On the Road to Community Transformation
by Jack Dennison
---
This book is essentially a POWERFUL LOOK at what it takes to TRANSFORM CITIES
[one by one] and to BRING CLOSURE/COMPLETION to the GREAT COMMISSION, especially in North America
---
Important Premise: (as noted on Page 97) Only the 'CHURCH AS A WHOLE' can reach 'AN ENTIRE CITY'
DESCRIPTION/DEFINITION OF CITY REACHING [Taken from Page 99]
City reaching is the ongoing process of mobilizing the whole Body of Christ in a geographically identified area to strategically focus ALL its resources on reaching the whole city with the whole Gospel, resulting in the redemption of society and the transformation of the city.
LIVING IN HOPE [taken from Page 127]<
The hope of city transformation is invigorating. None of us wakes up in the morning and says, "If I live in a run-down, mediocre place, that's OK BY ME." We all want to live in neighborhoods that are safe and free of discrimination. We want our schools to be places where real learning takes place. We want our justice system to serve everyone fairly. We want economic opportunity to be available - really available - to citizens of every class, kind and condition. And most of all, we want people to hear and respond to a call to radical discipleship - one that fills our cities with people through whom Jesus lives.
Reports coming from all over the world tell us that this is possible. But to get there requires the transformation of individuals, of congregations and of the Church of the city. Then as our churches work together as one Body, the evidence is compelling that God can and will bring transformation to the cities of North America and the world.
Concurring statements regarding CLOSURE through prophetic call of God's people [Pp. 75-76]
Bill Bright: "On the basis of His holy Word and divine assurances He has placed in my heart, I am absolutely convinced that our Sovereign God is going to send a great revival to our nation and world so that the Great Commission will be fulfilled."
Dick Eastman: "It is all part of a sweeping global revival and accelerating harvest of souls, marked by amazing signs and wonders, that I trust will inspire you to believe that the Great Commission may well be accomplished in our generation - quite literally. I am convinced God does have a plan to save the world, and that it is very simple - and well on its way to completion."
David Bryant: "God is at work throughout the earth to bring everything to consummation in Jesus Christ ... There appears to be a shared expectation that world revival is coming to bring closure to world evangelization and the consummation of all things."
J. Christy Wilson: "I believe we've entered the fourth great awakening - it has already started - and it may be the last one. Because in this awakening, God can complete his plan for the nations."
What is meant by the term: Great Commission?
It is defined in such scriptures as Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:15, & Matthew 24:14.
What is meant by CLOSURE (or COMPLETION) of the Great Commission? [Pp. 76-78]
Note: Without understanding completion in quantitative or qualitative terms, we have no way to measure where we are on the road to completion.
We must work with mutually agreeable measurements, such as:
The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. (Habakkuk 2:14) [This essentially means that every living human being experience the actual and physical impact of God's presence on earth personally and dynamically. (P. 77)]
Present Christ everywhere people live. (P. 77) [This is done by establishing Christian cells and congregations within practical and cultural access of EVERY PERSON where Jesus Christ is incarnated in all his love, care, truth and power and where his message is proclaimed. This is known as 'saturation church planting.']
Note: If we fail to do this one thing, not only will a large portion of the people of your city remain outside of Christ, they will remain beyond reach of Christ through his Church. [You cannot disciple people who are beyond reach of Christ through his Church.]
Can the Great Commission actually & literally be achieved? (Pp. 78 -80)
The parable of the talents teaches that faithfulness has to do with doing the right things, while success or effectiveness has to do with doing the right things well. One cannot be both ineffective and faithful, too. (P. 79)
This matter of CLOSURE is the single most dynamic factor of the emerging paradigm, and the one that binds the rest of them together. It is the catalytic element for ushering in the new order of thinking and behaving by the Church. It is fully integrated into the city-reaching strategy that is being employed by an increasing number of cities across America. It is the strategy for reaching - for transforming - our cities and our nation. [Pp. 80-81]
What is the CURRENT SITUATION in North America regarding CLOSURE? [P. 35]
The Church in North America is in desperate need of a major mental shift if we are to see the Body of Christ again become a vital force for the Kingdom of God in this land. If we continue in the current modes of thinking, behavior, and structuring of ministry that are characteristic of the Church as we know it, we will likely find it impossible to harvest the fruit from the revival many are expecting in our lifetime.
