A Heart for the City Ministries

We believe there are eight keys to seeing transformation occur in any city. They are:

1) HARVEST - We cannot recover what has been lost until we recover who is lost. God is turning His churches inside out as He puts His burden for the lost in our hearts. The Lord of the Harvest is drawing us outside the four walls of the churches. We must be willing to step outside of our comfort zone and reach out to others. He will meet us at our step of faith.

2) UNITY - The love of God encourages all of us to be healed of past hurts, competition and factions so that the body of Christ may become whole, functioning together as one body, regardless of race, denominational differences, social class or personal preferences. We must all come to the realization that it takes unity to effectively co-labor with one another. Each member of the body of Christ is "the church" and when Christ looks at His church in the city, He sees ONE BODY, ONE CHURCH. When we work together in unity, the anointing flows, the power of God is evident, and that becomes the place where God commands His blessing. 

3) CITY - We're taking back our city for the glory of God, and establishing kingdom dominion through prayer, fasting and demonstration of power evangelism. It was the demonstration of what was genuine that contained the power that changed the world. No force could reckon with the power of Jesus as He demonstrated the kingdom of God! Jesus demonstrated love, compassion and miracles were birthed. Genuine spiritual authority flowed out of Him to impact the world around Him. He gave us the model and we are to continue to live that example so that the world around us will know that we are His disciples.

4) SIGNS AND WONDERS - Jesus has given each of us a stewardship in the gifts, calling and talents that He has bestowed upon us. We must give an account to Him as to our stewardship of that which has been deposited to our account, as well as the stewardship of the commission to cast out demons, heal the sick, and bring freedom to the captives. Deliver the oppressed! Whether it's in the workplace, the home or in the pulpit, God gave us a commission and we must be faithful to fulfill what He has commissioned us to do.

5) DIVINE NOBODIES - God will use anybody that will step out in faith. He brings the ordinary person into the extraordinary as we trust Him for the results! It's not about us; we bring nothing to the table on our own merit or achievement. It's all about what God can do through someone that will trust Him and make themselves available as His vessel.

6) RESTORATION - Repentance paves the way for restoration. Ultimately, repentance is what first turns the individual back to Christ and it brings them back into right alignment with God. When that happens on a corporate level and we begin to see a body of people live in ways that honor God, the entire city cannot help but be impacted.The poor and hopeless have their hope restored as we actively work with them in the restoration process. We network with other ministries and agencies to help provide work, housing and other practical needs. The issues of homelessness, poverty, addictions, broken families and more can be overwhelming. It takes a community working together to help solve these problems. We must learn to go the extra mile for others and walk them through the process. (Didn't someone once walk with us in the time of our need?) Freely we have received, freely we must learn to give back.

7) PREVAILING PRAYER -  Strategic, focused prayer tears down demonic strongholds and removes places of their influence. Proclamations and releasing the prophetic word of the Lord into an area is also one of the tools to "building the new work of the Lord." Teaching and training others in the implementation of decrees, declarations and exercising breakthrough, prevailing prayer is one of the keys of transformation.

8) COMMUNITY TRANSFORMATION - The result of these factors working together is transformation. Restoration happens one life at a time. While it sounds great to use all the "key words" to market God's strategies for success in business, financial freedom, and other slick marketing campaigns, we cannot expect transformation to happen if individual hearts and lives are not impacted with change. A change of heart must  accompany outward actions, and that starts on the inside of a person. Attitude, joined with faith, is one of the primary forces that will determine whether a person will succeed or fail. It is our desire to equip, educate, motivate and train others to understand their purpose and fulfill their destiny.  From the homeless person on the street to the city officials and business leaders impacting our communities, we want to help others hear the voice of God, walk in His wisdom, and possess integrity and power for their life. God wants to give each of us biblical principles and strategies for success, so that we can fulfill our mandate in Genesis 1:28. We are to walk in dominion and establish the kingdom of God in the earth. It is CHRIST in us, working  through us, that will bring transformation to the community where we live. Loving our brother as ourselves through teamwork, compassion and selfless giving WILL make an impact in our city! 

When we first started helping the poor, the responses were varied. Many of them surprised us, as they were from other Christians. We decided to post some of the "Top 10" excuses why people don't feel a need to get involved and some scriptural responses. There is much more that can be said on each point, but this is just a brief look at why each of us cannot ignore our responsibility to our neighbor, our fellow Christians that have needs, and those in our city. WWJD? What has he already told us? Take a look!

 TOP 10 EXCUSES WHY PEOPLE DON'T HELP THE HOMELESS

1) It's not my responsibility.  Luke 10:30-37  In answering a question about loving your neighbor, it was asked, 'Who is my neighbor?' Jesus gave the story about the Samaritan man helping a wounded man. Jesus said, "Go and do likewise".

2) I have problems of my own. Matt. 10:8 ; Luke 6:38  The Bible says "Freely you have received, freely give. & Give and it shall be given unto you."

3) We have programs for them. 1 John 3:17  "This is how we know what love is…if anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?"

4) They are lazy and deserve to be there.  James 4:12 ; Matt. 9:12-13; Col. 3:12  There is only one lawgiver and judge, the One who is able to save and destroy. Who are you to judge your neighbor?

5) We have others in our church that do that for us.  Prov. 3:28; 19:17; 21:13; 22:9  Do not say to your neighbor, "Go and come back, and tomorrow I will give it," when you have it with you." "He who is kind to the poor lends to the Lord." "He will reward him for what he has done." By the same token, Jesus also said that as we have done unto others we have done it unto Him. Whether in deeds of kindness, or neglecting to show kindness, as we treat others is how we invariably treat the Lord, too.

6) If you give to beggars, you will get more beggars. Matt. 4: 23-25; Acts 10:38  Jesus attracted crowds of poor, sick and desperate people, and He did not turn any away.

7) We are setting a bad example if we give in to their needs. John 13:15; 1 Peter 2:21  "For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. " Jesus was our example in service, suffering and giving.

8)  The Bible says "You don't work – you don't eat."  Matt. 14:13-20  Jesus had compassion on the multitudes and multiplied fishes and loaves to feed them.

9)  I didn't know there was a need.  Acts 17:30  There was a time when God overlooked ignorance, but now God holds us accountable to what we know.

10) I don't know how to help. James 1:3; Luke 11:9  Ask for wisdom, ask for the Holy Spirit.