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Movement.org Releases Survey on Youth Faith Trends

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One of the highlights of Movement Day NYC—held on October 17 at Bethel Gospel Assembly in Harlem—was the release of the Movement.org 2025 Generations Survey report.

Earlier this year, Movement.org commissioned a youth survey among churches and ministries in Metro New York City. The data was analyzed and compiled by Dr. Tony Carnes (A Journey Through NYC Religions Data Center), and Arik Nabie, assistant pastor of First Assembly in Queens, NY.

Each of the 320 attendees at Movement Day NYC received a copy of the report. Four key insights centered on prayer habits, Bible reading, trust in leadership, and teaching relevance in the Church:

  • Prayer Habits: Adults remain deeply anchored in prayer, while Gen Z’s consistency is notably lower. Although most respondents affirmed prayer as important, frequency and depth declined with youth. Ministries should reignite prayer culture among youth through structured rhythms, peer-led prayer times, and digital devotionals that meet them where they are.
  • Bible Reading: Bible engagement shows a similar generational divide. Many teens confessed irregular reading habits, with daily readers being a minority compared to adults over 30. This suggests a need for creative approaches to Scripture engagement such as Bible journaling, app-based reading plans, and collaborative study groups that connect Scripture to real-life issues.
  • Trust in Leadership: A pronounced trust gap exists between generations. Teens and young adults often perceive pastors as distant or institutional, rating their trust levels around 6–7 out of 10. To close this gap, churches should elevate authenticity, mentorship, and visibility of younger leaders, fostering trust through relationship rather than authority.
  • Teaching Relevance: Youth rated the relevance of church teaching to their lives around 7.5/10. This signals the need for more contextual, life-connected teaching that addresses modern challenges like anxiety, social identity, justice, and purpose. The Gospel message remains the same—but its delivery must meet the next generation’s context.

“The survey results reveal both opportunity and urgency: The Church must reclaim its formative voice by engaging Gen Z authentically, creatively, and compassionately. If we fail to disciple them with intentionality, we risk raising a generation that believes in God but no longer finds the Church essential,” said Rev. Arik Nabie.

“The findings of this survey are not simply statistics—they are a prophetic call to action. The next generation is listening; the question is whether the Church will speak in ways they hear.”

The entire report can be viewed by clicking here.

Accelerating A Global Gospel Movement at the 1,000 Cities Summit

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Unite. Equip. Transform. Multiply.

That was the theme when MOVEMENT.ORG hosted its 1,000 Cities Summit at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, DC, on May 16-17, 2025.

The annual Summit gathers leaders from the marketplace, the church, and parachurch arenas to collaborate around MOVEMENT.ORG’s vision to accelerate the gospel in 1,000 global cities. These urban centers have urgent social and spiritual needs—and Gospel movements are the key to lasting, transformational change.

Currently, MOVEMENT.ORG is impacting leaders in 300 cities on five continents.

MOVEMENT.ORG is UNITING the church to pray. It is EQUIPPING local leaders who know their cities best – enabling them to launch gospel movements that are TRANSFORMING communities through collaborative action. These same leaders are MULTIPLYING this vision across hundreds of cities globally.

At the 1,000 Cities Summit, Mac Pier, founder of MOVEMENT.ORG, recalled how that formula helped the Evangelical Church grow by 750% in New York City from 1989 to 2019. Since the inaugural Movement Day in New York in 2010, the Scholars Program and Movement Day events have been multiplied in hundreds of cities in the United States and globally.

“We have seen this tremendous growth in Manhattan and now see it happening around the world,” he said. “We are hopeful that, by the end of 2027, we will be active in 300 additional cities, bringing the total to 600. We are on a trajectory to fulfill our 1,000 Cities Vision by the year 2033.”

The Summit featured keynote messages from Steve Green, president of Hobby Lobby and Board Chair of the Museum of the Bible; Dr. Terry Smith, senior pastor of The Life Church, West Orange, New Jersey; and Dr. John Jenkins, senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Glenarden, Upper Marlboro, Maryland.

