What It Means To Be A Contemporary, Fully-Inclusive Church In Manhattan
Sometimes it can feel challenging to find a church home — especially one that champions diversity and inclusivity while being fully Jesus-centered. Unfortunately, there are many people who have felt alienated and even wounded by more traditional forms of church.
We've been there. We get it. And, we think you’ll find that the River is different from what you may have encountered before. We really believe Jesus is good news for everyone everywhere — no matter your sexual orientation, your ethnicity, your age, your marital status, etc., etc. When you come to the River, we want you to feel welcomed, included, and excited to discover the wonderful story God has crafted for your life.
We've been there. We get it. And, we think you’ll find that the River is different from what you may have encountered before. We really believe Jesus is good news for everyone everywhere — no matter your sexual orientation, your ethnicity, your age, your marital status, etc., etc. When you come to the River, we want you to feel welcomed, included, and excited to discover the wonderful story God has crafted for your life.
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lgbtq inclusivityHistorically, the Christian church has excluded LGBTQ+ individuals. But over the last several years more and more followers of Jesus are beginning to question this traditional stance. We left the evangelical movement we were a part of in order to welcome LGBTQ+ people in our faith community because we truly believe Jesus is good news for everyone.
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What we're about
The River is an interdenominational, LGBTQ-inclusive church in NYC where faith and community continually intertwine in delightful ways.
Our main goal is to help you experience God's goodness in your personal life today. Everything in our church is geared to create a dynamic space where people of any and every background can grow in their own personal connection with the living God, with others, with the world around us, and even with themselves.
We invite you to come learn more about us and our community!
Our main goal is to help you experience God's goodness in your personal life today. Everything in our church is geared to create a dynamic space where people of any and every background can grow in their own personal connection with the living God, with others, with the world around us, and even with themselves.
We invite you to come learn more about us and our community!
1. We Are Deeply Biblical
Everything we preach will be out of deep Biblical convictions. This does not mean that we follow every letter of the law in the Bible. We would have to execute people who enjoy rare steak! But, there are deep Biblical convictions and principles that flow from the heart of God, consistently from the first to the last page of the Bible. These principles are an unchanging guide to our life and faith at The River. Especially, there is ONE guiding principle: Unconditional love.
The Bible tells us:
The commandments “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not covet,” and any other commandments, are summed up in this one decree: “Unconditionally love your neighbor as yourself.” Unconditional love does no wrong to its neighbor. Therefore unconditional love is the fulfillment of the Law. Romans 13:9-10
This tells us what to do when outdated Biblical commands no longer represent the unconditional love of God, because times change.
Kill those who eat rare steak? Make the slaves obey you? Women are to be treated like they’re children? There are Biblical commands that do not satisfy the test of unconditional love, and we must not follow them. To follow them just because the Bible says so would be disobeying the Bible and breaking the heart of God.
The Bible tells us:
The commandments “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not covet,” and any other commandments, are summed up in this one decree: “Unconditionally love your neighbor as yourself.” Unconditional love does no wrong to its neighbor. Therefore unconditional love is the fulfillment of the Law. Romans 13:9-10
This tells us what to do when outdated Biblical commands no longer represent the unconditional love of God, because times change.
Kill those who eat rare steak? Make the slaves obey you? Women are to be treated like they’re children? There are Biblical commands that do not satisfy the test of unconditional love, and we must not follow them. To follow them just because the Bible says so would be disobeying the Bible and breaking the heart of God.
2. We are Spiritually Powerful
We believe in the Living God. We are not following a god who is dead or practically dead who gave us the Bible and disappeared. God can be experienced today in everyday life.
That’s the role of the Holy Spirit, one who walks alongside us, that’s the literal name of the Holy Spirit. God walks with us in daily life, God is not dead. Therefore, Faith must not be just a mental and moral exercise, but Faith is to be experienced, to be lived out. Connection with the Living God has the power to change hearts and lives.
That’s the role of the Holy Spirit, one who walks alongside us, that’s the literal name of the Holy Spirit. God walks with us in daily life, God is not dead. Therefore, Faith must not be just a mental and moral exercise, but Faith is to be experienced, to be lived out. Connection with the Living God has the power to change hearts and lives.
3. We pursue Emotion Health
We believe the fall of humanity as described in the Bible in Genesis chapter 3, describes rejection of the self as the first step towards hell on earth. Contrary to popular imagination, the first result of the fall of humanity is when Adam and Eve feel compelled to cover themselves up. Before the fall, they could see themselves naked, transparent, fully in the face, and they liked what they saw. But now, they see all kinds of inadequacies, and flaws that must be covered up. They reject who they are as they are when they cover themselves up. Thus begins hell on earth.
Therefore, we believe self-rejection and emotional health to be of prime importance in our pursuit of faith. We want to be motivated by Joy and Freedom rather than fear, guilt and shame which MAY produce better behavior in the short term, but ultimately feeds INTO the tree of knowledge of good and evil or right and wrong, which is the Original Sin according to the Bible.
