Leadership in Global Urban Ministry
To lead well in a global urban center requires a knowledge of systems—what they are and how they work.
Only then is it possible to develop Christians in the Church who glorify God in the marketplace. Leaders who work with God can grow Christians who can make a difference in the systems of the urban centers.
Learn the Systems of the City
The urban centers of the world are in great need of change. Evangelism is a significant step towards change, but salvation, compassion, and commitment are no guarantee that we will produce good social systems, fair employment structures, or good politics. Leadership in Global Urban Ministry prepares students to impact the multiple systems that are required to make living in the city sustainable. Systems can make it easier for either good to triumph or evil to enslave. Too often systems are self serving for those who develop them, and unfairly benefit others. Redeeming people is top priority, but understanding systems and redeeming them are required to help people live their lives in the urban context. In doing this we obey the biblical mandate to “do good to all people” (Galatians 6:10).
Systems are Everywhere
God created the world in systems and subsystems. A human being is made up of a respiratory system, a nervous system, and many other systems. They must interact effectively for a person to be healthy. We also live in a solar system which contains an infinite number of subsystems, many of which enable life to exist on the earth.
Human beings also create systems. We create them for government, for food distribution, for sports, for health care, and for many other reasons. Many systems have been created in the urban center in order to sustain life, however, not all systems are good; they can be ineffective and can also discriminate.
Personal Transformation Before System Transformation
Understanding is not enough. We create ineffective or dysfunctional systems not only because of ignorance, we create them because of sin. Pride, greed, fear, pretence, anger, unforgiveness, individualism, and the desire for position power lead us to develop systems for our benefit that can discriminate against others; they also cause us to misuse good systems. Therefore, we cannot develop good systems designed to be fair and helpful without dealing with the sins that create bad systems or misuse good systems. The gospel deals with those sins, but it does not give people knowledge of systems.
Use What You’ve Got to Lead
In reality, leading can be done from many different sets of strengths. We teach you to ask: “How can I use what I’ve got?” rather than, "How can I be what I’m not?” Our Leadership Paradigm teaches that to lead, you must develop what God has given you and not try to be what you’re not. It provides building blocks to build systems.
Our goal is for students to develop in three areas: knowing, being, and doing. That is the heart of the Leadership Paradigm. To grow in effectiveness, you must integrate what you know into your life. This is part of Denver Seminary’s mission.
Exegeting the City
A part of the program is to learn to exegete the city. You can’t make an impact on what you don’t understand. Bakke Graduate University of Ministry in Seattle has a Doctor of Ministry program that helps students learn to understand the city. Our students will spend one week in Seattle and two weeks at another time exegeting a foreign city under the guidance of Dr. Ray Bakke in the BGU program. You can learn about Overture I (you will take the first week only) and Overture II, as well as the dates and locations of the Overtures, at www.bgu.edu. Dr. Grace Barnes directs their program.
In addition to the above, two learning contracts require students to wrestle with systems, and the project and thesis require students to address aspects of systems. Together, they help to develop an understanding of systems.
