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In the video above three wise pastors—one on the West Coast (Justin Buzzard in San Jose), one in the Midwest (Jon Dennis in Chicago), one on the East Coast (Stephen Um in Boston)—talk about what God is doing in cities today and why it matters from a biblical, cultural, sociological, and theological perspective. The three of them have brand-new books on the subject.

Dennis is the author of Christ + City: Why the Greatest Need of the City Is the Greatest News of All, and Buzzard and Um are the co-authors of Why Cities Matter: To God, the Culture, and the Church.

Here are some endorsements for Dennis’ book:

“Thoroughly biblical in its scope and treatment, Jon Dennis has gifted the people of God with a manifesto that will inspire the reader to be a part of what God is doing in cities. Incredibly timely, astoundingly pertinent, and convincingly prophetic, this is a book you will want to come back to over and over again.”
Bryan Loritts, Lead Pastor, Fellowship Memphis, Memphis, Tennessee

“More and more people have zero connection to Christ and his church. And, the vast majority of people who would check ‘nothing’ under religion overwhelmingly live in urban areas. Christ + City gives us a map to empower local churches who develop disciples who engage their cities with the love of Christ.”
Darrin Patrick, Pastor, The Journey, St. Louis, Missouri; author, For the City and Church Planter: The Man, the Message, the Mission

“Jon Dennis is a pastor, mentor, and visionary leader who has embraced Christ’s call to the city. His dynamic ministry in Chicago and his outreach to other global cities across several continents give him a deep understanding of the opportunity that today’s urban generation has to reach the city for Christ. In this pervasively gospel-centered book, Dennis combines the faithful exposition of central biblical texts with wise pastoral guidance to help people who live, work, serve, and worship in urban communities to honor God’s redemptive purposes for the city.”
Philip Graham Ryken, President, Wheaton College

You can read the introduction and the first chapter online for free here. And for the Buzzard and Um volume:

“One can’t effectively plant or pastor a church in an urban context without first developing a theology of cities. This book will be an essential guide to discerning leaders who know that cities matter and want to engage those cities well.”
Ed Stetzer, President, LifeWay Research; author, Subversive Kingdom

“Recent years have witnessed a torrent of books on urbanization and on urban ministry. Many of these are specialist sociological studies; others are ‘how to’ manuals so comprehensive that the Spirit of God could walk out and we’d never miss him. What has been lacking is a short, reasonably comprehensive, impassioned, and simply written survey of the trends and issues, combined with unwavering commitment to the eternal gospel and a transparent love for the city. Whether or not you agree with all its details, this book supplies what has been lacking. Written by two younger pastors on opposite sides of the country who share their devotion to Christ and their years of fruitful ministry, this book is neither sociology nor manual (though it has some features of both), but a clarion call to Christians to look at cities with fresh eyes and cry, ‘Give me this mountain!'”
D. A. Carson, Research Professor of New Testament, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

“Stephen Um and Justin Buzzard have done the church a great service in providing a clear and compelling argument not only for the importance of cities in our times, but more especially why cities matter to the church. They do a terrific job in teasing out a rich biblical theology of cities that roots their cultural analysis in a thoughtful and faithful framework. After reading the book, I wanted to call a real estate agent and tell them to find me a place in the city. It is not only where the ‘cultural action’ is today, but also where there is such a desperate need for thoughtful, faithful, and vibrant ministry. Um and Buzzard show us that cities are not to be shunned but loved with the full breath of the Gospel. You will not be able to think about cities in the same old ways after reading this book.”
Richard Lints, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary

You can read Tim Keller’s foreword and chapter 1 online for free here.

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