Loved the service and the word, need to come back and see if the gospel is not watered down and they try not to be too relevant, a church that compromises no matter how large they are is concerning, saying that I will be back read more

I appreciate how the church stays true to biblical teachings in everything it does. The messages are grounded in Scripture, and it's clear that the leadership prioritizes God's Word in all aspects of ministry. It's inspiring to see a church that remains faithful to the gospel and encourages its congregation to live and love like Jesus. I have been deeply and meaningfully encouraged by each service I attend. The pastors are anointed to deliver the freedom that only comes through Christ, and they humbly encourage personal insight into how God wants to speak to you as an individual. Attend if you are ready to be challenged to put your cares at the feet of Jesus and let him minister to your soul. The music is world class. These musicians aren't simply "song leaders", they exude an attitude of worship and joy that invites a connection with a Holy God that is intimate, and it prepares your heart to listen. Be still, and rest. read more

I only came here once in person but immediately something felt off. Call it the Holy Spirit or my gut but the sermon didn't feel very biblical at all. I did some digging and their core values and beliefs don't seem to align with the Word. The pastor was just mumbling and he was just saying a whole lot of nothing. The sermons seem to be very surface-level literally just repeating what the Bible says word for word, without an in-depth intellectual analysis of the Word. read more

I'm writing this with a heavy heart. We were visiting Chicago for the weekend and were excited to worship with brothers and sisters in a new city. The worship was beautiful. So passionate and just beautiful. And the diversity was incredibly refreshing and felt like a foretaste of heaven! It made me excited to hear about Jesus and sit under a Biblical sermon. I am so sad to say that didn't happen. Unfortunately scripture was misconstrued and twisted to fit the agenda of prosperity and man-centered living. It made our stomachs churn to keep sitting and listening. We saw 3 different groups walk out...and there was one point in the talk (sadly it was not a sermon) that we felt like our presence was condoning what we do not believe is from God, so we did actually get up and leave. The people were welcoming and the building was lovely. The worship, like I said, was beautiful; but this is a dangerous place. It does not point to the Cross of Jesus Christ. It is not grounded in solid Biblical teaching. It is about promoting man and man's prosperity, about getting/having/becoming more; based on positive thinking and a tragic distortion of the Holy Spirit. It does not exalt Jesus Christ and His life, death and resurrection. It does not point to growing faith through repentance and belief. Please, please be careful with your soul and find a community that will lift Jesus up as our treasured Savior and find our wholeness and joy in seeing and trusting and loving Him. I hope I am being clear and helpful, because our spirits were so grieved, so deeply grieved, by this service. We long to see Jesus exalted most, above all, and live in the fullness of that. We believe the only way to have true joy and freedom is by marveling in the beauty of the Gospel. Here, it seems prosperity-gospel is what is treasured, and that is very dangerous and unsatisfying ground to walk on. I believe they would say they have the same desire. Their website is great and definitely communicates this heart. But it isn't what is happening through their preaching. Sadly. It is heartbreaking. I'm sorry to have to write this, but was burdened to do what we could to warn brothers and sisters. We have prayed a lot for this church since visiting and long for the Holy Spirit to point many to Jesus. read more

We visited this past Sunday while in Chicago for the weekend - and loved it! Very welcoming and friendly. They helped us find seats right away even though we showed up a few minutes after service had started. The message and worship was powerful. I would highly recommend swinging by even if you are only in town for the weekend! read more

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I had the most amazing & blessed time tonight. The church was having a guest speaker tonight. Sarah Jakes Roberts the daughter of Bishop T.D Jakes. The event was free for everyone. Now where do you go to hear a celebrity guest speaker for free. The staff team was very friendly and professional. Its a must that I go back to visit one of their Regular Sunday Sevices. I just Love the whole dynamic of this church. I love the different diversity and culture. It has every age group gender color etc walking inside this church. The worship was flowing throughout this church tonight. I see amazing things happening. United We Stand As One. read more

