New England Urban (NEU) Church Planting thoughtfully equips church planters to build sustainable, diverse and gospel-centered churches in New England’s urban neighborhoods. These are neighborhoods characterized by poverty, fatherlessness, drug addiction, abuse, and injustice. They are also neighborhoods with rich histories and deep relationships.
After years of Summer ministry in urban neighborhoods, God has given us compassion and conviction that drive our mission to plant gospel-rich churches in these communities. The voices of children who have said, “Nobody does anything for the kids here” ring in our ears. And the biblical conviction that God has a special concern for the poor equally drives our mission. Church planting must not overlook these neighborhoods.
We are not suburban saviors who bring our solutions to “others.” We are gospel partners who believe that the church planting movement must not forget the poor — “All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I had been eager to do all along” (Galatians 2:10).
NEU Church Planting works closely with Acts 29/Church in Hard Places and draws on the experience of 20schemes. We also benefit from working partnerships with Cru (the Providence Summer Mission sends student interns), Faith Community Church and Godspeed Church, Charles Simeon Trust and Grimké Seminary. Our theological persuasions are reformed baptist, congregational and complementarian.
Church planting in urban neighborhoods is difficult. The communities are cross-cultural to those not raised in them. And churches planted there will likely never be financially self-sustaining. But these are challenges to be overcome, not reasons to walk away.
So NEU addresses issues of financial sustainability from the beginning and helps planters to understand the culture of generational poverty (if they are not indigenous to the neighborhood). NEU also creates a community of like-minded laborers who understand that they will never lead churches of hundreds or thousands. We understand that these churches take time, patience, hands-on care for the long-haul, and a missionary mindset.
We will walk with you from your initial interest through applying, assessment, training, and your ongoing coaching and care. We are New Englanders with experience, resources and a love for these urban neighborhoods. We also provide shared ministry resources between your church and our core staff, like media services, and administrative support. We bridge nation-level resources and local-level knowledge to help you build sustainable, diverse, gospel-centered churches.
See more about church planting with NEU here.