We are at an uncertain time—a time embedded with fear, frustration, and fatigue. As we look back to the history of the church, God let His people go through hard times. Yet, trials put God’s power on display. When God allows us to step into a trial, He may be getting ready to work for his glory. God know that when we allow ourselves to be comfortable in our faith, more often than not, it causes us to become complacent about our God. When we become complacent, we are happy to stay right where we are, doing the things we’ve always done. The reality is that when the church felt secure, the church indeed is living in a bubble, deeply absorbed in its little world.

The pandemic and the rise of the anti-Asian violence have created deep uncertainty, fear, and frustration in our lives on top of COVID-19. In the midst of these trials, God reminds Christians that we are not exempt from easy and trouble-free lives (Eph. 6:10-20; 2 Cor. 10:3-5; Gal. 5:17), and therefore Christ is the only source of our peace and hope (Rom. 5:1; Eph. 2:14). When God wants us to grow, he makes us uncomfortable.

Our church’s emphasis and focus toward ministry to this post-pandemic era generation had to soar to a whole new level. Our mission never changes as it is grounded and given by our Lord Christ Jesus (Matt. 28:16-20); however, the need for relevant ministry to equip the heads and hearts is far more vital now than ever before (1 Cor. 9:19-23).

The post-pandemic environment coupled with the increase of anti-Asian violence in New York City has unveiled the challenges of running ministry programs. Although virtual programming are well intended, it—real and deep connection with people—whom are craving for authenticity and genuine connections that can only be achieved through in-person engagement.

We understand that to make any changes and create a new vision at a time like this might certainly be a threat for some; however, if we are to reflect on church history, most churches lived in uncertainties and had to depend on God’s promise for provision and protection to rise above the storm (Isa. 41:10, 43:2; Jn. 14:27). Our time now is no different than those who endured before us.

NYCAC is determined to move forward boldly by reevaluating and restructuring every ministry to start fresh and to develop a long-term post-pandemic ministry plan entitled “Think Big, Start Small, Go Deep. ” so we may re-engage deeper in Christ Jesus. We want to make sure that we give our congregation the gift of an unconquerable faith, an unstoppable drive, and an insatiable passion to serve Jesus Christ.

In the past, NYCAC would cast a vision year by year. However, in June after I (Rev. Hung) shared my heart with my mentor, pastoral staffs, the Governing Board, Diaconate committees and the ministry leaders, that our church needs to make a bold move to response to God’s calling of a long-term strategic planning (Prov.29:18; Joel 2:27-29), I took the time to hear their heart, discuss with them, answer their questions, and often time come before the Lord to repent and pray. Thus this conviction is born after much prayer, confession, and contemplation. In the interim, I struggled for clarity. I wrestled with God, and I encountered various realms of spiritual warfare. Nevertheless, God spoke to my heart that confirmed this is the way to move forward despises many uncertainties. To achieve this vision we need your collaborative efforts of prayer and participation.

As you read this strategic plan, you will learn of our attempt to give our congregation a part in participating in God’s kingdom legacy. I ask that you join us by praying, sharing your resources, and helping to serve any spiritual needs of our congregation and community. In doing so, your actions will echo the Apostle Peter’s words,

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed” (1 Peter 1:3-7).

This vision is central to the life of our church since it intends to shape and influence all that we do. Our plan indicates the priorities God given us the next phase of our life as church. These next few years will prove to be crucial and challenging for our ministry development.

We are committed to:

The first call is to boldly dream big dreams IN God. There is a difference between dreaming big FOR God and dreaming big IN God. The former can be mere presumptuousness; the latter is rooted in the Holy Spirit and divine promises (Jer. 29:11; Eph. 3:20; Heb. 13:20-21). 

Our view of God determines our work for Him. Our powerful God is a God of the impossible (Lk. 1:37). Is anything too difficult for Him (Jer. 32:17)? Our God is an awesome God, the creator of heaven and earth. Yet we tiptoe around His throne and ask for the mundane. If God is too small in our eyes, our work will be small. But God is bigger than the universe, and nothing is too difficult for Him (Jn. 1:3). Let’s dare to do something so big that if God is not in it, we are doomed to fail.

