Mission New York (MNY) believes local churches can and should be the greatest places on earth.  For a church to function, only a simple format is required: several believers gathered in the name of Jesus for devout worship and prayer, the teaching of the Word, baptizing of believers, encouraging of the saints, calling sinners to repentance and glorifying God.  Beyond these basics, there may be many negotiable factors about a local church fellowship, but in its truest sense, these factors or something like them, make up a local fellowship.  

While ministry practice and Christian education are very valuable,  these above characteristics of a church do not require religious experts or years of seminary training to develop, but rather a group of individuals with sincere hearts seeking after the Lord by the power of the Holy Spirit.  

 

Some churches and church organizations have made it complicated for churches to form and naturally develop.  Whether this happened accidentally or on purpose (ex.- requiring all members of the clergy to quit their jobs and pursue up to eight years of full-time higher education to become a pastor), Mission New York believes this is unneeded and cumbersome. There are no biblical mandates to make ministry complicated.  While serving Jesus Christ requires our entire life commitment, it should not require unneeded hoops and red tape to reach people with the Good News that Jesus paid the price for their sins and offers everlasting life in eternity and abundant and meaningful life today.  

 

Key Concepts of Mission New York (MNY) Organic Neighborhood Churches (ONC):

 

Organic

Organic refers to a living organism.  Living organisms are usually: mobile, life-giving (they reproduce), a part of a larger community and they are adaptable.  MNY sees these concepts as valuable characteristics of ONCs.

 

Neighborhood

While MNY does not attempt to define NYC neighborhood boundaries. We encourage ONCs to develop where people are naturally close enough together to easily meet once a week at minimum, assist in the immediate local community, easily invite neighbors and touch the neighborhood with the life, Word and deeds of Jesus. 

 

Training

Through Mission New York's Empowered People program, we are developing a simple church and life leadership training program to train ministers to lead people in Organic Neighborhood Churches which will dynamically minister in the five boroughs of NYC and touch the world through missions support, radical generosity and outreach projects in the city.    

 

Interconnected

MNY believes that groups of all sizes can benefit from interconnectedness.  MNY ONCs meet about once a month together in a larger setting for corporate worship, teaching and celebration of baptisms and the Lord's supper. MNY ONCs also benefit from centralized training, missions programs, conference events, discipleship and fellowship events.

 

Fertile

While this is a re-statement of the organic concept above, it is re-stated because fertility is extremely important for future life. While some things and people are alive, they are not fertile. MNY desires for all ONCs to be fertile and reproduce themselves with a goal of doing so as soon as possible. The more an ONC values reproduction, the more people can be touched in the city for Christ. It is also noted that some older churches reproduce, but this is extremely rare. Likewise, ONCs should hope, pray and plan to reproduce in their early life so that ONC is healthy enough to sustain life and growth after sending out others to take the message of Jesus to their neighborhood.