City Church Chicago - Churches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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All churches need money to stay open. I can't believe how unreasonable and short sighted the reviews for this church is. I am so sick of people complaining about churches asking for money. How are you able to walk into a building to worship God? These places are ran with money. You all just look for an excuse to crucify Christianity. Nice try. How about go in and get something out of the message and if you don't, go to the next church. I bet you .....MONEY.....that the next church will be passing the collection plate too! Why do you think the archdiocese are closing churches and Catholic schools left and right? They don't have the MONEY it takes to keep them open. Duh. It's in a church's best interest to raise money for building upkeep, mission trips to other countries to spread the word, serving the community, etc. Every church ask for tithes and/or donations! Big deal. Go in for the prayer and message. No one pulls a gun on you and take your waller. read more

Worship is amazing but the teaching was not biblical. Honestly the least biblical teaching I've ever heard. Sermon pointed to the pastor not to Christ. My heart was sad when I left. If you're new to Jesus, please don't go. read more

This church makes what they're about known from the moment you walk in the door- MONEY! The first thing you see is a line of collections kiosks, soon after you'll be handed a postcard with other options for giving, followed by a name-it-and-claim-it prosperity gospel garbage sermon where the pastor invites you to give as much as you can and then pray for more so you can give more. Kayleen gives a much more thorough and experienced review. Please do not get drawn into the friendly community, fantastic worship band and charismatic preacher. This place is teaching a false gospel! read more

City Church Chicago - This church knows what it's about- MONEY! These CoLLections Kiosks are the first thing to greet you at City Church. - Churches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

What drew me to this church was they are connected to the Hillsong Church. I was in town visiting so I picked this church to visit. Took bus 65. I arrived 10 mins early. Noticed immediately that people were hanging out in the corridor so since I don't know anyone, I went straight to the auditorium. There was barely anyone there besides the stage crew. These are my other observations: - They have a row for first-time visitors - Very diverse crowd - Interesting worship team setup - Different music style from the church I attend - Quick prayer with Anointing oil up front - Meet someone new within a 3-minute timespan - Skittles were passed out - Great Sermon by the pastor - Small auditorium - Amazing video testimony (by drummer I think) - Clean bathrooms - Free water - Free coffee and free tea - Met 3 individuals who are/were Catholic read more

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Okay, so I have been going to City Church for years now.. And my ENTIRE existence on this planet would not be the same without this place I call home... My background: I am a hairstylist from the Detroit area, I love fashion, music, traveling, teaching etc.. I started going at 23 and now I am 27. I was baptized Catholic but grew up in a household that didn't believe in organized religion: Knowledge is power and since I had no real knowledge of this spiritual side of life, naturally I was left with no real belief system.. However, I am a creative person, very social and I have always had the desire to "do big things". I learned over the years about balance (which includes spiritual) so I decided one day after moving here to open a branch in my company that I needed some spiritual balance (and needed to meet people- work related ya know) and checked out City Church. They do focus a ton on the atmosphere and the presentation of it all, but I believe that stuff is extremely important (especially for people like me-the ones who really need saving, not just a pep talk.. I mean my life was teetering at this point: I NEEDED Jesus)!! I pushed God away for years and years and any time I entered a church it seemed like you had to be boring, dull and have two-four kids by 25 (I never felt like I could be accepted). I felt guilty for wanting to take over the world and be cool and social and make a splash.. But not here.. This place challenges you in a way that quite frankly- isn't for everyone. People have said it before- "if you want to sit back and be snuggled by the word of God, this isn't for you" If you want to be kicked in the pants and pushed into the MIRACULOUS future God has planned for you- then this is your jam! I'm not trying to be better then anyone else, but I do want to be the best ME and live out my wildest dreams that I know are planted in my heart for a God sized purpose, and this establishment has helped me to understand all of this while putting me out of my comfort zone time and time again forcing me to grow more and more into a confident christian woman that will influence others to find the same peace that I found during my journey of learning who Jesus is. Not to mention, making friends in a new city is tough- and I really have met the most incredible circle of TRUE friends that are so supportive of everything i do there, Including the pastors. I said it in my opening and I will repeat it in my closing- my whole life would not be the same, in fact, I would be a mess without City Church. If you want to shake up your existence and get pushed to be the best you- come check this place out.. it's amazing. read more

