In Fall of 2000 I was an overzealous urban church planter in the Over-The-Rhine neighborhood of Cincinnati. Not too many thought it was a bright idea to start a church there. Here were the trends of the neighborhood at that time:
- The population had decreased by 9,000 people, with no prospects of growth forecasted
- 50% of the households were in the economic category of struggling urban households
- It was the second most violent neighborhood in the country
I’ll never forget sharing my dream with a fellow minister over coffee. “I hope you’re good at plowing concrete,” he joked. Others questioned why I would spend my time in a mediocre area. Many couldn’t see anything good coming from there, which in hindsight put me in good company.
In John 1:35-51 we see Jesus practicing a style of evangelism known as come and see. This style is an invitation to learn something new. We read of no sermons or philosophical discussions. Just a bunch of guys saying to their buddies they’ve found the Messiah, so come check him out.
In verse 46 we see one is cynical. When finding out that Jesus was from Nazareth, Nathanael scoffed, “Can anything good come from there?” he wondered. He was startled his friends would want him to come and see about what he considered an ordinary carpenter from a second-rate place. Fortunately, he overcame his doubts and met the son of God.
I met many Nathanael's while I planted that church. I can’t tell you how many sneered at the notion that anything good could from Over-The-Rhine. It was a good place to be from, not going into. Yet I knew better – I knew it was a place where people would meet their savior. People just needed to come and see what God had to offer.
That’s why it thrills me every time we conduct an Evangel School of Urban Church Planting. We train, encourage, and empower Christian workers to plant healthy, reproducing churches among the urban poor. These planters are dreamers just like I was. They believe that something good can come from hard places. Join us with your prayers and financial support in helping those dreams come true.