What is God’s Global Urban Mission? from Redeemer City to City on Vimeo.

Rev. Tim Keller, Senior Pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church, shares at the Luasanne Congress event in South Africa. As I watched, he brought affirmation to the belief that Suburbia is one of the most dangerous places of this world and the City is the mission field, especially for the Artisan Warriors.

Here are some key insights from his talk.

WHY WE MUST:

• The 21st century will not be dominated by US, China, Brazil or India but by the City (New York, Beijing, Mumbai, Los Angeles, Rio De Janeiro)
• Over Half the world population lives in Cities.
• 100 cities account for 30% of worlds economy and almost all of the innovations.
• The new generation lives in the city
• The immigrants (unreachable), young adults, artists and the poor all reside in the city.
• In the cities, there are more image of God per square inch than any other place in the world.
• No more than 300 years ago, 3% population lived in cities. Now over 50% live in cities.
• 8 million (size of Bangkok, Thailand) move into the city every 2 months.
• Church has to be where the people are because God loves people more than plants. (City more than Country.)

HOW WE SHOULD: Church in the City

• Patient with charges of cultural sensitivity
• Integrate Faith and their work
• Constantly open to disorder and change
• Intensely evangelistic and Famous for concern for justic
• Commitment to the Arts
• Churches have to be cooperative

WHY WE CAN:

• Genesis 18: God visits Abraham, “I’m going to go destroy these cities.”
• 3 things Abraham did to try to save the Cities: (1) Prayed for the unbelieving Cities. (2) Endangered himself for the Cities. (3) Made a theological case. “Is it possible that the righteousness of the few, saved the undeserving many.”
• It didn’t work. The City was destroyed. Why? Because they didn’t have the right priest. But today, we do: Jesus.
• Jesus Christ is the Reality to Abraham pointed.
• We can be  priest for the people of the city that need us and point them to the ultimate High priest.
• Look at the cities of this world, look at the masses of these cities, God says. Why are you not moved by them, why are you not going there… So let’s go.

All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own.  -Hebrews 11:13-14

Earlier this week, I took my family to an ocean-themed animal park where we watched a dolphin show.

I used to love this place as a child, but as an adult, I found it to be rather depressing: here were these beautiful creatures of God, confined to man-made tanks, swimming around in circles, forced to perform tricks in order to earn a reward (which usually consisted of one or two little fish). Apparently, many of these animals were born and raised in captivity, so they’ve never tasted freedom in the open seas before. To them, these little tanks have been the only reality they’ve ever known.

They have no idea that they were created for so much more.

Many of us go through life just like these dolphins: going around in circles, caught up in a false reality, jumping through hoops in the hopes of having a few meager rewards tossed our way when, in fact, we were created for so much more. Though we were born into a fallen world, we were made in God’s image (Gen.1:27) to do good works (Eph. 2:10), a chosen people and a royal priesthood (1 Pet. 2:9) whose true citizenship is in heaven (Phil.3:20). We are spiritual beings caught up in a spiritual battle (Eph. 6:12), and as God’s children, we are given the authority to cast out demons and heal the sick (Mark 16:17-18). This is the true nature of our reality, and the world, with all it has to offer, is often nothing more than a dolphin tank, an artificial environment designed to make us forget where we really came from and prevent us from discovering who we really are.

If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country-a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. -Hebrews 11:15-16

[Stephen Bay is the Prayer Ministry Pastor of Newsong Church. He is a fellow friend and an anointed writer. You can read more of his writings at www.stephenbay.com]

History has proven that one person can cause an irrevocable shift in direction of mankind. One brave soul can pivot the course of humanity. One sacrifical lamb can save an entire people group. A single zealot can force change, stop evil, or inspire a new generation of leaders. The power of one can make a difference.

Recently, in a lunch conversation with an artisan friend, Chad Markey, I said something that actually felt supernatural.

“Life is not about becoming significant, but discovering your significance.”

Chew on that a little.

There is a dangerous trap in doing things just to be significant. I think that is where burn out and discontent happens. You try to define your identity with what you do rather than who you are. You find comfort in the clarity of your title or role.

However, as you slow down, and pay attention to the Beauty all around you, you will see that many things that are beautiful is beautiful because they simply are who God design them to be.

Flowers are flowers. Birds are birds. Babies are babies. It’s not necessarily what they do but who they are. We have been losing sight of seeing ourselves as unique, beautiful creations that God loves so much.

In that Love, we are significant.

When we bask in the deluge of His Love, our love for people become supernatural. It’s gets easier to love people when you yourselves are experiencing His Love. The overflow of His Love motivates us to move to action. The same Love that doesn’t waver no matter how much or little you do.

So will you start or continue your journey to discover your significance?

