A New Partnership for Church Renewal in New Jersey
In October 2025, a new partnership between City to City New York and the New Jersey Third Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction of the Church of God in Christ launched something unprecedented: a two-year Incubator Cohort designed to equip pastors and emerging leaders for church planting, replanting, and revitalization.
This initiative, the first of its kind within NJ Third, reflects a long-held vision shaped through years of relationship, prayer, and discernment. What began as exploratory conversations has grown into a collaborative effort bringing together leaders across denominations to pursue a shared mission: cultivating healthy, contextual, and sustainable churches.
City to City New York has come alongside NJ Third not simply as a collaborator, but as a committed partner—offering theological depth, practical frameworks, and a proven incubator model shaped by years of urban ministry experience. Under the leadership of Bishop Kevin Knight and Bishop Michael Carrion, along with Pastors Javon Allen and Kristian Hernandez, this vision has taken root in a diverse and growing network. Leaders from across traditions—including the Evangelical Covenant Church, Assemblies of God, Church of God of Prophecy, Baptist churches, and others—are now gathering around a shared hope for a multi-ethnic, multi-class, and multi-denominational movement of churches across New Jersey.
Participants gather monthly for immersive, interactive sessions that shape both the inner life and public ministry of a leader. Through topics like gospel fluency, kingdom prayer, and cultural engagement, the cohort creates a relational learning environment marked by honesty, growth, and shared experience.
The impact is already evident in the voices of those participating:
“The urban ministry context demands that we are both theologically grounded and practically sharp, and City to City NYC is exactly that intersection. This program won’t just enrich your mind. It will challenge you to move, and it will give you the community to move with.”
“There was a time when I felt like I had nothing to offer, shaped by past experiences that made me question my voice and my value. But through this class and the people in it, I have felt seen, heard, and truly validated. This experience has not only taught me about ministry, but it has strengthened my faith and reminded me of the beauty of community—leaving me inspired, renewed, and ready to step boldly into what God is calling me to do.”
“The sessions were both challenging and powerful… I’ve been given the necessary tools to be more effective and more accountable.”
What began as a pilot program is already gaining momentum, with strong participation and a growing waitlist for future cohorts. Plans are underway to expand this work further, as more leaders seek to be formed for faithful, contextual ministry in their communities.
