Acerca de Iglesia

"Toda la escritura es inspirada por Dios", en el sentido de que el Espíritu Santo guió a los escritores sagrados para que las palabras que escribieron constituyeran la Palabra de Dios. Creemos que la Biblia es la autoridad final y es completamente suficiente para todo lo relacionado a la fe y conducta (2 Tim. 3:15-17; 2 Pedro 1:19-21).

La Deidad existe eternamente en tres personas: el Padre, el Hijo y el Espíritu Santo. Creemos que estos tres son un solo Dios, teniendo la misma esencia, naturaleza, atributos y perfección, y son dignos de la misma reverencia, confianza y obediencia (Mat. 28:19-20; Juan 14:6-17, 2 Cor. 13:14; Col. 1:13-19; Heb. 1:1-3).

El hombre fue creado originalmente a imagen de Dios para adorar y servir a Dios en su creación; a causa de su pecado él cayó de este alto llamamiento, murió espiritualmente, perdió toda vida espiritual y quedó sujeto al poder del diablo, adorando y sirviendo a la creacion en lugar del Creador. Esta caída de la naturaleza humana ha sido transmitida a todas las personas en todas partes, exceptuando al hombre Cristo Jesús, de modo que cada hijo de Adán está alienado de Dios y en necesidad de la gracia salvadora (Gén. 1:26-28; Sal. 8; Rom. 1:18 y 3:23; Ef. 2:1-3).

El eterno Hijo de Dios se encarnó para revelar a Dios a la humanidad y reconciliar a los hombres y mujeres con Dios. Como un hecho histórico, fue concebido por el Espíritu Santo, nacido de la Virgen María, vivió en la tierra, fue crucificado y sepultado, resucitó de entre los muertos y ascendió al Cielo (Juan 1:1-14: Hechos 2:22-36; Fil. 2:5-11).

La salvación para los hombres y mujeres ha sido provista por el sacrificio de nuestro Señor Jesucristo, quien murió como nuestro sustituto, derramando su sangre para la remisión de nuestros pecados (Rom. 5:6-21; Col. 1:12-14, 20-22; 1 Pedro 1:18-23).

La salvación es iniciada y completada por Dios y recibida por fe; de modo que los que confían en Cristo como Salvador reciben el perdón y nacen de nuevo por el Espíritu, pasando de muerte espiritual a vida eterna. Creemos que Dios desea que todos los hombres y mujeres sean salvos. Creemos que aparte de la obra eficaz del Espíritu Santo, nadie respondería en fe salvadora a Cristo. Creemos que el Espíritu Santo hace esta obra salvadora en unión con la presentación del Evangelio de Jesucristo (Juan 3:1-18; Rom. 5:1-5; Ef. 2:4-10; Tito 3:4-7; 2 Pedro 3:9).

Todos los que han nacido de nuevo por el Espíritu están asegurados de su salvación y esta seguridad está basada en la promesa de Dios en su Palabra escrita. Esta fe salvadora produce amor y obediencia dentro de nosotros (Rom. 8:15-17, 31-39; 1 Juan 3:7-14, 5:1-13).

La verdadera iglesia está compuesta por todos los que han nacido de nuevo; que el Espíritu Santo bautiza a todos los creyentes en un solo cuerpo, dotando a la Iglesia de los dones necesarios para su obra. Por lo tanto, hacemos todo lo posible para elevarnos por encima de todas las diferencias personales, prejuicios y barreras raciales, para mantener la unidad del Espíritu en amor y paz, tanto en este cuerpo local de Cristo como en el cuerpo más grande de Cristo que nos rodea (Rom. 12:4-19; 1 Cor. 12:1-27; Ef. 4:1-16).

El Espíritu Santo es nuestro Consolador y Ayudador, que fortalece la fe y la devoción y nos conforma a la imagen de Cristo (Juan 16:7-15; Rom. 8:1-14; 1 Cor. 6:19-20).

Somos llamados a vivir de manera santa en obediencia a la Palabra de Dios, a desechar los deseos pecaminosos y cultivar y llevar el fruto del Espíritu Santo (Gál. 5:16-25; Col. 3:1-17, 2 Tim. 3:14-17, 1 Pedro 1:15)

Nuestra bendita esperanza es el retorno personal de Cristo por su Iglesia. También creemos que en la muerte los redimidos entran en la presencia de Cristo, y después de la resurrección del cuerpo en su segunda venida, ellos estarán para siempre con Él en su gloria. A los incrédulos después de la muerte les espera el juicio final cuando serán castigados con la separación eterna de la presencia del Señor en el infierno (1 Cor. 15:19-58; Fil. 1:20-23; 1 Tes. 4:13-18; Ap. 20:11-15).

El mundo ha de experimentar el juicio de Dios. No será convertido ni perfeccionado durante la edad presente, pero el Señor Jesús volverá a la tierra para reinar en justicia. Al final del milenio, él marcará el comienzo de su Reino eterno con la creación del nuevo Cielo y la nueva tierra (2 Tim. 3:1-5; Isa. 11:1-9; Ap. 20-22)

In June of 1929 a group of 160 people signed a charter to form a new independent church called the Wheaton College Interdenominational Church. The church met on the campus of Wheaton College. This was just before the stock market crashed and at the front end of the Great Depression.