I agree with the other poster above, the star rating can really be disregarded. I just want to talk honestly and openly about our experience today. My family and I were told about the church and thought we would try it out. What we are looking for is a solid Biblical church with a lively atmosphere and great music. The city church did have a good lively atmosphere and fantastic music, however, I believe it was way over the top. I have been a part of another ultra charismatic church before and I saw the same problems there that I see at this church. Don't get me wrong, the people seemed nice and sweet, but I think they are being misguided. They focus so much on the experiential parts of the the service while neglecting the Word of God. There was a HUGE emphasis on money and honoring the guest pastor with "Double Honor" and not too much emphasis on the Word at all. I think it's dangerous because a church like this takes many people who are new to the faith and kind of indoctrinates them with radical beliefs and gets them to focus on this out of body experience rather than getting deep roots in the Word and the faith. We definitely felt out of place because we didn't say "wow" or "amen" or jump out of our seat after literally every word that was spoken from the stage. I'm SO great with responding to a good Godly message, but to say "wow" and "oh my God" to every little saying is too much. The whole atmosphere is extremely distracting. 1 Corinthians talks about order in worship and in the church and I didn't see that here. What I did see was a crowd of people who were loud and rowdy, which can be a great thing if in the right context. Here though, it felt completely forced. I know God can use a church like City Church to reach people, but for our family it is certainly not the right choice nor would we recommend it at all. read more

Pros: youthful energy of church members, intimate ambience and terrific worship team. Message/sermon: self-help methodology in delivering new testament principles. Cons: it's for new found faith in christ with superficial "feel good" sermons. If you have been a christian for awhile looking for more in depth bible teaching with action oriented principles, this church is like a freshman level of high school. read more

I started going there in the summer of 2019. The ushers were at-best, stand-offish. But I kept going to for 6 mos. I have children and experience working with youth groups. I wanted to know about their children's ministry. After the pastor showed me the facilities, he had the security guard accost me and tell me that I was not welcome there and to leave and never come back. When I asked why, they called the police on me. Even they thought it was a joke and told me that I did nothing wrong. All my friends told me to sue them. Do not go there. read more

I love the Pastors .Pastor Kent is an amazing teacher of the word !!!I attend Family Christian center and when he speaks there I want to go to City Church and receive more of his word there read more

It feels strange to "review" a church, so the stars that I have left should be disregarded. I just want to provide some information for anyone who like me, is looking for a church home in Chicago. I stumbled upon City Church newly in Chicago and looking for a church. I am very familiar with non denominational, charismatic, informal churches etc. and don't have a problem with them, as long as the center of the church is biblical, and Christ centered. City Church did not appear to have a biblical foundation nor focus on Christ. The pastor appeared very uncomfortabe with the Word, reading scripture quickly from, I believe, an ipad and lacking a sermon. He was very adept, however, about talking about the church's financial desires so they could buy a nice sign, purchase additional lighting and "sets" for the theatre where the church is held. All churches ask for money, but this was beyond the pale. The service I attended involved lots of Christian rock music, and a short play with elements I did not find appropriate for church, including secular movie clips. It was all too much for Sunday morning in my book. The folks here seem nice, and as if they are having a lot of fun. If this were just a social group, I would probably have enjoyed it. But as a "church" it was lacking at best, inappropriate at worse. I hope this is helpful for others. read more

