Can the Gospel impact whole cities?

The answer is yes! We know because God has done it before and I am confident he will do it again (I hope many times over) in our day. I remember growing up in Hong Kong where the Gospel was not well known in the sixties. Today it would be hard to live there without being touched by the love of Jesus in some way as over the years the Gospel has flourished and grown and the church has been deeply active in the life of the city. Much the same can be said for Singapore.

Today I am attending a conference for Together for Berlin, a coalition of ministries committed to reaching Berlin with the Gospel. ReachGlobal participates heavily in this effort. Together we would like to see a transformational Gospel presence in every one of Berlin's 100 distinct neighborhoods. Together, across ethnic (there are some 200 ethnic churches in Berlin), denominational and country lines we want to see the name of Jesus become well known and His reputation lifted high. And that in a city that is today one of the most secular but influential cities on the planet. 

Can it happen? Through the presence of the Holy Spirit and the power of the Gospel it can. And I believe it will because God has laid a similar burden on the hearts of so many Christians in this city and when God's people live and work in unity (John 17) God can work powerfully. Powerful ministry comes out of God's people putting aside their less important differences for the cause of the Gospel and the name of Jesus. They have kingdom hearts like Jesus not provincial and small hearts like many others. 

In the room with me are people from all over the world who now live in Berlin. They are very different and their faith expressions are also varied. The music this morning comes from a Romanian church in Berlin of 600, one of the largest churches in the city. Many different people, different churches, but they are of one mind when it comes to reaching this city with the love and transformation of Jesus. The unity of His people is a sign of His presence. Jesus said so! And it is evident in Berlin!

What about your city? Is there an effort among God's people to come together for the cause of the Gospel? I watched it happen in my home city, Hong Kong. I am watching it happen in Berlin and in ReachGlobal we are praying for some 100 such places world wide. I know of a number of cities where such efforts are underway and it always starts when God's people come together in unity around the Gospel. What unites us as evangelical believers is far more powerful than what divides us.

(Written from Berlin, Germany)

Berlin - a city of destiny

I am convinced that God has His hand on Berlin even though it may be the most post-Christian, post-modern and liberal city on the continent of Europe. A city that has been known for much evil is destined, I believe to become known for much good.

Why do I believe this? Because of a group of individuals who have been praying for the city for over ten years and who now make up a coalition called Together for Berlin. Not only are they praying but they are doing. They are networking with all evangelical and missional groups in Berlin: German; ethnic; ministries and mission organizations. 

Members of the coalition are planting churches, networking their ministries, developing ministries to the least of these, migrants and immigrants, and partnering with the social services in the city. Driven by a passion to see the name of Jesus lifted high, become the love of Jesus to those who are needy and see the church expand in this metropolis, they are doing together what none of them could do by themselves.

They want nothing less than to see Jesus transform Berlin. They pray and believe what we recite in the Lord's prayer, "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven," and they have the audacity to believe that Jesus can and will do this. They are men and women of faith who have a heart much larger than their own ministries and their own neighborhoods. They are praying that a city can be transformed. They have a heart like Jesus.

ReachGlobal is privileged to be a part of this effort. We believe that Jesus can and does transform cities as He did in Ephesus in Acts 19 and 20. The church there impacted the whole of Asia minor, not just a neighborhood. We are together with Together with Berlin. We want to see the reputation of Jesus lifted high and his name become well known in that city.

What about your city? Are there Christian leaders who have a heart that is larger than their ministry? Larger than their neighborhood? Large enough to reach across denominational lines and focus on what unites us (the Gospel) rather than on what separates us? I await the day when there is a Together for every major city in our world. A coalition of the willing who will pray and unite and work for the transformation of their city.

It is catching on in other cities in Germany. Let's pray that it catches on in thousands of cities around the world.