This Month’s Fresh Word
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” (Romans 1:16-17)
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he reported death of God in the cities of America and the world is a false report. Those who are involved in ministry in the city testify that in the city, as everywhere else, where sin doth abound, there grace doth much more abound. Christ the wounded healer is present in the concrete jungles, in the overcrowded rat and roach infested projects in the halls of justice, and in the jails. As our eternal contemporary, He is wherever there is human hurt and suffering. Since God has never forsaken the city, neither must the church. A careful examination of the urban scene reveals that the church and all social institutions are both challenged and threatened by conditions which are widespread in twentieth century America. These conditions, though observable because of physical manifestations, are primarily spiritual and theological. They are basically problems arising because of man’s rebellion and alienation from God and man’s pride, selfishness and contempt for his fellow man. In recent years the church too often has been in captivity to the society for economic and social reasons and has not been free to fulfill its prophetic role of pronouncing judgment as well as proclaiming the way of healing and salvation. Rather, the church has too often simply reflected the prevailing social or political values and has said by its silence and/or complicity that the majority and might makes right. Consequently, the church in many cities of the United States has lost its effective witness. America must apply its teaching regarding forgiveness, healing and redemption to itself before it can respond constructively to the desperate cry of the larger society for direction. It may be that much of the distress in our cities is due to the abandonment of the cities by the many representatives of Christ, leaving only a remnant of his followers to do what Christ has commissioned all of us to do together. The city is the scene of spiritual confusion. There is to be found a proliferation of cults and non-biblical religions, often led by opportunists and spiritual pimps who capitalize on the ignorance, spiritual hunger and vulnerability of many city dwellers who have never heard the Gospel. Moreover, here are those in the city like these counterparts in the suburbia who heard the Gospel but rejected its claim upon their lives. Paul in Romans Ch. 1 gives a clear statement of the major cities of America today. “For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone
who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written. ‘The just shall live by faith.’ For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man – and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. Therefore, God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among SEE
The city, pg. 15
Bishop George Dallas McKinney is the founder and senior pastor St. Stephen’s Cathedral Church of God in Christ in San Diego, California and serves on the presidum of the Church of God in Christ, Inc.