The Great Commission in the City

The Great Commission in the City

What do you think of when you hear the words populated, busy, or traffic? How about nightlife, museums, and restaurants? Do you think of a place where you might live? A place where you might want to live and serve?

With over half of the world’s population living in cities, it’s no wonder long-time church planter and Greater Europe Mission worker Stephen Beck encourages Christian believers to fulfill the great commission within them.

“Cities are where decisions of the future of the world are being made,” Stephen starts. “They’re places of productivity and creativity; where universities and businesses are; where the poor look for work and survival…The city is a magnet that draws all kinds of people with all kinds of backgrounds to itself.

If we’re going to think missions, we need to understand that the world is moving into cities.”

Take Brussels, for example. The capital city of Belgium is home to over 185 nationalities. Like a growing number of other cities in Europe, Brussels has attracted a melting pot of cultures. The nations of the world are flocking to European cities, bringing a diversity of religions and beliefs with them.

Susan and Stephen Beck

God’s Heart for the City

We can see God’s heart for cities through Nineveh, one of the more famous of pagan biblical cities. Jonah, horrified at the thought of being sent there, offers us something to consider—how much do we relate with him? How often do we feel superior to those living sinfully in the cities around us? How often do we choose to avoid or ignore them altogether instead of inviting them into a relationship with Christ?

God is still concerned for the Ninevehs of today.

“We need to replace our indifference with zeal, and our dislike for the city with compassion,” Stephen offers. “In Matthew 9:38, Jesus went through the city and saw many who were confused and lost. Today, many people in cities don’t know who Jesus is—they’re still confused and lost.”

“If winning the nations is the goal, into the cities we should go.”

–Stephen Beck

With years of church planting involvement in Canada, Germany, and now the US, Stephen’s seasoned experience sheds light on the ways God can move when we’re obedient, especially regarding planting churches within cities.

“Church planting is a mission strategy for people who don’t know Jesus,” he states. With the presence of spiritual warfare evident in both urban and rural areas, it’s important to have these ‘beacons of light’ for non-believers to find the Truth.

God’s Mission for the People

“Church plants should be Gospel-centered, where there are no expectations for non-Christians to instantly fit into a church code of behavior, but have an open-arms approach––being patient as new Christians go on their journey,” Stephen says. “As we plant churches, we need to include all nations and languages; multiculturalism is the way to go, because nations are gathering in cities.”

As we make our way into the cities, we need to be patient and prayerful. We live in a world where many believe they don’t need God. Men and women try to prove they can make it on their own and can decide what is true. When they discover that they themselves can’t fulfill what their souls are aching for, we need to be ready to offer true fulfillment.

“If we’re going to reach the nations, we need to reach our nation. To reach our nation, we need to reach the cities. We need to be concerned, have compassion for the people in our cities…We need to be proactive missionaries with hearts burning for the people where we live,” Stephen concludes.


Cities—with all they offer and contain—offer such rich opportunities for Christians to make an impact. Do you have a heart for the city? Explore opportunities to live out the Great Commission in Europe’s cities with GEM.

About the author: Leanne Monge Barrera serves in the GEM Canada office as a Storyteller and social media content creator.