Titus Chu Conference at "Chicago Gospel Hall" (April 9-10, 2016)

[Koinonia]

Those in Chicago inclined toward following Titus Chu have recently purchased a disused church facility at 5518 West Gettysburg Street, three miles northwest of the Local Church buildings on West Irving Park Road. The group is referring to themselves as the "Chicago Gospel Hall" and also as "The Church of the Chicagoans." The following are links:

• http://www.chicagogospelhall.org
• http://www.thechurchofthechicagoans.org

Their websites announce a class for new believers with a book by Titus Chu as course material, as well as a "special gathering to open our new meeting hall" on April 9-10, with Titus Chu speaking. A letter states that "The Responsible Brothers in Chicago" "trust and pray that in the coming days the Lord will greatly use this hall for His own glory, to raise up His testimony in this city and beyond."

In the LC, people are very concerned with names. The name "The Church of the Chicagoans" is reminiscent of the name used by the LSM people in Toronto ("Church of the Torontonians") after their most recent church split. "Chicago Gospel Hall" is somewhat more interesting. This is a designation that would be familiar almost only to "Exclusive Brethren" types or to "Open Brethren" with more exclusive leanings. The former manager of the LC bookstore in Chicago once tried to woo into the LC mold members of two ex-Exclusive Brethren groups meeting in the Chicago area.