Christ Church Annual Report 2025

Welcome

Message from Our Lead Pastor

Looking back, 2025 was a defining year in the life of Christ Church. As we embraced the call to Thrive, we experienced the true meaning of Thriving Together—growing in faith, serving with purpose, and impacting lives as one church family.

Throughout the year, we witnessed God move through worship, salvations, baptisms, discipleship, service, community outreach, and global missions. People encountered Jesus, grew in their faith, discovered their purpose, and carried His love beyond our walls.

As you explore this report, remember that every number represents a person—a life transformed by God’s grace. We celebrate all God accomplished through Christ Church in 2025 and remain committed to sharing the hope of Christ with our communities and the world.

6,008

Decisions for Christ

7,004

Families Served Through Our Food for HOPE Pantry

32,300

People Ministered to Globally Through Impact Ministry Training Center

31,986

Community Engagements Through Major Events

None of this would have been possible without your faithful prayers, generosity, and willingness to serve. Thank you for partnering in the mission God has entrusted to us.

As we look ahead to celebrating 40 years of ministry in 2026, I believe our greatest days are still before us.

Our King Cometh!

David D. Ireland, Ph.D.

Lead Pastor

Our Mission, Vision, & Values

Uniting People to God and People to People

Christ Church is a non-denominational Christian congregation of people from diverse racial, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds. We are a community-minded congregation with a global sensitivity. Whether we're feeding the homeless or providing disaster relief, our members and volunteers continually seek ways to be God’s hands and feet by sharing the love and hope of Jesus worldwide.

Growing in Faith

In 2025, we witnessed a powerful hunger for God across our church as lives were transformed through decisions to follow Christ, deeper engagement in discipleship, and opportunities to thrive together in faith. During our spring and fall Water Baptism Sundays, 405 people took the significant step of publicly declaring the inward change Christ had made in their lives. As our church family gathered to celebrate, we heard testimonies of breakthrough, freedom from addiction, healing, miracles, and life-changing transformation—visible reminders of God’s work and the power of growing together in Christ.

That hunger for God was evident from the very beginning of the year. During our 12-Day Corporate Fast, nearly 3,000 people officially joined the fast as our church family united in prayer, fasting, and seeking God together. Throughout the year, our recurring Encounter services and annual Blessing Service created additional opportunities to press into God’s presence, with approximately 2,500 people participating across these intentional times of worship, prayer, and personal ministry.

Perhaps the most powerful evidence of spiritual growth was found in the stories of those who took steps of faith. Through baptism, individuals shared how Jesus had brought hope, freedom, healing, and purpose into their lives. Their stories are more than individual milestones—they are glimpses of what it means to be Thriving Together.

405

People Publicly Declared Their Faith Through Water Baptism

2,848

People Officially Joined Our 12-Day Corporate Fast

2,472

People Participated in Encounter & Blessing Services

"Before following Christ I was burdened by self-doubt, depression, and anxiety. I had dropped out of college. I felt lost. But through Christ I found hope, love, and purpose. I returned to school for nursing and began taking care of myself. I feel His love guide me daily and I'm no longer lost. I'm healing, growing, and walking in the purpose He set before me."
Amanda Alvarez

Explore Water Baptism

Thriving as a Church Family

As we thrived together as a church family, our volunteers remained the heartbeat of our ministry, faithfully serving with excellence in our Sunday Experiences, special events, and community outreach. We strengthened pathways for connection by welcoming new members and creating intentional opportunities for people to become part of the Christ Church Family. Our culture of invitation continued to flourish, as people invited friends and family to experience life at Christ Church. The launch of our Plan Your Visit initiative further enhanced the first-time guest experience, creating a more intentional and welcoming first step into the Christ Church Family.

1,637

‘New Here’ Gift Bags Given to First-Time Families

71%

First-Time Guests Invited by Family or Friends

330

First-Time Families Who Used Plan Your Visit

Find Your Serving Team

1,107

Serving Team Members

503

Leadership Team Members

430

New Members Officially Welcomed

Caring Through Every Season

Our Pastoral Care Ministry helped individuals and families thrive by providing compassionate support, spiritual guidance, and practical care during every season of life. Through prayer, Healing School, Lay Counseling, and Care Groups such as GriefShare and DivorceCare, we created spaces where people could find encouragement, healing, and hope. These ministries reflected the heart of Christ by walking alongside those facing emotional, mental, and physical challenges—and reminding them they are never alone.

