The City Church began with a simple idea and a handful of people nearly 25 years ago. It wasn’t about filling seats or building a big stage. It was about showing up for people—and doing life with them, no matter what. Over the years, that idea turned into a movement.
Based in Batavia, New York, The City Church has become a spiritual anchor in the community. But their story reads more like a small business success than a traditional ministry. They started with grit and grew with grace. One message, one family, one Thursday night service at a time. They didn’t have a roadmap—just faith, consistency, and a deep commitment to learning.
Their philosophy—“We Do Life Together”—is more than a motto. It’s their operating system. Whether helping someone through grief or guiding a teenager in faith, they show up. Every time. And through that, they’ve built something lasting.
The team behind the church, led by humble leadership, sees success not in numbers but in transformation. They measure progress in conversations, restored families, and shared meals. They’re driven by core values: helping people, teaching truth, and never stopping the learning process.
Today, they’re still reaching out, still showing up, and still walking people through life’s hardest and holiest moments. The City Church didn’t just build a congregation—they built a culture. One that anyone, anywhere, can learn from.
What is your typical day, and how do you make it productive?
We like structure, but ministry isn’t always predictable. Our mornings usually start with prayer and reading. After that, we check in on people—calls, texts, or visits. We meet as a team mid-morning to plan services or review outreach projects. Afternoons are for studying, mentoring, or community work. We leave space for spontaneous needs. Productivity for us means people feel seen, heard, and helped by the end of the day.
How do you bring ideas to life?
We test them in small rooms first. Whether it’s a new worship format or a volunteer program, we try it out with a small group and get real feedback. One of our best service formats actually started in a small coffee shop with 12 people. We believe in starting small and staying open to change.
What’s one trend that excites you?
People are craving community again. After years of digital overload, there’s a hunger for in-person connection. You can feel it on Sundays. We’re seeing families come back, not just for faith, but for friendship. The shift toward local, face-to-face relationships is encouraging.
What is one habit that helps you be productive?
A handwritten list every morning. We keep it simple: 3 priorities for the day. If we get those done, it’s a win. Also, we pray before making big decisions. That helps clear out noise and focus on what really matters.
What advice would you give your younger self?
Don’t chase the numbers. Chase the mission. Early on, we thought growth meant size. Now we know growth means depth. One deep relationship does more than 100 quick likes. Also—rest matters. You can’t pour from an empty cup.
Tell us something you believe almost nobody agrees with you on?
We believe ministry doesn’t need to be busy to be effective. There’s this unspoken pressure to always be launching, posting, promoting. But some of our most powerful moments came in silence, not spotlight.
What is the one thing you repeatedly do and recommend everyone else do?
Show up consistently. That’s it. You don’t have to be the loudest or the smartest. Just be there. Every week. Every visit. Every phone call. That builds trust like nothing else.
When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, what do you do?
We walk. No phone. No headphones. Just fresh air and prayer. Sometimes we walk the sanctuary when it’s empty. That quiet resets everything.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business or advance in your career?
Mentorship. We wouldn’t have made it without mentors. Early on, we surrounded ourselves with older leaders who had been through storms. We listened more than we talked. And we still do. It saved us from many unnecessary mistakes
What is one failure in your career, how did you overcome it, and what lessons did you take away from it?
Years ago, we tried to open a second location too fast. The vision was right, but the timing wasn’t. It stretched us thin, burned out some volunteers, and the energy just wasn’t there. We learned that multiplication without margin is a trap. Now we focus on deepening what we already have.
What is one business idea you’re willing to give away to our readers?
A “neighbor map.” Create a simple map of the 10 households closest to you. Learn their names. Pray for them. Check in occasionally. It’s low-tech, high-impact, and builds real community. Anyone can do it.
What is one piece of software that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
Google Docs. Simple, shareable, and synced across devices. We use it to plan sermons, schedule events, and keep track of ideas. It’s our digital notebook.
Do you have a favorite book or podcast you’ve gotten a ton of value from and why?
Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero. It taught us that spiritual maturity and emotional maturity are linked. You can’t have one without the other. That book changed how we lead.
What’s a movie or series you recently enjoyed and why?
The Chosen. It’s raw and real. It brings faith into human terms, which is what we try to do every day. You see the doubts, the confusion, the breakthroughs. We resonate with that.
Key learnings
- Start small and test ideas quietly before scaling.
- Consistency and presence matter more than charisma or hype.
- Mentorship and quiet reflection are underrated tools for growth.
- Depth often matters more than speed when expanding or evolving.
- Community doesn’t require complexity—just intentional connection.