Urban Ministry
The term "urban ministries" is very broad, because most of us live in the city. There are urban ministries that focus on the homeless, others that speak to the hip-hop generation, and seminary courses on the theology of the city. Then there are ministries whose heart is for intercultural ministry and racial reconciliation. The links on this page will focus primarily on these.
This video, featuring Al Barth with City to City Church Planting Center of the Presbyterian Church in America, explains the importance of bringing the powerful influence of the Gospel to major cities.
More than 3000 individuals and 500 churches and agencies are members of the Christian Community Development Association, which offers training and publications on reconciliation and urban ministry.Their mission is "To inspire, train, and connect Christians who seek to bear witness to the Kingdom of God by reclaiming and restoring under-resourced communities."
Everyone interested in urban ministry will benefit from reading CCDA's Principles of Christian Community Development. CCDA also holds a large annual convention.
The Urban Ministry Institute trains leaders for the urban church, especially among the poor, in order to advance the Kingdom of God. TUMI seeks to facilitate dynamic, indigenous church planting movements among the poor to reach the inner city unreached populations.
The Urban Ministry Institute is the research center of World Impact, Inc., an interdenominational missions organization dedicated to ministering God's love in the inner cities of America.
Transforming the City is an online book developed by participants in a workshop organized by International Urban Associates (IUA) in 1996. IUA brought together twenty-five urban ministry experts for a week of brainstorming and asked them two questions:
"What does it take to be effective in urban ministry?"
"How do we communicate what we know about urban ministry?"Although there have been some changes in the culture in the intervening years, many of their findings are timeless:
Learn More
(Your purchases from Amazon.com support our ministry. Thank you!)
Theirs Is the Kingdom:
Celebrating the Gospel in Urban America
by Robert D. Lupton
Harper SanFrancisco
The New Parish: How Neighborhood Churches Are Transforming Mission, Discipleship and Community
by Paul Sparks, Tim Soerens and Dwight J. Friesen
IVP Books
Why Cities Matter: To God, the Culture, and the Church
Justin Buzzard and Stephen Um
Published by Crossway
Street Stories
Rick Reynolds, executive director of Seattle's Operation Nightwatch
Published by CreateSpace
Renewing the City: Reflections on Community Development and Urban Renewal
by Robert D. Lupton
IVP Books
Beyond Charity: The Call to Christian Community Development
by John M. Perkins
Baker Book House
A Heart for the City : Effective Ministries to the Urban Community
by John Fuder (Editor)
Moody Press
Restoring At-Risk Communities : Doing It Together and Doing It Right
by John Perkins
Baker Book House
Journey to the Center of the City : Making a Difference in an Urban Neighborhood
by Randy White
Intervarsity Press
City Reaching: On The Road To Community Transformation
by Jack Dennison
William Carey Library Pub
Urban Ministry : The Kingdom, the City, & the People of God
by Harvie M. Conn and Manuel Orti
Intervarsity Press
Cities : Missions' New Frontier
by Roger S. Greenway
Timothy M. Monsma
Baker Book House
Urban Disciples : A Beginner's Guide to Serving God in the City
by Jenell Williams Paris
Judson Press
A Theology As Big As the City
by Ray Bakke
Intervarsity Press
The Urban Christian : Effective Ministry in Today's Urban World
by Ray Bakke
Intervarsity Press
* Read our article on Friendship Evangelism for practical suggestions for building cross-cultural friendships.
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