It’s happening… it’s really happening. “What?” you may ask. Acts chapter 2 is happening in our midst, in the lives of those that are gathering to be a part of Liberty Church. Just sit, ponder and read this for a moment:

Acts 2:42-47 - The Fellowship of the Believers
42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

This verse is so significant for me, well really for Paul and I and the people that call Liberty Church home. I remember sitting back in Sydney before we made the big move to New York, praying and asking God what He wanted Liberty Church to look like and I was drawn to read the book of Acts. When I got to Acts 2, I was blown away, especially when it gets to the end of the chapter and pivots on the passage above. That sealed the deal for me and it has become part of the vision for Liberty Church. It’s meant to remain simple, beautiful just like this scripture is.

After reading this I began to dream about what it would look like when we got here and I literally could see in my mind’s eye people piling into our house eating meals, hanging out and living life together. I said to Paul, “We need to have family dinners on Sunday nights, open invitation to all that want to come even if it gets crazy.” And that is exactly what is taking place. Whether it’s 40 people busting out of our little Brooklyn brownstone one week or 10 people sitting around the table having great conversations the next, the family is building, lives are being connected to the Church, and the greatest movement on the planet that began in Acts is going strong here in New York and across the earth.

This is mind blowing for me because just a little over a year ago I had heard the “God whisper” in the midst of us spying out the land to see if NYC was where we were meant to come and plant our lives: “These people are your people”. That same week Paul heard from God “What would you give for a city?”. Fast forward just one year: and now every Sunday night we are sitting in a messy house (good mess of course) in the aftermath of a family dinner from people that are now “our people”. We have given everything to be here… time, talent, treasure… and it’s reaping a great reward… and that reward is family – an “Acts 2 church” in motion.

I am well aware that one of the primary things I am on this earth for is to cultivate and build a healthy family. My own physical family… Paul, Ezekiel, Jesse and Finley (plus probably one more because we’re crazy)… and the one that gathers within the Church. It causes me to come alive.

Liberty Church is, and always will be, a Church that consumes a lot of good food as an excuse to be with the people we love. It will be a place where needs are met and dreams are fulfilled. Where prayer is a foundation that will infiltrate our lives and miracles will in turn take place. We will not forsake the gathering together in unity, where the word of God will be taught and our God will be lifted up at the center or our worship.

Weekly we will gather and then send the “saints” out in full force to do the work of the ministry in their world. It will be a place where love, truth, and grace are all administered hand-in-hand. A place where we give and meet each others’ needs freely. It will be a house of salvation, a place where people find Jesus whether that’s in a church service on the weekend, or in the workplace where a friend has been lovingly building a bridge to Jesus…

It may be in the home of a friend, at Connect Group or in a conversation on the street, but Liberty Church will be a community where people are always welcomed home. And did I mention there would be food? Well… there will always be food, and a mess to clean up… but I am good with that. Really good with that. Because this is what family looks like.

A Community

First and foremost we are people united by faith and connected in community. We cannot be reduced to an institution, a location or an event.

A Catalyst

We’re an agent of change and a Christian community with the audacity to believe that by His grace we could influence a city that influences the world.

A Cause

We believe in the gospel and its power to bring generations to authentic, life-altering relationship with Jesus Christ.

I will never forget our first trip to New York City when Paul and I were in the valley of decision as to whether we were going to move our whole lives here (including our three children under the age of five) to plant a church. When we landed on the runway at JFK I was expecting to feel some semblance of “home” but if I am totally honest, I didn’t at first.

New York is one of the world’s greatest cities, yet from the moment we landed my heart was burdened for the people here. I felt overwhelmed by the scale of the need that surrounded me. I saw loneliness in so many peoples’ eyes. I saw a sea of people… many of them searching, looking, desiring to find what they were looking for. You only have to ride on the Subway for 20 seconds to see it. It’s a city of contrasts and extremes.

On one of the first few nights in the city in our hotel room, I was in one of those “valley” moments where I was questioning God…

What are we thinking? Why would we move our kids to a city that never sleeps? I might never have the so-called “dream home”, living in an apartment with no back yard! What if we fail? God speak to me, give me a sign! This makes no sense!!!

And He spoke in a rebuke (like only a Dad can…) Continue Reading

I am sitting here writing this at “Joe”, a coffee shop in the West Village located on the concrete island of Manhattan. “Oldies” songs are playing from my childhood that remind me of my dad and I just can’t stop singing.

I can’t stop pinching myself either because it feels like I am living in a dream world. But I’ve gotta be honest, all this pinching is inflicting pain… because I am not living in a dream. I am living in my amazing, over the top ridiculous, fun reality.

You see, 4 1/2 years ago while my husband Paul, our eldest child Ezekiel and I were living in Sydney Australia, I woke up from a deep sleep having just had what seemed like a crazy dream… one of those dreams that’s not just a dream but you feel that someday might just be your reality. Yes, it was one of those dreams.

So the dream went like this… Paul, myself and not one but three little kids, were on a subway in New York City on our way home from a service at a church that we had planted. Now at the time, as I mentioned, we only had one child so this seemed to be “craziness in dream land”. I could hear the sound of the clicking and clacking of the subway on the tracks. I saw and felt the wave of people swaying to the movement of the subway car … and I knew that this was in our future. It was vivid and real. I could see these three little people that were my children but not their faces, and I knew in my heart that our family was home. Continue Reading

I distinctly remember the day I stood on the Statue of Liberty, desperately seeking God’s will on our plan to move to New York. It was a hot August afternoon and we’d waited for nearly two hours to make the climb. Finally we stood at Liberty’s feet… taking in the view. By this point we were all but committed to moving to New York City. Andi had distinctly heard God’s leading the day before in the 9/11 Memorial in St Paul’s chapel. But I wanted my own revelation, something to come back to when the road got tough, and I knew it would.

I remember feeling overwhelmed. The size of the city. The fact that at that time we knew two people there. Two people, in a city of millions. My business was flourishing in Australia and suddenly we were considering moving to New York… the most expensive city in the world… during the worst crisis since the Great Depression… leaving family and friends behind… to plant a church… and take my business global. I thought to myself many times, “Either this is God, or this is insanity”.

How will we live? Will I find new clients? Will anyone come to our church? Where will the money come from? Oh God… is this You?

I stared at the Manhattan skyline. I’m embarrassed to admit it but I was hoping God would give me a scripture promise in that moment. In all honesty I was worried as a husband and Dad, “How will I provide?”. Yes, I know all the right things to say. “God provides, not you Paul”. But in my humanity I was afraid. Continue Reading

LEAD PASTORS: PAUL & ANDI ANDREW

In June 2010 Paul and Andi Andrew moved to New York City to establish Liberty Church with a passionate team. Beginning with connect groups across Manhattan and Brooklyn, the Liberty Church community is growing fast. We’re a Christian church and we hope to launch services on Sundays in the not-too-distant future.

If you, or anyone you know, is in the Greater NYC Area please contact us to find out more, get connected or be involved.

Or read these recent posts-

• Paul & Andi Andrew
• What Would You Give For A City?
• What is Liberty Church?