Who We Are
NextGen is a ministry dedicated to growing the Kingdom of God by inviting people of all ages to encounter Jesus. We encourage each person in their faith journey and help connect them with churches and communities that foster discipleship and growth.
Our Mission
Our mission is to point people to Jesus, believing that everyone is invited to have a relationship with Him. We strive to connect people with a local church, unite generations, and bring families together in a shared journey of faith.​
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Connecting to the Local Church​
We are a community that invites people to Jesus and seeks to connect them to churches in their hometowns.​
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Unity Across Generational Lines​
We want to see the bond between different generations grow and encourage them all to support one another in seeking Jesus.​
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Bringing Families Together
We want to reach the whole family, disciplining young children and even the adults ​
Our Vision
Inspired by Jesus’ compassion, we envision a community devoted to serving those in need, sharing hope and healing, and raising disciples who are equipped and sent to bring the gospel to a world longing for Christ’s love.
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Compassion-Driven Ministry
Following Jesus’ example, we seek to meet people where they are—bringing healing, hope, and practical support to those in need.
Sharing Hope and Healing
We commit to proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom with love, offering restoration and encouragement to all.
Raising and Sending Disciples
We equip and empower believers to grow in faith and join in the mission, sending laborers into the harvest.
Meet the Team
These are the faces behind NextGen.
Every event, prayer, and decision is covered with care and intention by this team. What started as a group of friends seeking more of God has grown into a ministry committed to helping others encounter Jesus and find true community. We’re honored to serve — and to keep saying “yes” to where He leads.
Our Beliefs
This organization holds the following statements to be true. These statements therefore influence all that we do, for the glory of God and purpose of bringing people to know Him.
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One God
There is one God, in three persons, who is sovereign overall. He created all things, and all things are His.
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Human Creation & Purpose
We were created for a relationship with God and bear His image. Everyone was created wonderfully and equally by God for His purpose.
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Separation from God
God is perfect and holy. Humans are sinful by nature, and this separates us from God.
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Jesus’ Sacrifice
God sent Jesus, his son, to earth as a human, bearing no sin, to live a perfect life, and yet take on the full responsibility of the punishment of sin. Jesus was punished through death and being forsaken by God. He overcame the power of sin and death by resurrecting from the dead.
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Reconciliation
Through this, we can be reconciled with God through Jesus Christ by accepting his atonement for our sin by His blood.
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Salvation for All
Everyone has the opportunity to choose salvation through Jesus Christ by confessing with their mouth and believing in their heart that Jesus is Lord.
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Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit indwells believers, meaning that we have direct and personal access to God.
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Relational
Our God is a relational God, who seeks and desires personal relationship with us as humans.
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The Cost
The cost of following Jesus is leaving behind our old life and becoming a new creation in Christ. This means we are actively running away from sin and towards a deeper relationship with Jesus.
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Scripture
The Bible is inspired by God and therefore infallible.
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Servanthood
The commitment to the Christian life includes a life dedicated to serving the one true God.
THE STORY WE CONTINUE
NextGen’s story is rooted in a legacy of powerful gatherings that helped connect and strengthen Cambodian believers across the East Coast. Events like CECYC (Cambodian East Coast Youth Conference) and YAR (Young Adult Retreat) were yearly highlights for many. With over 100 attendees in some years, these retreats created space for young people to encounter Jesus, build friendships, and worship freely. They revealed the power of meeting together — of stepping away from everyday life to draw closer to God.
People came expecting something, and God often met them there.
But as impactful as those moments were, we began to see a deeper need. We realized that retreats alone weren’t enough — something needed to change. We needed to invest in people’s day-to-day faith journey, helping them stay connected and growing once the retreat was over.
After those events came to a close, the second generation of PCEC (Philadelphia Cambodian Evangelical Church) — led by Living Water Church — picked up the mission by hosting yearly church retreats. These gatherings offered ongoing connection, spiritual renewal, and community across generations.
When Living Water Church closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, the future of these retreats became uncertain. That’s when NextGen was formed — a ministry created not just to continue retreats, but to reimagine the purpose behind them.
Today, NextGen carries on the retreat tradition while planting deeper roots. We are committed to pointing people to Jesus, but also to connecting them with local churches and ministries — believing that spiritual growth doesn’t stop after a weekend. Our vision is both legacy-minded and forward-looking, helping believers grow in faith, find lasting community, and live on mission.