About 9 months ago, my wife and I were looking for a new church to call home. We were both very big fans of Joel Osteen and Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas, so we were really intrigued when we found City Church Chicago through Joel Osteen's website. We were a little bit nervous as you might expect, visiting a new church, with new people and not knowing what to expect from our experience... but as soon as service was over, we knew we found home. We have been with City Church for about 9 months and we couldn't be happier. Yelp doesn't give you an option for 4.5 stars, which is what I would give City Church because there is no such thing as a perfect church. Because everyone has a different story and different church experiences throughout their life, City Church may not meet the expectations of every single person in the Chicagoland area...but it won't take long for you to notice that its an awesome church, with awesome people, doing awesome things right in the heart of the city. Please take my review and the review of others lightly. There is no online review that can take the place of your own actual experience. The People: The first thing we noticed was how welcoming the people were. You could tell that it wasn't forced or fake, it was genuine. The congregation as a whole is young and vibrant. They go to great lengths to make everyone feel welcomed. Its especially apparent in the people who volunteer. You can tell that they serve from the heart. We love how the church accepted us for who we were and we weren't pressured to look or act a certain way. Also, It is a very diverse church which we really appreciate. The Pastors: Pastors Kent & Alli Munsey are AMAZING! They are young, passionate, and extremely relatable. They have a distinct contemporary style and are able to connect with people on a personal level. Pastor Kent puts in a lot of thought and preparation for each sermon. He finds ways to relate scripture and the Word in a way that today's generation can receive it. I have learned so much about Jesus and my relationship with God from them. Pastor Kent's sermons have inspired me to really pick up my Bible and not just read, but study and apply what I learn in my everyday life. I love how even though Pastor Kent & Alli have a contemporary style, they do not compromise the content of God's Word in their message. The Atmosphere: There is no denying that City Church is a contemporary church. It used to be a performing arts center, and since they took ownership of the building, they have transformed it into an amazing center for worship. City Church does a great job of tapping in to the talents of the people and giving them a place to use their gifts. If you are gifted musically, they have a place for you. If you are high tech, they have a place for you. If you have a heart for serving people, they have a place for you. This all creates an amazing atmosphere. The band is unbelievable and they do a great job of creating an environment for praise and worship. Their songs are positive and uplifting. If you are passionate and expressive, you will feel right at home. If you are more reserved, there is zero pressure. Overall, I think that if you are looking for a non-denominational church to call home, you should definitely visit City Church for yourself. I think it would be a bad idea to discredit a church based on someone else's experience and Yelp review. Your relationship with God is a very personal thing, and what suits one person may not suit the next. I encourage you to take a Sunday morning and have your own experience at City Church Chicago. read more

Fantastic church! Very well run, teach the word of God, incredibly powerful praise and worship and you can tell the leaders are led by God! There are tons of small groups or life groups that enable someone to meet people who are of similar ages, maturity levels hobbies and/or life circumstances. I've grown spiritually, personally and professionally since attending! Love this church!!! read more

I believe the Lord is here; because the Lord uses even sinners. They are sincerely passionate about God. Pastor Kent's sermons are sometimes dead on. I've been there about a year but chose to leave because they have a predilection for the prosperity gospel and the difference between's God's blessing and using God as a vending machine isn't made clear. Faith is great, but the kind of selfish faith where some of them believe God will move for their personal advances, is different. I would say that's not true of everyone there. The staff believes God provides prosperity for the sake of his own name. However, they only focus on money (right now) because they believe this is a root of slot of evil. They don't have the same kind of teaching on sex or pride. The cardinal sin they focus on is money. That being said Pastor Kent's sermons on things aside from money are amazing and deep. Also the crowd is young, hence the lack of discernment. However, the passion is viral, and a good place to meet friends and a spouse. The music is also passionate. I can't just say their faith in terms of money is bad because God moves in different people differently; and they only witness what they've experienced. However, God doesn't move in my life in the ways they hope and preach. And I've tithed religiously, 10% on my gross income before taxes, and alms for all my life, over 20 years. I guess it's the lack of discernment and youth file blind faith that disturbs me. But that being said: God is truly there, loving and using them despite their unseen sins. read more

Making the decision to plant yourself in a local church is a BIG DEAL. I grew up Catholic, so the first time I came to a worship service, it felt overwhelming and I felt out of place. What helped me a lot was how genuinely nice the people were to me. I never felt pressured The theater venue has an intimate vibe. The worship was very good - you could feel this energy in the atmosphere. It was undeniable. I liked that they took time in the service to pray for people. At the end of the day, you want to be in a place that cares about people. I liked the spirit behind both pastors - they are full of vision and are very genuine. I felt instantly connected. When it came to the sermon, I didn't know what to expect. The pastor (Kent Munsey) spoke from the Bible and had challenging thoughts for us to reflect on. I liked that I waked away thinking about the message. I'm a very practical person. One of the things that I have to point out here was the fact that he consistently talked about Jesus. You'd be surprised how many churches don't. It's been a while since my first time here and the decision to make this place my church has been one of the best decisions for my life. I love the vision of this House! This is definitely a place I have no problem brining my friends to whether they're into church or not. Everyone says the same thing "that place was so warm and welcoming. I really liked it." ps. i don't have kids, but my friends with kids tell me that they really like what they are doing for the children while the adults are in service. read more

