User:Sarahchristine88/College Church

College Church is an interdenominational church in Wheaton, Illinois. The church is led by a number of pastors, directors, and a board of elders. Dr. Josh Moody currently holds the position of Senior Pastor of College Church. In 2006, College Church was listed as being the 37th most influential non-catholic church in America.

History
College Church, founded as "The First Church of Christ in Wheaton", was organized in 1861 by Jonathan Blanchard (Wheaton) in 1861. The church was founded and remains without an official denomination, but the church was first affiliated with the Congregational Association of Illinois. Jonathan Blanchard's involvement as the first president of Wheaton College (Illinois) and as the founder of College Church caused the two institutions to share statements of faith and facilities. The church suffered divisions over doctrine and affiliation during the years after its founding, leading to the creation of what are now First Presbyterian Church in Wheaton and Wheaton Bible Church. Nevertheless, the church expanded rapidly during the years that R. Kent Hughes led the church as senior pastor, with the church growing in membership and facility size. The church is dedicated to supporting worldwide missions and church planting.

Core Beliefs
The church has ten articles of faith that are the "essential beliefs of College Church". The church also has a number of "pillar values", including Christ, the Christian Bible, balance, character, equipping, evangelism, and prayer. College Church believes Christians are called to live by the teachings of Christian scripture.

Ministries
College Church has a variety of different ministries devoted to different groups within the church. One area of ministry that the church is known for is its ministry to persons with disabilities, called the STARS Disability Ministry. The church hosts The Run for the STARS in June to raise money to send STARS members and their families to summer camp.