ABOUT OUR
CHRISTIAN CHURCH
OUR
VISION
Vineyard Manhattan exists to see New York City come to behold and believe in the Kingdom of Heaven, one New Yorker at a time.
OUR
MISSION
We believe in extending radical welcome and generosity to all, offering a place to grow in faith where you can belong before you believe as we do. Practically, this corresponds to the opportunity to call Vineyard Manhattan your church home by becoming a Member, even if you do not currently agree with everything that the church believes.
A HIGH BAR
If radical welcome mediates God’s gracious character, the high bar of faith mediates God’s holy nature. VM preaches and teaches in its core ministries total faithfulness to the Holy God and complete fidelity to biblical truth, stewarded by a Leadership Team that is able to confess that “all the words and deeds of Jesus are good news for me”.
Vineyard Manhattan is about truth – the truth of the gospel, and all truth generally. All truth is God’s truth. We love and proclaim the truth with our minds, but we cannot love the truth if we are not true people ourselves. This means loving and creating a culture of humble, honest people who love the truth by first telling the truth about ourselves.
Vineyard Manhattan loves the life of the mind and loves to learn. We are unafraid to ask hard questions about faith and the Bible. We engage with ideas that are prevalent in our culture today through sermons, teachings, and courses. No one needs to ‘turn off’ their mind in order to believe or to come to faith.
OUR STORY
Vineyard Manhattan’s story begins over a decade ago with a calling to serve Manhattan, and has been a narrative of enduring ministry to our city in both the good times and the hard. Over the years of ministry in the city, we’ve seen that our city is hungry for the real things of God, more than just more rules or rituals, and that New York City is yearning to experience the lived spiritual reality that is a life transformed and directed by experiencing Jesus. We believe God is on the move and inviting others to live their lives in light of his presence — we don’t want to miss it, and we don’t want others to miss it either! Join us as we journey with Him.
PHILOSOPHY OF MINISTRY
Our ministry can be summed up in one phrase: room to grow. We know the spiritual needs and history of each person is as unique as they are. We don’t have a one-size-fits-all solution, but we do believe that everyone’s essential need is to authentically encounter the living God so that people can hear God, experience true living water, and come alive and grow as a response to life-changing faith. This space to grow is stewarded by a team of leaders who are wholly dedicated to the good news of the words and deeds of Jesus.
OUR STAFF TEAM
ADAM
SCHALTER
Adam has been leading Vineyard Manhattan since the spring of 2020. As a college student, Adam received a call from God to give his life to the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace. In this time, God revealed to Adam a particular passion for preaching and teaching the Scriptures. Over the last fifteen years, Adam has responded to this call by serving God through ministry and study in Columbus, Minneapolis, Oxford (UK), and New York City. Having briefly lived in NYC in 2012, Adam returned to this great city during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic to call New York City to faith in Jesus Christ. Adam holds Bachelor’s degrees in Musical Theatre and Religious Studies and Master’s degrees in Divinity and Theology. Adam is married to Stanzi and they are the proud parents of their son, Will — and their cat-son, Simba.
ANDREW
GORDON
Andrew has been serving as the worship coordinator at Vineyard Manhattan since early 2024. Andrew received a call from God to move to New York City in 2017 after graduating with his BFA in Acting in 2016. In 2021, God brought Andrew to Vineyard Manhattan where he experienced the transformative power of worship through the Holy Spirit. Andrew is currently pursuing his MA in Marriage and Family Therapy and has been working as a therapist intern for the last year at Heart Matters NYC Counseling. Andrew’s passion for emotional and spiritual health has shaped the way he approaches and leads worship with body, mind, and spirit. Andrew is a proud cat-dad to Tommy and enjoys “doing life” with his Vineyard family
SIERRA
JACKSON
Administrative Coordinator
Sierra joined the Vineyard Manhattan team early 2024. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in both Live Entertainment Management and Modern Dance. Sierra’s administrative experience spans across multiple industries, from a small business in Columbus to regional theatres in Pittsburgh to choreography departments on Broadway. Over the last 10 years, Sierra’s creativity and administrative skills have helped her buy and renovate her first home in Pittsburgh, start a side job as a handy-woman in NYC during Covid-19, and create theatre with renowned choreographers across the nation. Sierra’s greatest joy is her family and her husband, Ben, whose friendship and love keeps her focused on what matters most… Loving the Lord with her body and mind and soul.
TREVOR ST.
JOHN-GILBERT
Operations Coordinator
Trevor, originally from Dallas, TX, moved to New York City 2013 to launch his acting career after receiving a BFA in Musical Theatre from the University of Michigan. Over the years, Trevor has led fundraising efforts and youth programs for various nonprofits and churches in New York including Young Life, All Angels Church and Trinity Grace Church. Trevor is thrilled to be on the Vineyard Manhattan team and is so excited to see what God does in and through this community.
ADAM
SCHALTER
Adam has been leading Vineyard Manhattan since the spring of 2020. As a college student, Adam received a call from God to give his life to the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace. In this time, God revealed to Adam a particular passion for preaching and teaching the Scriptures. Over the last fifteen years, Adam has responded to this call by serving God through ministry and study in Columbus, Minneapolis, Oxford (UK), and New York City. Having briefly lived in NYC in 2012, Adam returned to this great city during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic to call New York City to faith in Jesus Christ. Adam holds Bachelor’s degrees in Musical Theatre and Religious Studies and Master’s degrees in Divinity and Theology. Adam is married to Stanzi and they are the proud parents of their son, Will — and their cat-son, Simba.
ANDREW
GORDON
SIERRA
JACKSON
Administrative Coordinator
TREVOR ST.
JOHN-GILBERT
Operations Coordinator
Vineyard Manhattan stands confidently in the stream of historic biblical orthodoxy, believing with the global church and the best of the evangelical tradition in those articles of faith that are central to Christian faith, including the deity of Jesus, the saving nature of his death and resurrection, the need for conversion and rebirth by faith in the power of the holy spirit, and the full and final authority of the Scriptures for all matters of faith and practice. Historically these beliefs are expressed by credal statements such as The Apostles Creed, and in more modern versions statements such as the Evangelical Statement of Faith and the Vineyard Statement of Faith.
Practically, Vineyard Manhattan understands belief to be more than a recitation of creedal formulas — it is a way of life and posture of discipleship that we sum up with the phrase, “all the words and deeds of Jesus are good news for me”.
