A Brief History
Abundant Life World Outreach was established in June of 1995 as Abundant Life Christian Center. We began as a Bible study with about two dozen committed people in a Moody Bible School student housing basement in North Chicago.
While on a mission trip to Jamaica, Pastor Steve heard the call of God to pioneer a church that would emphasize evangelism, discipleship and equipping and training of leaders. From our inception the goal is to raise people up to accomplish the destiny and vision God places in their hearts.
From 1995 until October of 1997 we met at Jahn Elementary School located at Belmont and Wolcott. We met for prayer at 5:00 a.m., at a rented office facility three days per week and evangelized in the streets and parks regularly.
In November of 1997 we moved into the Chicago Missionary Society building, and for the next year and two months we reached out to the Wicker Park area of the city. It was at this time that we began to feed the poor on a weekly basis, and saw the impact of consistent evangelism in an area. One of our children's outreaches drew over 500 children, in an area where we were told, "there are no children in this part of the city." It was at this time that we first began television outreaches to the city of Chicago through the "Good News Chicago" which ran on the Cable Access Network for three years.
In a "sealed bid" auction we were able to purchase our first building in January of 1999, when eight Lutheran churches were put up for sale. The Medill Avenue location has been a great place to really see the congregation grow and get established.
In April of 2007 we sold the church building on Medill and bought an old synagogue at 3411 W. Douglas Blvd.,Chicago. For two years we met at Pritzker Elementary, and as of October 2009 have been united with the Chicago Missionary Society, and together meet at 1336 N. Damen Ave. Wednesday and Sunday church services are at 7 PM. And the mission meets every Saturday and Sunday from 2-4PM.
Our vision includes adding a Spanish and Christian Arabic service as soon as possilbe.
Abundant Life World Outreach and Pastor Steve Bartlett are affiliated with the Network of Related Pastors under the leadership of Pastor Rod Aguillard.