In the heart of every urban community, there’s a deep yearning for change – an inner longing for hope, restoration, and redemption. Yet, too often the solutions offered are merely surface-level fixes, addressing symptoms without getting to the root of the problem. While well-meaning initiatives may provide temporary relief, they often miss the underlying spiritual crisis at the core of human suffering: the brokenness caused by sin. But what if the key to lasting change in our cities is not found in mere programs or social reforms, but in rediscovering an understanding of the biblical redemption narrative.
The biblical narrative provides the framework for true transformation in the urban context. As we engage with the challenges of city life, we must begin by looking back to the Garden of Eden, understanding the depth of the rebellion, and embracing the hope that the gospel brings. Ultimately, this hope is not just for the future; it’s a present reality that can break into our cities now, as we live out God’s Kingdom here on earth. Let’s consider how a biblical foundation, rooted in the gospel, can guide our efforts to bring lasting change to the urban communities we serve, while always pointing back the God.
1. Go Back to the Garden First – Creation
Genesis 1:27 – So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
Please don’t start with the fallen state because, biblically, that is not where the story starts. The Bible does not begin with violence, rebellion, and death. The Bible begins with God, the perfect, holy Creator who is able to create something out of nothing and have His light shine into the darkness. The Bible starts with God saying “it was good” seven times in Genesis chapter 1.
The man was not made to fall, but was created in His image. In the Garden of Eden, man dwelled with God and was in His presence, and God met all of their needs. There was nothing more that man needed because God provided it all. Adam was given purpose by God to work the land and to glorify Him in all that he did. Creation was beautiful, and it’s important that we remember this. The urban context never remembers creation. Listen to the story told about the urban context, and it never starts where God starts.
2. Understand the Rebellion – The Fall
Genesis 3:1-6 – Now, the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.
Man rebelled against God, who had given them a good creation and everything they needed. They believed the lie of the enemy and stopped trusting God. Adam and Eve are pushed out of the garden and away from the presence of God, and soon after this, we see the first murder. The urban context often starts here. There is no hope, no story of creation, no remembering the holy God, no speaking of God redeeming creation. The story begins with tragedy, brokenness, violence, murder, and chaos.
Sin is ugly! The Christian’s heart should break for what breaks God’s heart, and God hates sin. All the problems experienced in the urban context and this world result from sin. When you blame problems on things other than sin, you come up with solutions for sins other than the ones that the Bible presents. The urban context sees many people coming up with solutions that sound okay and make a lot of temporary solutions, but they don’t fix this original problem. The results speak for themselves; nonprofits and programs come and go, but the darkness remains.
3. Know the True Hope – The Cross
Romans 5:1-5 – Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
Sin is the problem! Everything bad in this world, everything people hate, is the result of man’s rebellion against God. The story does not end with man in rebellion with God with no way to have a relationship with him. In Matthew 5, the Lord’s Prayer starts with OUR FATHER. How is that so? How can man who continued to move further and further from the presence of God now be able to have an intimate relationship with Him?
Man cannot take any action to get close to God, but God took significant action of His love. Man could not know God, so God sent His own Son to die on the cross for the sins of the world (John 3:16). The entire Bible is pointing to this Messiah, the one who is going to save the world, but it does not happen the way the Jews expect. Instead of a God that would triumph through might and a battle, he came and suffered the cross. The devil thought he had defeated the Messiah and that all hope was lost for mankind, but on the third day, Jesus rose from the grave and used the enemy’s tactics against him. Instead of a fallen humanity with no hope, anyone who believed in Jesus would become a conqueror of sin and death in Christ.
Hope does not come from food programs, church buildings, non-profits, sports, after-school activities, job training programs, better housing options, or improving schools. None of these things bring any hope because they don’t provide an answer to the original problem. The biblical answer for sin is the gospel of Jesus Christ. His birth, announcing of the Kingdom, life, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension is the biblical answer to the sin problem.
4. Look Forward to the New Garden – Forever
2 Corinthians 5:7 – Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
The Kingdom of God came unexpectedly. God, being gracious, instead of bringing the Kingdom and removing all darkness immediately, He allowed darkness to exist at the same time. Doing this has allowed more people to be called unto Jesus, but it has fooled some into thinking that darkness has a chance. Ultimately, there is only one Kingdom that will reign, and that is Christ’s Kingdom.
When the Kingdom of Light wins and the devil is stomped out for good, only people who have become new creations will exist in the new heaven and earth. Everything will be new and things will return to how they were supposed to be in the garden.
The urban context needs a dream. Urban theologians are needed to paint the picture of creation to the new creation that followers of Jesus are waiting for. The urban context needs to see that Jesus has more for them, not just in the life to come, but he wants to use them to bring his kingdom down now. When people are fully submitted to Jesus, we get a beautiful glimpse of a new creation. This dream can’t come from the world or anyone’s ideas, it must come straight from the Bible.
3 Critical Biblical Actions In Response To This Hope
The gospel is not only the source of hope for the urban context, but it also provides the framework for how we engage in meaningful, transformative ministry. As we’ve seen, the gospel restores identity, breaks the power of sin, brings reconciliation, and points us to eternal hope. However, understanding the gospel’s power is only part of the equation.
For urban ministry to be truly effective, it must be shaped by a biblical foundation that aligns with the gospel’s purpose and message. This means that our actions in the urban context must not be driven by mere pragmatism or social trends, but by a deep understanding of Scripture and the mission of God. Theological clarity informs the way we approach justice, mercy, community building, and evangelism. Consider these guiding principles in response to the hope we have for biblical redemption in the city.
1. A Biblical Foundation is Critical Before You Get to Work
Colossians 2:6-7 – Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
One of the biggest problems in the urban context is that such action is driven from a pragmatic view. People look for simple solutions, or they look towards man-made strategies that make sense. If there is violence, it’s because kids have nothing to do after school. If there are a lot of men incarcerated, it must be because of racist policing policies.
What is missing is a theological framework that drives all action forward. Understanding that all people are made in the image of God, the effects of the fall, the Kingdom of God, and the gospel are all essential to understanding how to take action in the urban context. A food program without a foundation in Scripture is meant to make people who serve feel good about themselves. It gives people food to survive another day without the gospel truth they need for genuine hope.
In reality, a mercy ministry stems from the gospel. When you were spiritually hungry and had nothing you could do for yourself, Jesus came and found you, called you to himself and gave you his word so that you would never be spiritually hungry again. The Christian turns around and extends this same mercy to others out of this mercy that they have received.
2. No More Solutions that Fall Short of the Gospel
Romans 1:16-17 – For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”
The urban theologians are obsessed with standing on the Bible. Christians are making decisions based not on what pragmatically makes the most sense but is searching Scripture for what to do. Every action the believer makes should flow out of the gospel and God’s action to draw close to us.
When this is not done, you end up with people and churches in these communities who are starting and doing a lot of things, and they sound like something Jesus would do, but they don’t know why. Urban theologians strive to teach the people the “why” behind the multiethnic and socioeconomically diverse church. It’s nothing that needs to be pursued because the world cares about it right now. There are biblical reasons to do these things and to love people in the inner city.
3. Good Works Always Glorify God
Psalm 148: 1-14 – Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise him in the heights! Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his hosts! Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars! Praise him, you highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens! Let them praise the name of the Lord! For he commanded and they were created.
The goal of all this is to bring glory to God. The goal in Genesis 1 and 2 was to spread the glory of God from Eden to the ends of the earth. Our goal now is to spread the glory of God to the ends of the world through the gospel of Jesus Christ. That includes the urban context!
