The first Sunday Timm Hein preached as the new pastor of Forest Park Baptist Church was in September 2021. Timm and his wife Manju had just moved their family to this neighborhood just outside Chicago, Illinois. Almost immediately he could see that people were still wary about COVID-19 and being near others. “We forgot how to fellowship,” Timm said. “We forgot how to be hospitable. We longed for it, but we forgot. We lost the muscle memory.”
But more than that, according to Timm, the people of Forest Park Baptist “had lost contact with the community. And that includes serving the community. That includes sharing the Gospel with the community.” It was clear that Forest Park was a church on the decline that required revitalization.
Every church experiences seasons in which it loses clarity around its mission in, for, and with the community. In these moments, the wise choice is to unite – guided by church leaders and following the lead of the Holy Spirit – to discern what God is doing both within the congregation and in the surrounding community. The goal is not simply survival but joining God on his mission as a living outpost of his Kingdom. Because the NAB, working in conjunction with regions and associations, seeks to walk alongside churches in the midst of revitalization, when you give to the Ministry Resource Fund, you become an active team member supporting these vital Kingdom efforts.
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Forest Park Baptist is a church with a rich history. It was established by German immigrants in 1890, before even the village of Forest Park existed. Yet, as Timm explained, “We’re not a German congregation anymore.” Because the Heins are a multicultural family themselves, they felt at home right away. “We are as diverse a congregation as it comes,” Timm said.
Even so, they were a congregation on the decline. Few families with children attended, and the church hadn’t needed a nursery in about a decade. Yet, as Timm has continued to lead Forest Park through the pangs of revitalization these past five years, they have begun to see signs of new life. One of those is two new births in the past few years, which tell two stories of Forest Park’s legacy, and its future.
As Christina was preparing to marry Martin, he left his Catholic roots to make Forest Park Baptist their church family. For Christina, it was a homecoming; she grew up attending Forest Park when her grandma, a German immigrant, brought her. Now, Christina and Martin – who has now served a term as a Forest Park deacon – are discipling their young toddler in the way of Jesus. This young family rooted in Forest Park’s legacy now serve to help grow the church’s future in new ways.
The struggle for a church in need of revitalization is, as Timm explains, challenging members into shifting their focus from being entirely inward to being able to see the needs and the people beyond the church walls. “What I’ve learned is we as a church family have to change,” he said. “The Spirit of God has to change us to be more outwardly focused.”
As the people of Forest Park Baptist began to open up more, become more hospitable to one another and to those outside the church, they are slowly coming to be known as more than just the church next to Taco Bell; they are genuinely drawing more people into their family.
About two years ago, Adeyinka started attending Forest Park. A Nigerian immigrant who had come to Chicago to study architecture, he was now in his post-college years and ready to settle down. After regularly attending for a while, he disappeared, only to show up a few months later with Gloria on his arm. She lived across town, but both of them soon joined Forest Park as members. After some months of pre-marital counseling, the church had the privilege of celebrating their marriage, setting up their home in the neighborhood, and about a year later, welcoming their new baby.
For Timm, one of the keys to revitalizing a church on the decline is “a heart posture, and it starts with a revitalization of our own soul.” The need for soul care has been as true for Timm and Manju as it has been for the congregation. Ever since they took part in the very first NAB Fit Assessment in February 2023, the Multipliers community has been a salve and a support to them.
“It’s refreshing to come to NAB events where the focus is on soul care for those in attendance,” Timm said.
“The Multipliers community has been a source of encouragement because of who’s there to take those church planting skills and retool it for revitalizing purposes.”
Like all church multiplication, the difficult work of revitalization cannot happen in a vacuum. It requires support systems like coaching, training opportunities, and even events like Multipliers Summit, all of which are, entirely or in part, possible because of generous gifts to the Ministry Resource Fund. Whether you give a faithful, monthly gift of $500, $5, or some amount in between, you are, alongside the others who give, helping to make a big difference.
As Timm said, “If our resurrected Lord Jesus is on his throne and the Holy Spirit is still moving, God’s not done. Press on.”
Give in Canadian Dollars Give in US Dollars
Give in Canadian Dollars
Give in US Dollars
You can also text to give. Just text any amount followed by “CHRISTMAS” to:
204.400.2238 (Canada)
916.249.0534 (US)
(204) 400-2238 (Canada)
(916) 249-0534 (US)
Canadians can also give using e-transfer; simply use givecanada@nabconf.org and put “Christmas” in the note field.
Consider asking your church to partner with us in these ministry efforts. Here are some ideas for getting involved:
- Give a personal gift today and encourage your family and friends to do the same.
- Distribute materials at Sunday service or weekly Bible studies, classes, or groups.
- Share the story at a gathering and invite people to give.