In This City

So Connexus got launched six months ago in the cities (smaller cities, but still cities) of Barrie and Orillia. That's a change for me - living in a rural context and ministering there for 12 years before Connexus began.  But even those of us who live in a rural context still engage in cities daily for shopping, fueling, appointments, school and more.  It's just its easier to opt out of a city's issues when you don't live there.

80% of our population lives in an urban context. Interesting. Intriguingly, the Bible tells stories not of ideal life on an acre of land in the country (okay, I've got a half acre), but of ministry to cities and to nations.  Even heaven is described in the Bible as a city (not a golf course, or a meadow, or a forest, as many people long for).

Cities are where peoples' hopes, dreams and problems collide. A world that is reflective of the real world comes into focus in a way that is very tragic, inspiring and very authentic - all at the same time.

One of the songs that's resonating with me deeply these days is Chris Tomlin's In This City. As I've sung it in various contexts over the last month, it's making me ask what God's heart for cities is.  After all, cities are simply the space where people God loves gather.

The heart that I felt for cities when I lived for over a decade in Toronto is being revived, reshaped and reimagined. It broke my heart to see a city growing and churches dying in Toronot. As you drive through your community (and probably 90% of us will be in some kind of large or small city today), what about asking God what His heart for that city is?  Do you think in terms of city?  Are the problems that face cities beginning to break your heart?

Comments

[Rich Birch]

It's been interesting to move "up north" here and out of a city. I loved where we lived before. (Underline love.) We lived in what most people would call downtown Hamilton - you looked out our backyard and saw Copps Colosseum.

It's be interesting moving into this context where people seem to be fleeing the "city" and trying to get away from people. I wonder how that will affect our ability to reach out in an increasingly urban context.

Rich