Exploring Our Theme

   The theme of this mission study is "God's People in an Urban Culture." Let's take a look at what "God's People" and "Urban Culture" mean. You might be surprised!

   The main text for this study is the January-February 2000 issue of New World Outlook magazine. Here's how to order it.

Who Are the People of God?

   The idea of the church as God's people comes from the New Testament. while "God's people" refers to the church, the term can also mean the human race, and both uses are scriptural Read more....

What Is Urban Culture?

   The entire society in the United States, even its rural parts, is influenced by ideas, trends, and assumptions that come from an urban context, not just our cities. The same principle holds true for most other countries.

   Urban culture consists of the beliefs, values, arts, institutions, and ways of living associated with city life. Some examples of how urban culture affects the whole of society are:

• technology, such as automobiles, tractors, air conditioning, television and the Internet
• urban industrial models that have been applied to farming, lumbering, and ranching
• agrarian-cultured people who have moved to the cities; urban-cultured people who have moved to the country or who have a second home in the country where they spend weekends and holidays.

   We will explore how God's people live and act and have their being in a culture where urban/suburban ways of thinking and acting prevail. Read more....

In-Depth Exploration

   1. Read two complete articles from the packet:

"Introduction" by Elliott Wright, New World Outlook, January-February 2000
(photos or text only)

"The Vision of Shalom" for the City by Kinmoth W. Jefferson, New World Outlook, January-February 2000
(photos or text only)

   2. Order the study packet and other resources, such as the youth book, Streetwise in Corinth and the video Journeys of the Spirit.

   3. Visit these web pages:

• Children and Poverty: The Bishop's Initiative.
  http://www.umc.org/initiative/
  The bishops' statement on biblical and theological foundations is available in English, German, and Korean.
• A Church for All God's Children.
  http://www.umc.org/initiative/cfagc/
  Extensive resources for churches to help them to become more responsive to the needs of children and their families in the church and community, This packet contains resources (checklist, guidelines, resource list, and reporting form) to assist churches that want to qualify as "A Church for All God's Children."
• Communities of Shalom.
  http://gbgm-umc.org/programs/shalom/
  Information about United Methodist Shalom Zones, their mission and history, theological foundations, and resources.
• Family Farmers Smell Trouble as Hog Factories Hog the Market by Mary Beth Coudal, GBGM, November 24, 1998.
  http://gbgm-umc.org/mission/news/hogfarms.html
• Shalom Ministries Strengthen a Homeless Ministry by Mary Beth Coudal, GBGM, December 18, 1998.
  http://gbgm-umc.org/mission/news/shalomzo.html

Next:
Annotated Bibliography

God's People in an Urban Culture
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