Our Story Our call to plant a church in New York City actually started long ago with our call to missions. Both of us knew back in college that God had a unique call on our lives to reach the nations for Him. This calling has taken some different twists and turns in ministry but has always been the foundation for what we do regarding our family’s life in ministry.

The compassion the Lord has given us for internationals, the gifts with which He has equipped us, and the desire to serve Him in a frontier area prove as evidence of His leading toward a new journey in ministry. He began stirring our hearts to think in this direction back in 2012. We began to pray and ask God to show us more of His plan for us.

God uses everything. In our story, He used a partnership between

our church and a ministry reaching out to South Asian immigrants in Jackson Heights, NY, to show us new opportunities to serve Him. In November 2013, while on a mission trip to New York City, God called both of us to explore and pray about an exciting church plant reaching out to South Asian peoples. We felt the stirring of our hearts once again, and we felt strongly God was giving us a vision for this church plant. After much prayer, study of His Word, and counsel with others, we can say with bold confidence that God is leading us to glorify Him through sharing the Gospel with the nations in the urban context of New York City!

Previous to our move to NYC in February 2015, Adam served as the Missions and Media Minister at Heritage Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama. Erin served as the Student Consultant for Alabama Woman’s Missionary Union (WMU). We are both graduates with a Master of Divinity from Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary. We have three children: Maxton (7), Adelaide (4), and Griffin (1). We have been approved as Church Planters by the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions and North American Mission Board.

Adam and Erin Bishop(l-r) Griffin, Adelaide, and Max

plantinginNYC.com

Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples. Psalm 96:3

Metro New York City is the most culturally-diverse city in the world. With a population of eight million residents, about half of that number are multi-lingual, 47% speaking a language other than English. East Asians, South Asians, West Africans, South Americans, and others flock to NYC as a place to establish their American lives. About 800,000 Muslims and 400,000 Hindus live in the metro area. With all of these immigrants come various cultures, religions, languages and, unknown to them, unique opportunities to hear about the One True God.

The world has literally come to us. It is our burden and calling to share the Gospel with them! Many immigrants are more receptive to the Gospel message because they are away from home. Some of the immigrants living in NYC represent government officials, doctors, lawyers, engineers, professors and other powerful people in their home countries. These people can have a greater influence on the communities in their homeland than we could ever imagine having. Just think about what could happen if entire families come to Christ and share Jesus with their respective countries!

The possibilities for reaching the nations with the Gospel are boundless with God. We are amazed and excited that God has called our family to take part in making disciples who will make disciples!

of NYC is Foreign-Born or Children of Foreign-

Born People

60%

of the world’s population will live in

urban centers

75%By 2030,

Muslims live in Metro New York

800,000

Hindus live in Metro New York

400,000

“At a time when technology has connected the entire world, New York’s large and diverse immigrant population coupled with its global influence make Metro New York one of the most strategic places at the most strategic time in history to “make disciples of all nations.” Global Gates

More than 600,000 South Asians live in Metro New York City. The majority of them come from Hindu, Muslim, and Buddhist backgrounds. Acts 1:8 commissions us, the Church. If we really care about the nations that are coming to our shores, then we should have churches started among these peoples. I am excited about what God will do through the Bishops and the Jackson Heights Church Plant!

Aslam MasihNational Coordinator, South Asians and Muslim People Groups for the

North American Mission Board (NAMB)

Why Plant in NYC?

Our VisionMay God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine on us - so that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations. Psalm 67:1-2

Salvation is available for all people. They just need someone to share this good news with them. As the nations come to American soil, this is an amazing opportunity to reach them with the Gospel. God has blessed us with a vision to make His name known to South Asians in Jackson Heights through this church plant.

For the last several years, the South Asian Center, a ministry of Urban Nations Outreach, has served as an evangelical outreach to Hindus, Buddhists, and Muslim immigrants in Jackson Heights. The launching pad for the church plant is the South Asian Center. Through this ministry, immigrants are not only learning conversational English, they also are hearing about Jesus Christ. As the Spirit of God draws them closer to a life-changing relationship, the need for a church is evident so they can accept Jesus as their Savior, be discipled, and be sent out to share the Gospel.

