“The single most effective way for Christians to ‘reach’ the US would be for 25% of them to move to two or three of the largest cities and stay there for three generations.” Tim Keller
“So there was great joy in that city.” Acts 8:8 (HCSB)
“I have many people in this city.” Acts 18:10 (HCSB)
“ But they now aspire to a better land—a heavenly one. . . . for He has prepared a city for them.” Hebrews 11:16 (HCSB)
In 1974, Ralph Winter presented an address at the Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization entitled “The Highest Priority—Cross-Cultural Evangelism.” Winter’s address led to a growing focus on the identification of unreached people groups around the world. As these groups became identified worldwide it became apparent most of them live in one large region in the East. In 1990, Luis Bush coined the term the “10/40 window” referring to the area in the eastern hemisphere between 10 and 40 degrees north of the equator. Since then, the growing awareness of this region’s need for the gospel has had a profound effect the development of international mission strategy is developed. Of the 55 most unreached countries, 97% of their population lives in that window. Hardly a day goes by on our campus without mention of this designation. Much energy and urgency for the unsaved has been generated because of this focus.
The time has come for a western version of the 10/40 Window. Whereas the 10/40 Window refers to the area demanding the greatest cause for urgency, the window to which I refer holds as much promise as it manifests great need. I am referring to a revolutionary call to reach the great cities of the West, and of the world.
Arguably no one has championed the city as a place of promise and need as much as Tim Keller, pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City. Read Keller’s resources and you may join me in a conviction that the time has never been more urgent to reach the cities.
Why the Cities?
1. Biblically, the gospel spread via the cities of the Roman world. Simply study the book of Acts to see the priority given to cities. Large cities influence the culture like never before in history.In The Rise of Christianity (p. 129), Stark argued: ““Within a decade of the crucifixion of Jesus, the village culture of Palestine had been left far behind, and the Graeco-Roman city became the dominant environment of the Christian movement.” Keller observes that by AD 300, the urban areas of the Roman Empire were 90% Christian, but the countryside remained 90% pagan.
2. Strategically, commerce and culture flow through the cities. The flattening of the world has given large cities global ties and national influence. Now more than ever a teenager in rural NC decides everything from musical tastes to future plans based on urban America than from his local community. As a young adult I know in New York City recently observed, “Everything that will happen in the U.S. happens first in New York.” As the city goes, so goes the nation. Keller argues that large cities have as much or more power than states or nations today.
3. Globalization has caused large cities to be more similar than different around the world. In the past few years I have spent time in cities in several nations: Kiev, London, Paris, Florence, Rome, Chiang Mai, and Bangkok, among others. Add to that ventures to large cities in the US, and having lived in medium to large metropolitan areas from Birmingham and Raleigh-Durham to Indianapolis, Dallas-Fort Worth, and Houston, and a common theme is apparent. In most if not all of these cities I just named, one can go to a major shopping district and grab a quick meal at McDonald’s or a sit down meal at Hard Rock; grab a latte at Starbucks, and shop for Prada. I have done all the above except shop for Prada. I am not sure why anyone would shop for Prada, but apparently a lot of people do!
Major cities have more in common with each other from nation to nation than they do with rural areas in their own country. Pop culture, which changes little over space but rapidly over time, has increased in influence, while traditional culture, which changes slowly over time but varies greatly over space, has lessened in influence. We may reach Warsaw and Tokyo more by studying New York than by taking knowledge gained from village evangelism (overseas or in the US) to the cities.
4. Cities are changing.This past spring I spoke at a college in Dallas, Texas. On the flight home I sat next to a middle aged divorcee who had recently moved to the city-center in Dallas, the downtown area that had recently undergone a major revitalization, replete with loft apartments, and the ability to live a complete life never driving a car or traveling far from home. She loved her life. She epitomized what so many have found—the city can be a place of greatness, where excellence in the arts and education is appreciated, where energy and life pulsate 24/7. Keller has observed the rise of the city-center as key to understanding the city:“The center city, unlike the ‘inner city’ (where the poor live) or where the working-class live, is where there is a confluence of a) residences for professionals, b) major work and job centers, and c) major cultural institutions–all in close proximity.” Keller notes who lives there, people who have immense influence live in these centers—young professionals, mostly single; creative professionals; corporate leaders; leaders in the arts and education; new immigrant families; Second generation Americans; students/academics; and the gay community.
