Who we are!

Love Your Neighbor Ministries was founded in 2008, in Queens New York. Pastor Ahmed DaCruz believes that the focus for L.Y.N is to simply get back to the basics of God’s word and God’s church. Many Christians and non Christians are hurt and wounded. They may feel like they have no place to go and don’t know how to go through their journey of life. This was recognized as a growing problem and a greater danger for the future of the church.

To address this great danger; after much prayer and fasting, Pastor Ahmed DaCruz and Love Your Neighbor Ministries found its identity. Love Your Neighbor Ministries is a reflection of the kingdom of God, by way of the Ecclesia- the church; A church that lives spiritually in the natural. Subsequently the kingdom of God is in us (Luke 17:21) and we as a church reflect the Kingdom of God by worshipping God through our lives, meditating on his principles and being living words of Jesus Christ.

• We are a church that meets people right where they are in their journey of life.
• We are a church that learns to be faithful to God’s unchanging word.
• We are a church that feeds the hungry.
• We are a church that ministers to an always changing world.
• We are a church that clothes the unfortunate, shelters the homeless and assists the elderly.

Love Your Neighbor Ministries identity is creating a sanctuary of community that builds the trust and faith that enables isolated individuals to escape from the private hidden place where they feel that they are all alone. In our Community there is an enactment and an experience. We have an acknowledgement of unconditional acceptance of the other, rooted in the understanding of the image of God inherent in the other. Subsequently gradually, they ease into the comfort, power and hopefulness of God in our community.

Love Your Neighbor Ministries creates this safe and supportive environment, framed with the intimate love of God by conducting "Bible Study Style" church services in our homes, and keeps all traditions that directly point back to the early church. The outlook of L.Y.N. Ministries is simple; God is simple so we don't have to complicate him.

Ahmed DaCruz, Pastor

In 1987 at the age of 8 years old Ahmed DaCruz began his journey of development to answer the call of God for ministry later in his life. In Little Rock Baptist Church He served on the Sunshine Band, youth for Christ, junior youth choir. In 1990 Ahmed’s mother Gloria DaCruz was led by the Holy Spirit to join the Pilgrim Church of Brownsville where Bishop William Martin is pastor. Their, Ahmed served on several ministries such as: the children’s and adult choirs, and was chosen to oversee the youth restaurant. The Lord also gave him the gift of playing the drums which enabled him to work on the sound team and video ministry.

In 1997 he served as Bishop Martin’s adjutant, helping numerous of Bishops and Pastors prepare for ministry. In 2003 Ahmed DaCruz was elevated to a minister. He served as the youth Minister in which he counseled, encouraged and mentored the Youth to live a healthy Holy life in Christ. Minister DaCruz was able to encourage the Youth to live a healthy life in Christ by creating a Black Attire Fair, Youth conferences and services, concerts, open forums and building bonds with other youths in different church’s.

Since then In 2004 Minister Ahmed DaCruz attended seminary school at the School of the Bible and received his preliminary certificate in theology. Afterwards He became a Sunday school teacher where he taught the youth, young adult and men’s class. At annual crusades he was sent to prepare and set up for services. In 2007 God told Minister DaCruz "He must build him a church;" this calling was for a spiritual and natural church. One year later God's command has been fulfilled; In 2008 Pastor Ahmed DaCruz was ordained and became the founder and Pastor of Love Your Neighbor Ministries. Pastor Ahmed DaCruz believes God’s house must consist of the spiritual and the natural. Love your Neighbor Ministries is based on these two great commandments (Mathew 22).