This phase will be a time of reevaluating and restructuring every aspects of our ministry including:

· Revisiting our Mission Statement and rewriting our Vision Statement
· Identifying the values and goals that aligns with the Vision
· Identifying the behaviors that aligns with the values and goals
· Modeling the core value and behavior
· Working with Diaconate committees and Governing Board for Vision Casting
· Meeting with leaders of respective ministries
· Empowering our people to be disciples of Christ and live out the Gospel

By carefully aligning our values, goals, and behavior within a strategic plan, we ensure our ministry is moving in the right direction to achieve our mission and vision. This strategic plan uses the following guiding principles: Relationship, Relationship, and Relationship.

REBRAND
We are rebranding our ministry to ensure our Church engages and equips followers of Christ by touching their hearts and minds with the gospel of Jesus Christ (Matt. 22:37). This rebranding includes the development and execution of a robust discipleship-making strategic plan to make our members disciple of Christ, grounded in the Word of God (Matt. 28:16-20) and deep dependence on the Holy Spirit (Zech. 4:6; Jn. 14:26).

REACH
Through relevant and interpersonal communication including social media platforms, we will connect with broader circles of people age groups and families in local communities as well as oversea. Youth, college students, young adults, singles, couples, families with young and grown children, elderly, new immigrants, people with special needs, and other different people groups will be made aware of our presence, ministry, and ability to serve them (1 Cor. 9:20).

RENOVATE
Through the generosity and support of our church leadership, our aim is to continue to invest our resource in developing in-person, hybrid, & digital ministry platform. For in-person ministry, our desire is to renovate our building and make our meeting spaces irresistible. The journey to a robust faith often starts with a spiritual encounter that originates in a well-designed, culturally appropriate worship space that engages the mind and heart (Jn. 4:23-24). For digital ministry, our aim is to develop a virtual ministry team to explore way to engage with a tech-saturated generation. 

RECRUIT
There is no limit to the impact a well-trained and highly gifted person can have in a community. Our plan is to hire, develop, and recruit the best volunteers (Faithful. Available. Interpersonal. Teachable. Humble) —those with the biggest hearts for God’s kingdom, and equip them to make an eternal difference in people’s lives (1 Cor. 1:26-30).

This guiding philosophy of leadership calls us to have an inner security to start small; it is okay to start small! Some great movements of God have an inconspicuous genesis. It takes a quiet disposition rested enough in God to begin on a small scale (Matt. 4:18-22; Mk. 1:16-34; Lk. 5:1-11). The church will take this phase to try and err—some might work, some might not—some will bear fruit quicker than others. The church will learn to surrender all to Jesus and follow the flow and move of the Holy Spirit.

Remember, God is never in a hurry. In His eternal timeline, everything will fall in its rightful place (Eccl. 3:1-8). While we think big, we must be willing to START SMALL. Jesus said that the Kingdom of God is like a mustard seed (Matt 13:31-32). We are to start with what God has already blessed us with and given to us.

Finally, the church will commit in this phase to hold the tension by calling us to keep working on the fundamentals: to persevere and to stay the course. (Gal. 6:9; Heb. 3:14, 12:2). There will be time no matter how much we want it and try it, there will always be times when we hit a challenging period, and our motivation hits a wall and feels like giving up. Depth and influence are more efficacious in the long run than mere breadth and impact (Phil. 1:6). We’ve got to get the fundamentals right! Ultimately, what really counts is true depth. 

Going deep is anchored in fulfilling God’s fundamental calling and mission (Heb. 6:13-20). It’s fundamentally about developing a biblical worldview and depth of character. To go deep means that we’ll be able to go wide and go out for Jesus. It’s the wisdom of planting and building. Let’s start a movement God intends for His church (1 Cor. 3:6-7).