About Us

A man with a beard and glasses in business attire, wearing a white shirt, blue polka dot tie, and dark vest, posed for a selfie with a blurred background of a modern indoor setting with lights.

Macho Lara

Pastor, writer, and educator.

I’ve been immersed in ministry my entire life. As a pastor’s kid with a deep love for the local church, I’ve served as a preacher, teacher, and worship leader across a variety of settings. My greatest passion is seeing the Gospel lived out through the everyday lives of ordinary people—embodied in community, expressed through justice and compassion, and rooted in the transformative love of Jesus.

I’m the co-founding pastor of The Table NYC, a small and diverse church community shaped by hospitality, justice, and spiritual formation. With a background in both ministry and workforce development, I bring a grounded, incarnational approach to leadership. My work is rooted in Scripture, shaped by suffering, and marked by spiritual resilience.

I currently serve bi-vocationally as a Lead IT Instructor at Year Up United, a national organization committed to closing the opportunity divide for young adults. I teach technical and professional skills, lead a team of instructors, and help cultivate a learning environment where students are formed in confidence, character, and career readiness. My work bridges faith and vocation, and reflects a deep commitment to holistic transformation through education, leadership, and opportunity.

I’m the author of Those Who Wait: Biblical Stories for When God Seems Slow (2025) and Ctrl+Alt➔Believe (coming 2026), and I frequently speak and write on spiritual formation, suffering, calling, and the Church’s mission in a fractured world.

Close-up of a smiling woman with curly brown hair, wearing hoop earrings and a yellow top, against a blue background.

Erica Lara

Preacher, teacher, and leadership developer.

I’ve spent nearly 20 years in youth ministry and youth development, serving in both church and nonprofit spaces. I’m passionate about creating environments where young people can wrestle honestly with faith, identity, and purpose. My heart is to see them empowered to lead with integrity and hope.

I hold a Bachelor’s in Youth and Christian Education from Nyack College and a Master’s in International Leadership Studies from Crown College. Over the years, I’ve served both on the frontlines and behind the scenes—mentoring leaders, building bridges between churches and communities, and helping shape the next generation of voices.

I currently serve as the City Life Cohort Director with Youth For Christ NYC. In that role, I oversee leadership development for youth workers across the city and help develop outreach strategies that reflect Christ’s heart for urban youth.

Whether I’m preaching to a room of teenagers, leading a training for volunteers, or simply walking alongside someone in their calling, my commitment remains the same. I want to see young people and the leaders who serve them grow in faith, identity, and purpose.

Catch us on social media

Together

Erica

Macho

Macho

A group of four people smiling outdoors near a lake with trees in the background.

While our paths and passions are distinct, our calling is shared. Whether we’re leading retreats, speaking at events, preaching together, leading worship, or simply offering hospitality in our home, we are committed to helping others encounter God in ways that are rooted, Spirit-led, and relational. Our ministry reflects who we are…a married couple living with purpose in Queens, walking by faith, and seeking to be present to both God and neighbor.

We are currently residing in Sunnyside, Queens with our children, Eliana & Elias.

  • Hospitality is not a program we run. It is a way we live. We seek to make room for people to be seen, known, and loved—whether around a dinner table, in a church basement, or at a retreat. We believe God often meets people in ordinary places first.

  • We have spent years investing in young people and the leaders who serve them. We believe in the potential, honesty, and courage of the next generation. Whether through preaching, leadership development, or quiet encouragement, we are committed to helping them lead with clarity and conviction.

  • We know what it is to wait, to hurt, and to rebuild. We believe deep transformation happens slowly, shaped by rhythms of community, Scripture, lament, and grace. Our preaching, mentoring, and writing are rooted in a faith that can withstand delay and disappointment.

  • Following Jesus calls us to care about systems, structures, and the people often overlooked. Justice is not a trend or a side project. It is part of our spiritual formation. We long to see communities flourish and believe the Church must participate in that renewal with love and courage.

What We Value

A Glimpse Into Our Voice and Rhythm

August 7, 2025
YoungLives camp | Lake Champion
Teaching: Erica Lara
Translating: Macho Lara

July 20, 2025
The Table NYC | Sunnyside, Queens
Teaching: Macho Lara

June 29, 2025
The Table NYC | Sunnyside, Queens
Teaching: Erica Lara