Photo credit Heidi Zeiger photography
I am the pastor of River City Community Church, author of the book 10:10 - Life to the Fullest, husband to Elizabeth Arnott-Hill, and father to Xander and Gabriella.
River City is a vibrant, multiethnic church in the Humboldt Park neighborhood of Chicago, and our vision is oriented around the 3 pillars of worship, reconciliation, and neighborhood development. Started in 2003, we have always longed to see increased spiritual renewal as well as social and economic justice in both our city and world, demonstrating compassion and alleviating poverty as tangible expressions of the Kingdom of God.
Prior to starting River City, I worked at Willow Creek Community Church for 5 years in Axis, their 20-something ministry. Before that I was in the business world for awhile, including an adventure starting my own dot.com in the mid-90’s.
I never planned on being a pastor (God has a sense of humor that way), so my undergrad was in Business from Purdue. Later on I picked up my graduate degree from Moody, a certificate in faith-based community development from Harvard Divinity School, and am currently working on my Doctoral of Ministry at Northern Seminary.
10.10 is the title of my first book, and comes from the famous words of Jesus: “I have come that the might have life, and have life to the full.” This promise taps into humanity’s deepest desire, and yet for a large number of Christ followers, this promise seems beyond our reach. Trapped between our longing and our reality, we are faced with a dilemma. How do we close the gap between our current experience and the fullness of life we are designed for?
That has been the driving question of my adult life, and it is the subject matter of this blog.
So thanks for visiting my blog and joining my online community! It would mean a lot if you would sign up or follow the blog here on the main page so we can stay connected. Another great way for us to stay connected is through Twitter - follow me here, and I’ll follow you back.
My favorite parable from Jesus is the pearl of great price. When the spiritually hungry seeker found that which he was searching for, he instinctively turned over heaven and earth to bring it into his possession. I believe that’s what the promise of fullness of life represents - so lets turn over heaven and earth together to get it!
I found your site while looking for Daniel L Hill, my 23yr old grandson who will be attending Dallas Theol. Sem. His site is letters2thechurch.blogspot.com.
I didn’t know you were writing a blog Daniel, so now I can keep track of how things are going on that as well as facebook. I didn’t know that River City will have a new place to call home until Julie told me about it, recently. I’m remembering that my first visit to your Church there was when you and Holt were roomies right nearby…..I also, didn’t know that you were a graduate of Purdue. Julie’s dad and I lived at Purdue in married student housing and I loved the campus life. All the best you , Liz and the Kids…
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Sounds like you’re up to great work for the kingdom, brother. Enjoying your blog! Thanks for writing. Press on.
Thank you Ed - that means a lot! Blessings…
Passing my blessings along, Daniel, for passing along the light, compassion and love of Jesus.
Thank you so much for your kind words Susan!
So glad to meet you on twitter, Daniel. My husband & I are MBI grads in Bible-theology. After an excursion into “professional ministry” and several years at Dallas Seminary, the Lord led us back to “secular’ life, my husband John as an engineer and myself as a part-time teacher of adult language and writing. But my first love has been teaching the Scriptures to small groups of women.
We have 2 adult married children and 4 lively young grandsons. I blog regularly at http://www.abranchinthevine.com and am awaiting the publication of my first book, The With-ness of our God: Relationship in Every Dimension (CrossBooks/Lifeway). I’m looking forward to reading 10:10. Great title! John 10:10 is one of my favorite verses! Congratulations on that work!
Jan, thank you so much for the message! I’m excited to read your blog, and to check out “The With-ness of God” when it comes out. Let me know if i can do anything to help! You can also email me at [email protected] if you ever need to get a hold of me. Blessings!
Daniel, how do you define “economic and social justice” in terms of your church? Every time someone uses those terms that I have read about or heard speak, they are really catchy terms for a Marxist ideology they are pushing that vilifies liberty and free markets; the very things that make this country great, prosperous, and allows us to truly help people.
Hey Greg - I don’t think “economic and social justice” need to defined in contrast to liberty or free markets. And while Marxist ideology may have borrowed from Biblical ideals, I don’t think that should minimize the focus that the Bible has on justice. It’s too exhaustive of a topic for me to try to respond to via a comment, but i could recommend a number of books if you’re interested in reading more. Dr. Timothy Keller is well respected in the evangelical community, and his book “Generous Justice” does a solid job of showing how justice is central to the Gospel from beginning to the end
Daniel, I certainly appreciate your heart for your church, for people, and the Kingdom. But I would strongly encourage you to re-look at your position on Marxism and Biblical ideals. There is nothing in common between Marxism and God’s word. Marxism pre-supposes that there is no God and the path to a utopia on earth is through a classless society. That goal requires an oppressive government, which is inherently corrupt (as mankind is involved) and has resulted in the death of tens of millions of people in the last 100 years and in impoverishment of 100’s of millions more. The Bible is very clear about freedom, free will, property rights, etc but also very clearly states the need to help the poor. However, it never even hints that is the government’s role to do so; that is the role of the Church. God ultimately delivers justice, as well as Grace, and it is not our role to try to make life equal for all. History has proven that approach to be one of “shared misery” and destruction; just ask the former Soviet bloc countries. Overall, I would encourage you and your church to focus on equipping the saints for ministry, serving the local community, enabling people with skills to work, and lobbying government to remove the shackles that prevents the free market from generating real opportunities for economic advancement and bettering their lives. The Gospel is what sets people free and puts us equal with each other in the eyes of the Lord for all who call on His name; a government program or social movement does not. May God bless you and your family.
