We are excited, grateful, and humbled to announce that after three months of prayer and discernment, Hope Midtown has decided to hire Chuck Armstrong as a Pastor of Hell’s Kitchen (currently the Pastor of Hell’s Kitchen Community Church) while taking steps to plant Hope Hell’s Kitchen (which will be the new name of Hell’s Kitchen Community Church). Below are some frequently asked questions and responses as we invite Chuck as a Pastor to shepherd and lead this new community.
Frequently Asked Questions
1) Why this decision?
The leadership of Hope Midtown and Hell’s Kitchen Community Church believe that our respective mission(s) as a church can be better accomplished together, rather than apart.
We believe there is mutual benefit in this partnership that will allow for both churches to flourish in mission in ministry for generations to come.
2) How was this decision made?
Since January 2020, Hell’s Kitchen Community Church, led by Chuck Armstrong, has been laying the groundwork of a new church in Hell’s Kitchen. This process has included a clarifying of vision, culture, values, and strategy, while also discerning a larger “tribe” to do ministry alongside - especially since being part of a broader city movement has been in its DNA at its inception.
The Hope Church NYC family of churches (and specifically Hope Midtown with Drew Hyun) has been one such “tribe” that has been in touch with Chuck during his church planting journey (while sharing the same denomination as an Evangelical Covenant Church).
In August 2020, Chuck approached Drew about the possibility of joining together to serve the Hell’s Kitchen community.
After a process of prayer, numerous discussions and discernment, the HKCC Core Team and Hope Midtown leadership have discerned that this is a formal relationship worth committing to for unity and mission.
3) Why now (in the middle of a pandemic)?
From Hope Midtown’s point of view, God has been stirring our church in this season in two important directions given our times. First, we’ve been moved toward a stronger emphasis on neighborhood relationships. With the pandemic, we’ve been pondering how our church community can maintain meaningful relationships, and the proximity of neighborhood friendships has been one focus area for us. Second, we’ve been moved toward a greater commitment to justice, and one of the most tangible ways toward justice is to get “proximate”, as Bryan Stevenson has said. A new community focused in Hell’s Kitchen (and led by someone with a deep passion for both - neighborhood and justice) is one pathway toward this larger vision.
Meanwhile, God has been birthing a new church community in Hell’s Kitchen, and the earlier its relationships and DNA can be set, the better. It’s really about finding the larger “home” to do mission and discipleship with.
4) How will the churches be structured?
The churches will be centralized in authority and assets (including a centralized budget with separate accounts - e.g. a Hope Midtown account and a Hope Hell’s Kitchen account) while Chuck Armstrong will join the Hope Midtown Staff Team as the Pastor of Hell’s Kitchen. Hope Midtown’s Transitional Leadership Team will provide oversight for both congregations as we continue to formalize our polity as a church in our denomination, the Evangelical Covenant Church.
There will be strong connectivity between churches, including shared events, retreats, discipleship paradigms, worship teams, next generation ministries, etc.
Meanwhile, influence and mission in the respective churches will be decentralized for each local community in Midtown and Hell’s Kitchen. The Hell’s Kitchen community, led by Chuck Armstrong, will grow local leaders with a neighborhood mission, eventually creating a local leadership team that will work in tandem with the Midtown Transitional Leadership Team for overall direction and mission.
Thus, for the regular attender of Midtown and HKCC, not much will feel different in that the locus of primary relationships will remain the same. However, there will be neighborhood specific gatherings/groups in Hell’s Kitchen and other neighborhoods to join while there will be invitations to larger initiatives/courses/events/ministries that will be happening in the city as a whole under the Hope Midtown umbrella.
5) Is the goal for Hope Hell’s Kitchen to continue under this structure or eventually become its own interdependent church (like the other Hope churches)?
In short, the goal is for the congregations to remain one church in two locations.
Ultimately, our overall goal is missional and relational effectiveness, and the Hope family allows for both options (An independent Hope church or a “two churches under one leadership” Hope church).
We believe that with Chuck Armstrong and Hope Hell’s Kitchen joining the Hope Family, it’s best to come under Hope Midtown to promote intentional relationship, integrate financial systems, and spearhead a launch of Hope Hell’s Kitchen together.
Eventually the churches may become interdependent (although this is not our preferred future at this time), and we trust that whatever happens we will do so with an aim toward missional and relational effectiveness.
6) What is the timeline for this initiative?
Exploration and Relationship-Building (August-October 2020)
Clarifying and Deciding (October 25 2020)
Chuck hired at Hope Midtown as Pastor of Hell’s Kitchen (November 2020)
Hell’s Kitchen Community begins to gather as part of Hope Midtown (November 2020).
Hope Hell’s Kitchen formally launches (sometime in 2021)
*In addition to this formal timeline, Chuck Armstrong is part of a Hope Church NYC church planting cohort together for 8 months over September 2020-May 2021.
7) What are the financial implications/goals?
Hope Midtown will create a new bank account for Hope Hell’s Kitchen under the umbrella “Hope Church NYC” account. Finances will be managed by Midtown’s Transitional Leadership Team in conversation with Chuck and Drew, and quarterly updates will be given to the Hell’s Kitchen and Midtown communities to process, ask questions, and remain united in our efforts toward fiscal responsibility.
Financially, the overall goal will be for each location to eventually cover its own costs - both revenue and expenses, as if each church was a self-sustaining entity.
If self-sustainability is not feasible, the Drew and Chuck (with the Transitional Leadership Team) will make decisions regarding the budget with transparent communication to each of the congregations.
8) How can I contribute financially to Hope Hell’s Kitchen?
In November, Hope Church NYC will open up new financial and database platforms as Hope Hell’s Kitchen.
The goal is for Hope Hell’s Kitchen to have its own bank account and giving platforms under the “Hope Church NYC” umbrella in order to aim for self-sustainability as a location of Hope Midtown.
9) What affiliations will Hell’s Kitchen Community Church be joining as part of this initiative?
Hope Midtown is currently part of the Hope Church NYC family of churches, the New City Network (a network of urban churches birthed out of the Hope family), and the Evangelical Covenant Church denomination. The Hope Church NYC family also has churches that affiliate with the Foursquare denomination, the Vineyard movement, and the Wesleyan church.
10) Where can I direct questions that may arise?
For any questions during this period, you can direct them to info@hopemidtown.org.