An unusual phenomenon has been happening all over the United States, and we have seen it in the northern part of Pennsylvania.
It is the growing number of growing churches.
Young people are discovering Christianity, and not just happy, snappy, 1960s-70s ‘Jesus Movement’ type of Christianity, but serious Bible-believing, doctrine-focused, disciple-forming faith Christians. Ironically, while traditional mainline churches are struggling, new ‘church plants’ are popping up and growing.
This phenomenon initially caught the public’s eye in 2006 when the journalist Collin Hansen wrote an article in Christianity Today entitled “Young, Restless, and Reformed.” There was a growing network of organizations such as Acts 29, Gospel Coalition, 9 Marks, Banner of Truth, and many others that were feeding a movement that was particularly resonating with millennials who were extremely confused about the world they were living in. Christianity, which was centered on the Bible, provided a foundation on which they could build.
One local Williamsport church demonstrating this phenomenon is Citychurch, located at 36 East Fourth Street. I am biased given that I am a member and elder of this church, but I also bring to the table a very long heritage of church activities around the world, and I know a miracle when I see one.
In January of 2015, Citychurch was down to just nine members (yes, nine as in one more than eight and one less than ten). The church got a new pastor, a young man from Zimbabwe named Raphael Mnkandhla. He came to the USA to go to college and seminary in Texas, where he graduated with honors with a double master’s degree in theology, but he also gained a lovely wife from Montoursville named Heidi. Pastor Raphael was more inclined to serve at a pastorate in Texas or New Mexico, but he was drawn to the challenge of Citychurch.
It was slow going in the beginning, but Pastor Raphael’s passion for learning was evident when he received a doctorate degree in 2023, but it was based on his passion for the gospel. His incredible way of presenting it began to resonate, especially with young people. A number of students from Penn College were showing up on Sunday services on a regular basis.
Through those early years, the church developed a reputation of being a very ‘open’ church, which drew young, old, black, white, Hispanic, college students, business owners, medical personnel, homeless people, parolees, every walk of life. Each year, the church grew in numbers and in many activities. In 2024, the church saw 23 new members, seven baby dedications, and eight baptisms.
What was also important for the church was showing concern for others less fortunate, which included community involvement around the county and assisting churches abroad. A number of families hosted foster children and also adopted children.
Not surprisingly, Pastor Raphael served on the Board of Directors for Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Lycoming County. And the church also recognized the need to support missions for churches in both the USA and abroad. A team of men from Citychurch helped build a church building in West Virginia. The church has also supported churches from South Africa, Columbia, and Nicaragua by inviting the pastors and wives to visit Citychurch, sending church members to their locations to help, and also providing financial support with fifteen percent of their budget this past year.
On the home front, the church participates in the annual Grand Slam Parade in a unique way. For the past seven years, they have provided free water bottles to the parade viewers and participants. This past year, they gave out over 3,000 bottles at the parade.
Citychurch is not alone in the new wave of Christian faith. For the past couple of years, Camp Susque held a camp in January for pastors of rural churches, most of which were in northern PA. This year, they had more than twice the number they had in the past two years. Obviously, something is happening.
Back in April of 1966, Time magazine had one of its more iconic covers, just three words in red on a background of black, “Is God Dead?” In 2022, a popular Christian author, Eric Metaxas, wrote a book, Is Atheism Dead? He noted that Christians still suffer from “cultural silence,” but it is showing up in the real world. Citychurch is a great example of this. They celebrated their tenth anniversary on Sunday, February 2nd, with Dr. Doug Logan Jr., President of Grimke Seminary in Richmond, Virginia, as guest speaker. It was quite an honor.
How can this be happening? In the book of Ezekiel, chapter 37, the prophet Ezekiel is brought to a valley of dry bones, and God asks him, “Can these bones live?” Ezekiel gave the correct answer, “Lord God, only you know.” The Lord responded, “I will tell the dry bones, ‘I will cause breath to enter you and you will live.’” God is the giver of life… even for dry bones.