Another highlight of the Summit was reports from MOVEMENT.ORG’s regional leaders in Africa, South Asia, Brazil, and the Middle East, and an update on new regions in Central Asia, the Balkans, and Southeast Asia.

“We believe that we can multiply this vision in 1,000 cities over the next several years,” Mac Pier said. “This is not an arbitrary number. There are 4,000 cities around the world that have a population of more than 100,000. God cares for every person in every city.”

“I believe that if we have collective agreement and commitment to the future together, we can see God do some things that we believe will be world historic.”

TOGETHER WE CAN TRANSFORM CITIES: With your partnership, MOVEMENT.ORG is equipping leaders, uniting churches, and sparking Gospel Movements across the globe. Click here to give.

 

Scholars Program Is Empowering Women Across India

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“A defining moment.”

That’s how Dr. Kavitha Emmanuel, a pastor and marketplace leader in Chennai, India, described the difference the Movement Day Scholars Program has made in her life and city.

The founder of the Disruptive Women ministry, Kavitha leads a movement that seeks to disrupt the status quo by giving women a voice in a culture where they are marginalized and by helping to give them a seat at the table when it comes to leadership in the Church.

“India is considered one of the most dangerous places in the world for women and girls,” Kavitha said. “There is human trafficking, institutionalized violence against women, domestic violence, and a high suicide rate. In the family structure, women very often do not have a voice.”

For the last three years, Disruptive Women has continued to multiply in South Asia by hosting Esther Challenge events at churches during the month of March (Women’s History Month). In 2025, 18 different cities signed up for the Esther Challenge.

“We welcome churches to not only celebrate women but also study the gaps that exist in communities and families,” Kavitha said.

Kavitha was inspired to start Disruptive Women in Chennai after reading Mac Pier’s book, A Disruptive Gospel, and hearing Leticia Shelton (author of the Disruptive Women book series) speak during a Movement Day Scholars training event.

“All these things came together, and I felt the Spirit of God nudging me and saying, ‘You need to do something called Disruptive Women in India.’ I am really excited about what God is doing with a small seed that has begun to take root and grow.”

As the Disruptive Women’s movement grows, cities will be transformed. Kavitha is simply not satisfied with a “few women here and there” in leadership positions, especially when you consider that more than 50 percent of church attendees in India are women.

“The end goal is to accelerate the Great Commission,” she said. “We cannot reach the whole city with the whole gospel if half of God’s image is absent. We need women at the tables. We need to reach women.”

Movement Day NYC: Faith and Marketplace Leaders Unite to Rebuild

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The 15th Annual Movement Day New York City was held on October 18 at Bethel Gospel Assembly in Manhattan, where plenary speakers and panelists explored the themes of ‘Rebuilding Communities,’ ‘Rebuilding Cities,’ and ‘Rebuilding Generations,’ drawing inspiration from the book of Nehemiah.

“It was very meaningful to host Movement Day at Bethel Gospel Assembly in Harlem,” said Mac Pier, founder of Movement.org. “Nearly 300 leaders from the Tri-State Area gathered to consider the possibilities of impacting the next generation, impacting communities with innovative educational models, and the possibilities of creating affordable housing. Meeting the felt needs of our communities creates fresh opportunities to share the gospel in our urban context.”

Movement Day, a catalytic event that brings together ministry and marketplace leaders, was founded in 2010 in collaboration with Dr. Tim Keller and Redeemer City to City.

After starting the morning with praise and worship music from the Bethel Gospel Assembly worship team, Bob Doll, chairman of the board at Movement.org, and Bishop Carlton Brown, senior pastor at Bethel Gospel Assembly, greeted the crowd. In line with the “Rebuild” theme, Bishop Brown recalled how Bishop Ezra Williams and Bethel Gospel Assembly purchased the church’s current building from the city approximately 45 years ago for $300,000. The building, a former public junior high school, was abandoned and dilapidated.

“We didn’t have the money, but God made a way,” he said.

