Meet ten dynamic ministries
From becoming a “public house” for God to transforming one of the country’s largest cities into the “greatest city for Christ in America,” – discover how God is at work in ten new church developments.
1. Common Table
Presbytery of the Cascades
150 Northwest Oregon Avenue, Bend, OR 97701-2711
Zach Hancock, Organizing Pastor
Open to the public seven days a week for food and drink. Modern, artistic space attracts those with expendable income. Grace Bowls are free for people without money. Working towards zero waste local sourced food is prepared and served with God’s good creation in mind. Common Table constantly pursues awareness through education and prayer, seeking God’s direction. First supper on Easter Sunday 2011 packed the house with homeless, professionals, retirees, young and old, Christians and agnostics.
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2. Bare Bulb Coffee
Presbytery of Flint River
1117 Highway 96, Suite 100,
Kathleen, GA 31097
Nikki MacMillan, Ministry Director & Head Percolator
This new mission in Middle Georgia, a new church development in coffee house, has become a gathering place for a new community of disciples and a launching pad for mission. Within weeks of opening musicians, artists, students, and retirees were gathering for coffee, conversation and community. Has become a place to collect blankets for the homeless, pack backpacks with food for school children who don’t have enough to eat on the weekend, to exercise or talk about faith, write original music, study scripture, and share an evening prayer.
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3. Kairos Church
Presbytery of Greater Atlanta
Georgia Avenue Church Building
645 Grant Street SE
Atlanta, GA 30312
Beth and Thomas Daniel, Co-Pastors
Takes its name from the Greek word meaning “a holy moment” or “God-given Opportunity” – Their mission is to encourage one another daily to follow in the way of Jesus. They value “Christ before Christianity, People before Programs, Prayer before Politicking, Rhythm before Regimen, Mission before Maintenance, and We before Me.” Small groups meet weekly throughout the city in people’s homes “to share lives, dreams and struggles together as a family.”
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4. Thien An Presbyterian Church
(281) 561-0711
Presbytery of New Covenant
7621 Boone Road
Houston, TX 77072
Viet Ho, Organizing Pastor
An outreach to the large and growing Vietnamese population on Houston southwest side began with organizing Pastor Viet Ho walking the neighborhoods. Soon they began offering computer, immigration, citizenship, ESL and Bible Study classes. The congregation is outgrowing their storefront location. Plan to continue to evangelize by starting a second campus of outreach in a neighboring area.
5. Water’s Edge
Presbytery of the Pacific
5504 West 135th Street
Hawthorne, CA 90250
Bill Crawford
This Satellite ministry of Bel Air Presbyterian Church is reaching out to the Manhattan/South Beach area. Believing God has called them to make Los Angeles the greatest city for Christ, they are developing disciples committed to building bridges through strategic partnerships with churches in L.A. and around the world that will tangibly express Christ’s compassion.
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6. Open Door Presbyterian Church
Presbytery of Pittsburgh
801 North Negley Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15206
BJ Woodworth, Lead Pastor
Saw the entrepreneurial activity – a grassroots movement among young adults and artists moving into Pittsburgh’s East End – as an opportunity to develop a new kind of faith community strongly influenced by artistic expression, ancient spiritual practices and Christian community. Has established itself as a teaching congregation, and is known as people, not for going to church, but being the church every day.
7. Temecula Valley Korean Presbyterian Church
(951) 642-2943
Presbytery of Riverside
33122 Grape Street
Wildomar, CA 92595
Peter Kwon, Senior Pastor
Began when a small group of Koreans who gathered to pray. In less than a decade they have grown from a few members to 300. Offering Korean language school in their community has been a great ministry outreach to second-generation Korean parents who want to teach their children to understand the importance of their identity as Korean Americans.
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8. Misión Hispana El Buen Pastor
(336) 391-3193
Presbytery of Salem
4637 Tim Road
Winston-Salem, NC 27106
Rosa Blanca Gonzalez, Pastor
Is one of the fastest growing new church developments in the country–more than 140 adults and 160 children are in regular worship. El Buen Pastor is a model for how to start a community of faith for a new immigrant population struggling with economic and education issues.
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9. Urban Life Church Services
Presbytery of San Diego
5202 Orange Avenue
San Diego, CA 92115
Jake Medcalf, Associate Pastor Urban Life/Orange Avenue Campus
Urban Life Church, a ministry of La Jolla Presbyterian Church, began when the Associate Pastor was leading youth ministry in an offsite location. He noticed a significant number of students needing rides home were going to a section of San Diego away from where they were meeting. After receiving permission they developed a multi-ethnic worshipping community in a defunct neighborhood church building.
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10. Northland Village Church
Presbytery of San Fernando
Glenfeliz Elementary School Auditorium
3955 Glenfeliz Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90039
Nick Warnes, Pastor
Growing worshipping community took an innovative approach, by becoming an embedded missional community in a highly diverse neighborhood. Passionate about being “ambassadors for Christ” they are being agents of reconciliation where they live and worship, lifting up the concerns of all in their community. Their Leader is a seminary graduate, who is a Commissioned Lay Pastor through Glendale Presbyterian Church.
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