Carter Conlon

Carter Conlon (born 1953) is a Canadian-born American pastor and author. He is best known as senior pastor of Times Square Church in New York City.^[1]

Biography

Conlon was born and raised in Noranda, Quebec. He graduated from Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario where he received a bachelor's degree in law and sociology. In 1987, he left his 12-year career as a police officer to enter full-time ministry. He founded a church, a Christian school, and a food bank in Riceville, Canada. He owned and operated a sheep farm as well.^[2] During those years, he also traveled throughout the country—speaking at various churches from Prince Edward Island to Alberta, to the Inuit people in the Arctic.

In 1994, he joined the pastoral staff of Times Square Church at the invitation of founding pastor, David Wilkerson.^[3] He was appointed to the office of senior pastor in 2001.^[4]

Sensing an urgent need for God’s people to pray, in 2007 he initiated an afternoon of "Prayer in the Square" where, by the third consecutive year, an estimated 60,000 people gathered to pray in the middle of Times Square.^[5]

He and his wife, Teresa, have three children and five grandchildren.^[6]

Ministry

Times Square Church Located at 51st and Broadway in Manhattan, Times Square Church is an interdenominational church with more than 8,000 people in attendance, representing more than 100 different nationalities.^[7] Their pastors believe that God has ordained the church to be a testimony of God’s love and mercy to New York City and beyond. A major emphasis at Times Square Church is giving aid to the poor, the hungry, the destitute and the addicted.

For Pastors Only In 2010, Conlon created "For Pastors Only" in response to multiple requests he received from ministers seeking spiritual fathering. This online resource airs bi-weekly devotionals recorded by Conlon and an advisory team, currently accessed by more than 5,000 pastors worldwide.^[8]

Radio Broadcasts Conlon has 1-minute daily devotionals airing on Christian radio stations nationwide 5 days per week, summoning the nation to prayer.^[9]

ChildCry In 2004, Conlon traveled with a team of more than 200 people from Times Square Church to Zambia to hold evangelistic and humanitarian outreaches.^[10] After witnessing the plight of children living on the streets there, he began to pray about ways to help. This led to the establishment of ChildCry in 2005—a ministry of Times Square Church which currently provides more than 4,000 meals a day for children in over 22 countries.^[11]

Feed New York In 2012, Conlon initiated "Feed New York," where Times Square Church began to underwrite a number of churches in New York City with $1,000 worth of food every month. The goal was to provide up to 100 churches with a way to offer food, prayer, and hope to those in need in their neighborhoods. Although it began as a one-year initiative, Feed New York continues to support over 10,000 New Yorkers every month through food assistance programs within the five boroughs.^[12]

Published Works

Books

• The 180 Degree Christian: Serving Jesus in a Culture of Excess, Bethany House Publishers, 2011. ISBN 0830760954
• Fear Not: Living Courageously in Uncertain Times, Bethany House Publishers, 2012. ISBN 978-0830765614
• Unshakable: Trusting God When All Else Fails, Bethany House Publishers, 2014. ISBN 978-0764214462

Children’s Books

• Petey Yikes, Petey, Rock & Roo Children's Publications, 2006.
• Clunky of Maryborough, Petey, Rock & Roo Children’s Publications, 2008. ISBN 0-9789642-1-7
• Katie and the Dogs are Gone, Petey, Rock & Roo Children's Publications, 2009. ISBN 0-9789642-2-5
• Every Good House Needs a Mouse, Petey, Rock & Roo Children’s Publications, 2010. ISBN 0-9789642-3-3
• Muddy Dogs & New White Chairs, Petey, Rock & Roo Children’s Publications, 2014. ISBN 978-0-9881948-2-3

CDs

• Quiet Times, 2002
• Where Christmas Never Ends, 2005
• Day by Day, 2007

References

Notes