Bishop Brown also shared how “the Lord gave us a vision 20 years ago to build a new sanctuary on the courtyard, along with the housing facility above the sanctuary.”

Bob Doll, the CEO of Crossmark Global Investments, led a marketplace breakfast and opened Movement Day by saying, “Folks, we have work to do.”
Doll cited a recent poll regarding how people felt about the importance of religion in America (down from 62% to 39% in the last 25 years), and other concerning trends.

“Movement Day increases the speed of the Gospel in cities,” he said. “What do we do? We pray, we convene, we catalyze, we develop leaders, and we meet needs. John Stott said, ‘Failure to evangelize the city is our failure to be salt and light.’ We have the most powerful, exciting, and positive news in all of human history. Let’s change the world for Jesus Christ.”

Movement Day’s impetus for change was based on Nehemiah’s passion to rise up and rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.

THE LEADER’S BURDEN

Rev. Mullery Jean-Pierre, senior pastor of Beraca Baptist Church in Brooklyn and emcee of Movement Day, recalled how Nehemiah was heartbroken upon learning about the state of his beloved city.

“He mourned, he wept, he fasted, and he prayed,” Rev. Jean-Pierre said. “Our communities are in dire straits. We need men and women of God to mourn, weep, pray and fast for what is happening.”

Mark Atkinson, the NYC area director for Care Portal, was the opening speaker for Movement Day. Care Portal is an online platform that connects child-serving professionals with local churches and community members to address the needs of vulnerable children and families.

Atkinson spoke about “The Burden of the Leader.”

“Nehemiah saw the brokenness and believed he had to do something about it,” he said.

“There is much to lament about what is going on in our city. The leader’s burden is understanding the deep brokenness that we see.. Sometimes we have to pause so that God can truly grasp our heart and break our hearts for the things that break His heart.”

“Nehemiah stopped, observed, mourned, prayed, listened, and gained a vision. Then he acted. [Likewise], God has called us to be the repairers of the wall and the restorers of the breach… God wants to transform this city.”

REBUILDING THE NEXT GENERATION

Movement Day’s “Rebuilding the Next Generation” panel was led by Josh Miles, Managing Director of Movement.org, and Rev. Vandalyn Kennedy, Chairlady, International Youth Department of the Church of God in Christ. Miles and Kennedy direct Movement.org’s Advanced Leadership Institute, a nine-month cohort of under-30 leaders from across the region.

Some of the topics the shared at Movement Day included: “A Generational Faith Profile of the United States,” “Gen Z’s wide-ranging view of Jesus,” and “Gen Z’s Experience with Spiritual Mentors.”

One of the key statistics in the segment was the fact that one million young people leave the church every year. It is estimated that by 2050, that number will be 35 to 45 million.

“One million young people are leaving the church, but according to a recent study, only 33% of pastors said that youth ministry was one of their top five priorities of their church… This is a place of repentance for us as leaders,” Miles said. “The next generation needs to be one of our top priorities. Finding and reaching the next generation cannot be a backburner issue… It has to be a front burner issue for all of us.”

BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE

The Building For The Future panel discussed featured three organizations that have launched successful building projects to serve their neighborhoods by providing access to affordable housing, charter schools, and community centers.

Rev. William McCullough, senior pastor of Russell Temple CME Church in Bridgeport, CT, founded FaithActs in 2014 in an effort to provide better educational options in his city. Today, 6,000 children are enrolled in the organization’s charter schools.

“Education is the key to liberation,” he said. “Children are our greatest gift from God, and we ought to invest in them… And we are to nurture them to make sure that they receive a quality education, a world-class education.”

Dr. Ray Rivera, Founder and President of Latino Pastoral Action Center, and his daughter Rev. Susan Rivera Leon, senior pastor of Sanctuary Church in the Bronx, spoke about founding Family Life Academy Charter Schools over 20 years ago. The schools have 1,900 students enrolled.

“We are a Christ-centered, holistic ministry. Basically, we are about Jesus and justice,” Dr. Ray Rivera said.

