Editor’s Note: Andy Vital is one of the featured church planters in 2025 Maguire State Mission Offering resources. The statewide 2025 offering goal of $1 million is earmarked to help reach the 16.7 million Florida residents who do not have a saving relationship with Jesus Christ, with 100% of all receipts designated to help launch church plants in the state.

LAKE WORTH—When Pastor Andy Vital and his wife, Deborha, packed up their belongings in New Jersey and drove toward an uncertain future in South Florida, they had no jobs, no savings for the journey—and no doubt that God had called them.

“We didn’t have enough money to make the trip,” Vital recalled. “But we knew God had said to go. And from the U-Haul rental the night before we left, to meals and gas money along the way, He provided through the kindness of friends—every single step.”

Now, four years later, the couple is preparing to launch Glory City Church in Lake Worth, a gospel-centered church plant focused on reaching Haitian Americans and young minorities in South Florida with a message of purpose and hope.

It’s a journey marked by faith, hardship and provision—and one that’s been made possible in part through the generous gifts of Florida Baptists to the Maguire State Mission Offering.

From loss to new life

The road to church planting hasn’t been easy. After arriving in Florida in 2020, Vital accepted a ministry role at Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale—an unexpected opportunity that reaffirmed God’s provision. But as the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the couple faced wave after wave of personal tragedy.

His wife’s father passed away in 2020, followed by her mother’s rapid decline due to dementia in 2021. Then, just before their son was born, her brother died suddenly in 2022.

“In America, we don’t talk much about the gospel of suffering,” Vital said. “But we’ve learned that joy and sorrow can live in the same house. Those years were difficult, but they also deepened our faith and our understanding of who God is.”

During a mission trip to London, Vital met Pastor Cliff McCray, pastor of Radiant City Church in Boca Raton, who became a mentor and sending pastor. Their meeting reignited the call to plant a church and laid the groundwork for the establishment of Glory City Church.

A vision for Lake Worth

Glory City Church exists to help people without purpose find meaning in Jesus. Strategically located in Lake Worth, the church seeks to serve a diverse and underserved community, with outreach efforts already underway before its official launch.

“The pressures of this generation—financial, emotional, societal—are real,” Vital said. “People are searching for meaning. We believe they can find it in the gospel.”

The church’s vision is focused on reaching Haitian Americans—especially second-generation immigrants who often feel culturally disconnected from both traditional Haitian churches and broader American congregations.

“We want to build a truly Haitian-American church that resonates across cultures and generations,” explained Vital, a second-generation Haitian. “Our goal is to offer a space where young people feel seen, known and called.”

Fueling the mission

Thanks to the generous gifts through the Maguire State Mission Offering, Glory City Church has been able to put its missional heart into action. “We are deeply grateful for your support and invite you to continue supporting us as we prepare for our outreach launch.”

Recent projects include a community backpack drive and the launch of a “care closet” at a local elementary school, designed to meet practical needs—like clothing, hygiene items, and school supplies—while offering prayer and encouragement.

“We’re working with the school and local partners like CarePortal to be present before we even launch,” Vital said. “We want people to know: the church is here, and we care.”

How to support Glory City Church

As part of this year’s Maguire State Mission Offering emphasis, Florida Baptists are invited to pray for and support new churches like Glory City.

Vital shared two specific prayer requests: that God would continue to bring a diverse and committed launch team—including seasoned saints who can offer wisdom—and that financial support would grow as the church prepares for its official launch.

On a personal note, he also asked for prayers for balance and wisdom as he and his wife parent their two young children, Ezra (3) and Hadasah (1), while planting a church from the ground up.

“More than anything, we want our family to enjoy the process and draw closer to Jesus through it,” he said. “This isn’t just about starting a church—it’s about transformation, one life at a time.”