Why Chicago

CCDA was birthed over 20 years ago during a meeting at Chicago's O'Hare airport, convened by visionaries John Perkins, Lem Tucker and Wayne Gordon. Fifty friends from around the nation gathered to dream about establishing a way to connect isolated individuals doing Christian Community Development in neighborhoods across the country. Among those friends were Mary Nelson, Glen Kehrein, Bill Leslie and Bud Ipema—notable Chicagoans who had given their lives to restoring some of the city's most broken communities.

In 1989, CCDA realized the dream and held its first National Conference at Lawndale Community Church, pastored by Wayne "Coach" Gordon. Rumor has it that, while Coach was out of the room, he was nominated and quickly elected president of the association. He has led the association since that time and for many years, organized the National Conference.

We return to Chicago this year to celebrate a milestone in our association's history: the 20th anniversary. Because of the centrality of Chicago to the journey of CCDA, and the many influential ministries that have roots in this city, it is fitting that we cast a vision for the future from the place of our birth.