Lead Pastor

Pastor Al and Chrissy Toledo were both born and raised in New York City.  Al, born of Cuban parents, was headed for a promising career as a professional baseball player when the Lord revealed Himself to him at the age of seventeen on a baseball field.  After being drafted by a major league baseball team and playing college baseball, Al began attending the Brooklyn Tabernacle and soon felt God calling him to the ministry.  In 1990, he attended bible college and soon thereafter began serving in full-time ministry.

Chrissy, the daughter of Jim and Carol Cymbala, founding pastors of the Brooklyn Tabernacle, always had a love for music, like her mother. Although she loved the Lord since she was a child, Chrissy strayed from the Lord during her teenage years. Her testimony has encouraged many as it is found in her book, Girl in the Song, as well as her father's book, Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire. God called Chrissy into full-time ministry at the age of twenty, directing music at a bible college in New England.

In 2002, Al, Chrissy, and their three children - Susie, Annie, and Tommy, moved to Chicago when they felt God leading them to pioneer a church on the North Side of the city, leading to the birth of the Chicago Tabernacle. Pastor Al and Chrissy have a heart to serve others into greatness and to see them become all that God has called them to be.

Executive Pastor

Pastor Matt and Mandy Reneau met at Moody Bible Institute, where they graduated and were married in 2006.  They have a daughter, Anna, and a son, Justice.  Matt grew up in a godly home and as a teenager, surrendered his life to God at a summer camp in Wisconsin.  During his time at the Moody Bible Institute, he became an intern at the Chicago Tabernacle, and after graduating, came on staff full-time.  He has served as Pastor Toledo's Assistant, Youth Pastor, and taken part in many other ministries at the church.

His passion is to train and disciple people in their personal lives as well as in their spheres of leadership. Mandy also grew up with godly parents and has served the Lord from a very young age.  She has served as the children's ministry leader, worked with her husband in the youth ministry, as well as serving the women of the church.  They both love God passionately and are committed to serving God's people and seeing the lost come to Jesus.

Associate Pastor

Pastor David is the son of a military chaplain, and grew up all over the world. Similarly, Susie was raised in Bosnia in a missionary family.

David was saved as a young boy, and felt a call to ministry in high school. While attending Moody Bible Institute, his brother invited him to the Chicago Tabernacle, where he began to serve and continue to grow in leadership. During this season of his life, David encountered God's presence in a powerful way. David has a desire for all people to encounter God in this way, so they can see the supernatural power of God in their everyday lives. Susie also felt a call to ministry at a young age and now leads the Early Childhood Ministry. She has a passion to see every child in Chicago be reached with the gospel and to see them become godly, powerful leaders in God's Kingdom. David and Susie have three little ones of their own; Owen, Eden and Elliot. Both David and Susie have a heart to evangelize and their prayer is to see revival come to Chicago.

Youth Pastor

Pastor Jake Sparlin was born and raised in Chicago. After attending Chicago Tabernacle in Spring 2007, he encountered God through The Story of Love and accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. Jake’s journey into the ministry began soon thereafter.

After earning a bachelor’s degree from Concordia University, Jake came on staff full-time in early 2008. He continued to serve in a variety of ways for the next several years, including Assistant to Pastor Toledo and Children’s Ministry Director. Since fall 2012, Jake has led CT’s Youth Ministry, The Free, demonstrating his passion for the Word of God and a heart to see the power of God change lives.

Associate Pastor

Jose Figueroa grew up in a traditional Puerto Rican home in Chicago.  After following a self-destructive path in his early 20's, he dedicated his life to Christ in December of 1999. As a result of his life experiences, Jose has a passion for serving at-risk youth, men struggling with addictions and the influences of gangs and street violence, families and marriages. Jose holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Indiana Institute of Technology and a Master's degree in Intercultural Studies from Moody Theological Seminary in Chicago.

Darcy was raised on a dairy farm in Wisconsin and made the decision to give her life to Christ when she was a young girl. She had been drawn towards a life of cross-cultural Christian service since her early teens and pursued training towards that end by attending and graduating from Baptist Bible College of Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania. Darcy worked in the field of Human Resources for 10 years.

Jose and Darcy were married in June of 2004. After Jose completed his seminary studies at Moody, Jose and Darcy quit their jobs and moved to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, in August of 2009, where Jose co-pastored a local church in the Colonial City for 4 years. This church's focus was on serving the marginalized and under-resourced of this historic, urban neighborhood. After an incredible 4 years experiencing how to serve with dignity those suffering in cycles of poverty, addiction and relational brokenness, Jose and Darcy returned to Chicago in July of 2013. They have been blessed with two young children, Isabel and Gabriel.