What is City Life?
City Life is a relational, holistic, community-based ministry that desires to see deep change in an urban neighborhood through the raising of indigenous leaders from the young people in that community. The need for the gospel in urban areas is strong. Teens need to know Jesus and they need to see His reflection where they live, learn and play. By immersing ourselves in the daily lives of teens we become an integral part of their community. We challenge teens to do the same. As an accepted part of their community, we become a known resource for teens, reflecting the gospel in all we do. City Life will develop and deliver structured programming necessary for basic health and safety, economic understanding, civic interaction, educational success, and spiritual development currently missing in their community.
How Does City Life Work?
To meet urban youth’s spiritual needs, we need to meet their physical needs as well (Are they hungry? Do they need glasses to read God’s word?). Holistic ministry is proclaiming the evangelical gospel AND demonstrating the gospel through addressing the social needs of youth and their families. James 1:27 says, “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”
We take on that call in the following ways…
- By keeping a tight neighborhood focus and living in that neighborhood if the Spirit leads.
- By doing relational, holistic ministry with a critical mass of youth from that neighborhood.
- By raising indigenous leaders who don’t move out, but stay and give back.