Evangelized Cities partnering with unevangelized cities? Could this be a new phase of missions? City to city? The politicians, businessmen and high schools do it. Why not Christians?
	At its core it is a concept of the eldership of one city exploring how to pioneer missions into another city.
	It begins in praying for the twin city. This leads to mutual learning, and then serving the church in the twin city.
	It is a partnership of churches of two cities with the assistance of missions agencies to link them together. Many organizations are working together in the AD2000 movement including Concerts of Prayer with their 1000 Praying Cities Project, March for Jesus, the Adopt-a-People Clearing House, various missions and national churches.
	It could be a city adopting a city. It could be a country adopting a city, it could be a cluster of churches adopting a city.

Ask friends and church leaders to inform their own organizations about the idea. This helps to assess the kinds and level of support.

If these meetings ensure there is community support for a city partnership, then form an ad hoc committee that includes the broadest possible representation of the Christian community in your city. Appoint or elect a chairperson. The committee should request the local pastors to support a proposal to "twin" your city with an unreached city. Also, this committee can research possible partner choices in the world and pray over the options.

Contact one of the agencies listed above again and inform them of your city's interest and support for a city partnership. Contact them before making any final decisions about the choice of a city, to determine if the city has already been chosen.

The next stage of development is research and finding the appropriate match for your city. Decide on your criteria for selecting a partner city.

In the process of selecting an appropriate partner, contact key Christian leaders in the other city to determine if there is a mutual interest in twinning the two cities. Inform them of your interest and discuss their needs, as well as expectations, goals, and objectives for the relationship

2. Selecting a City?

The Holy Spirit is superintending this process, so many diverse stories can be told. But there also some logical factors to consider in the decision.

	Is there an existing secular sister city relationship? This can open doors to many in leadership in the city, plus it will probably be a city with some similarities and natural ties. (Get info from Sister Cities International and your Chamber of Commerce)
	Has there been a missions thrust from your city in which several churches are involved that traditionally has focused on another city?
	Study the AD2000 Cities Track listing of 1000 Least Evangelized Cities and decide what criteria you consider important. They are ranked based on size and level of evange- lization. What are your criteria?
	Are you primarily looking at the least evangelized based on your proximity to a continent?
	Or is your focus on a religious context the primary issue: Animists, Tribal, Catholics, Hindus, Buddhists, Chinese Religions, Muslims, Secularists, Atheists?
	Size of a city is a factor. Is it similar in size to yours? Mega-cities are made up of many cities and peoples, and are the centers of nations. Small cities are usually the center of one people group. Some cities are centers of influence such as national capitals, state or provincial capitals or district centers.

Having come to a consensus, check with one of the coordinating agencies as to whether this city has been selected.

3. Make Contact and Research the City

Initially library research can give some understanding. Begin with the Encyclopaedia Brittanica. Subsequently a pair of researchers or a small team of pastors, businessmen, professors etc. may wish to go in to the city and make some initial contacts to try to scout out the information. A skillful leader and 3 weeks is enough.

Jesus evaluated responsiveness through ministering, so such research should be perceived of as primarily seeking open doors to minister. At the same time quality info is essential for wise decisions as a broader mobilization occurs.

In entering the city the primary question is "Where is the Man of Peace?", the one who will welcome and give entrance. In cities with churches, finding who are the spiritual elders of the city, the apostolic leaders, and the networker/researchers is important. What missions agencies have expertise in this city?

4. Mobilize Prayer

A City Profile Template has been developed that comprehensively covers most issues of interest in looking at the evangelization of a city. This profile can be used as a basis for getting people to pray. A quality color slide of people faces is important for developing a prayer card.

Some have been done. As you do one please send us a copy so we can keep up with which cities have been done.

5. Building a Long-Term Partnership

The Holy Spirit will lead in his usual unusual ways. Prayer will result in initiatives.

What would happen if a number of churches worked together to underwrite a strategic planning process by the leadership of a twin city? In most Indian cities, for example, no pastor has a computer, so even a Christian directory is a major undertaking, there is no collection of case studies on how the church has grown, etc.

Evangelized cities have resources in terms of men and women of God, good Christian literature, etc. But the suffering church in pioneering situations has a depth of spirituality and understanding of the way of the cross that is desperately needed by many from more affluent contexts. This twinning of cities must not be a paternalistic takeover, but a way of mutually serving.

6. Linking to Missions Agencies

Determine which missions agencies have expertise in this part of the world and with whom you could develop a partnership or under whom your people could serve effectively.

While the concept of church-based mission in terms of recruiting, training and sending is important, it needs to be linked to the concept of the missions agency as the long-term inter-continental structure that can best serve missionaries in areas of sustainability, cultural training, long-term support structures, development of pastoral care on the field etc.