Practically Speaking

Grace, a student at Moody Bible Institute, teaches conversational English during a class at the Family Empowerment Center in Chicago's Rogers Park as part of a Practical Christian Ministries (PCM) assignment.

by Jeff Smith

Practical Christian Ministries (PCM) is a longstanding program at Moody Bible Institute that many alumni and current students say is the most important factor in their development at Moody.

Serving at ministries throughout Chicago and the surrounding suburbs each week, students deepen their faith, stretch their hearts and skills for serving, prepare for life and ministry after graduation, and influence others for Christ in a real-world urban context.

In 2021–2022, 1,240 Moody students served 195,000 people representing hundreds of different cultures, ethnicities, and races in Chicago during 62,400 hours of PCM volunteering. Moody PCMs worked in concert with 234 different churches and agencies in Chicago, ranging from Pacific Garden Mission (homeless ministry) and Exodus World Service (kids club for Afghan refugee children) to Sabka Sahaara (church ministering to refugee families) and ASHA Outreach (restoring women caught in sex trafficking).

“I came to Moody because of PCMs,” said Emily Taylor, a senior at Moody who tutors children with a PCM at the South Asian Friendship Center. “I just love the idea of meeting the tangible needs of the community while sharing the love and hope of Jesus.”

Sometimes students witness the fruit of their seed-sowing at PCMs. Over 100 people surrendered their lives to Christ in 2021–22 as a direct result of PCMs, including a woman enrolled in an English as a Second Language class run by a PCM.

“Peiwen gave her life to Jesus!” said Jane, a senior at Moody. “Praise God! I have been praying for this!”