**Sam Song is the Creative Arts Pastor of Newsong Church. He also is the Founder/Executive Director of Story of Yellow.**

Study of the Prophet Jeremiah:

This is MICHELANGELO BUONARROTI painting, “Jeremiah”. Spend some time asking yourself these questions.

1. Who is this man?
2. What was his calling?
3. Read Jeremiah 1

What are your thoughts?

—–

Previous Posts on Jeremiah:

“A Letter to the Exiles” (Artisans)

“Rick” was a sullen man, bristling with anger and resentment, his face contorted into a perpetual scowl.  He was a swirling mass of negativity, one with a gravitational pull so strong, you’d get depressed just being in the same room with him.  For the brave soul who’d attempt to make small talk with him, a simple “How are you?” would be met with a lengthy rant about everything that’s wrong with his life, and how the forces of the universe are all seemingly aligned against him.

During one such encounter, I offered to pray for him but he refused.  I tried to encourage him with a word that God would watch over him and lift him out of his circumstances.  He then launched into a story of how he had been robbed several nights before and asked, “If God is looking out for me, why did I get robbed?”

“You didn’t get killed, right?”

Rick was taken aback and gaped at me for a beat.  “No, I didn’t get killed,” he replied softly, as if processing this thought for the very first time.

“See?  God was looking out for you.”

It’s been months since that conversation, and Rick is a changed man after that simple shift in perspective.  He now smiles more than he scowls, he doesn’t exude bad vibes the way he used to, he welcomes prayer when it’s offered to him, and even though he still faces many of the same challenges as he did before, he tends to talk about the positive side of things rather than the negative.  To him, the glass is no longer half-empty, it’s half-full – and he sees that God is The One filling that glass.

Studies have shown that people who regularly express gratitude are more likely to be happier and healthier than those who don’t.  And these are secular studies – just think of how much more this is true for those who know the LORD and make it a regular rhythm to give Him thanks and praise.

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Phil.4:7)

[Stephen Bay is the Prayer Ministry Pastor of Newsong Church. He is a fellow friend and an anointed writer. You can read more of his writings at www.stephenbay.com]

Later that day, I opened up the bible and read the following. This prophesy launched a year of painful and tearful refinement of my being.

What does it say to you?

A Letter to the Exiles (Jeremiah 29 NLT)

1 Jeremiah wrote a letter from Jerusalem to the elders, priests, prophets, and all the people who had been exiled to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar. 2 This was after King Jehoiachin,[a] the queen mother, the court officials, the other officials of Judah, and all the craftsmen and artisans had been deported from Jerusalem. 3 He sent the letter with Elasah son of Shaphan and Gemariah son of Hilkiah when they went to Babylon as King Zedekiah’s ambassadors to Nebuchadnezzar. This is what Jeremiah’s letter said:

4 This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says to all the captives he has exiled to Babylon from Jerusalem: 5 “Build homes, and plan to stay. Plant gardens, and eat the food they produce. 6 Marry and have children. Then find spouses for them so that you may have many grandchildren. Multiply! Do not dwindle away! 7 And work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I sent you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, for its welfare will determine your welfare.”

8 This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: “Do not let your prophets and fortune-tellers who are with you in the land of Babylon trick you. Do not listen to their dreams, 9 because they are telling you lies in my name. I have not sent them,” says the Lord.

10 This is what the Lord says: “You will be in Babylon for seventy years. But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will bring you home again. 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. 12 In those days when you pray, I will listen. 13 If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. 14 I will be found by you,” says the Lord. “I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.”

15 You claim that the Lord has raised up prophets for you in Babylon. 16 But this is what the Lord says about the king who sits on David’s throne and all those still living here in Jerusalem—your relatives who were not exiled to Babylon. 17 This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: “I will send war, famine, and disease upon them and make them like bad figs, too rotten to eat. 18 Yes, I will pursue them with war, famine, and disease, and I will scatter them around the world. In every nation where I send them, I will make them an object of damnation, horror, contempt, and mockery. 19 For they refuse to listen to me, though I have spoken to them repeatedly through the prophets I sent. And you who are in exile have not listened either,” says the Lord.

20 Therefore, listen to this message from the Lord, all you captives there in Babylon. 21 This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says about your prophets—Ahab son of Kolaiah and Zedekiah son of Maaseiah—who are telling you lies in my name: “I will turn them over to Nebuchadnezzar[b] for execution before your eyes. 22 Their terrible fate will become proverbial, so that the Judean exiles will curse someone by saying, ‘May the Lord make you like Zedekiah and Ahab, whom the king of Babylon burned alive!’ 23 For these men have done terrible things among my people. They have committed adultery with their neighbors’ wives and have lied in my name, saying things I did not command. I am a witness to this. I, the Lord, have spoken.”

“Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.”

This is my all time favorite, “pump me up”, “get ready to change the world” inspirational video. When you feel like you are “crazy” just remember that “the people crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.”