Pastor Ahmed DaCruz has achieved a Bachelor of Arts degree in American Urban Studies. Subsequently his diligent, expository teaching is based on dissecting Scriptures in light of the original historical context in which the Bible was written. His innovative illustrations and biblical categories clearly communicate the simplicity of the infallible truths of God’s Word. Pastor Ahmed DaCruz has a tremendous passion for God’s word united with a love for God’s people. He is truly humbled in being a servant of Jesus Christ. Nothing in his life story can compare to the blessings that come from serving the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Statement Of Faith

What we believe

1. We believe One God exists from everlasting to everlasting and expresses Himself as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
2. We believe The Father is Greater than Us.
3. We believe Jesus, the eternal Son of God, took the form of a man, lived a sinless life, yet retained His supreme deity, being at the same time an extraordinary God and an amazing man.
4. We believe In the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
5. We believe in being living words of Jesus Christ.
6. We believe God created us all in His image and He deserves our love and obedience.
7. We believe in the Holy Spirit to enlighten and bring all truth to our remembrance.
8. We believe in Loving God with our whole heart, mind and soul.
9. We believe in Loving our Neighbors as ourselves.

Vision

Love Your Neighbor Ministries vision is to simply be a reflection of the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven. We follow peace with all men by simply living life through the characteristics of God; which are described as the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). To meditate on his principles day and night so we can reveal God and stand for what is truth; so we all can grow spiritually and naturally in our journey of life and obtain eternal life through Jesus Christ.

Purpose Statement

Love Your Neighbor Ministries is a Christ-centered faith based organism whose purpose is to encourage, enlighten and transform lives to Love God and to Love Your Neighbor.

Mission Statement

The mission of Love Your Neighbor Ministries is to fulfill its purpose by creating a genuine safe haven in which there is a Spiritual and Natural community designed to develop the whole person. This safe haven is for everyone. In our mission of community we are committed to:

• Spiritual Community
  • Be a worshipping church, to be living words of Jesus Christ.
  • Be a learning church; to be faithful to God’s unchanging word.
  • Be an evangelizing church, to learn how to minister to an always changing world.
  • Be a generous church, to give to others.

• Natural Community
  • Meet people where they are.
  • Devote ourselves to feeding the hungry.
  • Devote ourselves to clothe the unfortunate.
  • Devote ourselves to shelter the homeless.
  • Devote ourselves to assist the elderly.

Spiritual Community

In our Spiritual Community there is an enactment and an experience. It is the confirmatory acknowledgement of unconditional acceptance of the other, rooted in awareness of the image of God inherent in the other. We seek to ignite the divinity in the other, so they can experience God’s presence in such an unorthodox manner. Concurrently we deal with the deep hidden things of the heart and soul so we all can grow healthy spiritually. Love Your Neighbor Ministries is dedicated in working in this facet in order to continuously create a greater sense of ease, comfort and safety. To listen with respect and without judgment to one another which it becomes a practice that strengthens the bonds of community and breaks through stereotypes.

It is the sanctuary of our community that builds the trust and faith that enables isolated individuals to escape from the private hidden place where they feel that they are all alone. In this way, gradually, they ease into the comfort, power and hopefulness of community. Once individuals experience the possibility of our community and the soul is stirred or rekindled, a process of change is set in motion. They are motivated to take on spiritual practices that enhance their understanding.

Natural Community

Love Your Neighbor Ministries has a genuine heart for God and people. We believe that God is love and as Christians we are commissioned by God to demonstrate that love. Jesus commands to Love God with all of our heart, mind and soul. He also proclaimed, that we shall Love our Neighbor as thy self. This is the essence in which Love Your Neighbor Ministries created a Natural Community.

In our natural community we love to reach out and love our neighbor. We do this by first meeting people where they are. Jesus never lowered his standards but he always met the people where they were. We demonstrate God's love by offering truth as well as provisions. Motivated by God’s love, Love Your Neighbor Ministries natural community simply just meet the physical needs, however by this we also encourage and enlighten the unfortunate and broken hearted to come to Jesus Christ which in him alone can satisfy their deepest needs. God will not turn away a broken heart or a contrite, remorseful person.

Love Your Neighbor Ministries believes in feeding the hungry, clothing the unfortunate, sheltering the homeless and assisting the elderly. Christians are called to express and display love to the underprivileged, not just through the human friendship and generosity, but God's own unconditional, self-giving agape (charity) love.