What is needed to change things around? [Pp. 35-36]
A major paradigm shift is desperately needed IF the Church is to effectively reach out to and transform our cities in America.
A paradigm is a set of rules and regulations (written or unwritten) that both (1) establishes or defines boundaries, and (2) tells you how to behave inside the boundaries in order to be successful.
A paradigm shift is a change in the prevailing rules, and signals: A new way of thinking, A new way of doing, and A new set of boundaries. Aligned with the above, we need a fundamental restructuring of what we call 'church' - both in its mission outlook and its state of health, if we are to reach America - now the third largest mission field in the world. [P. 42]
The Church of the twenty-first century in America must shift its focus from an institutional orientation to a community orientation. [P. 43]
Three different PARADIGMS related to three eras in Church history [P.38]
Apostolic era of the Church
Beginning of this era - Pentecost Characterization - rapid growth and hostility in persecution End of this era - Edict of Milan in 313 AD, when Emperor Constantine 'Christianized' the empire.
Christendom
Beginning of this era - Edict of Milan in 313 AD Characterization - 17 centuries during which the Church existed within a culture generally friendly to Christianity. End of this era - the year 1999, approximately
Post-Christendom
Beginning of this era - the Year 2000, approximately Characterization - much of the Church is once again living in a hostile or at least indifferent atmosphere. The societies of both the post-Christian peoples an unreached peoples bear great similarity to the Apostolic era of the first centuries.
Note 1: This reality requires a CHANGE in our understanding of the nature of the Church and its mission.
Mission change: Concentrate on reaching the lost of one's own culture rather than crossing the seas to do global evangelism.
[The heart cry of God for His people is to reach not only every nation and city, but to reach every block & home.]
Note 2: The paradigm shift that is already underway is bringing about the: Changing of structures, Refocusing of our mission, and Increasing of the effectiveness of the Church worldwide.
Five components/parameters of the Post-Christendom 'EMERGING' CITY-REACHING PARADIGM SHIFT [P. 39]
Change from a 'come-to' to a 'go-to' church. [The emerging paradigm is one of healthy churches empowered and committed to the unreached of the city and not simply content to wait for them to come to us.] [P.43]
Change from local congregations to a regional church. [A third dimension beyond the local congregation and the Church universal-as clearly seen in the New Testament-is rapidly gaining in prominence once again: the city Church, or as more frequently identified, the Church in the city. This is the Church comprising all Christians and congregations within a given city. [P. 44]
Changed from established leadership to emerging leadership. [Without this, absolutely nothing sustainable will happen - P.49] Related questions: How do you mobilize: The 1,000 congregations in Vancouver? The 1,500 in Portland? The 3,000 in Houston? How do you motivate thousands of pastors to work together? How do you coordinate their efforts? Note: Doug Small, a good friend of Jack Dennison, suggests that pastors have given themselves to ministering only to the pain and problems of their congregations but have failed to mobilize their congregations to minister to the pain and problems of the city. Either we learn to do both OR reaching our cities for Christ will be nothing more than a hope and a dream. [P. 49]
Note: The 'emerging leadership' being addressed in this parameter cannot be volunteers who appoint themselves, nor can they be selected, appointed or voted into position by others. Rather, they must come to the forefront through a spiritual process of identification and affirmation of God's call on their lives. [P. 50]
Change from fellowship to functional unity. [Pp. 57 - 73]
[Moving from a paradigm of local congregations focusing inwardly and functioning independently to one in which the city Church is under the eldership of regional leaders calls for the kind of unity the Lord commanded but has been in short supply. The Word clearly teaches that spiritual power (see John 17) and practical effectiveness (see 1 Cor. 12) are released through unity, love & cooperation but are held in check in the absence of these same dynamics. The kind of unity that is needed must be functional as well as theological and must be focused on closure rather than growth. Also, it must be relational because when in close, meaningful and trusting relationship with others in the Body, we can unite and sustain an overall strategy until the Lord returns -- because the basis for our unity is not our activity but our relationship.] [Pp. 59,60,61]
