A news report came out today from http://guardian.co.uk that projects over 70% of the world’s population living in cities by 2050. What is startling about this article is the concept of the ‘Mega-City.’ John Vidal, the author of this article states,
“The world’s mega-cities are merging to form vast “mega-regions” which may stretch hundreds of kilometres across countries and be home to more than 100 million people, according to a major new UN report.
The phenomenon of the so-called “endless city” could be one of the most significant developments – and problems – in the way people live and economies grow in the next 50 years, says UN-Habitat, the agency for human settlements, which identifies the trend of developing mega-regions in its biannual State of World Cities report.
The largest of these, says the report – launched today at the World Urban Forum in Rio de Janeiro – is the Hong Kong-Shenhzen-Guangzhou region in China, home to about 120 million people. Other mega-regions have formed in Japan and Brazil and are developing in India, west Africa and elsewhere.”
How does this effect the future of the church?
First of all, without an understanding of culture, current missiological trends, and an urgency and boldness to preach the gospel, the church will dwindle and become merely a speck amongst the endless sky scrapers and countless ethnic groups and diverse languages.
Secondly, the church must continue to reproduce leaders to plant churches who will plant churches that will plant more churches.
Third, Christians must move to cities! Believers who are serious about the Great Commission must move to where over half of the world’s populations are currently, and where over 70% of the world’s population will be in the next 30-40 years.
Fourth, the church must become smaller! If we are serious about reaching areas that inhabit over millions of people, we must not build bigger buildings for our churches but we must develop effective multi-site strategies, reproduce competent and skilled leaders, and plant more gospel-centered churches. The bigger churches become, the less true Christian community is practiced. Through intentional small groups/community groups, large churches must become smaller in composition to their people. Without gospel-centered community in large cities, believers will get lost in the urban ethos of autonomy.
Fifth, churches must be extremely wise stewards of their finances. We must spend less and give more. As cities grow and the cost of living continues to go up, we must build concrete budgets that will allow us to reach the needs of the city and the world.
gg
March 30, 2010 at 11:47 am
I like that you say the church must adapt.
The church must adapt according to need, culture, etc. But also the church must stand firm. Stand firm in doctrine and the sacraments. Once your in line and firm in your confession; let your exoskeleton be whatever reaches the needs of your people.
Thanks for the info on ‘mega regions.’
March 30, 2010 at 12:07 pm
Great point! The church must never change in orthodoxy, but it most hold fast to its confessions and creeds as it seeks to engage the ever changing culture.
March 30, 2010 at 8:10 pm
Greg,
“Third, Christians must move to cities! Believers who are serious about the Great Commission must move to where over half of the world’s populations are currently, and where over 70% of the world’s population will be in the next 30-40 years.”
While I get what you are saying, you are panting with way to broad of a brush. Hopefully, when 70% of the world lives in cities only about 70% of Christians who are “serious about the Great Commission” should be in the cities. The other 30% of Christians who are “serious about the Great Commission” ought to be fulfilling the Great Commission where the other 30% of the population live. How you worded your point makes it seem like a Christian isn’t serious about the Great Commission if they don’t move to the city. I’m sure you don’t believe that, but it is how it’s worded.
So, no, its not a MUST that Christians who are serious about the Great Commission should move to cities. Hopefully, God will call about 70% to the cities and those 70% will joyfully obey.
March 30, 2010 at 8:10 pm
Sorry- *painting, not panting
March 30, 2010 at 8:36 pm
Matt, thanks for commenting. I realized the one-sidedness of my comment when I wrote it hoping to generate some discussion. Obviously I do not think that those who do not move to cities are by default not committed to the Great Commission. We should always have Christians (missionaries) where there are people. But, in pushing the urgency of the matter, we should continually challenge our people in our churches to pray earnestly about moving to the mission field and moving to cities.
If we keep planting churches in cities like Atlanta and forgo the opportunity to plant in cities like New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago (who have most of the influence in our country) then what happens to the spiritual/gospel-centered climate in these cities?
Sometimes I think every Christian in America should move to one of these 3 cities!
