You may remember from Pastor Sam’s first District Assembly in May of 2019, he outlined a series of outcomes that would define his vision for the Metro New York District under his leadership. These outcomes are designed to provide a guideline for how we can live out our mission and vision as a people called Nazarenes at this time and in this place to “bear witness through word and deed of God’s transforming grace.”
As a district leadership team, we have embraced these 7 outcomes as they have allowed us to clarify our purpose in service to you and believe there is value in digging into each one more fully over the next few months. Our hope is for you to gain wisdom and understanding that may prove helpful as you lead your own leadership and volunteer teams within your ministry, providing a district-wide synergy that can only bring glory to God.

Efficient Communication

As Agents of Light, we are committed to excellent and efficient communication both across the Metro NY District and in our presentation to the communities in which we exist. We will intentionally embrace, access, and employ the best available technology, the most professional marketing resources, and the finest creative branding ideas so that our light shines brightly.

Our hope-filled message will be consistent, clear, and inviting so that its life transforming power will be unleashed to those around us and to those to whom we are connected.

Effective Pastoral Leadership

The quality of our pastoral leadership is vital to the success of God’s mission. We desire to have competent, courageous, and compassionate pastors in all our churches.

These men and women must depend on the Holy Spirit to give them the charismatic gift to lead well. They will evidence humility and responsibility to working together with other pastors on our district, as one team, sharing methods, insights and resources with one another.

Under the leadership of the Metro New York District Staff, they will be supported by district programming designed to equip all of us as better individuals, better Christians, and better leaders.

Optimal Pastoral Wellness

If pastors are unhealthy they cannot lead well. Unhealthy clergy compromise our God given mission and, even, risks subverting and sabotaging the mission. We are committed to nurturing pastoral wellness through mutual-support and formation opportunities addressing the pastor’s personal and familial health and wellbeing. A holistic approach will be developed to include the pastor’s economic/financial, mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual wellbeing.

Intentional Lay Engagement

The spiritual maturity, growth, and formation of our lay people and leaders across the district is a priority. The ability for the local church to flourish is not solely dependent on effective pastoral leadership, but also depends on an effective, fully informed, committed, and competent laity.

These lay members ensure that the reputation, integrity, business ethics, congregational harmony, unity and spiritual fervor of the local church reflects the “shining light” of Christian witness in their respective communities.

We will actively engage the local church in leadership training for the laity, helping to make this vision a reality.

Purposeful Next Generation Engagement

As outlined in scripture, the experience of God, regardless of how powerful and transformative in one generation, does not automatically transfer to the next. The passing along of our Christian faith must be systematically and intentionally undertaken.
We envision an intentional and comprehensive program of engagement with the next generation across the Metro NY District that understands the existential questions of our children, youth and young adults. This engagement with the next generation may require us to adjust current church attitudes and activities.
With the next generation in mind, we will present responses to hard life questions rooted in scripture and presented in a way that is sensitive, relevant and authentic to their lived experiences. This approach allows our ministries to be more about “being” than “saying,” concentrating more on compassionate action than on philosophical rhetoric.

Mobilization of Compassion, Justice, and Immigration

Scripture has made clear, in what has been called the “Micah Mandate,” that as far as God is concerned compassionate engagement takes priority over lavish liturgical activity. Ministry among the disadvantaged and marginalized is in the DNA of the people called Nazarenes. We intend to be people aware of injustice, actively engaged in standing up against social or political injustice and advocating for those who are not able to advocate for themselves.

Active Missions and Discipleship

We are called by God to “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28). By this we will fulfill our mission as agents of light.

We seek to embrace this agenda of making Christlike disciples of all the people who live in our diverse district and in their countries of origin, regardless of their ethnicity.

We will take on the twofold task of leading people to personally identify with the Triune God and secondly, helping them to participate with us in our learning, loving communities in obeying the life-transforming teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ.