Commendations from colleagues
TESTIMONIALS
“Pastor Charles Lyons is a friend, mentor and spiritual leader to me. He is a blessing to me since the day I came to Chicago to study at Moody Bible Institute in 1980. I came too late to be accepted to stay at the school’s dorm. When he heard about my need, he personally picked me up and helped me find a place to stay. When me and my fiancée decided to get settled, he gave us a marriage counseling and officiated our wedding. After many years of serving in different ministries of Armitage Church, I was ordained and was sent to the Philippines as a national missionary in 1990.
The Church where I served in the Philippines became partners with Armitage Church in mission. They sent short term team of missionaries to the Philippines number of times. Pastor Charles Lyons came twice to see me personally during those years of sending mission volunteers.
Whenever I was asked who trained me to be a Pastor, I always gave credit to the number of years I served in Armitage Church under his leadership. I learned how to lead a Church by watching him and taking notes of the wisdom God gave him in making decisions.
I learned that a Church should have an impact to the community in many ways through his leadership as Pastor. During the years he led the church, I saw from him the example of humility, holiness, integrity, and love to the lost.”
Pastor Anselmo Macolor
Kissimmee, Florida
“As a pastor, you meet lots of people. Most float in and out of your life without having much affect. Many simply want your time and attention for a while. But few give back more to you than they’ve taken.
Charles Lyons is one of those precious few.
For decades now, he has served faithfully and enthusiastically in the tough places most of us try to avoid. Without hyperbole, he stands daily on the front lines of spiritual battle. If C.T. Studd was sincere about wanting to build a rescue mission within a yard of hell, then surely Charles Lyons is his close neighbor and fellow soldier.
I had the privilege of serving on Charles’ church staff in Chicago for a season, and was able to see him behind the scenes. No matter the challenge or task, two things were constant: his personal integrity and his commitment to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I cannot say that about every pastor I’ve served with, but I say it with enthusiasm about him.
Now God has opened new territory to him and expanded his ministry to speak into the lives of other warriors in this spiritual battle. I have personally committed to supporting him, both in prayer and in resources. And I can think of no surer investment to make toward the Kingdom of God than to support Charles as he marches courageously into places I dare not go.
I encourage you to support and invest in a ministry that has proven itself now for 50 faithful years. Join me in lifting up the arms of this man of God, and support the cause of City Hope International and Charles Lyons!”
David Gipson
Teaching Pastor, Celebration Church
Naples, FL
“My name is Michael Allen, I've pastored in urban communities in Chicago and Houston for almost 30 years. I now lead an urban non-profit ministry called Together Chicago which seeks to reduce gun violence while revitalizing communities with a holistic gospel approach.
I've known Pr. Charles Lyons for as long as I've been doing urban ministry. In fact we first met when I was a seminary student at Trinity International University. After hearing some of his call to ministry and pastoral testimony, I immediately thought, "He's aptly named Lyons." God has truly given him the boldness of a lion to shepherd a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic church in a tough urban neighborhood for decades.
Over the years, Charles has been a mentor to me by way of encouragement and living example. He, His wife Georgia and other members of the Lyons family have personally ministered to my wife, our church and me in special and unique ways at just the right time.
Charles is not just a long time Pastor/practitioner but a deep and theological thinker who reads widely and writes cogently about the plight of the urban community and how the church must engage in ministry in the ever changing landscape of the city.
I'm so glad God has called Charles to this new work of mentoring the next generation of urban Pastors/Ministers. I'll be praying, cheering and ready to assist this new ministry as needed.”
Michael N. Allen
Co-Founder/CSO, Together Chicago
Chicago, IL
“My name is Paul Hagelgans and I serve as Field Director of Bible Mission – an international missionary organization serving in the countries of the former Soviet Union, as well as in other countries of Eastern Europe, Central Asia and Asia. I first met brother Charles Lyons in the second year of my ministry with Bible Mission in 1991.
It was in January 1991, and I had just come to Chicago with my family to study at the Moody Bible Institute. I was looking for a church that would be not too far from our apartment, because we had the desire to attend and do ministry in a church. One Sunday afternoon, we went out for a walk and discovered a building that was called “Armitage Baptist Church“. There was also an announcement outside with an invitation to Bible Studies at 5pm on the same day. We decided to attend this meeting, but I have to say that my first impression of the music they were playing at the beginning of this Sunday evening service was – to put it mildly – „not my kind of music“, and I decided to better not come to this church again. BUT!!! After the music part, Pastor Lyons started teaching the truths of God’s Word (at that time, they were studying Paul’s Epistles to the Corinthians). It was this sermon / teaching that made me change my mind. We stayed, and we came back...
