As those closer to me probably know, I have a strong desire to move to Chicago and begin a ministry. There are several (excuses? reasons? hurdles? …I’ll call them issues) that get in the way of simply moving from a small, mostly conservative city in Virginia to a large, mostly liberal city in Illinois. You know exactly what those issues are – in fact if you read those first couple sentences and asked yourself, “Why in the world would you want to move to Chicago?” it can be presupposed that you have reasons why you wouldn’t be caught dead there – and believe me, I’m probably aware of them myself.

The issues that usually first arise are simply preferential: it’s cold, big, bustling, flat (if you’ve ever lived near mountains you understand that one). Then also come the practical: it’s expensive, cold, economically unstable, and far away (from Virginia). I’m here to say that the preferential is, by its definition, preference. There’s nothing wrong with being okay with a big, bustling, flat, cold city; shockingly, some people may be okay with or even prefer that. Practical issues can be overcome (although they have proven to be the most challenging for us). About 2.7 million people in the city of Chicago overcame those issues in 2012. Although poverty & crime exists along with prosperity, living in either extreme is doable and has been and always will be done, especially for those doing the work of the Lord (Matthew 6:25-34, 2 Corinthians 12:9). These people who did it put on a coat, walked to their jobs, and paid their rent. I would be willing to bet a majority of them did it again in 2013, but that’s just speculation on my part…

Then come the issues of WASPs in the so-called “Bible Belt” have: it’s largely Post-Christian, urban, criminal and dangerous, corrupt, ethnically, orientationally, and religiously diverse, and *gasp* liberal! Clicky here and see! This generalization of white people doesn’t exclude me…I’m rather WASPy myself, but I want to tell you that Chicago is a more accurate depiction of the world – big, beautiful, and lost. It seems scary, but the world is where we live and have been appointed by God to be witnesses to (Acts 1:8). So tell me, why is it the world that I should avoid? Why must I live in the comfort of similarity, familiarity, and convenience?

Let’s set politics aside for a while, shall we? There’s still plenty of time for that.

I’m reading a book entitled, Urban Christianity and Global Order: Theological Resources for an Urban Future by Andrew Davey. It has, thus far, proven to be a great resource to understand the order of the urban in the world today. It has brought up points within the urban environment that I hadn’t thought of before as well as brought to light scripture that supports urban ministry.

Come, let’s explore some of these newly lit areas!

The world is becoming more and more urbanized, along with that must come an urbanization of ministry. Many American Christians in 2014 have fallen behind in realizing the urbanization of the world that is now more than 50% urban (The U.S. alone is ~80% urban)! Churches can no longer be okay with needing a private building on private land with a large steeple and extra parking spots for husbands and wives to drive separately before we can label it “church.” This is not to discredit those churches and the work they do – I grew up and was molded by such a church, and I love and miss that church. However, there needs to come a realization that the urban environment must be witnessed to in a different way.

Both Testaments of the Bible display the city as being a dark influence of the world – and this is important to note. Think of Jonah, called by God to ministry in Nineveh – a people Jonah even regarded as hopeless; Jeremiah was a prophet of God called to reveal the sins of Judah during exile; Daniel worked closely with the pagan king Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon, never forsaking the name of the Lord. I urge you to read about the horrific brutality, immorality, and corruption of these cities, as well as the oftentimes reluctant, painful, and doubtful work of these great men of God within them. These are cities God cared about – despite the fact that the prophets often wrote them off as lost. But behold God’s work fulfilled within them, no matter how ephemeral. The Apostles of Christ throughout Acts begin their ministries in large port cities, enabling the spread of the revolutionary movement of Christ. Many of Paul’s epistles go to churches within large, influential, and morally corrupt cities (Corinth, Thessalonica, Philippi, Rome, etc.). Just think of what you know outside of the Bible of the corruption and immorality of Rome and its leaders alone (if it helps, Paul was executed during the reign of Emperor Nero)! John’s Revelation is written first to the churches established in and corrupted by Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea (Revelation 2 & 3). If anything the state of these cities during these eras should bring you comfort as to the current state of cities within the modern world, and hope for witnessing to them!

So is the city hopeless? Should it be forgotten and forsaken? No, some of the most important ministries, churches, and movements were intentionally targeted for cities. They are important points of community for God – so important they were targeted by the apostles and the prophets (Jeremiah 29:7). So important, God’s perfect community for those who put their faith in Him is the city of Heaven. So important, more than half the world has become an urban mission. To me it begs the question: is it fair to hog the gifts and provisions that I have received through my faith in Christ Jesus for only those in my comfortably familiar little community? Nah, I think I’ll share them – and who better to share them with than those who need them and are furthest from discovering them? I could and do share with my wife, friends, and family and it’s hopefully encouraging to them, but it doesn’t necessarily expand the kingdom of God.

Please don’t think I’m discrediting other missions or the mission work already being done within the urban setting – this is simply to bring up the importance of going to the dark places of the world with the light of Christ instead of avoiding them completely. To answer the question of – why on earth would you go there!  This isn’t it, I think in my next blog I want to get into urbanization and why the city is the way it is – diverse and different. It’s rather fascinating the way a city is made up, and it looks different from what you would expect – but it isn’t surprising. Along with the book I’m reading now (see above), another VERY important resource is one by Francis A. Schaeffer entitled Death in the City. Its focus is the death occuring within the city – why the church is partially responsible, and what the church needs to do to bring the city back to God.

Until next time, be sure to check out my first blog “Catching Foxes“ if you haven’t already!

Grace & Peace

Chris

P.S. – Between involves the relationship, comparison, or discussion that involves two of something or someone. (e.g., “a pact was made between the brothers”). If there is a relationship, comparison, or discussion that involves more than two of something or someone, the word you should use is among (e.g., “a pact was made among the five siblings”). This new confusion of these words is even used in formal writing/speaking now-a-days and it’s driving me loco!