The Lausanne Movement is urging Christians around the world to see cities as one of the most important frontiers for mission, as rapid urbanisation continues to reshape where and how people live.
In an article titled "Cities: Accelerating the Gospel Where the World Lives", Dr Brent Burdick, Director of Lausanne Global Classroom, argues that cities are becoming increasingly central to the spread of the Gospel because they gather large populations, shape culture, and influence regions far beyond their boundaries.
Dr Burdick says the importance of cities can be traced throughout Scripture, from the opening chapters of Genesis to the vision of the restored New Jerusalem in Revelation.
He presents cities not simply as places of population density, but as hubs where people, ideas, systems, and cultures meet - making them crucial spaces for Christian witness and ministry.
Urban growth is accelerating globally, especially in Africa and Asia. Against that backdrop, Dr Burdick says churches need to pay closer attention to cities, where both the opportunities and the challenges of mission are especially visible.
He describes cities as places where human flourishing and human brokenness exist side by side.
They can intensify injustice, inequality, loneliness, and need, but they can also create openings for innovation, diversity, collaboration, and Gospel transformation.
As cities influence surrounding communities through trade, migration, education, and media, he argues that what takes root in urban centres can spread far beyond them.
“This biblical witness compels the church to take cities seriously: not only as fields to be harvested, but as communities to be loved, served, and renewed in Jesus’ name,” he wrote.
Drawing on biblical examples including Jerusalem, Rome, Ephesus, Babel, and Pentecost, Dr Burdick writes that cities have long played a strategic role in God’s redemptive purposes.
He points to the book of Acts in particular as evidence that the Gospel often moved from city to city, reaching wider regions through urban networks.
He also identifies three reasons cities matter for evangelisation today: they contain a dense population of people, they serve as centres of influence, and they bring together people from many nations and backgrounds in one place.
“The nations are coming to us - to our cities,” he suggests. “Multinational, multilingual neighbourhoods give the church unprecedented proximity to peoples we once crossed oceans to reach.”
Dr Burdick calls on Christians to respond by becoming “students of their cities,” taking time to learn and pray about local histories, challenges, and opportunities before seeking to implement change and serve them in practical ways.
He encourages churches to work together across denominational and organisational lines, seeing themselves not as isolated congregations but as part of a wider “church of the city.”
He stated: “If the church desires to accelerate global mission, we must learn to love and serve our cities together.
“When we see the other congregations in our city not as competitors but teammates, everything changes.”
He also highlights church planting, collaboration, and holistic mission as important parts of urban Gospel work.
Dr Burdick says churches should not only proclaim Christ but also seek the well-being of their communities by responding to local needs and helping cities flourish.
He further urges believers to pay attention to areas where Christian witness is weak, including sectors such as technology, the arts, sports, industry, and poorer urban neighbourhoods, and develop approaches that are culturally relevant and sustainable.
In those places, he says, faithful presence, relationships, and practical love can help open doors for Gospel ministry.
Dr Burdick concludes that cities are where much of the world now lives, and therefore where the Church must be prepared to serve with unity, humility, and courage.
He stated: “Cities are where the world lives - and where God loves to work. Scripture calls us to seek their shalom.
“The Great Commission will be fulfilled as the great cities of the world are influenced by the good news of Jesus through a united church that prays, collaborates, and serves in love. Start with your city. Start now.”
The Lausanne Movement has launched new resources, including its Global Classroom on Cities, which offers practical guidance for churches seeking to engage their local urban context more effectively.