In 1934 we called our first pastor, Kenneth A. Amsler. Later we renamed the church "Wheaton Bible Church" because our faith and practice stand on the foundation of the Bible, which is the inspired, infallible, and inviolable Word of God.

In 1935 and still during the Depression, we purchased property at the corner of Cross and Union Streets in Wheaton, Illinois. Members sacrificially gave $30,000 toward the new building while not forgetting the missionary and current expense budgets. We dedicated our first building in March 1936. Very soon our Sunday school rooms overflowed. People often came forward after worship services to accept Christ.

In 1940 we called our second pastor, J. C. Macaulay. Four years later we started a Sunday school ministry that became Pleasant Hill Community Church. The Christian education ministry flourished and in 1947 a two-story education facility was added.

In 1952 the church welcomed its third pastor, Rev. Malcolm Cronk. God used Dr. Cronk's love of the Bible to grow the congregation and start others. Members left to start Countryside Chapel in 1955, Evangel Baptist Church in 1958, and The Village Church of Carol Stream in 1960.

By 1958 we had added a second morning service. We continued to purchase homes around the church and in 1960 we dedicated a new sanctuary building on the corner of Main and Franklin Streets in Wheaton.

Dr. Richard H. Seume became our fourth senior pastor late in 1967. An excellent Bible expositor, Dr. Seume served faithfully until a serious kidney ailment ended his ministry with us in late 1970.

In 1971 the church called Rev. Christopher Lyons to serve as its fifth pastor. We soon added an 8:15 Sunday morning service and started our Vanguard Program for senior adults.

In 1982 we completed a three-story Christian education building. Dr. Lyons left in 1986 and in 1987 Dr. David P. Krentel became our sixth pastor. While he was here we started a Hispanic Sunday school class that evolved into Iglesia del Pueblo.

With the fall of communism in Eastern Europe, he also contributed significantly to the construction of a new building for a sister church in Deva, Romania.

In 1994, we called Pastor Rob Bugh to become our seventh senior pastor. One of the first things Pastor Rob did was to clarify the church's mission, vision, and values. Soon a contemporary service was added. By 1997 we were offering four worship services, including a Hispanic service.

God used Pastor Rob's ministry to grow our church and His Kingdom. There was an increased emphasis on reaching the world for Christ. Our Hispanic ministry grew to a fully functional congregation of more than 400. The Children's Sunday School continued to break attendance records. Student Ministries packed out Main Street Chapel, and we had about 20 Adult Communities.

After a thorough study of future ministry options, we took a visionary step of faith by voting to purchase 47 acres of land for future expansion and the purchase agreement was finalized in October 1999.

God continued to grow our church and Christ’s Kingdom. In 2005, we launched Step Out/En Marcha, our capital campaign, to pay for our new campus at North Avenue and Morton Road in West Chicago, IL. God moved our people to give more than $19 million in cash and commitments.

We broke ground and began construction in 2006, but more than buildings were being built. God used this time to grow our ministries and our faith and to unify us as a church body. In 2007, we adopted a new mission statement: love God, grow together, and reach the world. It almost immediately provided our ministries clarity and focus. On July 20, 2008, we met for our first services in our new building.

Following the move to the new campus on North Avenue in West Chicago, both the Wheaton Bible Church and Iglesia del Pueblo congregations grew in numbers—reflecting a greater focus on making disciples of Jesus Christ and helping others to do the same.

We also added or increased our ministry “on ramps” for connecting with more and more people—both those who were new to the Christian faith or and for those new to our expanding ministries—in an increasingly diverse community (racially, ethnically, and socio-economically).

This included the initiation of Alpha—a 10-week class for adults to explore the meaning of faith from a Christian perspective. Then, following the common belief that the church “is a hospital, not a country club,” we also encouraged a culture of humble transparency—expanding our recovery groups, family support ministries, and introducing the new Re|Engage marriage ministry.

With the move to West Chicago, God also opened many doors to serve and reach out to those in need within our immediate region. Understanding that the Gospel we embrace is not a social gospel, but it is a Gospel with social implications, the church launched the Puente del Pueblo ministry in West Chicago. It soon became the largest social service provider in West Chicago, offering case management services for families, adult literacy programming, summer programs, and after school programming for children and youth.

In 2015, Iglesia del Pueblo, while continuing its ministry in Spanish, added a second worship service in English. The church and its two congregations also saw a dramatic increase in involvement in both global and local outreach, including the support of 90+ missionaries or mission partners globally, GO Teams, Hunger Team, CareFest, Refugee Resettlement, Adoption and Foster Care, and Administer Justice.

In the fall of 2016, Wheaton Bible Church took the first step in responding to what we believe is God’s call for us to reach out to a broader region—to the nearly one million people in surrounding communities who are not attending any church where they can hear about new life in Jesus, and who would be more likely to visit a church nearer their homes.

On September 11, 2016, a second campus was launched in Streamwood, Illinois—under a new campus pastor, Wil Franco. Starting with a core team of 150 adult volunteers from Wheaton Bible Church and Iglesia del Pueblo, Tri-Village Church meets at the international headquarters of the Awana youth organization, and is dedicated to serving the people who live in and around the communities of Streamwood, Bartlett, and Hanover Park.

It is our prayer that Tri-Village Church will be the first of a number of new churches we hope to launch across the region in the coming years, as we recommit to our mission that more and more people would join us as together we love God, grow together, and reach the world.