empower their weekly Food Distribution Program.

CHOSEN GENERATION CHURCH

Rev Cheval Alston is a huge help to Christ Cares. He is a gifted and passionate preacher and is always available to help us whether it be preaching at Pacific Garden Mission, teaching at one of our programs, picking up and delivering resources, as well as ministering to people in various ways. We believe in him and his powerful ministry and are providing resources and helping sponsor him and his church plant: Chosen Generation Church.

CHRIST CARES HAS A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP AND ENDEAVERS TO RESOURCE ABOUT

TEN URBAN CHURCHES.

Listed below are some of the resources we secure not only for our ministry endeavors but also for our network of ten urban ministries. (If we get an abundance of donations we a have a second tier of about ten additional churches we try to help). We have also found out by incorporating volunteers and the various churches that the resources are distributed with better individual care and follow up. (The following pages still need to be updated however I list them so you know what type of donations we are seeking from you, your church, or small group).

Church Resourcing, Encouragement, and Empowerment

LINK/PAGE – CHRISTMAS TOYS

LINK/PAGE – SCHOOL SUPPLIES

LINK/PAGE – THANKSGIVING AND CHRISTMAS BAKETS

LINK/PAGE – WINTER COATS, CLOTHING, FOOD AND OTHER RESOURCES