That's why using judgments, exclusions, shame and pressure tactics merely to produce better behavior will lead to nothing good in the long run. It’s antithetical to the Gospel. Of course, we want to encourage good behavior, service, success, but that’s because we want to, not because we have to. We love the Gospel that brings freedom and emotional health.
Therefore, we believe self-rejection and emotional health to be of prime importance in our pursuit of faith. We want to be motivated by Joy and Freedom rather than fear, guilt and shame which MAY produce better behavior in the short term, but ultimately feeds INTO the tree of knowledge of good and evil or right and wrong, which is the Original Sin according to the Bible.
That's why using judgments, exclusions, shame and pressure tactics merely to produce better behavior will lead to nothing good in the long run. It’s antithetical to the Gospel. Of course, we want to encourage good behavior, service, success, but that’s because we want to, not because we have to. We love the Gospel that brings freedom and emotional health.
4. We value Authentic Connection
We believe connection brings heaven and alienation brings hell.
Genesis chapter 3 further describes the fall of humanity as complete alienation in every dimension caused by judging and rejecting of self, others and God. Adam and Eve not only reject their naked self, they hide from God, and reject each other. Adam says, “The woman you put here with me caused all the problems.”
Do you see the blame and judgment towards God and other human beings? The woman you put here with me, she caused all the problems. That one sentence captures beginning of hell on earth. So, we believe the work of faith is to reverse alienation and encourage authentic connection to the self, to others, and to God and Reality. Because that is what the Cross accomplishes. That’s why we strive to be a faith community that’s not just focused on individual piety, but genuinely connected community, as we pursue connection to self and God.
Genesis chapter 3 further describes the fall of humanity as complete alienation in every dimension caused by judging and rejecting of self, others and God. Adam and Eve not only reject their naked self, they hide from God, and reject each other. Adam says, “The woman you put here with me caused all the problems.”
Do you see the blame and judgment towards God and other human beings? The woman you put here with me, she caused all the problems. That one sentence captures beginning of hell on earth. So, we believe the work of faith is to reverse alienation and encourage authentic connection to the self, to others, and to God and Reality. Because that is what the Cross accomplishes. That’s why we strive to be a faith community that’s not just focused on individual piety, but genuinely connected community, as we pursue connection to self and God.
5. We are Practical
We don’t want to give you just theories and moral lectures. We want to see faith in practice, faith in motion.
Right theology, great theology should be eminently practical that bears good fruit. That’s why we try to give you practical suggestions in every sermon. Because the Bible says, faith that is not put into practice is dead.
Right theology, great theology should be eminently practical that bears good fruit. That’s why we try to give you practical suggestions in every sermon. Because the Bible says, faith that is not put into practice is dead.
6. We believe the Gospel Is Good News For Everyone, All The Time
The Gospel as currently understood is too often bad news for too many people. Because church at large is too focused on justice and righteousness and judgment of God. It creates us vs. them mentality, it is used to justify cruel exclusions.
We must not forget that the Cross welcomes all people, Jesus is good news to all people everywhere. Let’s not forget we are to be known for unconditionally loving all human beings, not for judging and hypocrisy as is the case today.
We must not forget that the Cross welcomes all people, Jesus is good news to all people everywhere. Let’s not forget we are to be known for unconditionally loving all human beings, not for judging and hypocrisy as is the case today.
7. We believe the Gospel Is All About Unconditional Grace & Love
The Greek word for God's love is Agape Love. There are four different words for love in Greek, Philia, Eros, Storge, and Agape. Agape is unique in that it is UNconditional Love. That “Unconditional” part is what makes the Cross special.
What is the message of the Cross? God SO loved the world and everyone in it that God sent Jesus to die on the Cross to express to us the depth of God’s incomprehensible, infinite love and acceptance to each and every one of us, no matter who we are, what our skin color is, what our achievements are, EVEN whether we’re righteous or unrighteous.
That last part might be surprising to some of you. Aren’t we supposed to pursue righteousness because God demands our righteous obedience? Haven’t we heard sermons like “Sinners in the hands of angry God” which is the most famous sermon ever preached, Sermons that tell us again and again how we MUST be righteous in order to be blessed by God and get into heaven? That’s what the older son in the parable of the Prodigal Son believes and argues with God how unjust God is, because of the younger son who is really a criminal jerk. But, God accepts and loves every human being without any discrimination, without ANY condition. We make NO distinction.
There is no Jew or Gentile, free or slave, man or woman, for we are all one in Christ. Galatians 3:28
Human beings are so good at making these divisions, Caste system to rank people. Man or Woman, Jew of Gentile, Free or Slave. Who’s up, who’s down, who’s in, who’s out, especially in the age of social media, it’s everywhere. From China to America, from India to Nazi Germany, from Communist countries to Western Europe, Human beings have always divided and categorized people into worthy and unworthy, Love-able and valuable or not so much. Righteous and Unrighteous. But when Jesus died on the Cross for ALL people regardless of gender, race, even beliefs like Jew or Gentile, back then, that meant, believer or non-believer, Jesus died for all, even unrighteous sinning unbelievers.
