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Matthew 's church

Christian Church of Clarendon Hills
Clarendon Hills, Illinois 60514
630-323-3456

About Matthew
  • Education: B.A. Lincoln Christian College, Lincoln, IL 1990 (Preaching) M.A. Wheaton College, 1995 (Theology and Church History)
  • Experience: Eight years of Youth Ministry at Deer Creek Christian Church, University Park, IL. In current ministry as Senior Minister of the Christian Church of Clarendon Hills since 1997
  • Comment to those looking at my sermons: I love to share because I’ve gained invaluable help over the years from countless communicators who have shared with me. I hope that even through the weaknesses and inadequacies I bring to the task of crafting a message, you will find some helpful words or a springboard that launches you into preparing a sermon much more effective than any of these. A sermon that makes Jesus Christ visible, attractive and irresistible.
  • Sermon or series that made a difference: "Love is Like That" by Enos Dowling, "Why I Didn’t Quit" by Wayne Smith
  • One of my favorite illustrations: I think one of my all-time favorites is a story Tony Campolo tells in his book "The Kindgom of God Is a Party." He organizes a surprise birthday party in a diner in Honolulu for a prostitute named Agnes. The guy who runs the diner discovers Campolo is a minister and sneers, "What kind of church do you belong to anyway?" Campolo says, "I belong to a church that throws birthday parties for prostitutes at 3:30 in the morning." The guy says, "No you don’t. There’s no church like that. If ther
  • Family: Matthew was raised on a farm in Central Illinois and grew up in a home with parents who passionately love Jesus Christ and His Church. He is the youngest of three children. Matthew and his wife, Kim, were married in October of 1997.
  • Best advice given to me about preaching: "The mind can only absorb what the seat can endure." (Given to me by my cousin, Steve Schilling, when I was 18 years old after learning I intended to go into the ministry.)
  • Books that have had an impact: "The Sacred Romance" by Brent Curtis and John Eldredge, "Worship is a Verb" by Robert Webber, "When God Builds a Church" by Bob Russell, "The Connecting Church" by Randy Frazee, "Well-Intentioned Dragons" by Marshall Shelley
  • Hobbies: Running, watching the Chicago Bears, Chicago White Sox, or the University of Illinois men’s basketball team, reading, playing basketball.
  • If I could Preach one more time, I would say...: Love God with all you’ve got. And love people the same way.
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Newest Sermons

  • Home (Christmas Eve 2002)

    Contributed on Nov 17, 2003
    based on 94 ratings
     | 9,441 views

    Christmas Eve message. Jesus left His home to remind us, we’re not home yet.

    Christmas Eve 2002 HOME **(Thanks goes to Robert Lowery from Lincoln Christian seminary for some conceptual ideas in this message)** It’s amazing all the images a simple 4-letter word can conjure up. I’m referring to the word “home.” In our vocabulary we have expressions like “home ...read more

  • Finding God In Perilous Times

    Contributed on Sep 10, 2002
    based on 120 ratings
     | 15,392 views

    A message for the one year anniversary of September 11, 2001.

    9-11 Remembrance September 8, 2002 INTRODUCTION Each of us has a story… Where we were… How we heard… What we felt. Each of us has as story…and each story is interesting. Over this past holiday weekend, I sat with Kim’s family around the dinner table, and one of the things ...read more

  • Salt And Light

    Contributed on May 29, 2002
    based on 110 ratings
     | 10,487 views

    Disciples of Jesus can have a profound impact on the world.

    March 18, 2001 Understanding the Kingdom – Part 4 INTRODUCTION What possible influence could the people described in the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-12) expect to have on this hard, tough world? Slowly but surely the world is rotting from within. The erosion has plunged our world into a ...read more

  • The Results Of Giving

    Contributed on May 28, 2002
    based on 77 ratings
     | 5,864 views

    God uses generous giving to make sure the church is a community where no one stands alone.

    Biblical Giving: For Mature Audiences Only – Part 4 May 26, 2002 THE RESULTS OF GIVING (Acts 4:32-5:11, p. 1081-1082) INTRODUCTION (Show video of Katherine and Linda Brooker testimony) The message this morning is about the results of giving. When Robert and I went over to the ...read more

  • The Rewards Of Giving

    Contributed on May 20, 2002
    based on 128 ratings
     | 28,525 views

    God ensures that generosity will be a mark of authentic biblical community by rewarding those who give.

    May 19, 2002 Big Idea: God ensures that generosity will be a mark of authentic biblical community by rewarding those who give. INTRODUCTION It’s been a very interesting week, hasn’t it? Since we were here last Sunday, the Cubs haven’t won a single game. (And they’ve had 6 tries!!) Star ...read more

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  • It Was In December Of 1903, That After Many ...

    Contributed on Nov 17, 2003
     | 2,052 views

    It was in December of 1903, that after many attempts, the Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur, were successful in getting their “flying machine” off the ground and into the air at Kitty Hawk. Thrilled over the accomplishment, they telegraphed this message to their sister Katherine: “We have ...read more

  • Go Ahead And Gossip Harriet, The Church Gossip ...

    Contributed on Mar 25, 2003
    based on 27 ratings
     | 4,092 views

    GO AHEAD AND GOSSIP Harriet, the church gossip and self-appointed supervisor of the church’s morals, kept sticking her nose into other people’s business. Several residents were unappreciative of her activities, but feared her enough to maintain their silence. She made a mistake, however, when ...read more

  • Saved From Our Rubble Of Sin- Communion ...

    Contributed on Sep 10, 2002
    based on 34 ratings
     | 3,742 views

    SAVED FROM OUR RUBBLE OF SIN- COMMUNION MEDITATION The September 11, 2002 issues of TIME magazine has a touching article about 31-year old Genelle Guzman. Genelle was the last of just four people caught in the debris of the Twin Towers to be found alive. After the planes hit the World ...read more

  • Memorandum

    Contributed on Aug 23, 2002
    based on 17 ratings
     | 2,995 views

    MEMORANDUM To: Jesus, Son of Joseph, Woodcrafter Carpenter Shop, Nazareth; From: Jordan Management Consultants, Jerusalem.... Dear Sir: Thank you for submitting the resumes of the twelve men you have picked for management positions in your new organization. All ...read more

  • In January Of 1997 A Mystery Was Solved That Had ...

    Contributed on May 20, 2002
    based on 46 ratings
     | 4,614 views

    In January of 1997 a mystery was solved that had baffled people for nearly a decade. Someone was giving away millions of dollars! The recipients didn’t know why the gifts came or how to ask for more. But still the money drizzled in, to universities, hospitals and service groups around the globe, ...read more