Ministry: NYC International Project

Location: New York City

This couple (names withheld for ministry reasons) in New York City is reaching out to internationals in order to see churches established in the least-evangelized areas of the world. The reason they are working in New York City is because there are many countries around the world that have limited access to the gospel. Many of these countries are in the 10/40 Window and even if missionaries can get visas in to the country as tentmakers, it is difficult for them to stay. They have repeatedly seen missionaries come home after barely learning the language because the government will not renew their visas. Their desire as church planters is to reach internationals from these very same countries that come to the U.S. for education or business purposes and train them to plant churches in their home countries when they return home. These internationals are often more receptive to new relationships and new ideas when they are outside their countries than when they are still at home. They are extremely effective as missionaries when they do return home, because they already know the language and culture and have networks of relationships in place. Although this seems to some people like a new strategy, we see in Acts 2 the whole New Testament church was started with a miracle to internationals who were visiting Jerusalem and later returning home. Their main focus of ministry in NYC is their house churches because that is where believers are discipled and trained to start churches that can grow and multiply, even in politically hostile atmospheres. They also spend time reaching out to unbelievers through English conversation groups on university campuses and other outreach events and activities, in addition to meeting with diplomats in their offices at the United Nations. Most of their time is spent building relationships and sharing the love of Christ in whatever way they can.