How does the spirituality of the city cause our urban spirituality? What kind of spirituality do we need to live out the Kingdom against the domination of urban culture? What is that like for workers in the slums, in a postmodern Western city or for business people?

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2. 1. URBAN CONTEXTS DETERMINE SPIRITUALITY
1. Sub-Culture (Redfield)
1.1 Cultural/ Ethnic Enclave
1.2 Urban Poor Enclave
2. City Culture
2.1 The Integration of Modern Urbanism
Secularism, Individualism, Materialism,
Progress
2.2 The Vacuum of Postmodernism
Loss of Integration, New World Order,
Fragmentation of Identity, Evolutionary
Determinism, Death of Rational Materialism

3. 2. THE CONTEXT IS A SPIRITUALITY
Each city has it own spirit:
• Paris of haut couture,
• New York as financial center,
• Kolkata, the city of Kali, Goddess of death.
This emerges from the history, the culture, the
covenants of that city (Dawson).
Part of analyzing this is to examine the culture of the
city and the covenants at its foundation or at major
turning points.

4. THE CONTEXT IS A SPIRITUALITY
Part of analyzing this is to examine the culture
of the city and the covenants at its
foundation or at major turning points
(Waymire).

5. INTERPRETING THE CONTEXT AS SPIRITUALITY
From spiritual powers: Wagner popularized a theory of
Sprit’s of the city based on the idea of a hierarchy of
spirit powers with assigned territories globally. This is
based on the passage in Daniel about the Prince of the
Kingdom of Persia. It may apply to some cities such as
Kolkata or Bangkok, both cities dedicated to godesses.

6. INTERPRETING THE CONTEXT AS SPIRITUALITY
From spiritual powers: Wagner popularized a theory of
Sprit’s of the city based on the idea of a hierarchy of
spirit powers with assigned territories globally. This is
based on the passage in Daniel about the Prince of the
Kingdom of Persia. It may apply to some cities such as
Kolkata or Bangkok, both cities dedicated to godesses.
From the collective human spirit: Paul Hiebert, from an
urban anthropology view, believed that rather the spirit
of the city emerged from the collective culture of the
humanity of the city.

7. 3. SURVIVING THE CONTEXT REQUIRES A SPIRITUALITY
Spirituality has to respond to Nature of Cities The
generic soul of all cities have some of the following:
The Culture of Urbanism – the humanity of cities
includes some of the following
• Connectivity
• Anonymity - We form Urban Communities or churches
• Anomie – we create supportive cells
• Identity – we build communal identities within the context of the
city
• Sense of belonging – we engage in roles within institutions and
communities that give us dignity and hope.

8. SURVIVING THE CONTEXT REQUIRES US TO
DEVELOP A SPIRITUALITY
Fundamentalism and Pentecostalism as a retreat from reality (Harvey
Cox), enabling people to cope with the pain of oppression,
ocasionally coming out to do evangelism.
This leads to a spirituality of worship and the Presence of the Spirit in
that isolated worship, the Spirit of comfort and healing of the pains
of oppression.
An alternative theology is of evangelical Social engagement as a
spirituality of engagement
Based on Jesus teaching of Salt and Light this leads to walking with
the Spirit of anointing and Justice, walking in the authority and
power of God as we engage the Power structures. This may be in
opposition to the evil of the structures or an engagement in seeking
to form those structures.
Thus:
URBAN SPIRITUALITY does Justice, fights for justice, or forms just
structures. .

9. URBAN POOR ORDERS SPIRITUALITY
A cluster of apostolic orders has developed over the last
decades:
• Servants to Asia’s Urban Poor
• Companions to the Poor
• Servant-Partners
• Move In
• Inner Change
• UNOH
• The Urban Trek with Intervarsity has fed into these.
These share some common value systems. These you have
seen in the Lifestyle and Values of Servants. Each group has
tweaked them in different ways. There a number of books
that these movements have published together.

10. SPIRITUALITY & THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT
In the Beginning God created
Does he continue to create, or does what he set in motion create further
creation – including cities.
URBAN SPIRITUALITY will be involved in his CREATION OF URBAN
ENVIRONMENTS

11. COPING WITH THE STRESS OF URBAN
MINISTRY
Theology of rest - the ebb and flow of ministry seasons.
Cities: Intensifiers of Stress: The mental stresses of the city require a response
from the church.
For example the stress of life in Hong Kong has resulted in 1 in 10 developing mental
problems.
 The social dislocation of migration leaves long term social problems.
The pressure of commuting, of economics, of education create stress.
Stimulus overload results from constant noise, people and events.
We can only absorb so much. Hence we develop several stages of adjustment:
Cutting off stimuli
Being selective about movements
Splitting society into sectors
Find space away from the people over whom we have no control.

12. THE NEED FOR A SPIRITUAL ADVISOR/ SUPERVISOR
• Human beings are limited and need other
counselors to help.
• Who do you meet with monthly to mentor you
with spiritual issues?
• What are the qualities of a mentor? Spiritual
director?
• What are the dynamics of a mentorship
relationship?

14. NEGATIVE FACTORS ON URBAN SPIRITUALITY
Group A: DYSFUNCTIONAL URBAN STRUCTURE
OVERCROWDING
Modern cities may show little evidence of thoughtful
planning and expand at an enormous rate. The
subsequent overcrowding makes privacy a luxury for
most people except privileged elite who can afford
more spacious accommodation.
LONG HOURS OF WORK AND TRAVEL
URBAN UGLINESS – Concrete, litter, graffiti etc.

