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Antioch Network Our Dream
Antioch Network Our Dream
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Modern cities are diverse, rapidly changing and have a mobile population. Many nationalities, cultures and language groups are intermingled and none more so than the main cities of Belgium. A multitude of approaches is needed to bring the gospel to a modern city. Small local churches have limited resources, limited cultural diversity and often limited vision. A city-wide church can be larger, can afford to have a wider vision, and can be more effective at impacting the city. It has more resources (in ministries, gifts, interests, personnel, buildings and finance) than small local churches. It has more scope for providing training at all levels and for influencing all levels of the society through its cultural and social diversity. A large city-wide church can accommodate the variety of social, work and relationship patterns through a flexible cell group system of church life while still providing culturally or language based congregational meetings and centralised large group celebration style meetings. A city-wide church provides a demonstration of the unity in diversity which is an essential characteristic of the body of Christ and the people of God. It enables the world to see an alternative society in which diversity does not have to mean separation and isolation but in which love can bind various cultures and expressions in one body around Jesus Christ. It provides both a family context for isolated and single people working in a city that is not their own, as well as a varied and stimulating environment for learning, growing, maturing and serving others. |