Anglo evangelicals have been fascinated with the suburbs for decades, but must begin to see the importance of the city-centers. As a child I remember when a trip across Birmingham to the zoo seemed like a forever-long excursion. Then, Interstate 59 was built in the 1960s. Suddenly the zoo was closer! We trace the rise of the (mostly suburban) magachurch to the year 1970 due in no small part to the ease of travel afforded by the interstate. But today the suburban-inner city dichotomy I hear so many use to categorize the city must be changed. The city-center and its holistic life view has replaced the suburbs and the shopping mall as the locus of influence; and we must realize that city is not synonymous with inner city.
5. We are losing the cities. My young adult friend in NYC would argue we have already lost them. We must go after them with the aggression of pioneer missionaries in an unchurched land, for that is where we are. In 2000 the Census Bureau reported that 80% of the US lives in metropolitan areas. Yet anglo evangelicals in particular tend not to be there. Only 50% of Southern Baptist churches are in metro areas. Perhaps we could begin a serious conversation about whether the key to reaching the cities, the nation, and the world, might be to offer a vision to believers to move to the cities. In particular, what if we began a call to the Millennials (those roughly 25 and under) in the US who love Jesus and want to be part of something that matters to include in their career plans the idea of spending their lives in the great cities? I cannot help but believe that if 30% of Southern Baptists, for instance, shifted to the cities, and at the same time took a missional, passionate, evangelistic heart for those cities with them, things might be different in a generation.
We should continue to press for more and more to go to the nations. We cannot take away from the call to international missions. We may never catch up with the need. But need alone does not determine God’s call; if it did we should all start packing for China tomorrow. We must be driven by the Spirit, and captivated by a strategy that sees not only the need of the times, but the perspective of long term change as well. And in fact our focus, in addition to an urgent call to the nations, will have the serendipitous effect of reaching the nations as well, since those from virtually every tribe and tongue live in the great cities of the West. Perhaps it is time to think about a Western Window, playing off the 10/40 concept, which should still receive priority.
In Two Cities: Two Loves (pp.165ff.) James Boice surmised that if only ten percent of evangelicals in the US moved to our largest cities and lived biblical lives of love, truth, and service, the entire culture would be changed.
Reach the city, reach the nation.
No, reach the city, reach the NATIONS.
Alvin,
Interesting post. For several years now, people like Peter Wagner (not to endorse his theology) have been talking about the strategic importance of the 40/70 Window, comprising all of Europe, the former Soviet Union, Mongolia, and parts of China. See here, for example:
http://www.globalharvest.org/index.asp?action=target4070
Having worked in Spain for the past 18 years, I can indeed attest to the vast spiritual need in this part of the world.
As far as specifically targeting mega-cities, as opposed to towns and areas with smaller population goes, I concur that in the US, this is crucial. In the IMB, we have placed a big emphasis in recent years on being “on the edge of lostness.” In the US, it would seem, as you point out here, that “edge of lostness” is located primarily in some of the larger cities, especially those outside of the Bible Belt.
In Western Europe, it is difficult, if not impossible, to find any area or population segment that would not qualify as the “edge of lostness” by American standards. However, in most places, the work is more advanced, both in total numbers, as well as evangelical percentage, in the big cities, as opposed to smaller towns, which many times have no evangelical witness at all. It is true, as you also point out, that the bigger cities have a big influence over other areas. But, I believe that, if we are to specifically target the bigger cities, we must keep in mind the churches that are already there, and who have been diligently working to evangelize their own people for years, and work as closely as possible with them. As North American missionaries, this has not always proven to be the easiest thing to do.
Not meaning, in any way, to “pour cold water” on your post. Just offering a few additional observations from the field.
By the way, I met with the advance team from Keller’s Redeemer Presbyterian in Madrid a little more than a year ago, as they were scouting out church planting options there. I was impressed by their learner’s attitude, and desire to work alongside and in harmony with those who have come before them.
Thanks David. I value much your thoughts on this. I am really trying to get a handle on how we can best, not only in the short term but long term as well, reach America even as we try to reach the nations. Your word to work with existing churches is a good one. I would add the need to work with all evangelicals who seek to reach a given city.
And sadly, the edge of lostness in the US increasingly would include the larger cities of the South as well. Blessings on your ministry there.