The Chicago Partnership

In 2026, we traded our traditional two-day conference for monthly conversations hosted by local churches across Chicago through our Lead the City Conversations series. Together, we explored grief, power, formation, and emotionally healthy leadership with John Onwuchekwa, Dr. Deb Gorton, Sho Baraka, Malcolm Foley, Caleb Campbell, and Drew Hyun. More than anything, we loved seeing the conversations around the tables, in the hallways, and over lunch! Old friends reconnecting, new relationships forming, and leaders discovering they are not alone in the work God has called them to. As we begin planning for 2027, we'd love your input. If you attended any Lead the City Conversations event this year, take our brief feedback survey and help shape next year's topics, speakers, and format. Plus, you'll be entered to win a $150 gift card! 🔗 Survey link: form.typeform.com/to/Gv1FUgrB

Does your church currently have a residency program, or are you hoping to develop one in the future? We’ve created a short survey to help us better understand existing efforts, needs, and opportunities for connection across the city. Whether your church is well established or just beginning to explore the idea, your input would be valuable. Fill out the survey at the link: form.typeform.com/to/iwG0undX

What happens when the pace of leadership outgrows the health of the leader—and how do we begin leading from wholeness again? Join Chicago pastors and ministry leaders next Thurs, May 21 from 11am–1pm at Chicago West Bible Church for a midday conversation on emotionally healthy leadership. This free gathering includes: → free lunch → two free books → teaching from Drew Hyun with Q&A → space for meaningful connection with other leaders serving across the city This event is brought to you by TCP and our friends at Wheaton College Graduate School, the Chicagoland Collective, Crossway, and Exponential. Please RSVP by May 18th join-tcp.org/events/wholene…

This past Thursday, we hosted a free midday gathering for Chicago pastors and leaders on Christian nationalism with pastor and author Caleb Campbell. The conversation was timely and poignant, and we were grateful to welcome attendees from over 35 different churches and organizations. Caleb did a skillful job breaking down the nuances and helping us make sense of the current church and political landscape with kindness, humor, and a clear gospel hope. The table discussions that followed led to a rich Q&A, with people leaning into some really tough and important questions. Each attendee walked away with a copy of Disarming Leviathan: Loving Your Christian Nationalist Neighbor, along with a few next steps for continuing to learn and lead in their ministries and communities. We’re grateful to New Life Covenant Church for their generous hospitality and for serving pastors and ministry leaders across Chicago so well! We’re looking forward to our final Lead the City Conversations event of the season on May 21 at 11am, "Are We Leading from Wholeness?", a conversation on emotionally healthy leadership with guest Drew Hyun. This final gathering is hosted by TCP and sponsored by Chicagoland Collective, Exponential, and Crossway and hosted at Chicago West Bible Church. You’ll want to save your seat soon! RSVP at join-tcp.org/events.

What do we mean when we say “Christian nationalism”? Caleb Campbell breaks it down here: youtube.com/watch?v=F4wA6n… Join us tomorrow to take the conversation further. Only 15 seats remain, last chance to sign up! Thurs, Apr 16, 11am–1pm New Life Covenant, Humboldt Park 3400 W Division Free event + lunch provided Register: join-tcp.org/events

Join Chicago pastors and ministry leaders on Thursday, May 21 from 11am–1pm at Chicago West Bible Church for a midday conversation on emotionally healthy leadership with guest speaker Drew Hyun. Together, we will explore what it means to lead from wholeness while navigating the real pressures of ministry. This free gathering includes lunch and space for meaningful connection with other leaders serving across the city. This event is presented in partnership with Exponential, the Chicagoland Collective, Wheaton College Graduate School, and Crossway. Register to attend and receive a complimentary copy of Ancient Wisdom for the Care of Souls: Learning the Art of Pastoral Ministry from the Church Fathers, generously provided by Crossway, available for registered attendees while supplies last. Register at join-tcp.org/events

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." Colossians 3:16-17 📸: Photos from our Lead the City event, "Empire or Kingdom?" on March 16th, welcoming guests Sho Baraka, Malcolm Foley, and Jonathan Brooks

Pastors and leaders, join us on April 16 for a midday conversation on Christian nationalism with author and speaker Caleb Campbell. This free event includes lunch, and those who register by April 13th and are in attendance will receive a complimentary copy of Disarming Leviathan: Loving Your Christian Nationalist Neighbor. Thurs, April 16, 11am-1pm New Life Covenant, Humboldt Park Campus (3400 W. Division St). Register by April 13th at join-tcp.org/events (link in bio)

This week we’re celebrating 5 years of the TCP Weekly! Over that time, we’ve shared 243 posts, seen over 288,000 emails opened, and now reach a community of more than 3,000 local subscribers! We’re so grateful for all of you who read and subscribe. Each week we’re honored to share events, resources, and testimonies of the work happening across our city. It’s a privilege to celebrate this milestone with you as we continue working together to make Jesus visible in every neighborhood of Chicago. If you’re not already subscribed, we’d love to have you join the community: tcpweekly.substack.com.

Midnight of an Empire with Sho Baraka and Malcolm Foley is coming to Chicago on Monday, March 16th at 7pm, joined by local guest, Pastor Jonathan Brooks. RSVP for this free event at join-tcp.org/events and be entered to win a merch package from the tour! Brought to you by The Chicago Partnership.