[Carlos Mraida wisely urges us to guard against seeking unity for the sake of unity. "The focal point of our unity must be our mission," Carlos writes. "As long as either reason or experience remain the center around which our church life rotates, we will continue to come apart." That is, we must learn to walk together in functional unity, which essentially means 'uniting the Church around a common goal rather than a cooperative project that would require each congregation to abandon its own minis-tries to participate in something external. Thus the different streams of the Church align themselves in unity to pursue the same goals for the city while allowing each stream to determine what part it would play.] [Pp. 59-64]
Change from growth to closure. (Pp. 73 - 81)
[For what reason do we call the Church to revert to the early Church paradigm? Unity for what purpose? Our zeal is to place the facets of the new/old paradigm into proper relationship for nothing less than the completion of the Great Commission in our time. Certainly for the whole world, but specifically in this book for the United States.] [P. 74]
[This matter of closure is the single most dynamic factor of the emerging paradigm, and the one that binds the rest of them together. It is the catalytic element for ushering in the new order of thinking and behaving by the Church. It is fully integrated into the city-reaching strategy that is being employed by an increasing number of cities across America. It is the strategy for reaching - for transforming - our cities and our nation.] [Pp. 80-81]
Counsel regarding the above five-fold aspects of this 'Post-Christendom Paradigm Shift' [Pp. 85 - top of 86]
The critical paradigm shift we have outlined is going to be hard for many to swallow. Some are going to stumble at this FIRST HURDLE.
In fact, we would strongly urge ANY LEADER from taking another step forward in a city-reaching undertaking UNTIL he or she fully comes to grips with the implications involved.
You don't want the experience of putting your hand to the plow and then looking back. Perhaps it's better to remain in your comfort zone than to wander into territory that may require more than you are willing to pay. Why is that? Because the five-fold aspects of the paradigm shift will nudge you out of the nest at every turn.
You are being asked to do a one-eighty in your ministry outlook, switching from a come-to to a go-to mentality.
You are being challenged to give up your cherished autonomy and perceive yourself as just one part of a Body that needs to function as a whole.
You will be expected to submit to the leadership of citywide elders according to the New Testament model, or perhaps to become one of the elders to whom the Church in the city will turn for leadership.
You will be required not only to get to know and be nice to all the 'competition' but to actually figure out how to work shoulder to shoulder with them!
And, yes, we're saying that your bold, creative plans for your own congregation pale next to the mammoth command of the Great Commission and God's plans for your city.
Too much to digest all at once? That's OK. It took centuries for the Church to dig this rut, this chasm, so it won' hurt for you to spend some time in the prayer closet to mull it over.
In fact, you might want to do just that before reading further. Why?
Because now we will be jumping headlong into developing the building blocks for the city-reaching strategy - a strategy that emanates from the very paradigm shift you might not yet be ready to make.
But if you're still with me (Jack Dennison), hang on to your hat, for we still need to make some sweeping changes in our thinking and our way of doing things.
Developing the 'building blocks' for the 'city-reaching strategy' that emanates From the five-fold paradigm shift we have just looked at. [Starts on Page 86]
Leverage - relative amount of return from a given investment of time, money and energy; that is, the actions that will lead to the most impactful and enduring results. [Pp. 86-89]
Overall strategy for completing the Great Commission versus scattered tactics. [Pp. 90-92]
Note: This is the final paradigm: the re-emergence of the first-century Kingdom paradigm that will guide the efforts of the Church until the Lord returns.
Two basic approaches relative to city-reaching: One approach is essentially tactical in nature; The second is strategy-based. [P. 91]
Main premise: for optimum leverage, we must move from employing scattered tactics to implementing an overall strategy for completing Great Commission. In other words, tactics designed to accomplish a specific and limited purpose in a limited time frame and geographical area, should not be confused with an overall comprehensive strategy that the Church must develop in order to effectively reach any given city. [P. 92]
Using the 'Strategic/Tactical Quadrant' Tool (Pp. 92-97)
In a nutshell, the core idea of a holistic Quadrant IV city-reaching strategy is the:
Ongoing process of mobilizing the whole Body of Christ in a geographically-identified area --
To strategically focus all of its resources On reaching the whole city with the whole Gospel, Resulting in the redemption of society, and transformation of the city.
