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On Sunday, June 11, 2006, each of the five members of the Bartholomew family made their way to the center of the auditorium, walked up on stage, and bowed their heads as farewell prayers were offered on their behalf. First came Tuck, no stranger to the Redeemer pulpit, followed by his wife Stacy and their three school-age children Connor, Tucker and Emalyn. This scene was repeated four times that day to all four Manhattan services of Redeemer Presbyterian Church, a congregation to which Tuck had ministered for the past five years. Later that week, the family would complete the school year, attend graduation services for Connor, pack the remaining boxes and move to Philadelphia to begin the exciting, rigorous work of church planting.
The Back Story
Tuck and Stacy Bartholomew and their family have embarked on the planting of City Church, a cooperative church-planting project of Redeemer Presbyterian Church and Philadelphia City Presbytery. At its focus is the University City neighborhood of Philadelphia. University City is home to six academic institutions, including Drexel University and University of Pennsylvania. More than 50,000 students are enrolled in these six schools, and an additional 70,000 people commute into University City to work at these schools and other area businesses.
One of Philadelphia’s most vibrant and diverse neighborhoods, University City is located on the west side of downtown Philadelphia or “left of Center” as it is known. The neighborhood is economically and culturally diverse and home to college students, artists, educators and families living in the midst of world-class universities.
University neighborhoods everywhere need churches that embody the gospel in such a way that addresses the particular issues, needs and questions arising within the university context. As philosopher Richard Rorty has said, “The University has replaced the church as the center of morality,” meaning that today, when someone seeks to clarify ethical and moral positions, they typically turn to specialists within the university not the church. The university, as such, has become a focused context for personal, social and cultural formation in our culture. Its stories have become the stories by which we live.
www.citychurchphilly.com
As such, Tuck Bartholomew desires to plant a church where the story of the gospel becomes central to the lives of those seeking answers in the university context. He says,
| God made us to know him and his world. We want to inspire learning through a life of faith in Jesus Christ. Idols of power, knowledge and influence are everywhere, but they are especially focused within the university community. We want to help people experience the liberating power of the gospel, so that they begin to engage life through faith in Him, rather than the idols that enslave us. |
The Commitment
City Church is committed to gathering new people around this declaration of God in Jesus. It desires to create opportunities for people to hear the gospel and see its fruitfulness such that those outside of Christianity let go of old dreams and begin to follow Jesus. University communities typically gather the world in their neighborhoods, and City Church hopes to create a community reflects this diversity. Specifically, City Church is committed to the following:
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Gospel. The gospel of Jesus is a declaration that God made good on his ancient promise of redemption and restoration. In a neighborhood like University City where brokenness abounds—psychological, social and cultural brokenness—the gospel brings renewal to people, to relationships and to the broader social and cultural habits of the neighborhood.
- Community. Jesus said of his followers, they are a city on a hill, which reminds us that Christianity is something we engage in relation to one another—as community—and that together we showcase the glory he has brought into the world in Jesus Christ. City Church is committed to becoming the kind of community that presses the story of the gospel into lives through discipleship and education, and one that expresses love, loyalty and service to one another.
- University, City and World. Churches exist in real places and among real people. City Church strives to establish a church community that celebrates and builds its life around the gospel story in its particular place. In that sense, it desires to be city positive, to view the city as a place to engage versus a place from which to retreat. City Church is committed to being university positive, to intentionally engage the questions of skeptic and believer alike with the truth of the gospel. Finally, it desires to build connections with other global cities and to send its members into other cities, universities and workplaces as faithful servants of Christ.
The Update
Since moving to Philadelphia in June and after a summer of church-planting startup activities, Tuck and Stacy Bartholomew reported in with the movement. Here is a first-hand report from the Bartholomew family.
“How’s it going?” comes the obvious question. The truthful answer is, “Not at all like we expected, but in most cases, better!” As this congregation begins to take shape, we are constantly amazed at God’s work both in our lives and in this new church. Following are some of the exciting things we have witnessed this summer and fall:
- First Worship Service! Following our summer Bible studies and prayer gatherings, we regrouped at a Labor Day picnic for an afternoon of fun and began services on Sunday, September 10, with 80 people. Since that first Sunday we have grown to nearly 120 worshipers every week!
- Small Groups Started. In order to foster a sense of community from the start, we have implemented small group ministry and already have six small groups meeting. In addition, Stacy has organized the beginnings of a youth program.
- Mercy Ministry. It’s important that we continually remind ourselves not to be a church for ourselves or our “core group,” but for our neighborhood and city. Bordering the poverty-ridden area of West Philadelphia, University City and City Church face enormous opportunities for mercy ministry. Already we have had church members get involved in literacy work, prison ministry and neighborhood greening associations.
- Campus Outreach. In keeping with one of our desires of planting in the University City area, we have been able to get involved with campus ministries. Tuck has spoken at InterVarsity Christian Fellowship and Campus Crusade; he has met many faculty members of the universities, some of whom are attending City Church; and he may even be able to teach an introductory sociology class next spring.
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