For over 30 years, Pastor Lyons has been a spiritual father to me, a tutor, mentor, my beloved brother in Christ and close friend, and – together with Armitage Baptist Church – a faithful partner in the ministry God has entrusted to Bible Mission. Pastor Lyons has visited the mission field many times. His experience and expertise, his enthusiasm and passion for the Gospel and his obedience to the Word of God have been and continue to be a great inspiration for the ministry and have given direction to our ministry many times. It was just obvious that God was using him.
From my personal experience and knowledge, I can say that God has used Pastor Lyons in three ways:
1. In the process of building the church (church planting and development):
· through faithfulness to the vision and work God has entrusted to him
· through the ability to mobilize, teach / train and organize people / teams to accomplish the goal
· through wisdom in working with people
2. In the proclamation / preaching of God’s Word:
· through knowledge of the Word of God
· through the ability to teach the truth’s of God’s Word in a comprehensible and accessible way
· through his passion and his heart that is burning for the practical application and implementation of God’s Word in daily life
3. In the expansion of God’s Glory (missions):
· through his experience and vision for outreach to the urban population
· through his devotion and confidence in the power and victory of the Gospel of Jesus Christ
· through his commitment to training disciples – servants of the Gospel
This my knowledge and my personal experience in serving with Pastor Lyons gives me all reason to not only invite him to the mission field where I’m allowed to serve with Bible Mission, but also to recommend Pastor Lyons to others as a faithful servant of Christ with excellent knowledge and expertise – for the purpose of teaching the Biblical truths to the local churches and to train, disciple and grow young servants and leaders (Next Generation Leaders).
I will be glad to answer any questions or provide more information.”
Paul Hagelgans
Field Director, Bible Mission Global
Niedernberg, Germany
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“I have had the pleasure of knowing Charles W. Lyons as my pastor, mentor, and a dear friend since I began attending Armitage Baptist Church in 1985. Two years later, he asked me to join the staff as Children's Ministries Director. Though I had the academic degree to fit the position, I felt unqualified to serve in such a challenging inner-city community. I remember him just saying "I'm praying for God's will." And with that, God answered and worked in my heart. Under Pastor Lyons' leadership, I had the privilege of serving at different capacities for a total of 15 years in this thriving, multi-ethnic, inner-city church.
I have found Pastor Lyons to be a man of exceptional Christian character. He is a man of truth, honesty and integrity. A strong defender of the Christian faith, he is also forthright in his views and fights diligently for what he believes. He led the church in voicing for the unborn by picketing at abortion clinics. Prayer walks and rallies in the neighborhoods were common activities which at times I helped in coordinating. One task I had was to send out press releases at certain times to the media. Armitage Church was often the place where the media outlets went to capture news-worthy videos and interviews as Pastor Lyons addressed issues and recent events.
Charles Lyons is deeply kind, compassionate and loving in his treatment and respect for others. One Sunday night after church, I was physically hurt and robbed by a drug addict near my home. Pastor Lyons and his wife Georgia immediately came to minister to me in the emergency room even after a long day of preaching and ministering at church. There are countless stories like this where God used Charles to show His love, compassion and kindness to others.
One thing I know from serving with Pastor Lyons is that he is a visionary. His burden for lost souls extends to those beyond city limits, thus he traveled across state lines and overseas to share the Gospel at every given opportunity. And his love for the urban community is reflected by his deep passion to reach every person in the inner-city of Chicago. Church-wide events and special promotions were big attractions to draw folks, young and old, to church and other venues where they heard the good news of Jesus Christ. It was exciting to have a small part of this ministry where we saw hundreds of kids come to know Jesus as their Savior over the years.
I thank the Lord for continuing to allow me to have an impact on the lives of others and I am very grateful to Pastor Lyons for setting the example to me of a godly leader and Lord's servant.”
Lillian Mante
Office Manager, Skokie Valley Baptist Church
Wilmette, IL
“I recommend to you Charles Lyons without reservation. I met Charles when we were both boys going to Bible College. I recognized in him at the time a divine calling and a personal passion for urban ministry. After Bible College, Charles went to inner city Chicago and I went to suburban Cleveland. Over the years, I watched Charles build a thriving congregation with a multiethnic ministry. Charles demonstrated a deep faith in the redeeming work of Jesus Christ, a remarkable courage to do ministry where gangs often prevailed, and a patient perseverance to do four decades of ministry at one location.