The nature of activity in Quadrant IV is: To bring the whole Body of Christ together; To identify and release a team of shepherd leaders who will serve the whole Church; To assess the unfinished task of the Church's mission within the city; To begin to develop a strategic plan to guide the Church in its city-reaching efforts; and To empower tactical ministries to meet the many and specific needs within the city.
Note: Quadrant IV activity is not city reaching in itself. City reaching requires the combined efforts of all four quadrants. Quadrant IV activity will achieve nothing without the first three quadrants; it cannot stand-alone. Quadrant IV activity is that which catalyzes, directs and synergizes the efforts of the other three. By providing a common vision and common goal, this strategy makes it possible for each tactical activity to be so constructed and implemented that it feeds the overall purpose. It helps the Body of Christ perceive itself as a body and to function as a body, with no more dismembered limbs flailing about. Quadrant IV activity emphasizes preparation for city reaching by (1) providing leadership at the city level, (2) determining highest priority goals, and (3) developing an overall strategy. AS A RESULT, it prepares the way for more efficient implementation and alignment of tactics and activity in Categories I through III. In effect, Quadrant IV strategy is the KEY to unleashing an effective city-reaching process.
Before launching any effort in keeping with Quadrant IV activities, EFFECTIVE LEADERS (1) clarify the desired END RESULTS, and (2) resolutely focus ALL their energies and resources SOLELY on 'achieving those results' [P. 103]
Bottom-line goal for any city-reaching effort: TRANSFORMATION [Unless we set our eyes on this prize and evaluate everything we do in terms of how it will contribute to that end, we will forever spin our wheels with activities that leave the Church frustrated and the city unchanged.] [P. 104]
Further insights into 'city transformation' [Pp. 106 - 126] Waging of spiritual warfare with the enemy. Seeing the Church of Jesus Christ used as an instrument to shift the balance of power in that war. Seeing the Church exercising influence and authority through its life of holiness, love and compassion for a lost and dying world. Reaching a critical mass of believers who are so empowered by the gospel of Christ that they change everything they touch - family, workplace, schools, and business. As this critical mass is achieved - the power of the living God brings: Significant changes in the problems that plague our cities today - poverty, crime, addictions, gangs, divorce, violence - and Dramatic increase in things that characterize the kingdom of God - mercy, justice, prosperity (especially for the poor), and compassion. When a sufficient number of believers become mature, dynamic disciples of Christ, their presence in government, the arts, business and other systems in society should be felt - will be felt.
Note: Needed for this 'city transformation' - a radical transformation, in three areas identified below, of individual believers and local congregations in order that we might begin to see transformation in the city.
Personal Transformation (Pp. 107 - 115) [Transformation must begin on the inside of individual Christians and flow outward, influencing the individuals and society around them.] Note: There is a woeful lack of this kind of transformed disciples who can face the challenges and accomplish the tasks that will produce true transformation.
Congregational Transformation (Pp. 115-118) [Transformation as seen in the Early Church, according to Acts 2:43,47 - Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles ...... And the Lord was adding to their number daily those who were being saved.]
Note: There was a vitality and sense of awe that swept through the first believers, and its impact on their lives was visible and powerful. It is clear that they had an incredible sense of power that is missing from most congregations today.
Community Transformation (Pp. 118 - 126) [The mature disciples produced by the congregations must work together as one Body of Christ in the city. Several common key principles at work in cities that are experiencing dramatic positive change are identified below.] [Congregations that understand and practice these principles are the kinds of congregations that God will use to transform a city.]
Persevering Leaders (P. 118) [George Otis, Jr., in his study of transformed cities, discovered that the principle of persevering leadership was a common thread. In every transformed city, a leader or group of leaders experienced a personal transformation and renewed submission to the Lordship of Christ and to his work in the city.]
Fervent, United Prayer (P. 119) [In every city that is being dramatically changed there is also a massive prayer movement that began with small groups of intercessors, which led to large groups praying specifically for strategic needs in the city. As Otis says, "In each of our featured case studies, breakthroughs occurred when intercessors addressed specific concerns in common cause." God stands ready to reveal his ways to us, and prayer is the means through which his ways become clear.]
