About New City Church
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New City Church began as an idea in 2004. Ryan Pelton was serving as a youth pastor in California and began to pray and discuss a desire to plant a church that planted churches for the glory of God. Not knowing much about church planting and sensing a need for more training Ryan and his wife headed to west Michigan to attend Calvin Theological Seminary.
At Calvin, Ryan and his wife Christy got involved with a core-team of people with a desire to plant a new church in Holland Michigan. For the next couple of years Ryan and his wife helped serve and give leadership to this new church plant (eventually becoming Crosswinds Community Church).
From this experience Ryan knew that church planting was where God was leading him next. But, while praying about next steps after seminary the Lord led Ryan and his family to Colorado where he served as an associate pastor for a couple years as they continued to dream about church planting.
In 2008, through a providential email and phone conversation Ryan came in contact with Kevin Schutte a church planter in Olathe Kansas (a suburb of Kansas City). Ryan and Christy (and young son Noah) took a trip to Kansas City to see if this was where the Lord would lead them.
In the summer of 2009, after eight months of prayer and discussion Ryan and Christy packed up their home in Colorado and headed to Kansas City to plant New City Church. With the support of Pathway Community Church and Christian Reformed Church Home Missions (church planting branch of the CRC) the Pelton's moved into their urban neighborhood (Waldo) to begin sharing the vision of a gospel centered church that would multiply disciples of Jesus and churches for the glory of God.
Ryan and Christy began hosting back yard BBQ's, parties, informational meetings, Bible studies, prayer meetings, and talking with anyone who would give a listen, to gather a core of people for a new church in the city. After gathering people for about a year New City launched their first public worship service on Sunday, September 26th, 2010.
By God's grace Jesus continues to build his church. New City has seen many people come to faith in Jesus, baptized, and many people who continue to mature in Jesus. It has been a picture of God's grace as we stand back and see the many ways his people continue to champion the gospel of Jesus and serve our community in Word and Deed.
There has been disappointment, struggle, and weariness... but God continues to sustain us by his grace. Our prayer is New City will continue to plant the gospel in our city and world through multiplying disciples and churches for the glory of God.
New City Church is partnered and supported by the Christian Reformed Church and the Acts 29 Network.
