Define Urban

The term urban refers to the "whole" of a populous city along with the idiosyncrasies unique to that city. It ties together the strands of cultures, peoples, landscapes, faith, and thought into what I would call the "Metropolis". So the urban landscape is a fluid creature that ebbs and flows as the currents change. Our communities are changing everyday, some for the "worse" and some for the "better". Question is: Who defines "worse", and who defines "better"?

City politics and public policy are also major factors in the defining and shaping of our metropolises. They determine which neighborhoods will receive an apparent economic infusion and which ones will seemingly remain depressed. They determine which schools will close, which ones will remain open, and which ones will experience a "renaissance". They determine the property taxes and property values; deem neighborhoods enviable or not; and call down the power of "immanent domain" at will. In the shadow of such policies stand the people, the collective souls of poor and rich, of middle-class, of African-American, of black, of white, of Latino, of immigrants, of Christians, of Muslims, of Catholics, of Jewish, of Asians, of Indians, of educated, of homeowners, of renters, of laborers, of professionals, of homeless and working poor, of LGBT, of languages: OF VOICES.

No matter what the face of the city looks like or how loud the voices ring, the metropolis is the light on the hill; and as the cities go, so goes the nation. But there is a certain poverty in spirit that lies at the center. At the heart of the metropolis, then, is the idea that in all urban centers a peculiar kind of "brokeness" exists. I believe that this is a theme central to many urban ministries. This includes the inner-city, the ghetto, and the 'hood. Though the preceding terms are not synonymous and possess obvious stigmas, so much of this Ministry of Reconciliation in our cities encompasses reaching people with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, restoring hope, bridging the gap. Hence, the dialog and labor of many urban ministries revolve around the "broken places".

The "broken places" are the places where hopelessness seems prevalent, pervasive. Take for instance the Brightmoor Community in Detroit. Blight. High crime. Closing schools. Drugs. Flight. In the face of these, many lose hope. There is tremendous effort by urban ministries to address the issues, develop relationships, and fulfill the ministry of reconciliation in places like Brightmoor. Yet "broken people" are everywhere. Devon Street in Chicago is a bustling avenue of cultures, ethnicities, and faiths. Howard Street in Evanston has a similar feel also. Are these not part of the urban landscape, of the urban dialog? They are. There are urban ministries that address the needs of people from different cultures and faith traditions also.

So the term "urban" carries with it many meanings and perceptions. As it relates to urban ministries, I believe it is up to them to define the purpose for which they serve one segment of the city over another and to what end is their cause. We are called to make disciples, to bear fruit, and to love. If enough of us respond to this calling in our cities, we can see repentance and revival similar to the days of Nineveh. And the light of salvation will shine as a beacon of hope over the metropolis and beyond.