Heard On Sunday - Doing God’s Work Together

When we think of Christianity, many of us conjure images of rural sanctuaries—white picket fences, country churches nestled among rolling hills, families gathering eggs from backyard coops before morning devotionals. It's a peaceful picture, but it's not the biblical one.

The early church was born in cities. It spread through cities. And it transformed cities.

This isn't a rejection of rural life or small-town faith. Rather, it's a recognition of something profound: God has always had a heart for the city, and if we want to see cultural transformation, we need to embrace urban mission with the same passion that drove the Apostle Paul from Corinth to Ephesus to Rome.

Paul's Strategic Vision

The Apostle Paul wasn't wandering aimlessly across the Roman Empire. He was executing a deliberate strategy: plant churches in major urban centers and watch the gospel radiate outward. When Paul arrived in Corinth—a bustling metropolis remarkably similar to modern Denver or Seattle—he wasn't intimidated by its size, diversity, or moral chaos. He saw opportunity.

Acts 18 tells the story. Paul finds fellow tentmakers Aquila and Priscilla, works alongside them to support himself, and begins reasoning in the synagogue every Sabbath. When the religious establishment rejects his message, Paul doesn't retreat to safer ground. He moves next door—literally—and begins meeting in the house of Titius Justus, right beside the synagogue that had expelled him.

The audacity is breathtaking. The practicality is inspiring.

Why Cities Matter

Cities concentrate everything—people, diversity, creativity, problems, and possibilities. Understanding why Paul targeted cities helps us grasp God's urban strategy:

Density creates opportunity. More people per square mile means more chances to share the gospel. Simple mathematics combined with divine purpose.

Diversity enriches community. Cities bring together the wealthy and poor, educated and uneducated, native-born and immigrants. This rich tapestry reflects God's heart for all nations and peoples.

Competition demands excellence. Whether it's business, arts, sports, or ministry, cities force us to bring our best. A church in an urban environment can't survive on mediocre theology, outdated methods, or half-hearted worship. The city demands—and deserves—our finest efforts for the kingdom.

Creativity flourishes. Cities are centers of art, music, innovation, and culture. All of these can be redeemed for gospel purposes. From jazz clubs to tech startups, Christians have opportunities to infiltrate every sphere of influence.

Mobility brings fresh starts. People move to cities for new beginnings. They leave behind reputations, mistakes, and the suffocating familiarity of small towns where everyone knows their story. The city offers anonymity—and with it, the chance to become something new. This is gospel territory.

Corinth and Contemporary Culture

First-century Corinth bears striking resemblance to twenty-first-century American cities. It was a trade hub with educated young people, new industries, and massive sporting events. It had thriving arts scenes and health-conscious citizens obsessed with physical fitness.

It also had rampant sexual immorality, substance abuse problems (church members were literally getting drunk during communion), and profound spiritual confusion.

Sound familiar?

Paul didn't flee this environment. He engaged it. He lived in it. He worked a regular job in it. And he planted a church that would become one of the most significant congregations in Christian history—despite its many struggles and imperfections.

The Core Group and the Vision

Every movement starts small. Paul found his core team in Aquila and Priscilla—faithful believers who weren't seminary-trained or ordained, just devoted followers of Jesus willing to work hard and take risks. They opened their home, supported Paul's ministry, and eventually risked their lives for the gospel.

This is crucial: You don't need credentials to make a kingdom impact. You need faithfulness.

Paul worked as a tentmaker to support himself until the church in Macedonia sent financial support. Then he devoted himself full-time to teaching and preaching. This is the biblical pattern—ministry requires time and resources, and churches that want to grow must invest in leadership.

But here's what sustained Paul through the inevitable difficulties: a divine vision. In Acts 18:9-10, Jesus appears to Paul in the night with an extraordinary promise: "Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people."

Read that again. "I have many in this city who are my people."

Paul didn't know who they were yet. These future believers didn't know they would be saved. But Jesus knew. God had already chosen them, and Paul was the instrument through which they would hear the gospel and respond.

What comfort! What motivation! The success of the mission doesn't depend entirely on our eloquence, strategy, or effort. God has already prepared hearts. Our job is to faithfully proclaim the message.

Taking the Pain

Urban ministry isn't easy. Paul faced opposition from religious leaders who should have been his allies. He was reviled, physically attacked, and eventually dragged before tribunals on false charges.

But he persevered. For a year and a half, he stayed in Corinth, teaching the Word of God. People were saved. Lives were transformed. A church was established.

Then he moved on to plant another church.

This is the pattern: endure hardship, establish a healthy congregation, raise up leaders, and multiply the mission. It requires thick skin, deep biblical knowledge, and an unshakeable commitment to the lordship of Jesus Christ.

The Challenge Before Us

We live in cities that desperately need transformation. Crime, homelessness, addiction, family breakdown, and spiritual confusion plague our communities. The temptation is to retreat—to create Christian enclaves where we're safe from the chaos.

But that's not the biblical model.

We're called to be a city within the city—a community with different values, different priorities, and different power sources, living right in the midst of urban complexity. Not hating the city, but loving it. Not fighting the city, but serving it. Not hiding from the city, but engaging it with the transforming message of Jesus Christ.

The Vision Forward

Communities can be transformed by the gospel. Generations can thrive when the church faithfully makes disciples and sends them out into every sphere of influence.

But it requires moving off the fence. It demands more than consumeristic Christianity that takes but never gives. It calls for men and women who will work upstream—becoming lawyers, teachers, artists, business owners, and public servants who bring Christian wisdom into the culture-shaping institutions of our cities.

God already knows who His people are in your city. He's simply asking: Will you be faithful to tell them about Jesus?

The city is waiting. The harvest is plentiful. And Jesus is still saying, "Do not be afraid. I am with you."