Thanks Greg!
Happy new year to all. My deepest heart thanks to you and familyDaniel.
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I just heard your prayer on CNN….Thank you!!!
Yes! Finally someone has the courage to say white folks should repent. Even though many of us have not personally intentionally discriminated, it is a burden of sin/guilt on us as American white folks. We need to say we are sorry and try to reach out and make real connections with black Americans.
Have you lost the good sense God gave you? I will not repent or ask forgivness for something I have not done. Nor will I be bullied into believing it either. For all of you with white guilt, keep it to yourself. I’ve done nothing to any race that I should have to apologize for. If I wrong someone, that is the only person I will reach out to, not the color of that person. Keep your fake shame to yourself.
Thanks MJ =)
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING A GOOD, KIND AND DECENT HUMAN BEING WHO IS WILLING TO SPEAK TRUTH TO POWER.
Thank you!
I am 73 years old, NOT a racist, NEVER have been and NEVER will be. I didn’t appreciate hearing your pompous declaration today on Fox stating that if I’m white, I’m automatically racist. Comments such as yours are responsible for much of the racial strife we’re seeing these days.
Dec. 1, 2015, 12:35 p.m. PST - Today I saw your interview on CNN with Brook Baldwin. I was totally blown away with the video of your prayer. Your courage and bravery to stand strong and speak out on a nearly impenetrable ideology is heroic. And you seemed fearless. I see how you can move people to change. You are clearly a leader. You have made a community of people feel that they are not alone. You were so charitable and hopeful in a great heartfelt way. What you did was honorable and so admirable. Thank you.
Thank you for your incredibly kind words!
As a fellow Purdue grad I have respect for you, but for you to call all whites inherently racist is judgmental and goes against your faith. Are white’s racist, yes. Are all whites racists, NO. Likewise, can Blacks be bigots and racists, yes.
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People can be bigoted and not racist, please do not confuse the two. With the state of racial relations deteriorating due to actions and statements of Obama and other prominent Black leaders, it’s very easy for whites to become even stronger bigots.
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You are just as bad for fanning the flames of hatred by making claims that demonizes people that aren’t what you state they are.
How dare you presume to speak for me as a white person. I and only I can ask for forgiveness for my sins. You have no clue what my sins are yet you presume to pray for “white brothers and sisters” to repent for our sins of being white?! Get this straight, you ask forgiveness for your sins and I’ll ask for mine. Also, my whitness has nothing to do with what happened or has happened to blacks or any race for that matter in this country and I will not feel guilt for any of it. If your guilt of some slight you may have done gets the better of you, remember to speak for yourself and yourself alone. God hears me just as well as he hears you.
You are not a pastor. Your are a divisive activist disguised as a pastor. You are an actor. The definition of repent is to turn to God. There are a whole lot of people in this nation that need to repent, or turn to God. And it has NOTHING TO DO with skin color.
Wow, CNN thinks public prayer is a good thing finally!! Thanks for your contribution.
What an outrageous “prayer” you offered on “behalf of your white brethren”. You sound like an activist seeking to gain public attention for yourself-not unlike other race mongers like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton. How dare you presume to know my heart or anyone else’s? To proclaim publicly that our laws are somehow racist? Please show evidence of these ridiculous claims. Not laws from 50 years ago, but from today.
Show me how the devaluing of black people are ” white supremacy has effected our judicial system and our police system”?
What a steaming pile of BS!
Please apologize to the police officers you just blanketed as racists. PUBLICLY, like this “prayer” was. Spoken like a publican to draw attention to yourself.
I cannot imagine someone hearing that from my pastor and remaining under his shepherding.
That was indeed disgraceful.
I just finished watching the CNN report about you and your “prayer” on behalf of White people. Christianity today is nothing more than Cultural Marxism - and I include the so-called “conservative” denominations in that (50 years ago those “conservatives” fought jew-led desegregation at fed gunpoint; today, they weepily grovel for doing so). That proves that Jesus is worthless to dignified Whites intent on survival. I’m glad I’ve dumped all that mythological garbage in favor of facts, reason & the saving of the dwindling White race here in Real World: it’s the only “saving” we require
I sincerely hope you suffer an agonizing demise at the black hands of the “African-Americans” you betray us for, sky-fairy. Just imagine the beautiful show of Christer forgiveness your family would be obligated to make!
Dear brother, I’m praying for you. Some of these comments have been vicious to say the least. I’m so sorry! May the Lord comfort and strengthen as you serve His purpose in our generation (Acts 13:36).
Apparently “his purpose” is White people joining the dinosaurs.
Thank you Jan! I appreciate the prayers =)
Hopefully, those niggers you love so much kill you and your family, you liberal fucking asshole!