A welcoming place that preached the Gospel. We visited and were made to feel welcome. The first pastor who spoke (blonde hair) spoke very little about the Bible but a lot about what people on Facebook think about police shootings. He even displayed long Facebook posts on the screen and then read from them, word for word. Kind of like a really boring college lecture. He also presumed that police shootings are the fault of racist police (a mistake many make but pastors should be more concerned about listening and waiting for evidence than casting judgments). A police officer would have been uncomfortable at this service as would anyone who favors waiting for all evidence to emerge before making judgments about who did what to who. The Aussie pastor was very good. Much more on target for a church that wants to speak Gospel truth. They are pushing hard for congregants to go to a seminar featuring a prominent tech leader who is virulently pro-abortion. That is not a value found in the Gospel. A great worship band, wide range of congregants, and good people over all. I would go back in the hope they resolve some of my concerns. read more

I was invited to attend this service to listen to a much liked visiting Pastor (Robert Madu) I came in with no expectations. Just came in to take in whatever spoke to me and my spirit. Let's just say that I very much enjoyed the service. I don't know if I'm fully sold on going there for the weekly service. More like attending as a treat every now and then. I did enjoy looking around and seeing the great diversity in the audience. Loved seeing everyone united in prayer no matter the race, gender, or color of skin. As I walked in the staff was very welcoming and very pleasant. I did see a wide variety of age groups. All enjoying, singing, praising and dancing to a live musical group. Left uplifted and in high spirits. A very pleasant overall first time experience. read more

City Church Chicago - A much liked visiting Pastor (Robert Madu) - Churches Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I'm thankful everyday that I've found City Church. Just walking in the door is a warm and inviting experience. The church is truly an amazing place with amazing people. Its positive environment has renewed me and made me really excited to grow into God's plan for my life. The congregation consists of a young vibrant group of motivated Christians who are pushing the envelope of life to expand themselves, the church and the world for the better. Members of the church allow God and his teaching to bring them confidence and creativity. They really seem to understand and strive to meet the goals God has for their lives. Pastors Kent and Alli do a great job of keeping the church current and relevant. They relate and reveal so much from the Bible that I never even knew or could begin to relate to my life in today's world. Both are growing something amazing in Chicago and are building a Church with positivity, creativity and a genuine love for God and his people as its pillars. If you're looking to belong to a church with a tremendous passion for God and that has people who want to make the world better than the way they found it, City Church is the place. Definitely worth checking out. read more

CIty Church Chicago is an amazing church! Take it from someone that has been exploring different churches around Chicago to see which one would be best fit for me. I love CCC because the sermons bus are great, the music is great, and the church is full of so many opportunities to become actively engaged and inserted into the community based off of your interests and background through life groups, growth track program they offer, and so many other cool events they have going on! Plus they have 4 services throughout the day. So you have a lot of time options to attend available. Definitely highly recommend this church! I'm still checking out other churches, but so far this church is still my favorite read more

Everyone is so kind and welcoming. Awesome praise and worship experience that truly set the atmosphere. The holt spirit was present and enjoyed hearing from a guest speaker from Dallas. Great invitation to accept the Lord and grow your relationship with Him; not join the church. Awesome BBQ going on after service on the patio. I'll be back. read more

City Church is the absolute best! I've met so many amazing and wonderful people there and the messages are always incredible. Whenever I walk in the door someone is always there to greet me with a smile. Keep doing what you're doing, City Church! read more

