JR Kerr

JR Kerr is a teaching pastor & campus developer at Park Community Church in Chicago, IL where he lives with his wife, Rachel, their daughters Madeline and Claire, and their dog Fernie. JR is the co-founder of the Center for Missional Entrepreneurship & the Aitreni Group for social change. He is a weekly commentator for Moody Radio, a regular guest on Primetime America, a contributor to the Leadership Journal, a speaker on influence calling and worldview, and a hopeless Cubs fan.

Gospel

Epic Friendships

What does true friendship look like and why should we have it in the church?

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Cities

The Church and the City

The church should be a positive force for advancing the common good for all people in their city. In Chicago, this kind of work has been happening for over two centuries. From Dwight L. Moody's first efforts to care for the welfare of the port sailors and saloon keepers to today's work by leaders throughout this city of Chicago to restore and renew their society, Chicago is a model city for the conversations taking place at Q. Charles Jenkins is one leader who sits at the nexus of church, government and social action taking place throughout their city.

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Church

Becoming Friends or Remaining Fools

The Problem of Modern Racisim

“I do not imagine that the white and black race will ever live in any country upon any equal footing. But I believe the difficulty to be still greater in the United States then anywhere else." De Tocqueville offered these comments in his famous treatise regarding the current and future promise of the United States when he visited America early on in her history. Race, it seems, has been a central part of our story as a nation from the very beginning. JR Kerr shares his personal reflection on modern racism.

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Church

The Single-Minded Christian

There are all sorts of shifts taking place in society at present. It seems we are increasingly global, green and urban. We are also increasingly single and this is lasting later and later into life. Now, I am sure this is not surprising to you, but for me it confronted me with some poignant questions.

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Church

Concerning the Church: Newton’s First Law of Motion

I was sitting in church and it hit me.

Is this really it? Are we being the church God had in mind? Is this what God had in mind when he stood with his disciples in the final moments of his life on earth and told them to go into all parts of the world and declare his authority over all creation? Is this what he envisioned when declaring that the gates of Hell will not prevail against the church of Jesus Christ?

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Church

Concerning the Church: Church Branding Overwhelms the Cross

Recently, I was traveling into a city I am in quite often. After making my way through a crowded airport to get onto my final connecting flight, I quickly realized the only seats available were window seats. Now as a rule, I am not a "window person". The thought of being locked into a 12-inch space for a number of hours is not the least bit appealing to me. But in this case I was glad to take my seat, in hopes that the flight would be quick and there would be no need to get up.

As I was gazing out of the window upon our entry into the city, I began looking at the landscape and was literally struck sideways by what I saw next.

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Church

Concerning the Church: Death to Innovation

What if the life of the church is not actually going to come from better or newer thinking on what it means to be the people of God? What if the life of the church begins to re-root itself in a deep commitment to the essentials of the Gospel in a way that is honest and relentless?

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