Reconciliation Within the Body (P. 122) [In North America, a spirit of independence and competition characterizes much of our congregational life. Few pastors walk together in authentic unity. Some fear that another pastor will take members away. Others selfishly pursue only their own concerns. Others apathetically drift along in a spirit of isolationism. Yet the lesson from Cali and other transformed cities is clear: Until we repent of this spirit and embrace the whole Body of Christ in real relationship, we might make some progress, but we will not see our cities transformed.]
Social Reconciliation (P. 124) [Our biblical call is to be ministers of reconciliation. Wherever broken relationships occur, the Church has been uniquely endowed and commissioned by God to restore, mend and heal the broken pieces (see 2 Cor. 5:18,19). This is a great need within our society and an opportunity for us to lovingly demonstrate the reconciling and restorative power of God.]
A Church for Every Person (Pp. 129, 77, 78) [God's vision for the world (that is, his immediate goal for the world), beginning with the Cross until this day, is to fill the world with the presence of his Son. This is the single most important goal of the Church, leading to the fulfillment of the Great Commission and the promise of Habakkuk 2:14. When we understand this relationship between God's ultimate purpose (to fill the earth with the knowledge of his glory) and his immediate vision (to establish the presence of Christ everywhere throughout the world), it becomes clear that the New Testament's Great Commission is simply God's way of accomplishing his end-time goal. The responsibility of the Church in fulfilling the Great Commission is to go throughout the world presenting Christ everywhere people live. This is done by establishing Christian cells and congregations within practical and cultural access of every person where Jesus Christ is incarnated in all his love, care, truth and power and where his message is proclaimed. Missiologists call this saturation church planting, and I (Jack Dennison) am convinced it is the single most important goal we can achieve in bringing about the completion of the Great Commission in this generation.] (Note: saturation church planting is commonly understood as one congregation for every 500-1000 people of each "people group" in the community.)
[Continuing this thought, starting from the bottom of Page 146] The vast majority of those accepting Christ as Savior do so because of a friend or relative. So where better to develop relationships than in our own neighborhoods? It is there that a sense of community can be fully developed and sustained. In the neighborhood, Christians can find the strength and encouragement to pray for one another and for the unsaved right next door and across the street. Their acts of friendliness and kind-ness over time can open the way for sharing their faith in a natural and acceptable way. And when converts are made, there is a supportive environment with other believers right where the new converts live. Such efforts are not quick-rabbit shots at unsuspecting targets before we dart back into the safety of our curtain-drawn fortresses.
Perhaps more importantly, the neighborhood is the only environment where ministry can be focused on the entire family. I (Jack Dennison) think we have made a fundamental blunder by evangelizing children apart from their parents, wives apart from their husbands and so on. Our evangelistic concentration should be upon the entire family in whatever configuration it is expressed.
Small-group, relational ministry is especially crucial when we move into the cross-cultural efforts to reach societal and ethnic minorities of all kinds and conditions. Just like foreign missionaries - which indeed we are - we must dig in for the long haul, taking time to build friendships, demonstrate our love and integrity and earn our right to be heard.
Even better is to identify the believers already in our churches who live in these neighborhoods. They can be empowered to gather those around the block in home environments where over time the gospel can be shared in an informal, contextualized way leading to conversions, training in discipleship and ultimately to a house church without any cultural dislocation taking place.
WARNING: Vague suppositions; erroneous data [Pp. 154 - 157]
Too often we of the Church base our decisions upon vague suppositions, misunderstandings and erroneous or outdated data. We think our information is accurate, our suppositions correct, but we make no attempt at verification. We are led down the pathway of ineffectiveness by the god of this world, who deceives and hides the truth from us. After all, he is the father of lies and darkness. He doesn't want us to know.
Individual pastors know a lot about their congregations, and denominational leaders can describe the collective work of their churches. But rarely, if ever, is anyone in a city able to provide an accurate assessment of the location, description or the status of the work of the whole Body of Christ in their area.
Until now, of course, there has been little or not perceived need to obtain this data, because we have not committed ourselves to the discipling of whole cities. BUT if we are going to reach our cities and fulfill our commission, it will REQUIRE the coming together of the whole Church to assess all that God has accomplished through us, all that is currently being done and what more must be done to move progressively closer toward completion of the task.
