City on a Hill

We might think of the city, as a place to be avoided because of it's environment: noise, traffic, crime. But in the early church, Christians ran to the city. Christians loved the city because they believed God loved the city. Rodney Starks writes, “To cities filled with homelessness and the impoverished Christianity offered charity as well as hope. To cities filled with newcomers and strangers, Christianity offered an immediate basis for attachments.  To cities torn apart by violent ethnic strife, Christianity offered a new basis for social solidarity. And to cities faced with epidemics, fires and earthquakes, Christianity offered effective services. What else could Christians do with the place and the people God loved? Tim Keller calls this “the gospel in life.” It’s what we call being the church for the other 6 days a week.

For the next 8 weeks you are invited to join us on a journey on Sunday mornings and in our weekly Bible Study to prepare us and then, to go out and serve our city. Our preparation will involve teaching but also a “Day of Prayer” (on Tuesday, May 20th) along with “Prayer Walks” through your neighbourhood and learning together about other ways we might serve our city. Together we will join with God to love our city!