I am starting a sermon series tomorrow through the book of Nehemiah. He wept over the ancient condition of his city who was left defenseless. The city was to be a place where God’s name was lifted up.
So just to let you know why we need to pray for more laborers here in the city where I work and 6 urban centers like it all over my country here is some proof that the city is defenseless on the day of Jesus Christ, left without hope or hopebearers:
1. The Ratio of Christians to NonChristians– Our city has multiplied four times in the last 25 years. From 250,000 to over 1 million people. A large influx of the poor from the rural areas looking for work. So today there are about 30 believers here in this city. That is one for every 33,333 people! (In the city I come from, 1 in 8 claim to be born-again believers)
2. The Ratio of Churches to Non-Christians- There are three evangelical house churches here in our city (two Baptist and one Charasmatic). That’s one for every 333,333 people. (There is an average of one evangelical church in my country for every 1,000 people.)
The disciples of Christ are the light of the world set to be for it’s salvation. Where there are so few disciples of Christ there are no defenses against sin, the Devil, and the flesh and thus no place for refuge from God’s wrath as promised to the doers of iniquity.
3. The Results of the Dissapearance of Defenses- The people grow up here in a lie and in sin. They don’t recognize truth if they were to see it but they never do see it. Families are disintegrating in hate, selfishness, pride, abuse, sexual infidelity, religious hypocricy, and empty rituals. Drugs and predudice rule. Jesus is unknown. His power over sin in the life of the individual has never been witnessed by the “average Mohammed”.
I wonder if you’d weep for the Muslim cities that are left completely defenseless on the day of judgement with noone to weep over them like Abraham, Moses, Nehemiah, and Jesus all did? Would you adopt a city and love it like Jesus did? Do you love your city like that? Does it break your heart?