Southern Baptist Group ‘Plants’ Church in Brooklyn

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North Metro Church, a Southern Baptist group, has found the neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York to be perfect soil for ‘planting’ a church of the Lord.

Rooted in Georgia, North Metro Church is a relatively new group of Southern Baptists. Jon Carr, the group’s leader, first heard the call to plant churches in 2005. In 2010, upon attending a mission trip to New York, Carr was inspired to answer the call to plant a church there.

The ministry will begin with Carr’s family moving first to the Bay Ridge area, and then possibly to Windsor Terrace or Kensington. Construction of a literal building is not in order yet; instead, prayer services in the Carr apartment will be offered.

As more and more people of New York show interest and support for the church, regular worship services will take place. Carr plans to expand his core group from a small community to the whole neighborhood, and then to the entire city and eventually the world.

North Metro has big dreams for Brooklyn, the crowded and crime-infested region of New York.

“We fell in love with New York,” Carr said. “My heart broke for a city that is so vibrant and diverse, but lacks an evangelical presence.”

In an age where many modern-day churches have steered away from daunting urban communities such as Brooklyn, North Metro is ready to make disciples in even the darkest of places.

“We want to share our love of Christ with those that we meet,” Carr said. “Our whole intention is to come in and love and serve the community.”

North Metro is currently serving the homeless victims of Hurricane Sandy in providing food and repairing housing. Carr claims that they are serving because they care, even if they may never get recognition for it.

Despite North Metro’s good intentions, their plans to revive New York have been met with not only support, but also criticism. In Kensington, a religiously diverse area, the Southern Baptists have been both well-received and shunned.

While Baptists and other Protestants are excited to see what God is doing through North Metro, others are skeptic about the group’s intentions. Many citizens of the corrupt city simply have no patience for a foreign organization looking to transform their seemingly-comfortable lives.

However, there are also many people across the nation willing to help out the North Metro Church. Carr is supported by Dr. Frank Cox- the senior pastor of the church, Steve Allen- the lead church-planting catalyst, and several others.

“God has said, ‘Go, and love New York City.’” Carr said. “And that’s what we are doing.”

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