Following the Jesus in the Underside of Megalopolises

1. Following the Jesus in the Underside of Megalopolises The Ancient Principle of the Incarnation the Modern Reality of Global Urbanization and Poverty

2. The Heart of the Great CommissionLuke 4:18, 19 • The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,because he has anointed meto preach good news to the poor. • He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisonersand recovery of sight for the blind, • to release the oppressed,to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. • (central passage in Luke, Acts, refers back to the Servant Songs of Isaiah and the Jubilee of Leviticus)

3. The Power of the Spirit • The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,because he has anointed me The Centrality of Proclamation • to preach good news The Focus of Ministry • to the poor.

4. The Holistic Style and Context of Proclamation • He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisonersand recovery of sight for the blind, The Goal of Justice • to release the oppressed,to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. (The eternal jubilee, the year of redistribution). • Conversion and church growth are intermediate goals not end goals.

5. ½ the world is urban beginning the urban century From 19-95% of these cities are urban poor slum dwellers, squatters, favelados 2 billion people have migrated to the cities in the last decades All rural population increase has been moving to the cities The Greatest Migration in History • Most responsive mega-people • Group whether Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists, animists • Left behind old gods • Looking for new social relationships

6. John 1:14 • The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. • We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, • Full of grace and truth.

12. Cities Up the Ganges

13. Five Phases to Global Urban Evangelization • Phase 1: Mobilization of teams of cross cultural missionaries to the slums of the 200 mega-cities and 1700 least evangelized cities • 40 cities, 400 workers, perhaps 1200 globally • Phase 5: Transformation of the cities • Phase 2: Pioneering initial churches in the slums of each city • Manila, Lima, Mumbai, Delhi, etc • Phase 3: Indigenous leadership and movements • of 5000-15,000 in each city • Latin movements, movements in some African cities • 677 in Manila’s slums • Phase 4: Transformation of some slums

14. The Search for the Knowledge of Jesus (John 12:24-26) • (The model) The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. I tell you the truth, • (Principle of Movements) Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains a single grain. But if it dies it produces much fruit (many seeds). • (The Key) The person who loves their life will lose it, while the person who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. • (The Direction) Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am there my servant also will be. • (The Knowledge of God) My Father will honor the one who serves me.

15. Incarnation: Christmas Tinsel or Revolutionary Universal Principle? • Profound spiritual act that unleashes the power of the good news of redemption and freedom • Profound economic act that inverts economics into cooperative production and creativity and redistributive end goals • Profound social act that creates egalitarian-directed social relationships (we are brothers and sisters not oppressors) • Profound political act that facilitates the multiplication of small religious, social, economic and political organizational units at the grassroots, diffusing power to the poor (Acts 2:42-44; James 5:1-6).

16. Incarnation • Profound spiritual act that unleashes the power of the good news of redemption and freedom from personal sin. • Incarnation and proclamation must go hand in hand.

17. Incarnation and the critique of unfettered capitalism and oppressive socialism • Profound economic act that inverts economics into cooperative production and creativity and redistributive end goals. • Luke 4:18 is expanded in community in Acts 4:32-35 • It challenges collective economic sins and calls for collective repentance.

18. Incarnation, unity, brother/sisterhood and equality • Profound social act that creates egalitarian directed social relationships (we are brothers and sisters not oppressors) • It challenges apartheid and discrimination, and calls for repentance where men and women oppress others.

19. The Spirit, Incarnation and Justice • Profound political act that facilitates the multiplication of small religious, social, economic and political organizational units at the grassroots, diffusing power to the poor (Acts 2:42-44; James 5:1-6). • Isaiah 42:1-4 prophesies of a Messiah whose aim is the bringing of justice to the earth – beyond the formation of the church is the full establishment of the Kingdom throughout society. • Do justice, preach grace. • Who are creating the evangelical theologies for land rights, class conflict, labour relations….

20. The Call to Follow Jesus • Call to follow in the footsteps of the master • Call to proclaim the Kingdom of God • Call to joyful simplicity here or sacrifice there • Call to join bands of brothers and sisters who have gone ahead • We have pioneered new structures to facilitate, now it is your turn to carry the task forward. • (give back shoes)