533

Care Group Participants

49

Active Congregational Chaplains Serving

Thriving in Community

God designed us to grow not in isolation, but in relationship with one another. In 2025, nearly 3,000 people connected through Small Groups, creating spaces for meaningful relationships, encouragement, accountability, and shared faith. Across every stage of life, we continued creating opportunities for people to find community and grow together.

Gatherings like the two-day Women’s Leadership Seminar & Conference (Flourish ’25) and the eight-month Warrior Within men’s discipleship course empowered women and men to deepen their faith, grow in their identity in Christ, and walk more boldly in their God-given purpose.

Our next-generation ministries also continued building meaningful community among teens and young adults. Quest Teens Unite, launched in January, created a weekly Friday night environment where teens could connect, grow in faith, and experience God together. We also successfully launched Quest Young Adults Thrive Night, which became a meaningful gathering for young adults to build relationships and grow together—and, following a strong response, was positioned to continue as a quarterly experience.

From small groups to intentional gatherings, these spaces reminded us that thriving isn't just about growing individually—it’s about growing together.

825

Women Experienced Flourish

135

Men Completed Warrior Within

2,869

People Connected Through Small Groups

Find Your People

Reaching Our Neighbors

The impact of Christ Church reached far beyond our campuses as we thrived together by serving our community through The CARE Center and a variety of outreach initiatives. Whether through the Tri-County Fair, the Elevate Family Conference, Vacation Bible School, or other outreach events, we invested in children, families, and individuals across our community. Driven by compassion and a commitment to be the hands and feet of Jesus, we met practical needs, built meaningful relationships, and shared the love of Christ in tangible ways.

Easter Outreach

Easter gatherings brought together thousands of families in an atmosphere of joy, connection, and hope. Through a dynamic Easter Weekend that featured services on Good Friday, Easter Saturday, and Resurrection Sunday, we ministered to approximately 10,000 people across our in-person and online campuses.

And during Holy Week, we saw people hungry for God engaging with a special four-day live podcast that walked through the journey of Jesus to the cross.

We also reached the community through our annual kids and teens egg hunts—which have become a regional favorite known for drones dropping tens of thousands of eggs for the kiddos, and an extreme obstacle-course egg hunt for our teens.

461

Decisions for Christ on Easter Weekend

2,500+

Attendees at Easter Egg Hunts

215

Guided Tours Given During Egg Hunts

Tri-County Fair

Our 11th annual Tri-County Fair once again offered us an opportunity to share the love and hope of Jesus to our community by serving them with care and excellence. And this year, The CARE Center honored individuals making a difference across New Jersey through the Community Champions awards. In addition, the Kid Superstars initiative celebrated children who have demonstrated remarkable resilience and courage by treating them to a special day complete with complimentary rides, food, gifts, and VIP experiences in recognition of their inspiring journeys.

22,000

Total Number of Attendees

1,100+

Volunteers Served with Excellence

15

Community Champions Honored

6

Kid Superstars Celebrated

Vacation Bible School

Our 2025 Vacation Bible School, Step Right Up, welcomed 180 children for 5 full days filled with worship, Scripture, friendship, and fun—all designed to help kids grow in their faith. Through engaging activities and memorable experiences, children were encouraged to discover more about Jesus and the truth of God’s Word. From the VBS Talent Show, where kids celebrated the gifts God has given them, to the week-ending Splash Zone Water Day Party, every moment created opportunities for joy, connection, and belonging. Step Right Up was more than a summer program—it was a week where children were seen, loved, and encouraged to take meaningful steps in their relationship with Jesus.

180

Children experienced a week of worship, Scripture, and fun designed to help them grow in their faith

Outdoor Movie Night

It was a record-breaking year with almost 1,500 gathered—and 63% were new to Christ Church. Plus, nearly 200 guests toured the campus and over 300 new families were connected. We also had food pantry donations nearly double from the previous year.

1,440

Attendees

324

New Families Were Connected

Elevate Family Conference

In October, our biannual Elevate Family Conference returned—ministering to 825 adults at Elevate Marriage, 253 teens at Elevate Teens, and 145 kids at Elevate Kids—all gathered for a weekend of transformation. Best of all, 149 individuals made decisions for Christ.

