It was my privilege to spend three days this week with Jake and Sarah Zaske in NY. What a great city! I've been able to travel to many foreign countries but if you go to NYC you can experience all of them in a day! So planting in NY has it's own complexities. One of the things you can't do is simply build a better mousetrap. Sometimes I see churches attempt to grow simply by doing what they do better than everyone else. You may grow that way but it doesn't mean that you will necessarily grow the kingdom of God. I'm for doing ministry with excellence. I get concerned if we as leaders don't have our eyes on being missional. By that I mean we are helping people find their way back to God. There needs to be transformation and life change--we are becoming more like Him. Ultimately we need to see the church bring heaven to earth in their community. Jake is doing this through Skyline City Church http://www.skylinecitychurch.com Jake has an incarnational parish model that adapts to the culture and brings the Good News of Jesus in a personal way. Life change is taking place through relationships. Gatherings, groups and outreaches are unique to their neighborhood. They aren't out to copy anyone and they are certainly not trying to build a better mousetrap. I love their missionary outlook and the fact that they've committed the rest of their lives to NY. They will plant other churches with their DNA and each of them will be relationally reflective of their neighborhood. (and in NY neighborhoods change every four blocks). Jake has a hundred year plan to reach the city and in a city this big that makes total sense. I get a chance to visit a lot of churches and I love the variety. I am also at times distressed by the inclination of some simply to copy others. I found none of that here! was a very refreshing weekend reminding me of why it is that Jesus calls us to be the Church.