The Jackson Heights Church Plant is a unique, multi-cultural, multi-congregational church. It will consist of small groups

gathering together according to heart languages (English, Bengali, Nepali/Hindi, Tibetan/Chinese, and Spanish) and religious backgrounds (Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, and Catholic). The small groups will gather weekly and all groups will come together monthly for joint worship services.

The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God. Leviticus 19:34

The Jackson Heights Church Plant is a

joint venture of the Metropolitan New York

Baptist Association, Urban Nations

Outreach, and North American Mission

Board.

plantinginNYC.com

Urban Nations OutreachUrban Nations Outreach is an evangelistic ministry that ministers to unreached people groups in New York City through adult and children’s programs like:

Conversational English Classes•Computer and Citizenship Classes•Bible Studies•After-school Programs•Summer Sports Camps•

These ministries impact immigrants from West Africa and South Asia (including Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Tibet, and Bhutan). Urban Nations Outreach has two evangelical storefront outreach centers in New York City:

THE SOUTH ASIAN CENTER• in Jackson Heights, QueensTHE WEST AFRICAN CENTER• in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn

We are so excited to have Adam and Erin Bishop join our team! They will serve as lead church planters coordinating Bible Study groups, teaching ESL, and training workers. They will work with a team of eight other church planters to impact Jackson Heights for Christ.

Larry HolcombFounding Director of Urban Nations Outreach

and NYC Church Planter

I am very excited about what the Lord is leading my friends, Adam and Erin Bishop, to do in His kingdom! Having served for a number of years in New York and knowing that they are planning to plant in the Jackson Heights area of Queens, I just know that their work is going to have such an amazing eternal impact. Adam and Erin will truly be doing international missions in North America.

Lamar DukeLead Church Planting Strategist for the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions and

Former State Director of Missions for the Baptist Convention of New York

PartnershipAs we act in obedience to the mission to which God has called us, we realize we cannot do it alone. We are actively and prayerfully seeking people, churches, and businesses to take hold of the vision for the Jackson Heights Church Plant and partner with us in reaching the unreached. Here is how you can be involved:

PrayInterceding on our family’s behalf and that of the ministry is the most important way you can help us. We will not find success if there aren’t warriors praying for us, and those we serve, on a regular basis. We are asking for 500 people to commit to pray for us on a weekly basis. Of those 500 people, we are asking that 100 of them commit to pray for us every single day. Will you pray for us? Visit plantinginNYC.com to make your prayer commitment.

ProvideWhen we said “yes” to God’s call for our family, we knew our decision meant we would need to raise 100% of the finances for our family and the church plant. We need committed financial donors to invest in us as we invest in the immigrants of Jackson Heights. We are committed to allowing the vision and mission of this church plant to fully guide our stewardship of these resources.

Below is a diagram that presents various levels of monthly giving. We are seeking people, churches, and businesses to commit to a monthly or annual donation. A more detailed budget is available upon request. All donations are tax-deductible. Visit plantinginNYC.com to donate online. Will you prayerfully consider helping to provide for our family and the church plant?

plantinginNYC.com

$1000

$750

$500

$300

$100

$50

Total: 49 Givers = $10,300 a Monthmonthly requirements to sustain our family and the church plant

Timeline

Summer 2015Summer Mission Teams helping through ministry to adults and children

January 2015The Bishops move to NYC

Easter 2015Celebration Service

October 2014Small Group Bible Studies Begin

Participate (Short-Term)Come join us! We would love to have you plan a mission trip to NYC. Our short-term teams will minister alongside us in the community of Jackson Heights. We would like to have at least six groups per year participate. These groups can consist of students, adults, or families.

Participate (Long-Term)You can move to New York City to join our church planting team! We will have summer, semester, and year-long internship opportunities starting in 2016.

AdvocateAs you catch the vision for what God is doing among immigrants in NYC, we are asking that you spread the word to others. We want to share how vital this work is to impacting the world with the Gospel. Will you be our voice right where you are? Visit plantinginNYC.com for ways to help.

I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the Gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:3-6

Send All Contributions to our Sending Church:Heritage Baptist Churchc/o Bishops NYC1849 Perry Hill RoadMontgomery, AL 36106please add “NYC Church Plant” in the memo line of checks

Contact Us:bishopadventure@gmail.com334.430.3901 - Adam

Stay Connected:plantinginNYC.com

How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they

believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without

someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent?

As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”

Romans 10:14-15