March 31, 2010 at 8:52 am
Greg,
You make a very good point- we should emphasize doing missions(church planting) in the most influential places in the world.
I have a heart to plant churches in more rural- often forgotten- communities, but I know that to do that successfully I must plant in an urban center in order to have the resources required to plant in more rural communities. My challenge is that those who plant in cities, not forget the rest of the world and emphasize planting not only their city, but also the rural communities around them.
Now matter if a person lives in an urban city or a town without Jesus their destination is the same and we ought to do everything we can to engage all of them.
March 31, 2010 at 9:27 am
To be honest, I sometimes dream about living in the country for the rest of my life! Though, as a Christian and as one who wants to reach the most people for Jesus in my short life as possible, I feel as though I would be disobedient in not moving to where the majority of the people are…
I would love to buy a small little farm in East Tennessee and settle down with my bride and kids for the rest my life and make it my life goal to hike the Appalachian Trail and climb all the fourteeners in Colorado and live off of homemade clothing and raise my own chickens, etc. etc. etc. etc.!! Well, maybe that dream will happen one day but right now I’m living in a city and planning to either pastor in one or plant in one!
Keller just posted a blog this morning on this exact issue – http://ow.ly/1sP17
March 31, 2010 at 10:03 am
Greg,
I plan to plant in one as well… All I am saying is that we cant forget those in the country due to the fact that they need Jesus just as much as anyone.
Thanks for the link.
March 31, 2010 at 10:35 am
Absolutely! Hey, if you ever want to plant a church in rural Nebraska or the rolling hills of East Tennessee then give me a shout… I’ll at least pray about it (wink)!!
April 1, 2010 at 10:40 am
My hope is to plant in rural(35,000) Nebraska and in Lincoln. Maybe I’ll give you a shout when it comes time for Lincoln. ;)
April 1, 2010 at 2:31 pm
Praying for you!
March 31, 2010 at 1:36 pm
i agree with Matt, that it is not a must for Christians to move to the cities. i believe we should be praying that those believers already living in the big cities would step up and act on the Great Commission.
“we should continually challenge our people in our churches to pray earnestly about moving to the mission field and moving to cities.” what is the difference?
greg, in your response to matt you said that if we keep planting churches in cities like Atlanta and neglect the opportunity in cities like NYC, LA and Chicago, what happens to the spiritual climate in these cities?…..and then state that at times you think every Christian in America should move to one of these 3 cities. Would that not leave the cities left in the same predicament that you now see NYC, LA and Chicago in?
i really appreciate the 4th point. couldn’t agree more.
March 31, 2010 at 2:33 pm
Amanda, thanks for commenting. My emphasis is on the fact that if 70% of the world’s population will soon be in cities then Christians MUST also move to cities. If we have 80%; of Christians living where 30% of the world’s population is then we must re-evaluate. We must have an urgency to move where there is the most need… i.e., India, China, Russia, Africa, New York, etc.
Also, I was referring to the mission field internationally compared to the domestic inhabitance of American cities. I believe we must do both! We must plant more churches in big cities in America and we must challenge our people to commit their lives to go overseas.
My point about every Christian moving to the ‘big 3′ in America was more of a rant (me being facetious) than me actually believing that.
Good thoughts!
July 9, 2011 at 11:28 am
Greg,
Wow, I missed this by over a year (oops?)! I agree though. Right now, I’m living in one of the biggest cities in the world (in population density), and if the people in this city could catch the “house church” vision, I’m convinced that the entire country would explode with the gospel. There’s no room for church buildings. There’s also no building big enough to house all 22 million people. House church is really the only option here.
This city is the hub of India. Only a small part of the population are truly from here. When this city gets it, then the people of this city will take the message to their villages and cities. I really do think that if you reach the cities, you can reach the small towns/villages. If you equip people in the big cities to go to their home places, then the gospel will multiply exponentially.
It was refreshing to read this post, even tho I’m a little behind!
July 18, 2011 at 11:34 pm
Paige! Thanks so much for your comment. I completely agree with you. We must reach the cities. Culture flows from the top down. We see it everywhere in the world.
I hope you are doing well and Grace and I are praying for you often! Keep in touch!