IGC NYC

We believe that no matter how broken or imperfect we may feel, God has placed something good in our hearts because we are created in the image of God. So, we come not only “just as we are,” but also in our brokenness, knowing that we have something to share with one another.

As we follow Jesus together, we seek to be a church family formed by Christ's healing, and following Him in faith and mission.

“How do you define a community?” she asked me during one of our Saturday morning outreach meetings. Knowing she was a retired teacher, I sensed she was asking something deeper. So I turned the question back to her: “How would you define community?”

She paused and said, “You people are different. You’re not like other places. There’s something different about this place. I’m curious to learn more about what it is.”

The story of our church didn’t begin with a strategy or a launch plan. It began with curiosity and wonder—paying attention to what God was already doing in our neighborhood. Christ has taken residence in this neighborhood, and we want to join Him there.

Having been raised in the Bronx, I always carried a desire to start a church there. Still, I wasn’t sure if I was ever truly ready. Then COVID-19 hit, and my ZIP code in the Bronx became one of the hardest hit in the borough. At the same time, I saw the deep disparities in how the Bronx community was being served. In that season, I felt the Spirit compelling me to begin something in the Bronx. Even in the midst of despair, God was at work—and as a family, we wanted to be part of what He was doing.

So we began with prayer. We walked the streets of our neighborhood, asking God to guide us. We had no budget, no launch team, and no worship team. But through those prayer walks, we sensed we were being led to start near Pelham Bay Park, by the 6 train.

On the eve of Mother’s Day in May 2022, we purchased more than 70 roses. My wife and our three daughters tied ribbons to each one, along with a small card sharing information about our church. Then we stood on the corner of Buhre Avenue by the 6 train station and gave the roses away—free—to anyone who wanted to bless their mom.

Today, we are worshiping near Middletown Road by the 6 train, a few blocks from where we started. By listening to our neighbors and caring for one another, we are growing organically. Like leaven in dough, we are slowly becoming part of the fabric of the neighborhood. Families inviting their loved ones, friends inviting friends, and people who are simply looking for a place to belong find a home among us on this pilgrim journey.