Our Senior Pastors

Pastors Jerry & Chris McQuay founded Christian Life Center in 1990, after serving three previous churches in the Midwest and a brief stint as missionaries in the Philippines.

Jerry is known for his clear practical teaching of the Bible and a genuine heart for people. His passion for missions has prompted CLC to truly impact the nations as the church has sent short-term teams to more than 20 countries around the globe.

Pastor Chris McQuay has served alongside her husband from the beginning of their ministry. She is a licensed Christian counselor and has 30 years of experience in training others for effective ministry to children. Chris is known for her strong prophetic anointing and intercessory gifting, and leads “Heart to Heart”, the women’s ministry of CLC.

Her practical insights into Scripture combined with her counseling skills make her a favorite teacher at CLC and internationally through the church’s missions efforts. She is the author of four books: Broken Vessels (offering help and hope for the hurting, Behold Thy Handmaid (the role of women in ministry), Out of the Septic Tank (thriving through crisis), and Pictures from Heaven (prophetic devotionals).

Their husband-and-wife team approach to ministry and the complementary gifts they model to the congregation have helped Christian Life Center grow into a multi-cultural congregation of more than 2,000 people and a multi-million dollar campus in Tinley Park, with plans to launch additional campuses throughout Chicagoland and Michiana.

Together the McQuays have three children: Chad, a television accountant in Los Angeles, Jen who serves as executive assistant to her father and Brent, who serves at our west suburban campus.