Church of the City New York

This weekend, guest teacher David Thomas joined us to share a word on sowing for awakening through travailing prayer. David shares in our desire to see the fame and deeds of God renewed and known in our time, and was able to help steward the outpouring that happened earlier this year at Asbury. Experiencing this move of God first hand confirmed David's convictions that our prayer life is the most important thing about us and that we must press further into prayer as individuals and as the Church.

This Sunday, Pastor Ashley continued our Rediscovering Church series with a teaching on Christian persecution and the appropriate response of the Western Church. While it may appear that persecution is a burden of the past that only the early Church faced, the reality is that one in seven Christians today are facing persecution because of their faith. In light of this realtiy, perhaps the most significant thing we can do with our lives is to live beautiful and compelling lives of faith that echo back to those suffering for their faith that Jesus is indeed worthy.

This Sunday, Pastor Sam continued our Rediscovering Church series with a teaching on Paul's encouragement to the Thessalonians about suffering well. At this time, the Thessalonians were undergoing severe suffering for their beliefs, and Paul knew the importance of having an established faith in order to endure through trials, and the same is true for us today. As we experience moments of disappointment and doubt in seasons of suffering, grief, and pain, we must be continually rooted in Truth, and welcome the support of the Holy Spirit and community.

Click here to watch the video mentioned at minute 45:43.

This Sunday, Pastor Suzy continued our Rediscovering Church series with a teaching on the importance of understanding and receiving "the word of God" in all its forms; the Scriptures, the person of Jesus, The Holy Spirit, and the Gospel message. The Word of God is living and active, God-breathed, sharper than any double-edged sword. It is time that we invite God back into our understanding of His Word and give it the rightful place of authority in our lives it was always meant to have.

This Sunday, Pastor Jon continued the "Rediscovering Church" series, teaching on restoring leadership credibility to a scandalized church with 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12 and laying out a guide for Godly leadership rooted in Jesus centered motives, methods, and mission.

This Sunday, Pastor Suzy continued our sermon series, Rediscovering Church, with an exploration of the Thessalonians as the model church: what set them apart, what sustained them, and how we can learn from their example to bear fruit that lasts in the church today. As a church in a diverse and bustling city, we have influence in how the gospel is shared and lived out. It is our responsibility to present a beautiful model of following Jesus with deep, theological conviction, and to develop faith in our community that can withstand cultural pressure.

This Sunday, Pastor Keithen Schwahn kicked off our Summer sermon series, Rediscovering Church, a study through 1 Thessalonians, with an overview of the book and an invitation to the church. As the leader of our growing Youth and College ministries, Pastor Keithen holds a unique perspective on what is happening in the next generation, and challenged us to rediscover the church of Jesus now, so that Gen Z can discover it for the first time.

This Sunday, Pastor Jon closed out our "We Want You Here" series with a call to consecration. In a time of theological compromise and the normalization of godlessness, God is calling us to devote ourselves to a Person, to a purpose, and to power through sacrifcal devotion and consecration.

This Sunday, Pastor Ashley Anderson continued our "We Want You Here" series with a message on joining God on His mission to seek and save the lost through prayer. As God's image bearers, Jesus declared that every person has incredible value to Him whether they turn to Him or not. As followers of Jesus, we are called to pray for the lost because we know what it was to be lost, and the great joy of being found.

This Sunday, we were joined by Compassion International, and Pastor Jon preached a special sermon on Biblical justice. When we love someone, we want to delight them, and this is what delights God: steadfast love, righteousness, and justice (Jeremiah 9:23-24). Compassion alum, Keewani Cook, was also able to share her powerful testimony about her own impoverished childhood, recieving sponsorship through Compassion, and learning that poverty was not her destiny. God provided a way for Keewani to go to school and start a career, and she ultimately learned—through another's compassion—that nothing is impossible for the Lord. Through stories like Keewani's, we see that what we do for the least of these, we do for Jesus.

If you would like to join Compassion International on mission through the sponsorship of a child we invite you to head over to compassion.com/churchofthecity to see children still in need of sponsors.