Missions Mandate (Part 5)-Urban Missions

The Call to Missions

The History of Missions

Some Insights on Missions

The Local Church And Missions

Review:

7 Ways for an urban local church to engage in missions:

1. Church planting
2. Strengthening new believers and local churches
3. Ministering to specific physical needs of other local churches/community of believers
4. Tent making
5. Praying
6. Partner with those involved in missions
7. Using all available means to minister Jesus Christ

Today: Urban Missions (Reaching cities)

The Cries of the city

God is aware of what is happening within the city.

Ninevah Jonah 1:2

Sodom & Gomorrah Genesis 13:13, Genesis 18:17,18,20,21

Contrast in response : Abraham prayed, while Jonah wanted to avoid the call to the city.

Ezekiel 9:4 God is looking for people who will respond to the cries of the city.

Church planting teams

We must become intentional about urban missions via church planting in cities or parts of a city where God’s Kingdom must invade.
Paul, Aquila and Priscilla at Corinth Acts 18:1-11
Can draw out some key points from the above passage on how they went about planting an urban church.

Key point : Identify and work with people whom God has touched within the city :

At Corinth – Paul and team worked with Aquila and Priscilla, with Justus, and later on God sent Apollos to them (Acts 18:24-28)
At Philippi – Paul and his team found a business woman name Lydia (Acts 16:12-15) through whom they were welcomed into the city.
At Ephesus – Paul used the school of a man named Tyrannus.

Matthew 10:11-13

Power encounters in the marketplace

Very often we wonder what will it take to have a powerful impact on the city?

Yes it is important to be relevant – that is to present the gospel in the language of the people, and Yes it is important for us to use all available means/methods to proclaim the gospel. Paul taught us to do so in
1 Corinthians 9:22

However, one important key to unlocking the hearts of people in cities is to demonstrate the power of God in the marketplace.

Jesus demonstrated the power of God in village, country sides and in the city Mark 6:56

Matthew 11:20-24

He expected repentance as the outcome of demonstrating mighty works in cities. When some cities did not respond – He did look to offer alternative approaches. He pronounced judgment.

The false religions of intellectualism, materialism, humanism and hedonism dominate the lives of people in most cities. Our approach to reach them is by the demonstrations of God’s power.

Paul at Paphos (Acts 13:6-12) – the leader of the city was affected when he saw the demonstration of God’s power

Paul at Philippi (Acts 16:16-19) – the city was affected when the demonic power that dominated the people in the city was overthrown.

Paul at Ephesus (Acts 19:8-20) – the demonstration of the power of God through miracles affected this city.

Conclusion

* Ezekiel 9:4 Will you respond to the cries of the city
* Will we be intentional about planting churches across cities. Will you go?
* Let us desire to see more of the glory of God released through us in supernatural demonstrations for city transformation.