CityKerk | Stand Up

CityKerk is in inner city Amsterdam, with a focus on experimenting new approaches to church.

Early on CityKerk team made a decision to copy marketing ideas used across the city, branding the concept and vision of a 'pastor for everyone'.

CityKerk think a pastor is someone who inspires with fresh ideas, listens carefully and animates - enabling decisions, next steps and movement. CityKerk appointed a lead pastor to animate the vision, communicating ‘everyone can be a pastor for someone’. CityKerk pastors now meet with lots of people across Amsterdam.

CityKerk rent an empty 17th century church building. We build coalitions with partners who believe in a third space philosophy (third space is a sociological term for space in between ‘private’ and ‘work’). We have no congregation yet, and so, no congregational giving. CityKerk is growing the congregation.

As an innovative 'doing church' CityKerk developed 'Stand Up Theology', using humour and theology to address contemporary concerns e.g. unaffordable housing, party culture and Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO).

'Stand Up Theology' is about an hour, exploring a theme, giving spiritual insights. The performance (funny, thoughtful) is followed by music and drinks. Each 'Stand Up Theology', starts and ends with updates, news and content pulled from our networks.

CityKerk are trying out 'Pastor-in-residence'. It started when a company asked CityKirk to contribute a 'Stand Up Theology' session in their office, every two months, for their employees and clients. Employees regularly post a question via social media and CityKirk respond with a short answer. CityKerk is about triggering interaction and comments, building dialogue and relationship around questions.