15. GROUP B: TECHNOLOGICAL SOCIETY (ELLUL)
TECHNOLOGY defines IDENTITY
MATERIALISM – as a basis for Status
COMPETITION for children to obtain education

16. GROUP C: ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ON URBAN
SPIRITUALITY
• PHYSICAL INERTIA
• ECONOMIC HARDSHIP
• POLLUTION
Pollution can have a long term impact on the health of
the population. There is a direct relationship
between respiratory illnesses and pollution.

17. GROUP D: SOCIAL IMPACT ON SPIRITUALITY
• HUMAN NEED OVERLOAD
• MULTI-CULTURAL / LINGUAL SOCIETY
• CRIMINALITY / CORRUPTION
• SUPERFICIALITY
• ABSENCE OF COMMUNITY

18. SPIRITUALITY AND THE POST-MODERN
MEGALOPOLIS
The following chart identifies elements of
postmodernism, and Kingdom responses. Each
of these is developed in Spirit of Christ and the
Postmodern City.
The subsequent pages take one sector of the city
and reflect on what kind of spirituality would be
appropriate for that sector.

28. BUSINESS SPIRITUALITYBusiness Conversation Themes The Businesspeople’s Biblical Conversation Themes Their Biblical Sources Parallel Kingdom Themes
Creativity Releasing full potential, human
dignity
Gen 1 Kingdom and humanness
Kingdom and mustard seed and
yeast (Matt 13:31-34)
Productivity God made it fruitful
Hard work
God of blessing
Tithing releases blessing
Gen 1; John
15:7,16
Kingdom economic principles
(Matt 18:23-35: 20:1-16; 21:28-31;
21:33-44) Parable of the sower of
the seed of the Kingdom (Matt
13:1-23) Parable of sheep and
goats - caring for poor (Matt 25:31-
46) Rich man and the Kingdom
(Matt 19:23-26)
People-
centred
management
Loving relationships
Management in different
societal spheres
Harmonious work environment
I Cor 13,
I John 4:7-21
I John 1:-10
Kingdom social principles
Love as great commandment (Matt
22:32-40)
Kingdom theology of work

29. BUSINESS SPIRITUALITY
Ethics in business Integrity, financial honesty
God of faithfulness
Ten commandments
Fruit of the Spirit
Exodus20:2-17
Gal 5: 22, 23
The King as supreme sustainer
Kingdom & faithfulness (Matt 25:1-13;
25:14-30)
Kingdom and social order (Matt 22:2-
14)
Struggle against
business ups and
downs
Spiritual warfare
Sovereignty of God
Life of faith
Eph 6:10-20 Kingdoms in conflict (Matt 16:19)
Kingdom and mustard seed and yeast
(Matt 13:31-34)
Handling power plays Sovereignty of God
Trust in God’s purposes
Psalms Kingdom leadership (Matt18:1-4:
20:1-16, 21; 23:1-14)
Positive mental
attitude
Problems as opportunities for
faith and prayer
Spirituality heightening the
intellectual integration of logic,
intuition, emotions
I Cor 1:20-25
Kingdom and mustard seed and yeast
(Matt 13:31-34)
The Spirit and the Kingdom

30. BUSINESS SPIRITUALITY
Career commitment Business as a vocation Kingdom and hiring workers (Matt 20:
1-16)
Mentoring
excellence
Discipleship
Holiness, search for perfection
II Tim 2:2-6 Discipleship as response to King
Responsible economic
policy and structures
Prophetic voice to the economic
powers
Eph 6:10-20 Kingdom economics
Kingdom conflict

31. ENGAGING THE SOUL OF THE CITY
Our personal and communal spirituality
Is significant in releasing the Power of the Holy
Spirit, so he transforms the very core of the
culture of the city.
What would happen if the love of eh Holy Spirit fell
on the city council: civility, service, love,
seeking the best, creating public space for
dialogue, creating economies that enable
people to floursh…
Our spirituality is to impact the city spirituality,
transforming the soul of the city.

32. SOME REFERENCES
Bessenecker, S. (2006). The New Friars: The Emerging
Movement Serving the World's Poor. Downers Grove,
IL: IVP.
Dawson, J. (1989). Taking Our Cities for God. Lake Mary,
FL: Creation House.
Dear, M. (2010). L.A. as Postmodern Urbanism. Los
Angeles.
Ellul, J. (1964). The Technological Society. NY: Random
House, Vintage Books.
Grigg, V. (1986). SERVANTS: A Protestant Missionary
Order With Vows of Simplicity and Non-Destitute
Poverty. Auckland: Urban Leadership Foundation.
----. (1985). The Lifestyle and Values of Servants.
Auckland: Urban Leadership Foundation.

33. SOME REFERENCES
Grigg, V. (1995). Spiritual Warfare and the Poor in the
Gateway Cities. In M. Wilson (Ed.), Praying Through
the 100 Gateway Cities. Seattle: YWAM Publishing.
---- . (2009). The Spirit of Christ and the Postmodern City:
Transformative Revival Among Auckland's Evangelicals
and Pentecostals. Lexington, KY: Emeth Press and
Auckland: Urban Leadership Foundation.
Gulick, J. (1989). The Humanity of Cities: An Introduction to
Urban Societies. Westport, Connecticut: Bergin and
Garvey.
McAlpine, T. H. (2003). Facing the Powers: What Are the
Options? Wipf & Stock Publishers.
Wagner, C. P. (1993). Breaking Strongholds in Your City.
Ventura: Regal.
Waymire, B., & Townsend, C. (2000). Discovering Your City :
Bringing Light to the Task of Community Transformation.
Light International.