149

Decisions for Christ at Elevate

1,223

Elevate Family Attendees

Food for HOPE Expansion

The CARE Center took two major steps forward in 2025.

In February, we launched our Food for HOPE mobile pantry trucks, expanding our ability to deliver food directly into underserved communities.

In March, we opened our expanded Food for HOPE grocery-style pantry, significantly increasing our capacity to serve families in need.

Together, these milestones strengthened our ability to respond with dignity, compassion, and consistency—especially during the 2025 government shutdown.

We also saw personal investment through the Triathlon for CARE, where Pastor David and a few Christ Church leaders raised approximately $50,000 to support expanded food access and community garden initiatives.

7,004

Families Served by Food Pantry

313,440

Pounds of Food Distributed

Explore Food For Hope Pantry

Drumroll, Please: Christmas Concert Delights Audiences

The return of the Drummer Boy Christmas Concerts welcomed nearly 5,000 attendees, including almost 250 people who made decisions for Christ, creating one of the most impactful outreach moments of the year.

4,643

Attendees

242

Decisions for Christ at Concerts

Thriving in Missions

As a church committed to seeing lives transformed, Christ Church continued to carry the Gospel beyond our local communities, equipping leaders and strengthening churches around the world. Throughout the year, God opened doors for ministry in nations including Guyana, Kenya, United Kingdom, South America, and Uganda, where a team of Christ Church leaders led by Pastor David Ireland provided teaching, encouragement, and leadership development to pastors and ministry leaders. These opportunities deepened our global partnerships and supported the growth of the local church as leaders were equipped to advance the Gospel in their communities, through our Impact Ministry Training Center.

1,100+

Pastors Ministered to at Ordination (Kenya)

30,000+

People Ministered to (Guyana, Kenya, Uganda, South America, and United Kingdom)

Financial Stewardship

We value transparency and accountability in how we steward the resources entrusted to Christ Church. Detailed financial information is available to Christ Church members and givers, who receive the password to access this section annually.

As a member and giver, if you do not have the password to access the detailed financials, it will be sent to you on Wednesday, August 26.

Based on Independently Audited Financial Statements

Please Note: Hovering over the data within each graphic gives you more detailed information.

2025 Financials

Sources*

$16,020,175

Operating Expenses**

$13,091,178

*Sources include approximately $2.0 million in campaign and grant-related revenue associated primarily with the ICDC/CARE Center of New Jersey.

**Operating Expenses do not include approximately $1.27 million invested in property, equipment, and construction in progress, or debt principal payments. These represent additional uses of funds but are recorded on the balance sheet rather than as operating expenses.

Revenue and Expenses by Category

Total Revenue:16,020,175 | Total Expenses: $13,091,178

Click on graphic below for financial breakdown

2025 Revenue

*Grants do not represent awarded amount they are funded amounts

**Miscellaneous includes miscellaneous income, in-kind contributions, and book and tape sales.

2025 Expenses

NOTE: Interest expense totaling $509,575 is included in the functional expense totals; principal repayments of $884,164 are excluded because they reduce liabilities.

Statement of Financial Position*

As of December 31, 2025

	2025	2024	Variance 2025–2024	Percent Change 2025–2024
Consolidated and Combined Statement of Financial Position
Total current assets	$8,788,968	$7,509,275	$1,279,693	17.0%
Total non-current assets	$18,854,085	$18,102,332	$751,753	4.2%
Operating right-of-use asset	$89,039	$164,017	(74,978)	-45.7%
Total Assets	$27,732,092	$25,775,624	$1,956,468	7.6%
Total current liabilities	$1,237,588	$1,239,189	(1,601)	-0.1%
Total non-current liabilities	$11,726,473	$12,697,401	(970,928)	-7.6%
Total liabilities	$12,964,061	$13,936,590	(972,529)	-7.0%
Total net assets	$14,768,031	$11,839,034	$2,928,997	24.7%
Total Liabilities and Net Assets	$27,732,092	$25,775,624	$1,956,468	7.6%

Consolidated and Combined Statement of Activities
Total contributions, revenues, gains, and other support	$16,020,175	$15,813,225	$206,950	1.3%
Total expenses	$13,091,178	$11,775,591	$1,315,587	11.2%
Change in net assets	$2,928,997	$4,037,634	(1,108,637)	-27.5%
Net Assets, beginning of year	$11,839,034	$7,801,400	$4,037,634	51.8%
Net Assets, End of Year	$14,768,031	$11,839,034	$2,928,997	24.7%

*In 2024, $2.29M in grant funding was awarded for Next Chapter programs—including The CARE Center and Impact Ministry Training Center—of which $441K was utilized during the year.

