While Willow Creek Community Church was not the first nondenominational megachurch to blaze a trail in American evangelization by appealing to the unchurched, it certainly has become one of the most influential ministries of our time. On average, 24,000 people attend worship services each weekend at Willow Creek's main campus in South Barrington, Illinois.

Known for its seeker-sensitive environment, local outreach programs, and small group focus, Willow Creek's unique ministry model has been studied and copied by thousands of churches worldwide. With a vision for equipping pastors and church leaders, in 1992, founding Pastor Bill Hybels and associates established the Willow Creek Association to teach other churches what they had learned.

Willow Creek Association insists that church growth is not the organization's primary goal. According to leaders, reaching out to meet real needs of people is at the heart of Willow Creek's mission. Hybels says, "I think the local church is the most important institution on the planet because of its transformative potential, so why should we limit the learning that pastors and faith-based leaders are exposed to?"

Jack Zavada allows us a closer look at one of the most extraordinary churches in the United States:

• Overview of Willow Creek Community Church
• Willow Creek Beliefs and Practices
• Willow Creek Association

Brandy experienced one of the most difficult years of her life. She lost her mother to cancer, was fired from her job, suffered with illness, financial pressure and was even forsaken by her friends. These were just a few of the trials she faced. But rather than give in to defeat, Brandy trusted in God who gave her the strength to overcome adversity and continue to fight the good fight of faith.

Brandy's true story is one of our many featured testimonies from you, the members and visitors of this site. Each story reveals a life transformed by Christian faith. If your relationship with God has made a significant difference in your life, we would like to hear about it.
• Submit your testimony by filling out this Submission Form. If you have a dramatic account to share, you can submit a Before & After Story of Salvation along with photos, or a short Popcorn Testimony, if you prefer.
• To receive weekly messages of hope and encouragement from real-life stories of changed lives, sign up for eTestimonies.

• Read: Brandy's Dedication

Many Christians are intimidated by the idea of sharing their faith. Jesus never intended for the Great Commission to be an impossible burden. God meant for us to be witnesses of Jesus Christ through the natural outcome of living for him. We make it complicated. We think we must complete a 10-week course in evangelism and Christian apologetics before getting started.

God designed an easy evangelism program. He made it simple for us. Karen Wolff of Christian-Books-For-Women.com shows us practical ways to share our faith simply by being an example for Christ.

• Read: How to Share Your Faith

Also:
Romans Road - Any Easy Way to Explain Salvation
Evangelism for Christian Teens
How to Help the Homeless
How to Write Your Testimony

_{Photo: Huntstock / Getty Images}

This week's post is an original Christian prayer submitted by an About.com member. It's a Prayer of Rededication, expressing thanks to God for a change of attitude and a heart returned to what is most important.

Image: © Davide Guglielmo
Prayer of Rededication

Dear Lord,

I want to thank you for hearing my prayer and helping me to be patient. Lately, I've been wanting things to go my way, hoping too, that others around me would be responsive and helpful. As you know, this hasn't been happening. But, I see where I've been going wrong by putting my faith and trust in others—hoping that they would respond to my needs—and of course, that has not happened.
Read more ... Prayer of Rededication by Ann.

Do you have an original Christian prayer that would encourage or benefit a fellow believer? Perhaps you've written a unique poem you'd like to share with others. We are looking for Christian prayers and poems to encourage our readers in their communication with God. To submit your original prayer or poem, please fill out this Prayer / Poem Submission Form.

More Christian Prayers:

• Solomon's Prayer of Dedication
• Prayer of Devotion
• David's Prayer of Thanks