Im not giving this place 5 STARS because I go here! But I'm giving it 5 STARS because I've done CHURCH before and this is the place I feel comes close to doing it right... No Church is perfect. If I said that then you'd be thinking Im in a Cult. LOL. Seriously its young, even those who are seasoned are young. We have, in my opinion some of the greatest pastors I've come across. Great place to grow in leadership and its a growing church so its a great place to grow period. The worship is LEGIT and passionate. The WORD? Dude the Pastor Kent brings it. He's a great teacher and great at making the word apply to our daily lives so we can apply it. There's not been one service where I wasn't able to take the word and find myself using what was taught. AND It's RIGHT IN THE CITY! It's perfect for me! I'd say come give us a try! oh and LIFE GROUPS are the culture of this church! At first I though it was uncommon for adults to do lifegroups! But I'd say that it's something I participate in faithfully no matter my schedule because those groups have changed my life and I've become such a BIGGER BELIEVER growing with a BAND OF BROTHERS! If you want to Laugh, Cry, Feel Good About yourself and your future, Get encouraged by THE WORD, and be around A DIVERSE CULTURE OF PEOPLE then get out of Bed on Sunday 10am, 12pm, and the 6pm and bring your butttt to CityChurch! It really is growing and any season is a great time to be apart of what God is doing, but this season right here... Dude I'd be running if I were you! See you Sunday! read more

This Church: -Holds on to the essential and fundamental truths of the faith. -Administers the ordinances as Christ instituted them. -Applies biblical discipline to correct its faults. -Has leaders who fulfill the role of overseers. read more

Went to their Sunday service today and left completely disappointed in the service. My friend and I went to the service with an open mind and actually excited to hear the word of God. It was my first time in a nondenominational church. As soon as I walked in, I was overwhelmed with excitement and kind of brought to tears with the opening song but as the service continued it went from Word of God to the service, pastor and church Trying to sell the idea of a bigger church. I see the benefits in asking for money for a church so will bring the community together but my friend and I really needed to hear more of the word of God which didn't happen because they were too busy asking for money, for 45 minutes. read more

There are some people who believe that pastors and church leaders should never, ever be criticized, and that doing so is tantamount to criticizing Jesus himself. I am not such a person. Pastors, even the best of them, are mere mortals. It is an enormous disservice to those people, and to the people they ostensibly intend to serve, to suggest that pastors should be treated as if they are infallible. So when a Sunday school leader at City Church misquoted scriptures in order to teach that criticism of that church's pastors was comparable to "touching the head of God's anointed", I saw a huge red flag. I got into a heated conversation with that teacher after that class. (It ended out on the sidewalk in front of the theater where the church had services, and I found myself surrounded by several fellow believers who seemed intent on intimidating me into refraining from speaking my mind.) I enjoyed the "contemporary" worship services, and I thought that the rock band which played music there was fairly talented (although a little more variety wouldn't have hurt). I even tried to keep an open mind when they brought a live lion and a live bear (both in cages) to visibly underscore a sermon point pertaining to King David (when David was still a shepherd). But showmanship is NOT a replacement for humility. The point of that verse about how King David would not "touch the head of God's anointed" was that he would not murder Saul when he was given the chance to do so as the result of his tactical advantage. There's a world of difference between murdering someone and criticizing him. The fact that the City Church teacher could see no difference beteen the two things was truly appalling. I have nothing against Kent and Alli, by the way. But I couldn't stay at City Church after that incident. read more

