Relationships

If you value people in the city, then you will make intentional decisions to build long-term empowering relationships.  Intentionally doing so will allow you to cross cultural barriers and build relationships which enrich your lives.  Knowing people within the city helps cultivate an appreciation of their diversity, which enriches and broadens ones vision and ministry.  It presents itself as an indigenous vault of resources.

Relationships and leadership development on-the-job creates and affirms value, power, and a sense of community in the lives of your ministry teams.

Leadership Development

Invest in people. Pour yourself into those that God sends your way by taking what He poured into you and reinvest it into others.  It may take fifteen years to develop indigenous urban leadership.  It’s necessary, absolutely vital, for implementing an effective and sustainable ministry to city kids.  

  • Make spiritual disciples for Christ in the city… Matthew 28:19-20  
  • Develop spiritual leaders for Christ in the city… Philippians 3:10  
  • Lead others into a Christ-like life of Sacrifice – Suffering – Service:

Because we children of Adam want to become great, He became small. Because we will not stoop, He humbled Himself. Because we want to rule, He came to serve.

Reconciliation

A result of redemption, the end being made right with God, now we are His ambassadors… 2 Corinthians 5:19-20
Satan has a plan to alienate and separate us from God and each other.  You and I need to repent and forgive.

Unity Pledge

As a disciple of Jesus Christ, I am committed to the unity and harmony intended for His Body, the Church.  I repent and ask forgiveness for any way I have alienated others.  I share remorse for every thought, word, or action that has divided the Church.  I will forgive those who have sinned against me.  I will pray for the unity and harmony of God’s people.  And I will work with other Christians to move beyond any racial barriers, demonstrating the unity of the Glory of Christ our Lord.

Risk-taking in ministry

It is in the heat of urban risk-taking ministry that some of the most innovative and energetic ministries have been developed, which are still used today.

  1. After-school, mentoring, tutoring and other special programs sponsored by indigenous churches
  2. Long-term commitments to disciple indigenous leaders
  3. Training, teaching, and ministry development standards
  4. Bridge teams and young teen programs
  5. 10 Keys of the Kingdom and 7 MIT with song

Location and Place

Are you willing to stay and serve the Lord in a community of need? Living and serving in the city comes with a cost.  You experience life as your neighbors.  You struggle in the city with those that you intend to minister and help.  You share the struggle.  You have a bond – common ground to work from, which builds a trusting relationship.

There is a refreshing movement that blows through urban streets of America today.  It’s called incarnational ministry, which is simply to live and be enriched by the people you minister to.  Whether you presently work on the inside with city kids, effective ideas are born in the city and will inspire your creativity and enhance your ministry.

Networking

Again, focus on networking with others in the community to build capacity and sustainability.  A God-given vision will be inclusive of His Kingdom at-large. Indigenous partners and leadership with the same vision will empower people in the Kingdom if done long-term.  Here are a few areas to consider networking for capacity-building, sustainability, and effectiveness in the city:

  1. Organizations, cohorts, and initiatives that network in the city
  2. Church Partnerships
  3. Innovative Outreach Events
  4. Creative Ministries
  5. Diversity and Development

Strategic Planning

This is not the last or least important component of implementing and growing a city ministry.  I saved it last to emphasize its fluid and/or organic nature.  Its value is immense, thus, used throughout every aspect of developing a strong ministry to city kids.  Strategic planning towards implementation is just that — strategic!  So, this aspect will always be evaluated and tweaked as changes occur in the city, community, staffing, dynamics of individual neighborhoods, etc.

Prayer for spiritual transformation of the city sectors by the Ekklesia is vital for successful outcomes of a strategic plan targeting communities, schools, and city kids.

I am providing you a link to see a proposed strategic plan for CEF City Kids USA.  You will notice that it is currently a proposal.  The plan leverages the use of the 10 Keys of the Kingdom.  It has various metrics to evaluate progress over 3 years.  It also has space for scaling and changes depending on its success and reception by the CEF family.  This proposed strategic plan is focused on vision-casting, leadership development, and risk-taking during its first 3 years.