Discerning the City

You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.

                                                                            (Matthew 16:3)

Along with the intervention and activity of God as he breaks into a city, is a very human component, a response, a listening.   The scriptures command us again and again to "Hear, and obey."  Hearing is not only a spiritual activity.  Any cursory reading of the prophets shows how it involves fine application of the mind to the issues of the day along with the direct spiritual revelation from God.

Listen to God's heart for your city
Nehemiah prayed, fasted and wept for his city. From this a vision was born.   In Jerusalem, Nehemiah inspected the walls of the city and developed the vision into a workable plan - we need to know where the ruins are.  Prior to bringing people together some initial understanding of God's purposes and plans and some initial research is essential to be able to give a framework for discussion.

Listen to the cries of your city
Hearing the cries of your city begins with involvement with the agonies of the poor. It involves the quiet listening to the heartbeat and cries of its people and leaders. Jesus did this when he went preaching. He did it as he sought out lost sheep, prostitutes, little men climbing trees or bewildered leaders in government.

Listen to the winds of the Spirit
We need one ear to the ground and another pointed to heaven.  What is God doing in the city?  This we hear as we sit down and begin to listen to the stories of the other Christian leaders and of the church planters. This is the reason for story-telling consultations.  When God breaks out in one quarter of the city with something new, how rapidly can this be conveyed to the other leaders of the city?

Listen to the lessons of history
How did the church grow in the city? What have been the key covenant events or environmental factors that have effected the spiritual life of the city? Understanding these issues may identify some of the points of repentance needed as a people in the city. History predicts prophecy. The past gives the clues to the future. Compiling this information into a small booklet will make this information available to others in the same battle.

Listening is, by its very nature, research.  It was the type of research done by Jesus himself.