On June 16th 1927 Amiee Semple McPherson, the founder of the Foursquare Church opened her evangelistic campaign at the Chicago Coliseum, which was located at 1513 S. Wabash. The Chicago Daily News reported on June 17th that there were 4,000 people in attendance for the first night of services. As the result of the evangelistic campaign, one month later on July 12th, Viking Hall which was located on 69th and Emerald, was rented to have services until September when the congregation moved and rented an auditorium on 6507 South Halstead.
In May of 1929 the congregation moved again retinting a building on 6633 South Normal, which still exists today. Six years later after multiple pastoral changes, the Foursquare Pastor Rev. Melvin Neubert started a “new Foursquare Church” after a church split.
On July 17th of 1935 the Foursquare Magazine, Bridal Call Crusader that reported, “While only two months old the new Foursquare Church has shown steady progress…”.
Finally, nine years later after its birth, on October 15th 1936 the congregation was recognized and chartered as the Chicago Foursquare Church.
Fifty-five years after the birth of the Chicago Foursquare Church its name was officially changed to Hope Chapel on August 6th of 1991. Now, eighty-four years after Amiee’s evangelistic campaign and many pastoral changes and several relocations, Hope Chapel is now located were most of us have always known it to be and where Eliana and I have been privileged and blessed to pastor for twenty-one years.
If I would have been able to have the opportunity, I really would have liked to sit down with the leaders of the past to ask them two questions. What were some of the most notable events that Jesus did that contributed to the spiritual growth of the congregation? But also, what were some of the most challenging events that the enemy did to try to hinder God’s will from being a reality in the life and His purpose of the His church?
How does the history of Hope Chapel and the two questions apply to the congregation of Hope Chapel today? First of all, if we know the why, both the good and the bad of yesterday, we will be more knowledgeable in understanding where we are at today. As a result, we will have a better and even a clearer understanding of God’s purpose for the direction of where we are now and where He is taking us in the future. What I am saying is not some philosophical or spiritual way of reminiscing about the past in order to speculate about today and to fantasize about the future. A good example of understanding our past to better understand our present situation and where will be going in the future is when we see a new doctor. For our doctor to understand our current medical condition he needs to ask questions about our past medical history, even as far back as our parent’s medical history. Once the facts are known he then can treat us expecting to see improvements in the future.
There are four very important spiritual principles found in Isaiah 43:1 to 44:5, which can be applied to help us understand what God did in the past, is doing in the present and is going to do in the future in the lives of His people, and in the events in the life of a congregation. All of which can be applied to our lives and or Hope Chapel today.
- God’s presence. How is God’s presence sought after and acknowledged?
- God’s Purpose. How is God’s purpose recognized and is acted upon?
- God’s people. How is the congregation discipled, and cared for?
- God’s provision. How does God provide spiritually and materially in support of His presence and purpose for His church?
Isaiah 43:1-44:5 is too large of a portion of Scripture to talk about in the limited space we have for this article, however, we can obtain a good understanding of the application of the four truths just by studying Isaiah 43:16-21.
16 This is what the Lord says — he who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters, 17 who drew out the chariots and horses, the army and reinforcements together, and they lay there, never to rise again, extinguished, snuffed out like a wick: 18 “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. 19 See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland. 20 The wild animals honor me, the jackals and the owls, because I provide water in the desert and streams in the wasteland, to give drink to my people, my chosen, 21 the people I formed for myself that they may proclaim my praise.
Ver. 16a “This is what the Lord says…”. The recognition and confirmation of God’s presence in the relationship of a believer in Christ, most of the time is experienced when He speaks to us through His Word and when we are in prayer seeking Him. How much time are we dedicating in our daily routine to read God’s Word and to pray so we can hear from Him? And also, to know what are God’s purposes for us and or His church?
Ver. 16b, “…he who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters, 17 who drew out the chariots and horses, the army and reinforcements together, and they lay there, never to rise again, extinguished, snuffed out like a wick…” Many times, God will review our past to help us to remember who He is, His purpose by what He has done and His provision. Many times, we can get so absorbed with the present situation, especially when it is difficult and unpleasant, that we forget about all the wonderful things that God did in our past, which confirmed that He was always with us. This also demonstrates to us His purpose for us in the present and for the future.
However, when the present situation is not favorable or pleasant, we can have the tendency to get stuck longing for things to be as they were in the past. That is why He tells us in, ver. 18a “Forget the former things”, but it is important to understand the meaning to what God means to “forget” which is stated in the second half of the verse 18b “…do not dwell on the past.” When we are stuck longing for and looking to the past, we will not see or recognize God’s presence and God’s purpose for us and or His Church concerning where we are at now and where God is taking us in the future.
Once our eyes and emotions are taken off the past, we will be able to realize God’s presence and purpose for us and or His Church, and why He has us where we are at now. As verse 19 tells us, 19 “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.”
What God tells us in verse 20 is the evidence of His presence, His purpose and His provision for us His people which will be recognized by others, even by the simplest of His creation. 20 “The wild animals honor me, the jackals and the owls, because I provide water in the desert and streams in the wasteland, to give drink to my people, my chosen, 21 the people I formed for myself” Also, what God is telling us in verse 20 is, since we are His people and that He is with us, He will provide for us in spite of where we are at which seems to us as a “desert” and a “wasteland”.
Please read Isaiah 43:1-44:5 in its entirety and prayerfully ask the Holy Spirit to show you God’s presence, purpose, and provision in the past, present and future for your life but also for Hope Chapel.
Pastor John
