Why NYC?
Biblically, cities play a central role in redemptive history. The establishing of the city of Jerusalem, the call to bless the city of Babylon, and the spread of Christianity through the cities of the Roman Empire—these were all moments when God used the influence of cities to mobilize his people to serve and care for the whole nation.
New York has an outsized influence and impact on our country and world.
Whether it’s the financial institutions on Wall Street, the fashion houses of SoHo, the museums of the Upper East Side, the artistic innovation in Brooklyn or the historic cultural institutions in Harlem, the influence of New York is incalculable. With the tremendous amassing of human talent, resources, and ambition, New York is one of the centers of cultural production in the West.
And yet, it is a city that is heavily under-churched. Much of the culture NYC produces and normalizes is embedded in secular beliefs that are hostile to orthodox theology or faith.
But what if the city was influenced by the redemptive work of Jesus in the lives of individuals and in the culture of the city?
The body of Christ in NYC is one of the most culturally and racially diverse reflections of His Church.
The beauty and diversity of the larger Church in New York is profound. And though there is still great work to be done in the areas of inclusion and racial reconciliation, the Church has a unique opportunity to lead through confession, repentance, forgiveness, humility, inclusion and unity.
Instead of mono-racial churches, we are seeing a growing movement of multi-cultural and multi-racial churches with leadership seeking to embrace collaboration across denominational lines.
We’re seeing a historic increase in the body of Christ in the most secular part of NY: center-city Manhattan.
Secularism, individualism, and ruthless competition are deeply rooted in New York. For much of the 20th century, the Church was weaker in New York City than in any other American city. In 1989, less than 1% of center-city residents attended a gospel-centered church, compared to 25-40% of the population nationwide.
And yet, we have seen growth in historic ways over the last few years. By the end of 2019, the number of center-city residents attending a gospel-centered church increased to 7%. Attributed to this growth is the increase of center-city churches from 251 churches in 2014 to 308 churches in 2019; an increase of 60 churches.
