When we think of real city transformation, I think we have to shift our paradigm a bit.
What might sound like semantics can actually free us from the results-driven yoke that most missionaries and church planters carry on a daily basis. Rather than thinking of changing our cities, let’s ask how we can uncover a Kingdom economy and expand it in whatever context we’re in. And as the Scripture says, “When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices” (Proverbs 11:10).
Let’s try to take some liberties and perhaps expand our imagination of what Jesus was teaching when he sent out the first church planters.
In Matthew 10 and Luke 10, Jesus is sending out the first church planters and he gives them some unique instructions. We look at this as sort of a contextual framework for how to build a Kingdom ecosystem in a neighborhood, town, city, or region.
Take Nothing
First, he tells you to take nothing with you. No bag, no purse, no sandals. This goes against every ounce of modern church planting strategy that’s centered around the same concepts of choosing where to start a new fast-food franchise: demographic, competition, standard of living, etc. Then, raise plenty of startup capital. Fund yourself for as long as possible. And get as many customers as quickly as you can to begin paying for your product. But Jesus says you’ll need nothing. He’s clearly not saying embrace poverty and have no possessions. He’s saying he’ll provide everything you need. That it will come in the right time and in the right way. Sure, donors will come. Money will come. Support will come. But you don’t need that in order to be sent. In fact, he seems to even say don’t do it.
That’s the prep work. Then it moves into the strategy.
Person of Peace
The next big move is to develop what he calls a person of peace. This is someone who opens the way for the Good News of the Kingdom to enter into the town. Now this could be a single person, but we think of it more of a spirit of favor that will rest on you, your team, and your work over time. In fact, this can and should take quite some time. We think in our context it usually takes 3-5 years.
This “person” or spirit of favor comes through presence, commitment, devotion, social blessing… in essence making the city better. It’s built naturally and through things like simply being present and known by your neighbors, being available, serving the needs in your community, and hosting block parties and cookouts in your neighborhood (without trying to convert people). It’s gained through launching local businesses that bless the community like coffee shops, barber shops, community centers, and gyms. Really any social space that brings people together and increases the unity and levity in your town. And, of course, Jesus says that if no peace comes, then maybe consider shaking the dust off and leaning toward somewhere else.
Heal the ‘Sick’ and Cleanse the ‘Lepers’
Once that person of peace is developed then Jesus says to heal the sick and cleanse the lepers. This is the work of grace and justice among the poor, lonely, outcast, and broken in your city. This can also be a 3-5 year work where you begin to seek out and connect, on a deeper level, with the “lepers” and the “sick” of your city.
Like in James 5, think of this sickness as almost a sickness of poverty. The opposite of poverty is not wealth, it’s worth. These are the men, women, and children who are weighed down by the cares of this world, by the systems of this world, sometimes by one bad decision after another. This is who Jesus came to give the Good News to.
The lepers are the outcast. The ones who no one wants to touch or be near. The unclean. The healing comes in an open table. A family. A purpose. The forgiveness of sin and the anointing of oil, like James says, is a result of this healing. Practically speaking, this looks like justice work in housing, education, job creation, family dinners for the homeless, embracing of single mothers and the fatherless, warming centers in the winter, or mentoring programs for youth.
Casting Out Demons
Then, we move into the work of casting out demons. We’ve now been building for 6-10 years a foundation of favor, unity, faithfulness, and power. This is where the power of Jesus invading the hearts and minds of others becomes real. We don’t simply “cast out demons.” Jesus says in Matthew 12 that if an unclean spirit leaves a person, it will come back with seven more if the space is left empty. It has to be filled with the Spirit of God – the hope and Good News of the Kingdom. This is when we begin to invite others into true liberation. This can manifest itself in deeper, more traditional forms of worship, communion, prayer, etc. This is where captives are set free and generational curses are broken over a people, not just an individual.
City Transformation
City transformation is a multi-generational work. It can’t be accomplished with millions of dollars and a cutting-edge socio-economic strategy. It also can’t be accomplished with an innovative, attractional worship service. There are principalities and powers that have brought the news and oppression of Babylon into the hearts of people and the streets of a city for decades upon decades. And so now we come to preach better news of liberty to the captives and relationship with God. But are we willing to put in the same time commitment? Are you ready? That’s the question.
I. Prep Work – “Take no purse or bag or sandals”
- Go in faith to the places you’re called.
- Don’t worry about money or provision.
- It’s necessary to be in-tune with the voice of God in this time.
II. Person of Peace (3-5 years)
- Showing grace, bringing peace, and building favor in your city.
- No need for common metrics. Souls saved. Money raised. Large gatherings.
- Serving is key. Presence is key. Consistency is key.
- Building contextual convergence spaces. Coffee shops. Pubs. Gyms. Community centers. Bringing blessing and innovation to a city.
- This prepares the way for the Good News of the Kingdom to be preached.
III. Healing the Sick / Cleansing the Leper (3-5 years)
- Sick – weighed down and captive to spiritual poverty.
- Leper – outcast of society. The ones no one wants to be near or commune with.
- Welcoming those who are outcast, lonely, and poor.
- Turning your eyes to the margins is key. Getting out of your comfort zone. Having a strong prophetic ethic against showing partiality to the rich and influential.
- Here we create options. We start businesses with easy entry. Blue collar, construction, landscaping, house cleaning, and more. We raise money for the marginalized, not just our own “thing.” Think micro-financing, startup grants, incubators, and accelerators.
IV. Casting Out Demons (3-5 years)
- The Kingdom city that’s been built has now become a collection of interconnected tables where seekers connect to the economy of the Kingdom, workers find permission to create and build, and the city builders are able to hold the culture together.
- Now we invite people into the salvation and liberty that comes with knowing and following Jesus.
- Water and fire baptism. Freedom from bondage.
- This is where we hope to see a time of true revival.
- Captives are set free. Worship ensues. God’s glory is made known in our context.
- New city builders are sent out.
