Joseph Mattera has been in full-time ministry since 1980 and is currently the overseeing Bishop of Resurrection Church in New York.
Known as “a leader’s leader,” Joseph is also a virtuoso on the guitar. He has received formal education in Kingsborough Community College, Elohim Bible Institute, received ministerial training from The International Christian Center, and has received an honorary diploma from Zion Bible Institute. Joseph earned a Doctor of Divinity from the Christian Leadership Seminary, participated in BILD (Biblical Institute for Leadership Development), successfully completed a one-year certificate program with the Wilberforce Forum, and has earned a Doctor of Ministry from Bakke Graduate University, with a concentration in Biblical Worldview and Urban Ministry.
He serves as a consultant and mentor to numerous political, business and church leaders and has worked extensively with the NYPD, the local community board and numerous other service agencies. In 1989 he formed a grassroots organization that successfully closed down a pornographic store and has since helped lead the charge in his community against the proliferation of pornography. In addition, he has helped formulate and facilitate a prayer movement in the New York metropolitan area and has launched numerous citywide initiatives for unity, reconciliation and reformation. Recently, he also served as a vice chair for the final Billy Graham Crusade in New York City (June 2005).
Joseph and his wife Joyce founded Resurrection Church in 1984. A multiethnic congregation of 40 nationalities, Resurrection Church has developed and sent out high-impact leadership and numerous non-profit corporations that have greatly impacted nations and the New York region, such as Children of the City (COC regularly ministers to more than 2,000 at-risk children with counseling, after school programs, tutoring, mentoring, and other holistic ministries) and The Ekklesia Leadership Institute (which held intensive monthly seminars and week-long summits with a focus of raising up the next generation of leadership with a Christian world and life view).
Resurrection Church has a goal of “advocating for the powerless and speaking to the powerful.”
Joseph’s driving passion is his jealousy to see the Lordship of Christ manifest over every realm of society so the church can fulfill the cultural mandate in Genesis 1:28. This passion has resulted in extensive ministry nationally and internationally, reaching out to many nations of the world including the former Soviet Union, Turkey, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Honduras, Holland, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Canada, Mexico and Cuba.
In November 1999 he started City Covenant Coalition, a network of clergy and marketplace ministries. They have come together to build the Body of Christ and work for citywide, national and global transformation (CCC has since become one of the largest and most influential clergy groups in the greater New York region). In 2004 CCC led the charge for traditional marriage in the New York region. CCC’s efforts for traditional marriage in 2004 positively influenced the social/political landscape of New York and included possibly the largest ever assembly of clergy for a press conference on the steps of New York City Hall. CCC incited another event at City Hall in which thousands of citizens renewed their vows and opposed same-sex unions and marriages. This event received extensive media coverage including network television news, radio and major local and national newspapers. These political and social events have given birth to City Action Coalition and American Action Coalition, local and national clergy led non-profit organizations that educate and activate the Body of Christ in regards to engaging the culture by applying the biblical worldview to culture and public policy.
Joseph also has hosted his own radio show “Light Your City” and a weekly cable television programs “The Ekklesia.” He is a regular contributor to Christian newspapers, and through the years has given numerous radio and television interviews and press conferences, including guest appearances on TBN. His first published book Ruling in the Gates was released in April 2003 and has already had international acclaim.
In recognition of his years of faithful service and significant influence, numerous local and national bishops and apostolic leaders consecrated Joseph to the Office of Bishop on April 29, 2006.
Joseph, his wife, Joyce and their five children live in Brooklyn, New York.
Most people know that in order to excel at anything in life you must be devoted; you have to sacrifice time, expend energy, and give yourself over to your goals in order to achieve them. Paul the Apostle told us in Philippians that this attitude was the key to his great success as a disciple of Christ. Philippians 3:13-14 says “ . . . . I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." This one thing I do. Less is more when we are focused on achieving mastery in any area of our lives.
Most people know that in order to excel at anything in life you must be devoted; you have to sacrifice time, expend energy, and give yourself over to your goals in order to achieve them. Paul the Apostle told us in Philippians that this attitude was the key to his great success as a disciple of Christ.
Philippians 3:7-14 says:
“But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
Not as though I had already attained, either were already if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”
I. “This One Thing I Do”
A. Less is more when we are focused on achieving mastery in any area of our lives.
1. The Bible teaches that fools have no focus but their eyes are scattered across the face of the earth (Proverbs 17:24).
B. We see from this passage in Philippians that Paul centered his life on knowing Christ Jesus as his Lord. We all need a center that we anchor our lives and focus on, something by which we judge all other things before we commit to doing anything.
C. Knowing Christ was the standard he measured everything against that determined what he would do with his time. He actually counted everything else as “dung” compared to his hunger to know Christ! No matter what he did, he did for the Lord and with His presence.
D. Whenever a person says yes to something, they are also saying no to something else. For example, when someone gets married, they are saying yes to their new spouse but also saying no to living a single, self-centered life, which means giving up some friends, activities, etc. But if you love the person you married, then you willingly make that exchange and give up things you were formerly devoted to.
E. This is what Jesus meant in Luke 14:28 when He told people who wanted to follow Him to “count the cost.” There is always a cost in taking on a commitment. The cost of time spent with the Master means time not spent doing other things or being with other people.
F. When we become a disciple of Christ it implies we are living a life centered on Christ. You cannot have two centers; either you will love the one and hate the other or hate the one and love the other. You cannot serve two masters!
G. The three things Paul did to stay focused on Christ:
1. He lost all things. He did not really give up everything; he was still prosperous, had friends, had food, possessions, his own business, etc. What he really means is that in his heart and mind he surrendered all that he was and all that he had to Christ as his Lord.
2. He forgot those things that were behind. We must forget our failures lest they condemn us and we lose our faith and motivation. We also have to forget our successes lest we think we have arrived and lose our hunger to know and please God.
3. He pressed toward the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Press means to run after, follow after, to pursue, to seek after eagerly; to earnestly endeavor to acquire the end in mind. When we press we are pushing through, past resistance and obstacles. It is not always easy and implies difficulty and the need for patience and perseverance.
Joseph Mattera