A Strategy For Lay Involvement In Urban Evangelism And Geographical Advance In The Territory Of The North Mexican Union Of The Seventh-Day Adventist Church In Mexico

The Global Mission thrust initiated by the Seventh-day Adventist Church (SDA) in 1990 envisions a specific length of time for all the world to be covered with the SDA message. An important challenge of Global Mission is reaching the inhabitants of the cities. This project report contains a strategy for lay involvement in urban evangelism. Part One of this project attempts to provide a theoretical framework by developing a theological perspective of the city, as shown in four areas: 1. An analysis of the phenomenon of urban growth around the world, as well as in Latin America and Mexico is considered. 2. An examination of contextual and institutional obstacles to evangelistic actions in large urban centers is presented. 3. The concept of the city in selected Christian literature is reviewed. 4. Theological foundations for the strategy of geographical advance and city mission are established. Part Two of this project report develops a model of organization of the local church for urban evangelism and territorial advance. First, the concept of small groups as a response to the challenge of urban evangelism in Mexico is introduced. The plan outlined is based on the organization of small groups for geographical outreach. Its focus is the metropolitan areas of the territory of the North Mexican Union Conference of the SDA Church. Second, an evangelistic cycle for territorial advance in the cities is contemplated. This section presents a resource manual for urban evangelism and geographical advance for pastors in metropolitan areas, of Mexico. The challenge to reach the cities with the SDA message is not only the responsibility of specialized personnel: it is the duty of the whole church. The mission of the church is carried out at the local level of church organization. The pastor, as a strategist for urban mission, should be considered a facilitator who assists congregational leaders to discover their mission, articulate their goals, organize the resources of the local church, and develop strategies to reach the cities