A New Light in Atlantic City

The Burden

“..his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.” - Acts 17:16

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Atlantic City, New Jersey, often dubbed “the Las Vegas of the East Coast,” is renowned for its vibrant casinos, nightclubs, and lively party scene. With its iconic boardwalk, beach, high-rise hotels, shopping outlets, and even its role as the inspiration for the Monopoly game, Atlantic City might appear to be a thriving metropolis. Yet, beneath the glittering facade of casinos, clubs, and bright lights lies a city grappling with poverty, homelessness, drug addiction, and crime. In the shadows, countless individuals are hurting, lost, and without hope—people who desperately need the transformative power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. While some still indulge in the fleeting pleasures of sin, thousands more are trapped in the captivity and brokenness that follows. With approximately 40,000 souls residing in just 10.76 square miles, Atlantic City has a population density of 3,577 people per square mile. This city needs Jesus. It needs more Bible-believing, Gospel-preaching churches.

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The Vision

“..he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection.” - Acts 17:18

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Just a few miles outside of Atlantic City, the Lord has stirred the hearts of Pastor Jim Powderley and the Brigantine Bible Church for reaching the city. It is their prayer and passion to pioneer a new, independent, bible-believing church in this area and the Lord has called Br. Justin Rodriguez and his family to Pastor that church. Over the past few months, many have come together in laboring for this new work with the assembly and distribution of over 20,000 John and Romans, prayer meetings and door to door soul winning teams. These efforts, with the Lord’s touch, culminated in a powerful Gospel Crusade held this past week.

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The Crusade

"..with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;" - Php. 1:27

It was a wonderful privilege for Northeast Vision to have a small part in one night of the Crusade. With a group of about 45 from Solid Rock Baptist Church, we spent some time canvassing the area and making connections with locals in the city. Many were very open to conversation and expressed their gratitude for a new church starting in their area. Two teen girls from the group were excited to see a man they had spoken to during the day come to the service that evening. On that specific evening there were 3 people who came to Christ and roughly 125 in attendance.

Brigantine Bible Church, the Rodriguez family, Northeast for Christ, and Evangelist Larry Gibbs (who provided the tent) all worked tirelessly to make the Gospel Crusade a success, and the Lord sure did bless the work! It is truly inspiring to see so many churches unite in recent months for the sake of the Gospel. By the end of the week, the crusade had collected 71 response cards from visitors, providing valuable opportunities for follow-up.

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Please keep the pioneering efforts of Atlantic City Baptist Church and the Rodriguez family in your prayers. The official launch of this new church is set for August 17th. For more information or to learn how you can support this vital work, visit the Church Pioneers page to connect with Justin Rodriguez directly. Let us join together in prayer and action to see Atlantic City transformed by the hope and truth of the Gospel!

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