That caused a revolution in human history.
Nobody ever thought all human beings are equally and infinitely worthy and beloved without condition, just for being a human being made in the image of God. But, what Good News! What a powerful declaration that can change everything about human life! If this faith REALLY spread, so much can change from individual lives to our country at large. If we can embrace ourselves, God, and others without reservation, without discrimination.
If we KNEW, just KNEW deep in our heart, this unshakable conviction that we ARE valuable, we ARE worthy, even when we fail, even when we despair. if we REALLY, really believed that the Cross is the only solid rock we can build our self identity on. That all other rock is sinking sand, whether that be skin color, education, success, wealth, fame, righteousness, wisdom, whatever we might pursue in life that makes us feel worthy in our own eyes, If we can let them ALL go in favor of God’s Agape love, It will change everything from what drives our individual behaviors to how our society is organized.
This is why full inclusion is so integral to the Gospel we preach. There is NO outcast in our faith. There can be NO group of people who can be treated like second class citizens, The women’s issues, race issues, caste issues, These are NOT side issues, it is a manifestation of the fruit of the knowledge of good and bad, right and wrong that creates insecurities and caste systems and in-groups and out-groups that stand against the work of the Cross. If we REALLY believed God extended unconditional grace and love to us, unrighteous sinners, if that’s the Cross, then of course we have to fight the conditional mentality and structure that is SO prevalent in our thinking and in our country.
Our mission is clear, our purpose in life is clear.
We are to put every effort into believing and taking in the unconditional love and grace spoken by the Cross and extend it to everyone around us, with words and deeds, expanding the Kingdom of God everywhere we go.
And we'd love to have you go with us.
What is the message of the Cross? God SO loved the world and everyone in it that God sent Jesus to die on the Cross to express to us the depth of God’s incomprehensible, infinite love and acceptance to each and every one of us, no matter who we are, what our skin color is, what our achievements are, EVEN whether we’re righteous or unrighteous.
That last part might be surprising to some of you. Aren’t we supposed to pursue righteousness because God demands our righteous obedience? Haven’t we heard sermons like “Sinners in the hands of angry God” which is the most famous sermon ever preached, Sermons that tell us again and again how we MUST be righteous in order to be blessed by God and get into heaven? That’s what the older son in the parable of the Prodigal Son believes and argues with God how unjust God is, because of the younger son who is really a criminal jerk. But, God accepts and loves every human being without any discrimination, without ANY condition. We make NO distinction.
There is no Jew or Gentile, free or slave, man or woman, for we are all one in Christ. Galatians 3:28
Human beings are so good at making these divisions, Caste system to rank people. Man or Woman, Jew of Gentile, Free or Slave. Who’s up, who’s down, who’s in, who’s out, especially in the age of social media, it’s everywhere. From China to America, from India to Nazi Germany, from Communist countries to Western Europe, Human beings have always divided and categorized people into worthy and unworthy, Love-able and valuable or not so much. Righteous and Unrighteous. But when Jesus died on the Cross for ALL people regardless of gender, race, even beliefs like Jew or Gentile, back then, that meant, believer or non-believer, Jesus died for all, even unrighteous sinning unbelievers.
That caused a revolution in human history.
Nobody ever thought all human beings are equally and infinitely worthy and beloved without condition, just for being a human being made in the image of God. But, what Good News! What a powerful declaration that can change everything about human life! If this faith REALLY spread, so much can change from individual lives to our country at large. If we can embrace ourselves, God, and others without reservation, without discrimination.
If we KNEW, just KNEW deep in our heart, this unshakable conviction that we ARE valuable, we ARE worthy, even when we fail, even when we despair. if we REALLY, really believed that the Cross is the only solid rock we can build our self identity on. That all other rock is sinking sand, whether that be skin color, education, success, wealth, fame, righteousness, wisdom, whatever we might pursue in life that makes us feel worthy in our own eyes, If we can let them ALL go in favor of God’s Agape love, It will change everything from what drives our individual behaviors to how our society is organized.
This is why full inclusion is so integral to the Gospel we preach. There is NO outcast in our faith. There can be NO group of people who can be treated like second class citizens, The women’s issues, race issues, caste issues, These are NOT side issues, it is a manifestation of the fruit of the knowledge of good and bad, right and wrong that creates insecurities and caste systems and in-groups and out-groups that stand against the work of the Cross. If we REALLY believed God extended unconditional grace and love to us, unrighteous sinners, if that’s the Cross, then of course we have to fight the conditional mentality and structure that is SO prevalent in our thinking and in our country.
Our mission is clear, our purpose in life is clear.
We are to put every effort into believing and taking in the unconditional love and grace spoken by the Cross and extend it to everyone around us, with words and deeds, expanding the Kingdom of God everywhere we go.
And we'd love to have you go with us.