Church of the City New York

This week, Pastor Jon set the foundation for our season-long study of Jesus’ teaching of the Beatitudes. In the face of the crises around us, we need to be rooted more deeply than ever in the core teachings of Jesus about discipleship and the Kingdom of God.

This week, Pastor Jon cast a vision for our church as we head into the fall season. We are tired, but resolved to regroup and rebuild through pressing deeper into our core values--Presence, Formation, and Mission. However, in this season, we are taking these values to a deeper level. We are pursuing the tangible presence of God, understanding that no human solutions can rescue us from our cultural trauma; we are committed to counter formation, recognizing that there is no neutral ground and fighting against culture's attempting to pull us away from becoming like Jesus; and we are pursuing sacrificial mission, adopting the "I sacrifice, we win" mentality of Christ and embracing the high cost of living for the good of this city. New York needs a community of champions, and now is not the time to shrink back but to rise up.

This past Sunday, Pastor Suzy preached about what it looks like to prayerfully join Jesus in his mission to seek and save those who are far from God. Luke 10:1-4 tells us that we are to: look, ask, go, and sacrifice — to see with compassion the harvest, to ask the Lord to raise workers up, and to go ourselves willingly, knowing that Jesus sends us to where He is already going.

Pastor Dimas Salaberrios discusses the importance of prioritizing prayer through the story of Daniel's faithfulness amidst challenges. He highlights the power of consistent communication with God and shares personal experiences demonstrating the impact of prayer. The podcast also explores the significance of prayer and fasting in spiritual growth and the story of making a movie about a church shooting survivor.

Pastor Jon Tyson delves into the importance of repentance in following God, emphasizing the need for radical pursuit of God, removal of idols, and rebuilding with God at the center for restoration. He discusses the transformative power of repentance using historical examples, the significance of obedience to God, and the call for radical obedience in response to God's call. The podcast highlights the impact of repentance on individuals and society, celebrating redemption and urging listeners to strive for intimacy with God through obedience.

This past Sunday, Pastor Jon preached about the opportunity for divine intervention through intense, persistent, and united prayers. It is only through prayer that we can shape our communities, church, and city, and ensure 2020 ends differently than how it started.

This past Sunday, Pastor Suzy Silk shared with us how God's wisdom is far better than the wisdom of this world. Through scripture, we see that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, wisdom comes from and is given by the Holy Spirit, the path of wisdom is in obedience to God’s laws, the wisdom of God is worth seeking, and most importantly, godly wisdom is available to every believer.

Dr. Bryan Loritts teaches about Christ’s exhortation and example of humility. As we look at Jesus’ words from the Sermon on the Mount, “blessed are the poor in spirit,” we see God’s invitation to posture our hearts in humble acceptance of His grace and extend that grace unto others.

Pastor Jon teaches about three encouraging exhortations from Hebrews 10:19-25: the encouragement to draw near to God, the encouragement to remain faithful, and the encouragement to love and good deeds. As we spur each other on, God can release the full potential of what He wants to do through us and make us into a community of hope.