Overview of CC Leadership Team

Board of Trustees

Rev. David D. Ireland, Ph.D., Lead Pastor, Christ Church
Rev. Marlinda Ireland, D.Min., Worship & Women's Ministry Pastor, Christ Church
Paul J. Barnish, MBA, President, WP Realty
Brian Chibwe, CAIA, CPA, CA, Chief Financial Officer, Clarion Partners
Rev. Anthony Franklin, M.P.S., Montclair Campus Pastor, Christ Church
Erika Gerena, Chief of Staff, Christ Church
Rev. Ron Gonzalez, M.P.S., Rockaway Campus & Counseling Pastor, Christ Church
Bobby Hill, Ed.D., Founder & International Director, Vanguard Ministries
Danielle Ireland-Imhof, M.P.A., Passaic County Clerk
Rev. Brian Jacks, CEO & Founder of WiConnect LLC
Jose Lastra, Chief Financial Officer, YMCA Of Montclair, NJ
Richard Nunes, Esq., Assistant Deputy Public Defender
Wunmi Osinubi, M.D., M.Sc., MBA, FRCA, Physician, Occupational & Environmental Health Associates, Inc.

Executive Team

Rev. David D. Ireland, Ph.D., Lead Pastor
Rev. Marlinda Ireland, D.Min., Worship & Women's Ministry Pastor
Natacha Clesca, MBA, Chief Financial Officer
Rev. Anthony Franklin, M.P.S., Montclair Campus Pastor
Erika Gerena, Chief of Staff
Rev. Ron Gonzalez, M.P.S., Rockaway Campus and Counseling Pastor
Ray Velez, Chief Operating Officer

Pastoral Team

Rev. David D. Ireland, Ph.D., Lead Pastor
Rev. Marlinda Ireland, D.Min., Worship & Women's Ministry Pastor
Rev. Marcus Bourbon, D.Min., Discipleship Pastor
Rev. Robert Castro, Discipleship Pastor
Rev. Ryan Faison, M.Div., Digital Content & Clifton Campus Pastor
Rev. Anthony Franklin, M.P.S., Montclair Campus Pastor
Rev. Barbara Franklin, Small Group Pastor
Rev. Willie Freeman, Counseling Pastor
Rev. Ron Gonzalez, M.P.S., Rockaway Campus & Counseling Pastor
Rev. Lionel King, M.Div., Teaching Pastor

Looking Towards The Future

As we look toward the future, we do so with hope, expectation, and confidence in all that God has ahead for Christ Church. The impact we have seen—from transformed lives and strengthened communities—has only been possible because of your prayers, generosity, and faithful commitment. Together, we are believing for even greater opportunities to share the love of Christ, grow in faith, and continue building a church where people can belong, flourish, and thrive.

Thank You for Your Big-Heartedness!

Lord, we thank You for all You have done through Christ Church in 2025. Continue to guide us, strengthen us, and use us for Your glory. May we remain faithful, unified, and alive in You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Welcome

Message from Our Lead Pastor

6,008

7,004

32,300

31,986

Our King Cometh!

Our Mission, Vision, & Values

Uniting People to God and People to People

Integrate

Music

Prepare

Academic

Community

Train

Growing in Faith

405

2,848

2,472

Thriving as a Church Family

1,637

71%

330

1,107

503

430

Caring Through Every Season

533

49

Thriving in Community

825

135

2,869

Reaching Our Neighbors

Easter Outreach

461

2,500+

215

Tri-County Fair

22,000

1,100+

15

6

Vacation Bible School

180

Outdoor Movie Night

1,440

324

Elevate Family Conference

149

1,223

Food for HOPE Expansion

7,004

313,440

Drumroll, Please: Christmas Concert Delights Audiences

4,643

242

Thriving in Missions

1,100+

30,000+

Countries Reached Online

0

Digital Reach

1,954

11.7%

386,318

4.94%

25,100

22.9%

55,680

23.5%

13,651

75.3%

20,999

52.0%

Financial Stewardship

Based on Independently Audited Financial Statements

2025 Financials

Sources*

$16,020,175