Visiting Ministry at Westlawn Gospel Chapel, IL

Westlawn Gospel Chapel, Chicago, Cook, IL (AA-OB) 1956-current

Ministry Reports

1960's

1963

Fort Wayne Bible College was initially known as Summit Christian College (1904+), Fort Wayne Bible Institute (+1939-1963), Fort Wayne Bible College (1963-1992), then merged with Taylor University, with the buildings sold in 2011 to Ambassador Enterprises who had proposed conversion to low-income housing, four of the structures were demolished in 2023. A.W. Tozer was a contributing editor to their magazine, The Bible Vision.

• Chicago Tribune 1963-4-11: Choir Concert: "The acapella choir of the Fort Wayne (Ind.) Bible college will sing at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in Westlawn Gospel Chapel, 2115 S. St. Louis Ave."

1965

• Chicago Tribune 1965-2-7: Zone Board to Mull Plea of Churches: "Requests for zoning variations to permit the construction of brick additions to two west side churches will be considered by the city zoning board of appeals at 1 p.m. Tuesday in Room 208 of City Hall. Westlawn Gospel Chapel, 2115 S. St. Louis Ave., wants to build a two-story, 29 by 42-foot addition for Sunday school classrooms..."

• LOI 1965-10: [Black] Assembly Grows in Compton, Calif.: "Robert Dawson, formerly of the West Lawn Bible Chapel in Chicago, Ill., has been leading a Sunday school and gospel effort among [Blacks] in Compton, Calif. for the last several years. From the first he desired to establish an assembly testimony there. Visitation, and planned dinners and picnics have brought results. Stanley LaMar, who is working hard with the Grace Bible Chapel, the men of the Dominguez Chapel, and Mrs. Housman of Fullerton have helped to encourage him. The work continues under difficult circumstances. For about two and a half years the Christians have been meeting in Mr. Dawson's home, and are now looking for more adequate quarters." See Sunago Grace Covenant Church, Compton, CA.

1968

• LOI 1968-8: Solidarity Marchers Take Tracts Gladly: "Two Chicago Christians: James Johnson, an elder at Westlawn Gospel Chapel, and Columbus Salley, a school teacher, found overwhelmingly favorable response to their distribution of literature to the solidarity marchers and Resurrection City crowds at the climax of the Poor People's Campaign in Washington, June 19. "The people seemed very pleased to see us and our literature," reports Mr. Salley. "The general response was to this effect: "What you say is true, but I can't see myself trusting in God in any form or fashion"!"

1970's

1973

• LOI 1973-4: Berean Chapel, 8422 Pembroke St., Detroit, MI: Grant Love: "We have been working on an addition to our chapel since the first of May and have just completed it. On Feb. 11th we held the dedication for it. Melvin Banks from Westlawn Chapel in Chicago spoke in the evening and afternoon services. In the afternoon sessions Christians from the other five black assemblies are our friends gathered with us to give thanks to God for enabling us to complete the addition. More than 150 gathered with us and you can be assured we had a time of great joy. Our purpose is for a greater commitment to the will of Christ in our lives and to let the people that live in the neighborhood become exposed to the gospel of Christ. The visitation program has been at a standstill since we started building, but now we will be able to get back into full swing again."

1980's

1984

• LOI 1984-5: LeRoy and Beverly Yates, Chicago, IL: March 1: "The Lord has shown great favor to us as we labor here in the inner city. Souls have been saved almost every week, numerous home Bible classes are conducted, and we are seeing a definite moving of God's Spirit in many of our young people. I, personally, am kept busy in three areas: the pastoral oversight of the Westlawn assembly, along with two other working elders; as a professional Christian counselor, referrals come from Moody radio, Channel 38 and many other sources; and as a director of Circle Y Ranch, a summer Bible camp ministering to 600 inner city youth from Detroit and Chicago. Unemployment has reached a crisis stage in the inner city. This breeds crime, dope, prostitution, and other negative forces. Pray for us as we feel led to begin a job training and job development program from our local assembly."

1990's

1991

• LOI 1991:7-8: Chicago: "A five-week International Teams summer team is working in partnership with an African-American inner city church, Westlawn Gospel Chapel, to share Jesus with neighborhood children and youth. Using Vacation Bible School, Day Camp, field trips, sports, music and Bible teaching, the team will reach out to youngsters who try to survive in spite of the inner city's violence."

Sources

• Chicago Tribune: 1963-4-11; 1965-2-7
• Letters of Interest (LOI): 1965-10; 1968-8; 1973-4; 1984-5; 1991:7-8