The vision and purpose of Urban Programs is that God would use them to challenge, strengthen and mobilize the people of God for the mission of God in cities both here in the U.S. and internationally. The world is urbanizing at an exponentially increasing pace, and poverty is becoming more and more urban. The vast majority of unreached people groups are in countries that are poor. Any legitimate witness in these countries and their urban centers must address the dynamic and complex issues of poverty, injustice, and what the kingdom of God has to say and do about such issues.
Through our short-term programs, we have the opportunity to influence our campus fellowships and our local churches. One way to stimulate members of your fellowship and churches into deeper involvement in world missions is through developing your support teams. There are four goals in developing support teams:
- To gather a team of people who will support you with their prayer and finances.
- To transfer your vision and knowledge to your support team, building a foundation for urban missions and service.
- To mobilize this team into action as you prepare together for an urban mission, helping each member discover his/her own vital role and contribution in the mission. Not every member of your support team is called to go, but all are still vital members of the mission.
- To inspire your team members to grow in sharing their faith cross-culturally and in their service to the needy around them.