Some examples/considerations relating to the above:
Deceived through misinformation (P. 155)
Among Church leaders in Portland, Oregon, the prevailing belief was that it was one of the most unchurched cities in the most unchurched region of the nation. When asked, Christian leaders estimated the size of the Church there from a low of 3% to a high of 9% of the population of 1.75 million. When the research was completed, however, it was discovered that the average worship attendance of the Church of Portland was actually about 350,000 or 20% of the population! When you add the 20% or so who are regular attendees but absent on any given Sunday, this puts the worshiping community at 420,000 - about one in every four persons in the city!
[Other examples are provided in the book.]
Tracking our ethnic and linguistic populations (P. 156)
While we often lack reliable overall information about the Church in the city, we ALSO are in the dark about the composition of our populations. For example, many hold the perception that we have enough if not too many churches already. This may be true of the white, middle-class communities in which most of us circulate, but what about all the other communities? Are we aware of the size and composition of the ethnic or linguistic segments in our populations, for example?
Research has revealed that 96 languages are spoken as a first language in the Dallas school system. There are 84 such language groups in the school system of Fresno, California, and so on. Do we have vibrant, growing congregations among the people of each of these language groups? [The simple fact is you cannot effectively share the gospel with another person who does not clearly understand your words and the concepts you present to them. We must overcome the cultural insensitivity that has long hindered our effectiveness.]
And then the question has to be asked: How many of the existing congregations are relevant to the surrounding cultural context and are so alive spiritually and so effective in understanding and encountering the forces of spiritual darkness around us that they are truly incarnating the life of Christ in their neighborhoods?
Note: If we are to see the Church and the city as they are - and not as we imagine them to be - information must be gathered describing:
The Church (harvest force), The City (harvest field), and The Spiritual Diagnostics (spiritual dynamics and factors that have led to our current woeful circumstances).
Three fundamental questions that must be answered - questions that if left unanswered will many times thwart the research process before it ever gets started, or perhaps worse, leave piles of statistical information sitting on shelves where it gathers dust and does no one any good. [P. 157]
The questions are as follows: Is research biblical? Is research motivational? Will research tell us what to do? [These questions are answered on Pp. 157 - 165.]
Note: In summary, from Page 165, the study relating to the above three questions clearly indicated that the right kind of research and analysis is thoroughly biblical, highly motivational, spiritually perceptive and can give a clear picture of where the wind of the Spirit is blowing and how we can set our sails to take us most directly to where we need to go.
Comment: The book, starting at the bottom of Page 165, goes on to investigate the three categories of research that are needed and the kind of data to look for in each one.
Harvest Force research gives us information about the size, strength, presence, activity and growth rates of local congregations, denominations, paraministry groups and the Church as a whole. (P.166)
Harvest Field research gives us information on the context of the Church (that is, the city). It therefore takes into consideration all the forces outside the Christian environment that tend to shape and mold the thinking and behavior of the people in our communities. It gives us a better idea of the mosaic of peoples, cultures, philosophies, stresses and strains, joys and sorrows, hardships and comforts that various kinds of people are experiencing. (Pp. 167-173)
Note: This type of information provides us clues as to how responsive to the gospel each segment might be as well as evangelistic strategies that might be most appropriate for each group. Under-standing the context of the Church breaks us out of our tight little Christian cultures and opens our eyes to the vast and rich diversity of the harvest fields within our communities, opening windows of opportunities we never knew existed.
Spiritual Diagnostics research gives us information that concretely describes the 'what' of the current reality of the Kingdom's advance and answers 'why' things are as they are. The key thing that is being looked for here is to 'discover any inroads Satan has made which prevent the spread of the Gospel and the evangelization of a city for Christ.'
Note: One aspect of this type of research is 'spiritual mapping,' which helps us to see our communities as they really are.
'Leadership Needs' for 'City Reaching' [Pp. 181 - 182]
What would happen if you woke up one morning and no one was providing leadership for your church? Imagine what it would be like if there was no one seeking to discern God's vision for the church, let alone communicating that vision. No one to develop plans to accomplish that vision or empower the staff and membership to carry out those plans. How long would it be before your church began to disintegrate?
YET THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING IN OUR CITIES.