Charles also created an impressive track record of mentoring other young men for ministry - many who now pastor thriving urban churches. He has a rare gift for brining the best of the church to bear in the most difficult challenges generated by urban life.
Charles ministry received recognition from city and state leaders. President Obama acknowledged Charles’ unique ministry in Chicago with a personal call.
I have very high standards for who preaches in my church. And I have invited Charles to preach often. I recognize his unquestionable faith in Christ, his moral integrity, and his unselfish service. In the last 40 years I also observed Charles lives by a very high Christian standard. I saw it when we were young and I still see it to this day. I believe in Charles as a man of God and recommend him to you with highest acclamation.”
Dr. Dave Collings
Lead Pastor
Cleveland, OH
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“I have known Pastor Lyons for the past 34 years. He has been a great friend and source of godly insight and wisdom. I highly commend him as a mentor and friend.
Pastor Lyons has been involved in Urban Ministry for over the last 45 years. He has been a shining example of a man of God, demonstrated by his years of faithfulness, great perseverance, and commitment to the cause of Christ in the city of Chicago.
He is greatly gifted by God and demonstrates godly wisdom and insight in regard to the Church of Jesus Christ. He has mentored and trained many urban pastors over the years. He is a gifted mentor and trainer of pastors when they sense God’s calling to the inner city.
He has raised a godly family where many of his children are faithfully serving in ministry. He and his wife Georgia have persevered and weathered many storms in life, and yet have come through them like gold tested by fire.
He has spoken at many conferences on urban ministry and minority leadership development. He is a lover of people of all races and nationalities. I would highly recommend him for involvement in any ministry to God’s kingdom. If you are searching for someone who could mentor you in ministry, or help you to grow spiritually, Pastor Lyons would be the one person you would greatly benefit from.”
Pastor Andy Zivojinovic
New Hope Bible Church
“I had the privilege to learn urban ministry under Pastor Lyons through the C.A.U.S.E. (Chicago Armitage Urban Study Experience) ministry at Armitage Baptist Church. At the time I was fresh out of Bible College, single and so naive. My two years at Armitage were crucial and foundational for the future urban ministry that I would eventually be called to. Was it easy? By no means! It challenged me to the core. Did I agree with everything? Absolutely not. Yet, it was exactly what I needed.
I learned what it meant to be fully committed to Christ, what relying on Him meant and what true love for the Savior looked like. These are the main things when the challenges of life and ministry hit you. These are the things that keep everything in focus. These are the lessons that are the keenest when the enemy tries to knock you down. And these are the reasons why I look back often and thank the Lord for my time in Chicago.
I was recently asked by a bible college student to list the greatest things that helped prepare me for ministry. My mind immediately went back to Chicago. The amount of time (and patience!) that Pastor Lyons, the entire staff and last but certainly not least, Georgia Lyons invested in me is beyond repayable. Some of my fondest memories are of sitting and talking with Georgia. She showed me what a strong, passionate and compassionate pastor’s wife looked like. So many times she worked quietly behind the scenes, submitting to the authorities over her including the Women’s Ministries Director and she did it with such grace and humility. Never did she demand respect or even her own way because “she’s the pastor’s wife.” She shared so many nuggets of wisdom with me, she shared some of her struggles and how God had and continued to work through them. Priceless!
After I moved away and married Pastor Lyons and Georgia continued to invest in me and now my husband. They mentored us as we struck out in faith to plant a church in New England. They told us the hard things that we needed to hear so that we could “do all things for the glory of Christ.” Pastor shared the books that we should read, helped my husband with not only casting a vision for ministry but putting it into practical steps and reminded both of us that our marriage is of utmost importance. Pastor and Georgia were often the ones we turned to during our hardest times in ministry. They prayerfully and patiently counseled and encouraged us. We will be forever grateful for their time and friendship.
God has done great things here in New England yes, however God used Chicago, Pastor and Georgia to get us here for His Glory.”