Hey! This may be lengthy, so I'll paraphrase initially then get into more depth later in this review.... I attended this church for about a year. The people are great and I made some good friends (the age demographic is almost entirely 18-30 years old). Plusses: Great music, exciting atmosphere, very social, easy to get connected. Negatives: Surface level teaching, focus on money and individual prosperity, high value placed on image and social status... in my opinion this church would be classified as a charismatic, soon to be, mega-church. This church has the looks of a place I would love to be invested in... Unfortunately, upon further review, some of the core values and beliefs are off. And I am not willing to make that compromise. Something just feels off about City Church. Here are some of the issues I began to notice over time... Strange money practices. This was red-flag number one. For a small, young, growing church, located in a city with high expenses/rent/taxes, there never seemed to be any struggle with expenses or coming up with funds. In fact, there appeared to be an excess of money (i.e. putting up a $8k neon church sign across the street). As I mentioned, this church is full of young people who are starting in their careers (or still in college) yet somehow there was always a surplus. Additionally, many churches make their finances very visible, even printing giving/expenses in the weekly bulletin... not City Church, the whole thing is a small mystery. I do know that the pastor is on staff at his father's church, Family Christian Center, and City Church Chicago could even be considered a "plant" of Steve Munsey's mega-church... So, my best estimate is that is where the majority of the funding comes from. But, there is no board of elders/executive council or any form of church governance. This is a major issue in my book. Who is the pastor held accountable to? Who else sees the finances of the church? Are all the major decisions left for one person to decide? And if the answer is FCC and Steve Munsey... Thats even more concerning! I do believe that this church will grow and grow quickly, as churches like this are extremely popular/attractive in this era of our country. Do some research on Family Christian Center, in Munster Indiana, to see what the parent church of City Church Chicago looks like. While City Church may be doing it's best to distance itself from FCC (because of negative press), it's obvious to me that City Church is headed down the same path. Clearly, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. I'll let you do your own research, but pay close attention to the issues, controversies, questions that exist about the leadership at FCC and the danger of having a pastor (or pastors) that gain too too much power. Probably the bigger issue about City Church was the lack of Biblical teaching. I have reached a point in my Christian faith where I don't need all the smoke and mirrors, but instead would just like to be presented with the Word of God. Instead we spent weeks hearing sermons based on a book by the pastors good friend, Steven Furtick (another interesting, questionable guy who's name is worth looking up). Sermons were mostly "fluff" or "prosperity gospel-ish" all the while everyone around me is saying "wow" and "amen" as I am sitting there wondering what I am missing and not understanding how people are "in awe" of what the pastor is preaching. For a while I was able to justify the lack of Biblical teaching because I felt I was gaining good community. As I prayed about it, I felt like there was clearly something missing with the most integral part of the church. A personal issue that became evident while at City Church was the importance of individual image, social status, and place in the "Hierarchy" of the church (with the pastor gladly at the top of this hierarchy). This was evident pretty early on when the first 2-3 rows of seats were saved for carefully selected, highly visible people in the church. And along with the visibility of being allowed to sit towards the front of church came a sense entitlement/importance over others at the church. Unfortunately, the opposite was true also. I specifically remember other people coming to church (people who didn't fit the look or mold of the typical CC goer) being seated in the last row and then an usher would be assigned to these people to make sure they didn't attempt to move forward. Read James Ch. 2. Why am I writing this review? Well, a church like this can be very dangerous. There is so much positive about City Church, but the main focus is just off. The focus of a church should be Jesus. But instead at CC it on prosperity, individual image, the pastor, spiritual gifts, church numbers, money... Notice how all of these things are good? Thats the danger. The focus should be on Jesus, and when it is these other things may come (or they may not), but Jesus is sufficient despite our earthly situations. read more

I attended City Church Chicago last night for their Revival 4.0 service. You know that old saying "Never judge a book by its cover?" Well, that applies here. At first glance, this was a nice place. It's easy enough to get to via public transportation (short walk north of the Grant Blue Line). The auditorium was impressive, and worship was great. Everybody was into it. Actually, everybody else seemed to be really into the message as well. The message... egads! Don't get me wrong, it was all very well presented. But again, "Never judge a book by its cover." Pastor Earl McClellin discussed Matthew 15:21-28, praising the Canaanite woman for her boldness, completely missing the point that Jesus was intentionally humbling her. In short, go to City Church Chicago if you're looking for teaching that isn't... you know... actually biblical. Personally, I'll never go back. The only reason this place gets two stars is for the worship. But if that's all you're going to church for, then you're missing the meat and potatoes and just focusing on desert. read more

