View source for Times Square Church

{{Short description|Church in Manhattan, New York}}
{{Use American English|date=August 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2024}}
{{Infobox church
| name                   = Times Square Church
| image                  = Times-square-church.jpg
| imagesize              = 150px
| caption                = Front entrance of Times Square Church in the [[Mark Hellinger Theatre]]
| pushpin map            = New York City
| pushpin label position = none
| pushpin map alt        = Location within New York City
| pushpin mapsize        = 250
| map caption            =
| coordinates            =
{{coord|40|45|45|N|73|59|03|W|region:US-NY_type:landmark|display=it}}
| location               = 237 West 51st Street<br>[[New York City]], [[New York (state)|New York]] 10019
| country                = [[United States]]
| denomination           = [[Interdenominationalism|Interdenominational]]
| website                = {{Official website|http://tsc.nyc}}
| founded date           = October 1987
| founder                = [[David Wilkerson]]
| seniorpastor           = Tim Dilena
| pastor                 = Tim Dilena<br/>[[Carter Conlon]]<br/>Patrick Pierre<br/>Teresa Conlon
}}

'''Times Square Church''' is an [[Interdenominationalism|interdenominational]] congregation located at the [[Mark Hellinger Theatre]] on 237 [[51st Street (Manhattan)|West 51st Street]] in the [[Theater District, Manhattan|Theater District]] of [[Manhattan]] in [[New York City]]. Times Square Church was founded by Pastor [[David Wilkerson]] in 1987 and bought the Mark Hellinger Theatre in 1991.

==Church history==
The Times Square Church was founded by David Wilkerson in 1987. At the time, Times Square frequently hosted X-rated films and strip clubs, and prostitution and drug addiction were commonplace in the area. Wilkerson opened the church in response to what he described as "the physically destitute and spiritually dead people" he saw among the pimps, runaways and crack dealers who populated the area.<ref>{{cite web |title=The History of Times Square Church: A testimony of obedience |url=http://tsc.nyc/history/ |publisher=tsc.nyc |access-date=January 25, 2018}}</ref> The Times Square Church briefly held its services at [[The Town Hall (New York City)|Town Hall]] on 43rd Street in [[Manhattan]] and then in the [[Nederlander Theatre]] on 41st Street.<ref name="n90558243">{{Cite news |last=Singleton |first=Don |date=March 5, 1989 |title=SRO for Jesus on Broadway |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/90558243/sro-for-jesus-on-broadwaydon-singleton/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211214154804/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/90558243/sro-for-jesus-on-broadwaydon-singleton/ |archive-date=December 14, 2021 |access-date=December 14, 2021 |work=New York Daily News |pages=23 |via=newspapers.com}}</ref>

In February 1989, the Nederlander Organization leased the [[Mark Hellinger Theatre]] to the Times Square Church.<ref>{{Cite news |date=February 9, 1989 |title=A Church to Occupy the Mark Hellinger Theater |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/90558523/a-church-to-occupy-the-mark-hellinger/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211214154802/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/90558523/a-church-to-occupy-the-mark-hellinger/ |archive-date=December 14, 2021 |access-date=December 14, 2021 |work=Newsday |pages=155 |via=newspapers.com}}</ref><ref name="p962771570">{{cite magazine |date=February 17, 1989 |title=Hellinger Theater Going to Church |journal=Back Stage |page=4A |volume=30 |issue=7 |id={{ProQuest|962771570}}}}</ref> Times Square Church purchased the building from the [[Nederlander Organization]] for an undisclosed amount in 1991. At the time, the value of the building was estimated to be between $15 million&ndash;$18 million.<ref name="NYT-12-07-91">{{cite web |last=Collins |first=Glenn |title=Hellinger Theater Sold To Church |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1991/12/07/theater/hellinger-theater-sold-to-church.html |date=December 7, 1991 |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=July 15, 2009}}</ref> Upon its purchase, Pastor Donald W. Wilkerson, brother of David Wilkerson and one of the church leaders, declared that the theater would not be altered, saying "The theater is landmarked and it will remain the same."<ref name="NYT-12-07-91"/> The church was described as an [[Evangelism|evangelical]] [[Pentecostalism|pentecostal]] church headed by three pastors: David Wilkerson, his brother, Donald Wilkerson, and Robert Phillips.<ref name="NYT-12-07-91"/> The theater is still the church's current location on 51st Street.

In 2001, David Wilkerson entrusted the senior pastorate to Carter Conlon, formerly an evangelical pastor from eastern Canada and associate pastor at Times Square Church from 1994 to 2001. It also features visiting missionaries and ministers.{{Citation needed|date=October 2025}} 

From 2007 to 2009 the church organized an event called ''Prayer in the Square'', a prayer rally which took place in [[Times Square]].

On May 5, 2020, Tim Dilena became Senior Pastor, the third since the church’s founding. He had a lifelong association with founding pastor David Wilkerson and has regularly preached at the church for many years.

==Building==
{{Main|Mark Hellinger Theatre}}

[[File:Hellinger Theatre auditorium 2006.jpg|thumb|left|[[Mark Hellinger Theatre]], 2006]]

The Mark Hellinger Theatre was originally built by [[Warner Bros.]] in 1930 as a [[movie palace]], the Warner Hollywood Theatre, which was later converted to a [[Broadway (theatre)|Broadway]] venue.<ref name="Morrison">{{Cite Morrison Broadway |pages=162–163}}</ref> It has 1,603 seats.<ref name="nyt-1981-06-08">{{Cite news |last=Corry |first=John |date=June 8, 1981 |title=The World Is Audience at Theater Tribal Ritual |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1981/06/08/theater/the-world-is-audience-at-theater-tribal-ritual.html |access-date=December 14, 2021 |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=December 14, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211214180951/https://www.nytimes.com/1981/06/08/theater/the-world-is-audience-at-theater-tribal-ritual.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Notable Broadway musicals that have played at the theater include ''[[My Fair Lady]]'', ''[[Jesus Christ Superstar]]'', and the [[Katharine Hepburn]] musical ''[[Coco (musical)|Coco]]''.<ref>"[http://www.ibdb.com/venue.aspx?id=1202 Times Square Church]" at [[Internet Broadway Database]]</ref>
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==References==
'''Notes'''
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Official website|http://tsc.nyc}}

{{Midtown North, Manhattan}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Evangelical megachurches in the United States]]
[[Category:Megachurches in New York (state)]]
[[Category:Churches in Manhattan]]
[[Category:Theater District, Manhattan]]