Faithful leadership begins with honest conversation. We're gathering pastors and leaders from across Chicago to wrestle with the questions shaping our moment: How do we lead through grief? Empire or Kingdom? Who is shaping us? Are we leading from wholeness? Join us each month for Lead the City Conversations as we learn from voices like John Onwuchekwa, Deb Gorton, Erikah Rivera, Sho Baraka, Malcolm Foley, Jonathan Brooks, Caleb Campbell, and Drew Hyun. These gatherings are built for connection, reflection, and courageous clarity across traditions and neighborhoods. Learn more and register at join-tcp.org/events

Chicago leaders - join us Thurs, Feb 19th, 11am-1pm for "How Do We Lead Through Grief?", an important conversation about faithfully leading through seasons of personal or communal loss. We'll be welcoming guests John Onwuchekwa, founder of We Go On, and Dr. Deb Gorton, Chicago-area clinical psychologist and Director of Community Care at Soul City Church. Erikah Rivera from The Brook will host a Q&A time following discussion. Free lunch provided. RSVP today at join-tcp.org/events.

How do pastors and church leaders lead faithfully through seasons of grief and loss? Join us on Thurs, Feb 19, 11am–1pm, for How Do We Lead Through Grief?, the first gathering in our 2026 Lead the City Conversations series. We’ll be joined by John Onwuchekwa and Deb Gorton for a conversation on leadership and loss. This free gathering will be hosted at Park Near North (1001 N. Crosby). Lunch provided. Please RSVP by Feb 17 at join-tcp.org/events/grief. ____ And mark your calendars for these upcoming Lead the City Conversations! Registrations opening soon. March, Date TBA: Empire or Kingdom? Join us for an evening with artist and speaker, Sho Baraka, and Malcolm Foley, author of The Anti-Greed Gospel, as we host the Chicago stop on their Midnight of an Empire tour. April 16, 11am: Who Is Shaping Us? A conversation on Christian Nationalism with Caleb Campbell, author of Disarming Leviathan (location TBA) May 21, 11am: Are We Leading from Wholeness? We'll discuss emotionally healthy leadership with Drew Hyun, author of Beautiful, Disappointing, Hopeful. Hosted at Chicago West Bible Church.

Don't miss today's TCP Weekly: 21 Days of Prayer - Chicagoland Collective welcomes Robert Guerrero - Streetlights Academy 2026 - Legacy Disciple Podcast - Celebrating our TCP Church Partners Read and subscribe at tcpweekly.substack.com

Tomorrow is the culmination of our 21 Days of Prayer! If you have not made plans yet, we invite you to join us at the Winter Prayer Gathering tomorrow, Sun, Feb 1, from 5-7pm at the Torrey-Gray Auditorium at Moody Bible Institute. Hosted by Together Chicago and Chicagoland United in Prayer, this event is a vibrant and collaborative effort of many churches, denominations, and leaders, inviting us to celebrate the diverse Church in Chicago and come together in united prayer for our city. Learn more and register to attend here: glnk.app/go/YwRuY7boX18R

Bring theological training to your church. With several seminary and university closures in Chicagoland, affordable and accessible theological education is needed more than ever. TCP Institute offers local courses to help fill that gap, including past classes like Intro to Spiritual Formation, The Book of Galatians, and How to Study the Bible. If your church is interested in offering a course this winter or spring, fill out our interest form today: join-tcp.org/tcp-institute

We’re having a blast at Exponential Central! Huge thanks to Larry Perez, Nick Rivera, Derrick Puckett, and Dexter Harris for leading powerful workshops and representing Chicago so well. Grateful to be part of this movement of church leaders multiplying the gospel! @exponential_us #exponential

Standing shoulder to shoulder. Living verse by verse. Serving block by block. Learning to lead, listen, and lean in. Together. Join the Partnership | join-tcp.org

Today in the TCP Weekly: Meet and join our network of Partner Churches - Kaitlyn Schiess at Faith & Work - Weekly Spotlights on Holy Trinity, David Dillon and Soul City Church - Jon Kelly visits New Sound Cafe. This and more at tcpweekly.substack.com - read and subscribe! 📸: Chris Tabron | shotxchris.com

We’re feeling the need for prayer. 🙏 As we head into the holidays and the New Year, we’re grateful to partner once again with Chicagoland United in Prayer for 21 Days of Prayer 2026, uniting churches and believers across the city in prayer Jan 1 – Feb 12 and then gathering together on Sun, Feb 1 for a citywide prayer gathering. 💡 This year’s theme: The Book of Nehemiah — a story of God’s providence, rebuilding, and renewal. Each morning from Jan 1 – Feb 12, we’ll share a daily devotional video from local leaders to help you start the day encouraged and equipped. 📍 Citywide Gathering: Sunday, Feb 1 at 5 PM Torrey-Grey Auditorium, Moody Bible Institute Will you join us? If you’re a church leader, visit join-tcp.org/21days for details and a promo kit to encourage your congregation to participate. Devotional videos will be available on our YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook, or you can receive them by text — just text “2026” to (833) 357-5145. ✨ Make plans to start the year in prayer. Let’s seek God together for our churches, families, and city.