Cities for Christ - The next step

If you have already heard the call of the lost from the world's cities or if you are just beginning to hear that call, there are ways you can further explore what God may have in mind for you. The following steps were suggested in The Challenge of the Cities by Roger S. Greenway.

1) Grow

Most important is your own spiritual development. Ministry in cities requires that you "put on the full armor of God" (Eph. 6:11), not just once or occasionally, but daily. Therefore, stretch your spiritual horizons. Go beyond your individual development into church-related concerns and areas of ministry in which you must pay a price in order to strengthen others.

2) Get Involved

Become involved in some kind of organized urban mission work. It will give you valuable experience and will test your gifts for ministry. Offer yourself as an "apprentice" to an effective urban pastor, evangelist or missionary. Observe carefully how the Lord uses his workers. Learn all you can about presenting the Gospel to different kinds of people and meeting a variety of needs.

3) Learn

Read books and journals that deal with mission work in cities and learn all you can about different models of urban ministry. If possible, take a course in urban ministry at a Bible college or seminary. Some schools offer advanced academic programs in urban mission.

4) Explore

Investigate a particular city. Begin by studying a map of the city and identifying its different parts - the commercial areas, industrial zones and residential neighborhoods. Look closely at the areas that are growing in population and the kinds of people and cultures found there.

Then choose one neighborhood and study its people - their religions, cultures, languages and social conditions. Inquire about their spiritual, social and material needs. Find out if there are vital churches in every language group. Then think about ways to advance Christ's Kingdom in particular neighborhoods.

5) Pray

Develop and maintain a prayer ministry for cities. Prayer is missionary action. You can begin your urban mission immediately by making a list of certain cities in various parts of the world. Learn all you can about the people and their needs. Then pray regularly that God will build His Kingdom in those cities.

Follow these steps and you will grow in your understanding of what urban mission entails. God will increase the burden of your heart for cities and will show you what role He wants you to play. Consider it a great privilege if He calls you to be His co-worker in building His Kingdom in the most strategic places in the world, the cities.