Life in the City:

Nowhere do we face the world’s evil and brokenness more than in our cities. Issues like poverty, crime, addiction, and injustice are magnified, laid bare for all to see. Yet within our cities we can see the best of humanity as well. Many people and organizations, Christian and otherwise, are working to counter the destruction and brokenness and create flourishing life. All this good work flows from the sense that things are not as they should be, and from a longing for justice, peace, hope, meaning, empowerment, and more. The Bible’s idea of shalom captures these longings in a single word, and hints that what we all truly long for is this shalom in the kingdom of God.

Life in the City was created by staff from Cru’s US Church Movements ministry as a way to connect to these longings and to the God who alone can fulfill them. The simple questionnaire uses thoughtfully designed “word pictures” to invite people to share what they most long for in their city and what issues most hinder their city from becoming that type of place. It then invites them to consider a passage from Isaiah 65, which shows that God’s desire and design is for cities to be the places of goodness and shalom we long for. His coming heavenly kingdom promises to bring this in full, and his Word indicates that we have a role to play in allowing his kingdom to come and his will to be done, at least in part, in our earthly cities.

Life in the City is great for churches and nonprofit organizations aimed at the well-being of their cities. It opens the door for meaningful dialogue, spiritual conversation, and inviting people to be involved in their vital work, all while gathering insightful information that can help them understand their city and its needs more fully.