Virginia based Harvest Chinese Christian Church will expand its operations into the New York metro area, marking the church’s official foray into the region and adding the latest to in a recent string of expansion.

Church director Boli Zhang explained that the new churches can help connect mainland Chinese people entering America to Christ.

“Mainland Chinese people come to United States is not coincidently,” Zhang said. “It’s God’s will to lead these people to know him and worship him in a country has religion freedom. Harvest Chinese Christian church will bring this blessing from heaven to all Chinese people. ”

The new churches were necessitated after a successful evangelism conference Zhang held in New York. The event netted so many newly committed members, a church was then needed, leading to the new uptown Manhattan, Flushing and Brooklyn churches.

Doors will open May 8th.

Harvest Church’s New York locations follow previous expansion by the church overseas and growth at its home.

In 2009, following the global financial crisis, Zhang held a similar evangelism drive in Singapore, the fruits of which have recently spawned four Harvest branches in the country. Last February, the original Harvest Chinese Church in Fairfax, Virginia also got their new church building and held big opening ceremony.

Zhang’s stature has grown among Chinese preachers as he has lead thousands of Chinese to Christ.

[Editor's note: reporter Jochebed Bai translated the report.]