While each local congregation recognizes - at least in some vague, academic way - that our marching orders call for fulfilling the Great Commission, the fact is that we each operate in our own tiny corner of the world with little perception of what the overall task really entails. Out of the grab bag of potential ministries, we blindly pull out a couple we think we can handle and set to work, busy for Jesus. Few congregations have any intentional outreach program at all.
Note: The average modern churchgoer tends to connect only with people who are like his or her pastor and members of the congregation in terms of race, socio-economic standing and education.
The result is that the mission fields of our cities are being addressed haphazardly at best, leaving entire people groups, societal segments and neighborhoods unreached and untouched by the life-changing power of Christ.
Given this existing condition, the Church in the city must first recognize itself as a living citywide entity, then set about ESTABLISHING A LEADERSHIP INFRASTRUCTURE that will empower its many individual congregations to function autonomously but in cooperation with other churches in the city.
Note: Without such an infrastructure, 'absolutely nothing sustainable will happen.'
Introducing the concept of a leadership infrastructure (Jim Herrington: Pp. 182; 196-198)
Here you will become acquainted with the vision caster(s), leader team, servant team, influencers, intercessors and city facilitators who are vital to the success of your city-reaching efforts.
Vision Casters are usually the first to step forth, calling the Church to a city-reaching vision. They typically make up the envisioning team, an informal group of leaders who are individually and internally compelled to serve the fledgling process of city reaching. Once the leader team emerges, this group generally ceases its existence.
Note: Jim Herrington refers to this as an 'informal' group simply because the group is made up of volunteers who give their time to the process but have not been formally set apart by any other body of individuals. Some of its members may be later called out to join the leader team, while others may be invited to join the emerging servant team.
The Leader Team is formed when a significant portion of the pastoral community affirms God's calling on the lives of those who will give the spiritual and practical leadership needed in the city-reaching process. Formed initially as a nucleus of leadership, they are to expand the team and attempt to broaden their collective influence, mobilizing the whole Church in the city toward the goal of community transformation.
The Servant Team is formally established by the leader team to provide hands-on service in a number of high-impact areas of need. This may include initiating the research process, prayer mobilization, reconciliation between individuals and groups and other activities that serve the strategic process. This team generally comprises pastors, ministry leaders, prayer leaders and additional men and women who as specialists provide various kinds of technical competencies.
Influencers are those pastors and ministry leaders who have great voice and prominence in the Church community. Though unable to provide day-to-day leadership to the city-reaching effort, their relationship to the leader team is critical to the success of the effort. These individuals steward their prominence and influence through relationship with the spiritual leaders of the city Church.
Intercessors play an essential role in city reaching. Because they represent many individuals, Church denominations and networks, it is vitally important to establish communication links between them. It is equally important to yoke intercession with the various emerging leadership structures in order to provide strategic information that informs intercession, and to focus intercession on the issues facing leaders and the goals of the developing city-reaching process.
City facilitators represent the rapidly growing group of leaders who give themselves full-time to city reaching. Experience has shown that every successful city-reaching initiative, whether in America or elsewhere in the world, has designated one or more full-time facilitators to serve the process. This role has emerged as one of the highest leverage functions to which Christians can invest their wealth to produce the greatest spiritual gain and the most enduring results in leading a city to transformation.
Note: There is a section in the book devoted to the topic of 'Who chooses the leaders?' [p. 199]
Note: Chapter 10, starting on Page 205, provides a detailed explanation of what the leaders in your city must actually do to implement an effective city-reaching strategy. [An outline is provided on Pp. 207 - 209.]
However, for your reminder, the component parts of a city-reaching strategy have been placed on the table. Now, what do we do with them? [P. 205] How do we assemble these component parts into a system? How do we make the pieces fit together so that they are transformed from separate, isolated events, disciplines and projects into a powerful, living organism for discipling and transforming our cities? How are the pieces brought to life in a comprehensive, cohesive strategy that the Church will adopt as its own?
