The Church in the City

As a church in Kenya this is our critical moment to reclaim our role as the ambassador for Christ. In his book City of God, City of Satan, Robert C. Linthicum says it’s the vocation of the church in the city to expose to those in it their blindness and show them that they can see if they will. “To expose the principalities and powers and their infiltration of the city’s political, economic, and religious life”[1] and to claim dominion over these powers by naming the name of Christ throughout the whole life of the city committed to its transformation because the gospel is broadcast and concentrated everywhere.

Cities are centers of influence in every sphere of life. What happens in the city become a standard that is exported to the rural areas? Most churches have their head quarters in the major cities and that is where policy and strategies are formulated. As the gospel is shared in the city it trickles down to the country side. A strong church in the city though may not practically reach out to everyone in the city ensures that the voice of God is heard everywhere and the gospel challenge presented to everybody. God’s voice is not only heard but also understood. There are no mixed signals that confuse people but clear communication which calls people for a response.

Since as a church we have been entrusted with this eternal gospel of Christ, we must then present it in variable but understandable methods. This will help counter the many detractors and competitors for the souls of men in the city.[2] The clarity of the message to the people determines the extent to which we win or lose. This calls for both devotion and innovation, devotion in an intimate relationship with Christ to decipher His timely word and innovation to enhance understanding of the people to communicate relevantly and effectively.

The church can practice its presence through prayer to stem out vindictive spirit, counter violence, help reform the political process by holding politicians accountable on the way they use their power, not for themselves or the political party but to show compassion to the city’s hurting, marginalized, poor and powerless.  This will result in peace instead of strife and it’s what being salt and light is all about (Matt 5:13-16). It is what is being a pillar and foundation of truth. Providing the hurting, the poor marginalized and weak with a strong shoulder to lean on, strong foundation upon which they can reconstruct their lives. This is the church that Jesus died to raise. It is the church he seeks to build and is building, a living organism that carries His name and is a strong tower where the righteous and those who seek righteousness can find refuge.

To command a transforming Christian presence that cannot be ignored, the quality of life of every individual Christian in the city must then be above reproach. D. L. Moody described the Urban preacher as, “…the pastor who climbs into the pulpit each Sunday with the Bible in one hand and the Newspaper in the other.”[3] For transformation this statement applies to the preacher as well as the flock. The newspaper will give the Christian relevance and the right use of the Bible guarantee his effectiveness.

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[1] Robert C. Linthicum, City of God , City of Satan (Grand Rapids : Zondervan Publishing House, 1991), 143

[2]Reesor, Allen, Pete Gackenbach and Peterson Wang’ombe, Custom Discovery Research Data Report Kenya (Pompano Beach: Book of Hope International, 2008), page 22

[3] Linthicum, 177