The Bible is all about the Missio Dei: the Mission of God. At Mars Hill, we are a people who have been called by God. Each of us has the incredible privilege to be sent out and own God’s mission of seeing the world transformed through our respective cities. From Genesis, where God commissions the building of a culture and civilization that would honor him, to Revelation, where the apex of God’s redemption is a city coming out of heaven, we witness God working through cities and urban centers.

Ultimately, Jesus went up to the city, and was crucified "outside the [city] gate," a Biblical metaphor for forsakenness, so that we could be citizens of the city that was to come, the New Jerusalem.

In the 1st Century, after Jesus ascended, the strategy for early church missionaries was simple: go to the largest urban hub in the region, preach the Gospel, and watch the message flow throughout the region. In Acts 16, Paul is called by God to reach Macedonia, so he automatically chooses to go to the largest city of the region (v.12). Time and time again, we see Christian missionaries going to the largest city of the region, planting a church, and then leaving because they knew that once they reached the city, they had reached the society and culture. Not only are we called to preach the Gospel in the city but to move in and fully invest in the life of the city. In Jeremiah 29, the Israelites are plucked from their home and taken into captivity in Babylon. As God shows and tells them, however, they didn’t just happen to get carried into captivity; he sent and called them to live in that unbelieving city and love it as part of God’s mission.

"Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare." Jeremiah 29:4-7

Jesus backed this up later by declaring that what will bring redemption to the world is Christians establishing a city of light within the larger city of man. A city within a city, working for the betterment of the larger city, serving, loving, doing work, power, money, and sex differently so that the city can see how good and glorious God is and can be changed (Matt. 5:14-16). Ultimately, Jesus went up to the city, and was crucified "outside the [city] gate" (Heb. 13:12), a Biblical metaphor for forsakenness, so that we could be citizens of the city that was to come, the New Jerusalem (Rev. 21:1-2).

Serve the City

We’re called to engage in the very fabric and life of our city and radiate Jesus’ light. Move all the way in and invest. Learn the history. Enjoy the cities food, music, and art. Build relationships with your neighbors, co-workers, baristas, bartenders, bus drivers, and whoever else happens to be in your sphere of influence. Serve the city. Respect and honor the people in your city, rather than separating yourself from them. Ask sincere and genuine questions. Find areas of need and brokenness. But most of all, focus on redemptive engagement of the city so that our city can know the grace and love of Jesus Christ. Tim Gaydos is the Downtown Seattle campus pastor. Stay tuned later when he explains how he pastors his church in serving the city of Seattle specifically. After the jump, the sermon, "Building a City Within the City," which opened 2007's Nehemiah series.

"Mars Hill exists for one reason, that is to make the name of Jesus great. Guys, that's all I care about. I'll be honest with you: I'm getting to be a tired old man, way too early. And more and more, this job is getting really focused for me: Jesus' name needs to be great. That's everything. That's all that matters."

–Pastor Mark