“Urban Ministry” by Daniel Jolliff

As the apostle Paul began to extend the kingdom of God to the Gentiles, he began branching out further and further from Jerusalem.  But as the story of Acts develops, we see that Paul is not so much getting away from Jerusalem, but that he is heading toward Rome.  Everyone of his missionary journeys takes him closer to the capital city of the Roman empire.  All roads, did lead to Rome.
        But we see the strategy develop as well.  Paul started planting churches in bigger and bigger cities, commerce centers and major intellectual centers.  He knew that the church would spread quicker from the cities out into the country rather than the other way around.  Thus, he came to Corinth, the provincial capital of Achaia.
Now there is a down-side of planting churches in large cities.  Rural areas typically have more conservative values, stronger sense of community, and less transience.  The cities on the other hand are filled with all sorts of corruption and immorality.  Of course it could be said that the cities need God more based on that observation and that would be true.  But it does take a special kind of apostle to just walk into a strange, large city known for its immorality and start preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.  The gospel was definitely going to offend the people of Corinth.
However, we cannot give all the strategic and moral credit to the apostle Paul.   Acts 18:9 tells us that the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision one night while he was in Corinth and told him, “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.”  Paul didn’t go to Corinth for his health.  He wasn’t there so that he could relax on the beach and enjoy the Mediterranean sea.  Paul came to Corinth because that was where God wanted him to be.  God had already prepared the hearts of many in that city to hear the gospel and respond.
You know, I have always thought it was interesting that God did not tell Paul which ones he was supposed to speak to.  God simply told him that “they” were out there in the city, and so Paul needed to just keep on preaching to anyone who would listen.  Which begs the question, how many people does God have in this city of Simi or in Moorpark.  God hasn’t told us who “they” are either.  He has simply told all of us to get out there and share the message of Jesus, and He will direct those whom He wants to hear our message.  Our job is basically the same as Paul’s was.  Just keep on preaching to whoever with listen, and let God to the rest.

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