Agape Family Church & World Outreach Center - (630) 595-9600

"Ministering the knowledge of God’s Love to the families of the world according to Mark 16:15-20.”

Our Vision:

In Proverbs 29:18, we are told that “Where there is no Heavenly inspired vision (related to the plan of Redemption), the people will perish (meaning to languish or wander aimlessly).” Then in Habakkuk 2:2-3, the Word advises us to “ … write the vision and make it plain, that he who readeth may run with it...but to understand that the vision is yet for an appointed time and though it tarry, wait for it, for it shall surely come to pass.” In the initial season of prayer before founding Agape Family Church & World Outreach Center, Pastors Rick and Betsy Bullis waited on the Lord for the Heavenly inspired vision spoken of in Proverbs 29:18. As they followed His lead, doors of opportunity opened in Rick’s secular employment which ultimately caused them to relocate from Denver, CO, to Chicago and launched them into a worldwide ministry concentrating on communist countries. Agape Family Church & World Outreach Center was founded and incorporated in the State of Illinois on August 19, 1980.

The first direction of the Lord was to “Minister the knowledge of God’s Love to the families of the world according to Mark 16:15-20.” In order to accomplish that vision, it was necessary to minister to all the members of the family through Sunday schools, youth groups, midweek prayer services, Bible studies, etc. To that end, the Agape Vision stresses emphasis on training all members of the family to be strong in the Word, beginning with the nursery. Emphasis is placed on developing an active concern for each member of the Agape Family by caring for the individual members of each family. Watchfullness in prayer is a key factor in the accomplishing vision.

During the rehabilitation of the old Wood Dale Nursing Home, which has become the present location of the Agape Family Church, the Lord clearly spoke more of the vision to Pastor Rick in a parable when He said, “That nursing home represents a life without Me. It is empty, ugly, worthless, full of bad memories, and a monument to financial failure and unchecked sickness. It is despised by the community, useless, and contributes nothing. It was headed for destruction when I showed it to you and told you to redeem it. I showed you what it can be if you will be faithful to my plan. Don’t worry about how long it takes or how much it costs. I’ll take care of everything. You just do what I have showed you to do. Bring that place back to play a healthy and vital contributing role in the community. Change it into a monument to financial success and My Healing Power. A place where My Provision and Love may be seen. Then, when you have converted the building to a place of beauty and people ask you how you were able to do it, you tell them, ‘God has commissioned the work as a visible sign of what He does with lives.’”

He went on to say, “Don’t be discouraged about how long it takes, just DON’T GIVE UP!” When I found you, you were just like that building… empty, useless, condemned, headed for destruction; a monument to financial failure. That’s when I gave My life for you! You didn’t shape up so quickly, either, but I didn’t quit on you, did I? I will never stop working with you and will never refuse to invest in you whatever it takes to cause you to become conformed into My image. Now, you go and do likewise with that building, and, together, we will bring the Vision to pass…not only in the building, but also in the empty, useless, and condemned lives of individuals who are headed for destruction.

From that time forward, the Pastors have exhorted the congregation with those instructions from the Lord. Those instructions have sustained them through even the toughest of trials. Emphasis is placed on evangelism of those who have not yet come into a personal relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ, the Savior. Bringing in the lost is the heart cry of God, and while our vision emphasizes church growth, it is with regard to the growth of THE CHRUCH, not only Agape Family Church. God’s idea of church growth results from people being born into His church, not transferring in from another congregation. Respect for other churches and ministries is taught in order to promote unity among the brethren.

With regard to unity, the World Outreach aspect of the vision not only includes a heavy commitment to support missionaries worldwide by prayer and finances, but also a plan to promote unity among various ethnic groups in the local area. This is just the beginning of what the Lord has planned for Agape. Eventually, we will be an International congregation with interpreters and headphones for numerous language groups. In this way, we can develop unity through interpersonal relationships and eliminate divisions caused by language and ethnic differences.

From the outset of the church, one of the continual prayers of Pastors Rick and Betsy has been, “Because we are building a work for the Lord, God is establishing the work. He has prospered us to build the work and given us wisdom and understanding concerning it. There are workmen with us in abundance and all manner of cunning men for every manner of work. He has given us rest on every side, for He has given the inhabitants of the land into our hand and the land is subdued before the Lord, and before us, His people.” Before they began the church, it was prophesied, “… and this is not a work which will start and last a short duration, but one that will last and last and affect a whole nation.”

Although our main missions focus has been on the nation of China, where we have been ministering since 1979, we have a vision to proclaim the Gospel locally, through door to door witnessing, neighborhood bible studies, street crusades, youth rallies, kids clubs, vacation Bible schools, nursing home visitation, hospital visitation, drama presentations, and simply one-on-one ministry. In short, we are committed to proclaim the uncompromised Full Gospel by any and all available means.

Dedicated to prayer, Agape Family Church has seen mighty results. Marriages have been restored, lives transformed through deliverance from substance abuse, terminal illnesses healed, financial destruction averted, and much, much more. Yet, for all that we have accomplished, we glory not, but rather, we admit that we have only just begun. God has given us much through His abundant grace, Therefore, we are convinced that much more is required of us in the future. We pray then, that in His mercy, He forgive our inefficiencies, strengthen our determination and commitment, and pour our His grace in an even greater measure so that we may accomplish His plan more effectively in the days to come. When He soon returns for us, may He find us faithfully laboring in the harvest fields bringing in the sheaves.

Even so, COME LORD JESUS, COME!

Tags: Nondenominational Church,Interdenominational Church,Religious Organization