About Christ Church Chicago •

About Christ Church Chicago •

We are a non-denominational church aspiring to be a faithful congregation on the Southside of Chicago. We hold to theological convictions that emerged from the Protestant Reformation centered around faith in Jesus Christ and the sufficiency of the Bible.

Our Values

  • We believe that the Bible is God’s Word. The belief in the total authority, veracity, and sufficiency of God’s Word is at the core of our church. Therefore, we value equipping ourselves in God’s Word. We want to know it and be transformed by it. We work hard at listening to it and joyfully submitting our entire lives to it.

  • The gospel, or good news, is the message of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection for our salvation and God’s glory. We believe that the gospel is God’s power to transform those who believe in Jesus. Therefore, we value sharing the gospel through both word and deed to bear witness to the gospel’s transforming work.

  • We believe that Jesus has all authority in heaven and on earth. Jesus is God’s king and he deserves our allegiance and praise. We seek to submit ourselves to his rule and reign.

  • We believe the Bible shows us that family goes beyond blood relations. We belong to a faith family that consists of those pursuing Christ together. Whether young or old, married or single, parents or without children, we believe we are enriched by each individual, regardless of relationship status.

  • Because we have experienced God’s mercy, we desire to extend God’s mercy to others, particularly those in need. We want to see the love of Jesus extended to our neighbors by offering physical, emotional, and spiritual relief to those around us.

  • Our community is brought together by the reconciling work of Jesus Christ. This enables us to value diversity. We believe that racial, cultural, and socio-economic diversity strengthens, enhances, and enriches our faith community.

  • While common thinking places a high value on strength, our church is learning to live in weakness. Why? Because when we are weak, we are actually strong. You may call it the irony of weakness. God is drawn to humble and reliant people, so we value prayer and dependency on the Holy Spirit rather than self-dependency.

Christ Church Chicago subscribes to the historic Westminster Confession of Faith (1646) as our doctrinal statement. We are governed by a Constitution, also called the Book of Church Order. It is, in part, based on the Presbyterian Church in America Book of Church Order.

Christ Church Chicago Staff

  • David Helm

    Senior Pastor

    Dave’s ministry is rooted in his love for Jesus and God’s Word. Prior to Christ Church Chicago, he served as a pastor at Holy Trinity Church and College Church in Wheaton. He also chairs the board of the Charles Simeon Trust, an organization committed to equip others to teach the Bible. Learn more.

  • Joe Pace

    Executive Pastor, Worship & Community Engagement

    Joe has over 35 years of church ministry experience, serving as a Worship Pastor, Campus Pastor, and Executive Pastor, leading musically, administratively, and pastorally in a wide range of multi-cultural ministry contexts. Learn more.

  • Bing Nieh

    Associate Pastor of University Ministry & Congregational Life

    Bing arrived in Chicagoland to pursue his theological education at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School where he received his PhD. In addition to his responsibilities at Christ Church, he also serves as a Religious Advisor for The University of Chicago. Learn more.

  • Amy Koehler

    Children’s Ministry Director

    Amy oversees the programming, training, and curriculum for our children. Before starting this role in August 2019, Amy worked as a librarian for 13 years at Moody Bible Institute and as a Resident Head in College Housing at the University of Chicago. Learn more.

  • Marjorie Meeks

    Women’s Ministry Director

    Marjorie desires to see women grow in understanding and applying the Bible. She also serves on the board of Radstock Ministries, a church planting network. Prior to Chicago, she and her husband were church planters in Tennessee and Nicaragua. Learn more.

  • Robert Marineau

    Director of Men’s Ministry

    Robert desires the men of Christ Church Chicago to grow in Christian maturity through the study of God’s word and its application to their lives for the building up of the global church. He studied Bible and biblical languages with a focus on the Old Testament and Hebrew. Learn more.

  • Milton Taylor

    Director of Youth Ministry

    Milton desires to be a catalyst and conduit of change in the lives of youth. Milton is also a part-time student in the Chicago Course on Preaching. Known also as the recording artist “Thre,” he is an active contributor to Christian hip hop. Learn more.

  • Andrew Zulker

    Associate Director of Music

    A lifelong musician, Andrew grew up in Rhode Island and came to the South Side in 2015, where he is currently pursuing a PhD in Comparative Semitics at the University of Chicago. He also volunteers with the church’s University Ministry. Learn more.

  • Jeremy Meeks

    Resident Pastor of Ministry Apprenticeship

    Jeremy’s pastoral role involves helping Pastor Helm with training the next generation of church leaders. He also serves the broader Church and Christian community throughout Chicago by preaching and teaching in a variety of contexts. Learn more.

  • Mary Manoah

    University Worker

    Mary is passionate about women seeing themselves as theologians, disciples, and helping others lament their pain and suffering. She holds a graduate degree from Moody Theological Seminary, and is also a part-time student in the Chicago Course on Preaching. earn moer.

  • Ruby Black

    Youth Ministry Apprenticeship

    Ruby is passionate about discipling youth and seeing them grow in their knowledge and love of the Lord. Ruby serves in youth ministry focusing on girls’ discipleship. She is currently studying linguistics at Moody Bible Institute, and aspires to do full-time ministry overseas. Learn more.

  • Amanda Zagnoli

    Communication and Administration Coordinator

    Amanda manages all things related to congregational communication and events. Prior to joining our team in 2016, Amanda amassed seven years of publishing experience. Learn more.

  • Jade Cooper

    Director of Finance

    Jade manages the finances for Christ Church Chicago. She has been a member of Christ Church Chicago since 2010. She has a Bachelor in Economics and an MBA from Vanderbilt University. Learn more.

Interested in our pastoral internship program?

Our Story

By God’s grace, the congregation of Christ Church Chicago has been thriving on Chicago’s south side for nearly 25 years. Originally planted in 1998 as Holy Trinity Church, the founding congregation in Hyde Park grew to become four assemblies in strategic neighborhoods of Chicago. Through subsidiary organizations the church has helped launch 27 additional churches.

On May 3, 2020, the Hyde Park congregation embarked on the next phase of gospel growth and maturity. Moving out from the Holy Trinity Church umbrella, the south side congregation was founded anew as Christ Church Chicago. As we venture out as an independent congregation situated in a newly renovated historic building, we look forward to all that God will do.

Our Building

Our building opened in 1916 as the Ninth Church of Christ Scientist. The dome plans were by the renowned Rafael Guastavino & Co, whose work includes the Grand Central Oyster Bar in NYC and the Basilica of Saint Lawrence in Asheville, NC. The dome spans 56 feet with a 4" shell that's completely self-supporting. In 1958, the building was sold to St. John the Baptist Temple, whose congregation met there until Christ Church Chicago purchased it in 2020.

Significant restoration began in 2020 as the building was in a state of disrepair. The renovation included a complete replacement of MEP systems, new life safety systems, elevator installation, restoration of decorative plaster and art glass by Botti Studio of Architectural Arts, window replacement, new auditorium seating, and the introduction of new classrooms, and upper level admin space and offices.

Our Publications