Serving God in Today’s Cities

Serving God in Today’s Cities
Facing the Challenges of Urbanization
(IVP, 2018)

WHO: Patrick Johnstone, author of Operation World, and Dean Merrill, author or coauthor of more than 40 books.

THEY SAY: “The tide of change that is now surging toward the world’s cities is not going to stop. We who serve the King of kings must accept it, understand it and take action.”

THE BIG IDEA: More people than ever live in cities. This book explores the fastest growing metropolises around the world, showing how Christian workers are addressing people’s physical, spiritual and social needs.

THE PROGRESSION:
Part 1, “Eye to see,” presents a factual look at what urban centers are like today, whether Christians should view them as headaches or opportunities and what God thinks of cities.
Part 2, “Eight Critical Responses,” breaks down different actions people can take to reach cities for Christ: pray, exegete, fight poverty, reach out to different populations, form churches, confront sinful structures, address people’s pain and embrace a wider vision.

“We must give our attention to the things that move the heart of God. Why? Because across the teeming cities of our world today, it is harvest time.”

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An Invitation to Pray

Praying specific can become an exciting adventure and partnership with God– truly seeking to pray the heart, mind and will of the Father!

Expect to Be Different

Avoiding interaction with the world will ensure not only that the world dies but that your church will too. This is the way salt works: it is either used proactively or it becomes destructive to the one who has it.

The Strengths of Smaller Healthy Churches

Small churches can create a family environment for disconnected people if they lean into the built-in intimacy they already have.