The theme of MOVEMENT.ORG’s 35th Annual Pastors Prayer Summit was “Rise and Build,” based on the reconstruction of the Wall of Jerusalem chronicled in the book of Nehemiah.

On January 27-29 at Tuscarora Inn and Conference Center in Mt. Bethel, Pennsylvania, over 300 pastors and Christian leaders from Metro New York City united in worship, prayer, teaching, and fellowship.

“We are building bridges across racial, economic, social, and generational divides—the Pastors Prayer Summit embodies this,” said Mac Pier, founder of Movement.org. “The heart of Christianity is the incarnation, God among us. When we are among each another, God shows up and does very powerful things.”

PAIN AND PRAYER

In his opening message, Mac Pier shared about “The Leader’s Pain.”

“The story of Nehemiah begins with an extraordinary amount of pain,” he said.

“Our pain reminds us of our dependence on God and our absolute interdependence on one another. We experience pain in our communities and in our region. God uses our pain and our prayer to change the world.”

Like Nehemiah, a leader’s pain must drive them to prayer.

At the 35th Annual PPS, Mac recalled how the pain and brokenness of New York City (an average of eight murders a day between 1987 and 1994) helped birth a mighty prayer movement, with 2,000 churches participating in various expressions of intercession over the years. The collective impact of spiritual and social flourishing, including church growth and reduced crime, led to the convening of the first Movement Day in Manhattan in 2010.

Movement Day, birthed by the joint efforts of Movement.org (formerly The NYC Leadership Center) and Tim Keller and Redeemer City to City, gathered Christians to celebrate what had been accomplished and examine areas that still needed work.

Over the next 15 years, this blueprint for transformation in New York was exported globally.

“New York has inspired 900 cities around the world to participate in our Movement Day expressions,” Mac said.

At PPS, he challenged attendees to think globally, revealing the organization’s 1,000 Cities Vision, which seeks to train 5,000 Movement Day Scholars over the next decade, especially in unreached cities of Asia. He likened New York City to Antioch, a key hub city in the book of Acts.

“The faith community in New York is uniquely positioned to impact 1,000 cities because, collectively, we are an Antioch for the globe. God has positioned us to make an enormous difference. Pain brings us to a place of possibility.”

KEYNOTE MESSAGES

Following Mac Pier’s message on “The Leader’s Pain,” challenging, and powerful keynote addresses (links to videos in titles) were presented by Pastor Charles Galbreath (“The Leader’s Burden”), Pastor Fred Provencher (“The Leader’s Confession”), Pastor Marc Rivera (“The Leader’s Diligence”), Pastor Terry A, Smith (“The Leader’s Shalom”), Pastor Gabrielle Beam (“The Leader’s Strategy”), Pastor A.R. Bernard (“The Leader’s Vision”), and Mullery Jean-Pierre “The Leader’s Posture”).

General sessions also featured worship with Monique Sade, small group prayer times, and Lectio Divina reflections led by Marya Pier, wife of Mac Pier and a Bible Study Fellowship Leader in Queens.

REGIONAL PRAYER ROOMS

One of the annual highlights of PPS are the Tuesday afternoon breakout sessions where attendees meet in regional prayer rooms for the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, Staten Island, New Jersey, Connecticut, and National. Other Tuesday breakouts included seminars by Faithly (“Building A Christian Social Media Ecosystem”), Hope Day, the Shalom Devotional Series, A Christian Apologetics Workshop with Dan Buttafuoco (“Inoculate 
Your Youth With The Truth”), Haiti One by One, and Dr. Ron Walborn of Asbury Theological Seminary (“Spiritual Gifts: Tools For Building The Kingdom, not toys for Entertaining The Church).

At the 2025 PPS, Movement.org gave out Lifetime of Spiritual Achievement Awards to honorees Art and Norma Gean Davenport, First Church Of God, Far Rockaway, NY; Pura Coniglio, Pastor, Love Gospel Church Without Walls, Bronx, NY; Tom and Vicky Mahairas, co-founders of Citivision, Manhattan Bible Church, Transformation Life Center and other ministries; Glen and Carole Kleinknecht, Cru Inner City, Pastor Tim Chicola, Pastor Emeritus of The Crossings Church, Livingston, NJ.

“God is calling us to arise and build broken people and repair broken altars,” said Pura Coniglio. “God has called us to be bridge builders and restorers of the breach.”

BRIDGING GENERATIONS

One of the bridges built at the 2025 PPS helped strengthened the link between generations. Many young leaders attended, including a large contingent from Movement.org’s Advanced Leadership Institute.

Pastor Davenport, a former Concerts of Prayer board member, addressed the young leaders, encouraging them to regularly attend PPS.

“There are many first timers that have come to this assembly today. And we can testify that this is the place to be,” he said.

“We are grateful that, throughout my entire ministry, this organization—this group of people, God’s people—have instilled in us the value of prayer, the value of praying together…so that God can move in spite of the challenges we face.”

PPS sponsors included: Historical Bible Society, Daniel Buttafuoco and Associates, Asbury Theological Seminary, Tuscarora Inn and Conference Center, Hope Day, Haiti One by One, Faithly, Christian Cultural Center, Heritage Pastors Assoc. (Jesus Is Lord Parade), and Metro District of the Christian Missionary Alliance. 

PASTORS PRAYER SUMMIT PHOTO GALLERY (click on photo to enlarge):