Note: Fundamental premise of this book, City Reachin: God has a plan, an intention, a purpose for the Church in your city. It is the role of leaders to guide the Church in discerning that vision and then develop processes and a strategy that will lead to broad commitment to and accomplishment of that vision. When the Church in your city catches the vision of mobilizing the whole Body of Christ in a comprehensive effort to make a disciple of that city, you will have taken the first major step. [Pp. 183 (bottom) - 184]
Rediscovery of a basic, tremendous truth [Pp. 234,236]
It matters little how many people or congregations we mobilize, how effective our collaboration or how bold our plans if the Lord himself does not come to our cities and visit us with his presence and power. Without God's direct intervention, our efforts to change communities will be hopelessly unfruitful and without impact. This bedrock reality forces us to permeate every aspect of our city-reaching efforts with prayer, intercession and spiritual warfare. God will not come to your city and do the things you long to see occur if you fail to pray. You can do many other things that will incrementally effect change in the Church and in your community, but without united, fervent prayer - he will not come and transform your city!
Because prayer is the demonstration of our contrition, humility and utter dependence upon God to do what only he is capable of achieving and for which we are totally incapable of accomplishing ourselves. Not only is united, fervent prayer "a declaration to the heavenlies that a community is prepared for divine partnership," but it serves to insure that we are not approaching our city with independent self-sufficiency as if we ourselves, apart from God, could effect the spiritual change needed to transform our communities.
United prayer demonstrates our dependency upon God. Fervent prayer displays our desperation to see change. Persevering prayer demonstrates our determination to achieve our end results.
What's the point in all this? Simply this! 'If God acted apart from intercession, there would be no reason to pray.' [P. 237]
Prayer does not persuade God to do what he is disinclined to do, however. Rather: God, through prayer, aligns our desires and actions with his own. Corporate prayer must be filled with genuine worship - putting ourselves in a position to hear from God, accompanied by times of silent waiting and listening for his answer to our pleas for guidance and empowerment. [P. 237]
Shifting to a wartime mentality [Addressed on Pp. 237 - 251]
Why is God currently withholding revival from North America? [P. 266]
It is not that God does not want a great harvest. It is not that the harvest is not ready to be taken. It is not even that he won't give us the harvest. It is simply and terribly true that we are unprepared and incapable of gathering and sustaining the harvest once it has begun.
Note: The time to get ready for revival is now. And we won't get ready by working harder at what we have been doing. The city-reaching paradigm requires a radical departure from the church-friendly approach of the past culture to a missionary approach toward a culture that has already judged the Church to be irrelevant. [P. 267]
A final summary statement regarding city reaching
The single goal for each city is to mobilize all available local resources into one con-certed, systematic comprehensive, persisting effort to efficiently gather every ripened grain in the magnificent harvest field God has provided in our day and, in the process, bring transformation to the community. Each doing his part in his way in his field of battle, but together occupying the whole territory.
A concluding admonition to the reader [Pp. 264 (bottom) - 265]
Does that which you have been exposed to in this summary of the book, City Reaching, resonate with your heart's cry?
Do you believe God genuinely wants to accomplish such an incredible transformation as the goal of city reaching represents?
If he wants it, do you truly believe he is able to achieve it?
Be aware that if God wants it and intends to accomplish it, you must ask yourself what that says to you about your individual responsibility, your congregation's role and the collective effort of the whole Church in reaching cities- including your city - with the whole Gospel.
Contact Information for the Author:
Dr. Jack Dennison, President
CitiReach International
www.citireach.org
P.O. Box 63120
Colorado Springs, CO 80962-3120
1-719-528-5770 Office
1-719.548.9619 Fax
CitiReachi@cs.com
Role of 'CitiReach International'
Through the publishing of the book, City Reaching, CitiReach International has presented a strategy with demonstrated effectiveness in more than 140 nations. Jack Dennison believes it represents a 21st-century contextualization of possessing the land of Canaan. He is also convinced that the strategy presented in the book embodies the paradigm and approach of the first-century Church, to whom the Great Commission was given. He believes it is time to enter Canaan and possess the inheritance given the Church by the Son on Calvary. The Church is the city's only hope. If we do not have the answers to the plight our cities face, then there are no answers.
Relative to developing and implementing the city-reaching strategy in any given city, CitiReach International provides external consultants (P. 210).
This consultation begins when an external consultant is invited to a city to present the challenge to an initial core of leaders. This person introduces the theology, framework, process and models of effective city-reaching projects from across the nation and around the world.
CitiReach International, in essence, provides consultants and resourcing -- to help cities walk through the city-reaching process.