“Dwelling with the Next Generation” was the focus of the 16^th Annual Movement Day NYC on October 17 at Bethel Gospel Assembly in Harlem.

Hosted by Movement.org, the event united 320 attendees composed of church, parachurch, and marketplace leaders and featured the release of the Movement.org 2025 Generations Survey report.

Earlier this year, Movement.org commissioned a youth survey in Metro New York City. The data was compiled and analyzed by Dr. Tony Carnes (A Journey Through NYC Religions Data Center), and Arik Nabie, assistant pastor of First Assembly in Queens, NY.

In the first session of Movement Day NYC, panels and keynote speakers gave insight on how to better understand and reach the next generation. In session two, attendees applied those insights during interactive table discussions that encouraged collaboration.

Movement Day speakers included Mac Pier, founder of Movement.org; Fernando Cabrera, a former NYC Councilman and pastor of New Life Outreach International in the Bronx; and Dan Buttafuoco, founder of Historical Bible Society and founder and senior partner at Buttafuoco and Associates.  Panel discussions featured Kirk Foote of Young Life NYC and his team, and Pastor Gabrielle Beam and a team of young leaders from Bridgeport (CT) Movement Day.

Dr. Mac Pier opened Movement Day with an exhortation entitled, “A Global Spiritual Awakening Among Youth,” citing encouraging reports from Asia, the United Kingdom, and campuses in the United States.

Fernando Cabrera’s message, “Dwelling with Next Gen: The Tide Is Turning,” emphasized that this is a pivotal and hopeful moment. He framed it as a season of divine opportunity, urging attendees to recognize God’s invitation to partner with Him through spirit-led systems and strategies that connect this generation and the church.

Dan Buttafuoco stressed the importance of apologetics, especially among teens and young adults. He cited research that indicated how over 70 percent of students who enter college as Christians leave with little to no faith. At Movement Day, Dan Buttafuoco released his latest book, Unapologetic: Clear Answers to Tough Bible Questions.

The All People Free Documentary was featured at Movement Day NYC, offering attendees a powerful look into the harsh realities of modern-day slavery in the brick kilns of North Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. Later that evening, the full version of the documentary premiered at Cityline Church in Jersey City, NJ.

With an emphasis on impacting the next generation, Movement Day NYC gave a platform to 12 local youth ministries, enabling strategic networking opportunities for church, ministry, and marketplace leaders.

As a result of Movement Day, Pastor Fernando Cabrera is now collaborating with Cru to plant a campus expression at Lehman College. Several churches are seeking to connect with Inspire Sports Camp to send urban young people to camp. These are only a few examples of how the event strengthened the Gospel ecosystem of New York City.

“Hundreds of connections were made, and possibilities were created to collaborate on a much larger scale,” said Mac Pier. “Movements are about speed and scale.”