I was raised Catholic and for personal reasons and beliefs I chose not to follow that path in my life. Because I always just associated Catholicism with religion and faith I just thought God didn't have a plan for me. Full disclosure I am friends with one of the pastors at the church and was for years before I stepped foot in the door. I always thought it was a little odd that my girlfriend was a pastor because I just never thought I would be good friends with someone so passionate with their faith that they would dedicate their life to it. I think that's a beautiful commitment to make, it just was not my norm or path in life. She never pushed me to come to City Church, but was just an amazing friend to me and one of the best people I have met in my life. Because of her I decided to go and see what that part of her life was all about. My first couple of experiences were very uncomfortable for me because it was loud, excited and just felt electric if that makes any sense - not at all what I associated "church" with in my past. Through this new view on faith I was experiencing I noticed I was changing - my view on life was changing, my feeling of inner peace was changing, and I was happier when I left each service, so I kept going. Over time my belief in God and Jesus and who they had meant to me in the past began to change into something and someone that I could relate to and believe in. I started to bring my children and they fell in love with City Church as well. In fact, my ten year old son likes to sit with me for the services more than go to the children's activity area because he loves the message and the music. This past spring I took the step to be baptized as an adult, even though I was baptized as an infant in the Catholic Church (and went through the holy sacraments). I invited my parents and I was proud of my step toward living a faith based life. This church has single handily restored my faith and feeling like I am worthy of God's love, and I am so thankful. On another note, this is the most diverse congregation I have been to and I love that. I really feel all are welcome here with open arms. My family is proof of that. read more

I tried to get involved in this church, for a year, I really did. I tried to volunteer and I guess I didn't fit in. Too bad I tried.

The message is great. They really take an unfiltered approach to the gospel, which is something that the city of Chicago needs in its legalistic church culture. The music is phenomenal and there is a very uplifting spirit with the worship service in general. My only issue is that the church is still a work in progress when it comes to being welcoming. On the three occassions I visited, not a single person greeted me or talked to me. I sat in the back, and felt as though I was literally just a passerby. I hear the life groups are how you get connected with people in the church, but there are plenty of churches who don't treat you like a stranger and get you connected right away. While these are harsh words, I really pray that the church works on this area of its ministry, because it really has a good thing going for it. If you are just looking for a church where you can step in, hear a message, then step out and go about your day, then this church might be perfect for you. Very very very few churches in Chicago actually understand grace and the real Gospel, and this church is one of them. read more

I am so grateful for ALL of the relationships that I have made at City Church Chicago! The people at City Church are very welcoming and always very excited to see one another and meet new people! Thank you Pastor Kent and Alli for planting City Church here! read more

City Church Chicago is an authentic, inclusive and diverse church. I love that you see so many different walks of life worshiping together. That's very unique for Chicago churches. I love the feeling that the Pastors and whole leadership team give you as soon as you walk in the door. It's a welcoming and energetic church, leaving you with a lightness when you leave. You can feel the power of God and the power of community. That's why I'm proud to be a member of City Church and if you are looking for a home church please check us out! Thank you Pastor Kent and Pastor Alli for your leadership. read more

Gotta give it up to City Church they make what they have to work with actually work. They rent an office and theater for services and it is great. read more

Great energy, better people,'and a way of communicating the word that you can really take with you during your week.

City Church is a place that is passionate and excited for God and for people. I have been attending City Church for the past 2 years and have seen the incrediable growth in my life from the words that have been spoken from the pulpit of this place. We are a church of community and believe that we are meant to do life together with one another. That means in the church and outside the church four walls. If you are looking for a place to be your self celebrate Jesus and not put Him in a box I would say come and check us out. The Pastors (Kent and Alli Munsey) are young, energetic, and full of ideas to influence the city of Chicago through ministry and relationship. From the "Treatment Series" to " MESH Conference" Pastor Kent covers topics that will both feed your spirit and give you practical everyday tools for your every day life. The guest ministers that have come in and sewen seed into our lives have been some of the most influential ministers across the country and the world. The worship experience is one of the best that I have ever had and continues to grown and get better every week. It allows me to worship God the only way possible... with everything I have and am. If you are looking for a place to be yourself, learn about God and how to apply Jesus' teachings to your practical life then come and have an experience with us at CityChurch Chicago. read more