“Our schools were birthed out of a cry from the community,” said Rev. Susana Leon.

Bishop Hugh Nelson, Board Chair of Ebeneezer Urban Ministry Center and Hope Center Development Corporation in Brooklyn, spoke about his faith-driven journey to purchase multiple buildings in the East Flatbush section of his borough.

Ericka Keller and Mario Procida of PK Development Group, who partnered to bring the Ebenezer Urban Ministry Center vision to fruition, were also part of the panel. They recalled meeting Bishop Nelson at a forum hosted by Mayor Eric Adams, who was the Brooklyn Borough President at the time.

“He (Adams) recognized that Brooklyn was the borough of churches and was looking for a way to advance the people of the community. He hosted forums for faith-based leaders who were interested in developing affordable housing,” Ericka Keller said.

Mayor Adams attended Movement Day for the third consecutive year. Rev. Charles Hammond, of Brooklyn Tabernacle, along with other long-time city pastors, prayed for the mayor after he addressed the crowd.

Movement Day also featured a time to shine the spotlight on upcoming events and ministry opportunities in the Metro New York region such as Hope Day, The Jesus is Lord Parade, Historical Bible Society Sundays, Redeemer City to City training, and Movement.org’s 2025 Lenten Series, led by Pastor Terry Smith of the Life Church in West Orange, New Jersey.

Movement Day NYC was sponsored by PK Development Group, Faithly, Tuscarora Inn and Conference Center, Historical Bible Society, and Dan Buttafuoco and Associates.

 

Join Movement.org at the 35th Annual Pastors Prayer Summit

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On January 27-29, Movement.org will host the 35th Annual Pastors Prayer Summit at Tuscarora Inn and Conference Center in Mt. Bethel, Pennsylvania. For pastors and ministry leaders from the Metro New York region, spending 48 hours together engaged in worship, prayer, fellowship, and teaching is transformative.

“Thinking back over the last 35 years, I’ve been struck by the fact that the things that we pray for at the Pastors Prayer Summit have changed the world,” said Dr. Mac Pier, the founder of Movement.org. “In these days together, we do four things: We pray. We worship. We take communion. And we build friendships. God uses those four elements to change the world.”

The theme for the 2025 Pastors Prayer Summit is “Rise Up & Build,” based on Nehemiah 2:18. Speakers include Mac Pier (host); Dr. A.R. Bernard, Founder & CEO, Christian Cultural Center, Brooklyn; Charles Galbreath, Senior Pastor, Alliance Tabernacle, Brooklyn; Fred Provencher, Senior Pastor, Cornerstone Church, Wyckoff, NJ; Terry A. Smith, Senior Pastor, Life Christian Church, West Orange, NJ; Gabrielle Beam, Pastor, Mary Of Bethany Church, Bridgeport, CT; Marc Rivera, Senior Pastor, Primitive Church, New York; and Vandalyn Kennedy, Chairlady, Int’l Youth Department, COGIC.

Honorees include Art Davenport, Senior Pastor, First Church Of God, Far Rockaway, NY; Pura Coniglio, Pastor, Love Gospel Church Without Walls, Bronx, NY; Tom Mahairas, founder Of Citivision, Manhattan Bible Church, Transformation Life Center, and other ministries.

Register today as space is limited. Registration Deadline: January 20, 2025

Click Here for More Info or to Register

 

SG500 Asian City Forum Held in Singapore

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MOVEMENT.ORG hosted the SG500 Asian City Forum in Singapore on September 18-20. A multigenerational gathering of 260 global business and faith leaders prayerfully gathered around the topic of how to reach 500 cities and the 2 Billion Gen Z and Gen Alpha young people in Asia in the next decade. One of the key outcomes was a goal to train 900 leaders in 180 cities over the next five years in the Movement Day Scholars Program.

“Asia has almost 5 billion people, but only between 8 and 9 percent are Christians,” said Mac Pier, Founder of MOVEMENT.ORG. “If an additional 2 percent of the population in Asia came to faith in Christ in the next decade, it would represent 100 million new believers.”