Right about now, according to demographers, the majority of the world’s population is living in the great urban areas on our planet. Cities likeMexico City,Tokyo,Sao Paulo, and Mumbai continue to grow as people pour in from the countryside in search of more opportunities. Sometimes we may think most of these people would have been better off staying in the rural areas, but who are we to judge. The fact is that the world’s population is becoming increasingly urban.
The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod has grown largely in the rural areas (although not exclusively). However, outreach in the urban areas requires different strategies and approaches to mission and ministry. It requires that we understand the nature of the urban areas in terms of its sociology and dynamics. Antioch, during the time of the early church, was the most important commercial center in the Roman Empire, and it was the place from where the gospel spread throughout the Roman world during those early years. It is where the designation Christian was first used, to refer to someone who belongs to Christ.
To read more about Antioch as a model for Urban missions, please check out my article at: http://www.lutheranmissiology.org/Antioch.pdf
Peace be with you!
Douglas L. Rutt
Rev. Dr. Douglas Rutt
