Archive: Vision for Renewal

Urban Outreach

by Jose R. Velazquez

There has always been an aura of both strange fascination and overwhelming fear surrounding the city. For the city is a place of stark contrasts: it is a mammoth conglomeration of magnificent sights and marvelous opportunities. But it is also a place beset with drugs, crime and poverty. In this milieu, the Church and its programs, for the most part, has been woefully inadequate. At best, some local churches have become nothing more than glorified social agencies attempting to meet social needs. Others are interested only in spiritual welfare. This dichotomy has been tragic. Both extreme approaches fall short of the biblical pattern that Jesus modeled for us and commanded us to follow.

We evangelicals have to admit a poor track record in this area of urban ministries. Though we take pride in our belief on the primacy of the Scriptures and our total commitment to its authority, we have failed to integrate its truths into the arena of city life. We have failed to trust the Holy Spirit, for ultimately it is not through programs that the effectiveness of the gospel is proven, but by utter faithfulness and bold reliance on God’s promises and power (Zechariah 4:6).

We have largely ignored the ever-growing presence of newcomers living in our cities, and have failed to develop meaningful and redemptive ministries for them, as well as for the poor and the oppressed (The United States is now the fourth, and possibly the third largest Spanish-speaking country in the world!). We have ignored the glaring fact that it is in our cities where the greatest concentration of persons live. And it is in our cities where 60 percent of the world population will be living by the year 2000!

So, where is the evangelical presence in our cities? How are we facing up to our commitment to demonstrate and proclaim the message of the Good News? Some are praying for solutions—and fleeing the city! (Did Jesus say something about being his witnesses in the suburbs of Jerusalem and in all the suburbs of Judea and Samaria…?) Jesus loved the city. It is significant that of the two occasions recorded in the Bible when Jesus wept, one was for a beloved friend, and the other for Jerusalem, the Holy City. Desperately needed in our cities are people who are motivated not by guilt nor by pity, but by a deep sense of love for Christ and people.

The city, indeed, presents for all of us a formidable challenge! Both the church with its resources and our seminaries must reformulate and reconstruct their focus of mission, giving priority to urban ministries. The crisis and opportunities implied in the urban challenge cannot be met by following old assumptions and using traditional structures. The voice of God is calling his ambassadors of reconciliation, who out of their love for God and for the sake of his kingdom are willing to invest their lives in the barrios and ghettos of our cities.

Jose R. Velazquez is a member of the Northern Illinois Conference of the UM Church and a member of the Good News board of directors. With his wife, Ruth, and their children, they have lived and ministered in the Chicago area for 25 years.