For over two decades, New York Gospel Outreach (New York GO) offered to youth and adults from across the country a unique, cross-cultural missions conference in New York City with a focus on street evangelism and apologetics.  Days would revolve around a time of worship, prayer, and thorough training in evangelism by guest speakers.  Participants would then take to the streets of New York and apply what they had learned.  At the end of the week they were challenged to continue sharing their faith within their own communities – at school, work, in their city streets.

In 2003, New York GO participating churches began expressing the desire for a second level of urban ministry in conjunction with their week of conference-style evangelism training.  In 2004, affiliate ministry CitiVision started its urban missions program, The Next Level (TNL), under direction of Rev. Walter Sotelo.  TNL differed from New York GO in that its one-week program was offered throughout the summer partnering with local churches in NYC in order that participating groups could have a "next level" for their students.  TNL would take aspects of NYGO’s evangelism training but also focus on other areas of outreach such as:

• Homeless ministry with affiliate ministries
• Service projects in local churches, public schools, parks, and NYC neighborhoods
• Prayer walks in order to plant new churches
• Children’s outreach in public parks and vacation bible school
• House groups in local churches
• Experience a real NYC communities
• More personal view of the City and people
• Opportunity to serve a local church
• Help plant new churches in NYC

In 2007, New York GO entered a season of hibernation in order to recalibrate and evaluate some of the methods and processes used to execute each week of ministry.  Careful attention has been paid to how the missions conference can be improved while still maintaining the central focus and heart: “Empassioning and equipping individuals to reach their world.”  New York GO will always at its core be about biblical, Gospel-centered training in evangelism and reaching others with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

TNL serves as a valuable next-step to NYGO groups and attracts new churches, Christian schools, and college campus organizations to NYC to be trained in urban ministry.

In January 2010, NYGO entered into full operation under Executive Director Rev. Walter Sotelo as well as assume direction of The Next Level, in order that the two related ministries can better operate and complement each other in accomplishing their goals of equipping students and adults in urban outreach.  It is with great excitement and support that we continue to develop a Gospel Driven generation to renew the cities of the World.