Mrs. Jamy Smith
Lighthouse Baptist Church
Providence, RI
“My name is Michael Gregory and I serve as the Senior Pastor of Tower Grove Baptist Church. Charles Lyons is one of the most gifted preaching pastors that I know. He began with a handful of white congregants in the early 70’s, and with great passion and vision, Armitage Baptist Church became a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, spirit-filled church in the urban city of Chicago.
My wife and I got saved in the early 90’s at Armitage, and due to Charles’ commitment to Discipleship we are serving God in St. Louis today. Charles took me under his wings and taught me how to minister as I joined him while he led prayer walks for gun violence and many late night visitations to struggling Christians that needed someone to disciple them on their journey.
Charles’ commitment to proclaiming the gospel to the ends of the earth is evident as he and I traveled on several mission trips. These trips spanned over 20 plus days, starting in Nairobi, Kenya and ending in Kyrgyzstan. He is a man that is after God’s heart.
I had the privilege of being on staff at Armitage as Business Administrator for four years, and I remember saying to God, I want to be godly like the godly men that serve on this staff. Charles somehow would locate men and women that had a desire for proclaiming the Gospel and he would cast the vision that God had given him for Armitage, and many would join in on what God was doing in the great city of Chicago.
Charles is a gifted and powerful expositor of the Word of God. He has the ability to reach across many ethnic cultures and proclaim Truth in a dynamic and powerful way. He’s skilled with the ability to not only teach but to come alongside pastors and equip them with creating God’s vision for their church. He is very knowledgeable and strategic in building God’s church.
Charles is a man that God has equipped and blessed due to his faithful service and commitment to seeing Jesus proclaimed in the heart of an urban environment. Charles’ desire is to see all hear the gospel and repent of their sins.”
Michael L. Gregory
Senior Pastor, Tower Grove Baptist Church
St. Louis, MO
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“I met Charles Lyons in 1995, in conjunction with the Luis Palau Campaign, little knowing that three years later I would become part of his pastoral staff at Armitage Baptist Church in Chicago. For exactly five years, I served with Pastor Lyons. It was the pivotal period of my pastoral ministry.
As a minister, one hears of being trained in the ministry, but I know of few who would say that it actually took place for them. Training for the ministry and learning how to actually do the tasks that lead to ministry are quite different. Charles Lyons provided the former, taking me with him to show me how to do a home visit, a hospital visit, a funeral, and explaining it to me as we went. As I did each, we reviewed my experiences. I learned how to guide someone from conversion through basic discipleship and into connection with the church for relationship, nurture and accountability, and on into Christian growth and service. The relationship between the intermediate group (e.g. Adult Sunday School or Adult Bible Study), the small group and the congregation. While his model was Southern Baptist, the concepts were transferable to other approaches to “doing church.”
I also found in Charles a repository of knowledge about large cities and ministry. This wasn’t a detailed part of my training but was an active part of our discussion because we ministered in center-city Chicago.
In the five years that I served with him as worship pastor, and the many years since that I’ve had the privilege of his friendship, I have known Charles to be a man of impeccable character, an anointed preacher whose life is shaped by the disciplines of prayer and the Word of God, one who has expended himself to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ and make disciples.
Currently, I have the privilege of being his pastor and a board member of City Hope International, the ministry umbrella under which he serves. His ministry is with the full blessing and confidence of myself and my co-pastor, Rev. Steve Mason.”
Charles M. Butler
Co-Pastor, Hope Church Chicago
Chicago, IL
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Pastor Charles Lyons has been my dedicated prayer partner, spiritual brother, and friend for more than 25 years. Over the last 25 years, he is the first voice I hear each day from 6:00am -7:00am. Salem Baptist Church of Chicago would not be where it is today if it were not for the spiritual guidance I have received from him over these years. There has never been a major issue or roadblock in my life that I have not discussed with him. He is one of the kindest, most knowledgeable, spiritual, and passionate people I have ever encountered.
His genuine love and care for people transcends race, color, and culture. He began his spiritual journey by ministering to urban ministries and multicultural churches, demonstrating his ability to bring together people from all walks of life. He masterfully presided over a changing congregation in a neighborhood that transitioned from majority white to majority people of color.
He is a pastor, leader, coach, and mentor who overcomes racial barriers to see that all people come together in Christ. There are no adjectives or superlatives that are glowing enough to accurately describe him. If you are looking to grow personally or spiritually, time spent with Pastor Charles Lyons and his wife Georgia is well worth it.
Pastor James Meeks
Salem Baptist Church of Chicago
Chicago, IL