In the year 2007, the number of people living in the cities of the world---finally and irreversibly---exceeded the number of people living in rural areas. The earth's population is now more urban than rural, and Christian leaders are trying to figure out what this means for the church. Pastors and kingdom-minded leaders know they need to engage the surrounding community with the gospel but are unsure about how to do so. Ministering in diverse and populous areas brings a unique set of challenges and promises. Evangelistic strategies that work in rural areas seem to bounce off of people in the cities, forcing church leaders to reevaluate church effectiveness. They see that the arena for significant impact is the surrounding community. The wide-open potential for spiritual and social change on this larger scale requires that leaders leverage the multivalent domains of their communities to solve problems the entire city cares about. Eric Swanson and Sam Williams have been working together with missional leaders from cities around the world trying to discover examples and principles of city transformation. They try, investigate, and share effective and proven ways for ministry leaders to mobilize for spiritual impact and partner with other community organizations for societal good. This book is a call to action for spiritual and societal transformation. The authors begin casting their vision for God's work in cities with an overview of the importance of cities in the twenty-first century. They address the process of community transformation along with examples of where and how cities have been changed for the good throughout history. They challenge readers to a vibrant kingdom-orientation in their ministries and use the concepts of 'whole church, whole gospel, and whole city' to explain this large vision. They encourage people of good faith to work together with people of goodwill for the common benefit of cities around the world. To Transform a City is a timely, compelling book that helps readers explore the reality of cities, the potential of their own communities, and the broad strategies churches and Christian leaders need for kingdom impact.
To Transform a City: Whole Church, Whole Gospel, Whole City
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About the Author
Eric Swanson is a missional leadership specialist with Leadership Network, leading initiatives with externally focused churches that are missionally engaging their communities, cities, and the world. He is coauthor of The Externally Focused Church (Group, 2004), The Externally Focused Life (Group, 2009), and The Externally Focused Quest (Jossey Bass, 2010). He lives in Louisville, Colorado, with his wife, Liz, and enjoys reading, blogging, photography, cooking, travel, and good coffee.
Sam Williams is the codirector of Vision San Diego, a coalition of 200 public, private, and not-for-profit sector organizations working together to serve San Diego. He was a pastor for 35 years, a seminary professor, has planted 13 churches, and is a church and leadership consultant. He lives in San Diego with his wife, Nancy, and loves books, movies, and loving on his grandkids.
Sam Williams is the codirector of Vision San Diego, a coalition of 200 public, private, and not-for-profit sector organizations working together to serve San Diego. He was a pastor for 35 years, a seminary professor, has planted 13 churches, and is a church and leadership consultant. He lives in San Diego with his wife, Nancy, and loves books, movies, and loving on his grandkids.
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More About the Author
A bit about me....I have a passion for engaging churches worldwide in the needs and dreams of their communities so a to bring about spiritual and societal transformation. My wife Liz and I served with Campus Crusade for Christ for twenty-five years before joining the staff of Leadership Network where I currently work as a "missional specialist," serving as Leadership Community Director for Externally Focused Churches, Missional Renaissance and Global Connection Churches working with scores of missional churches around North America. I also often work with leaders around the world who are focused on kingdom transformation. In 2007 I completed a D.Min. degree in "Transformational Leadership in the Global City" from Bakke Graduate University. With Rick Rusaw I am the co-author of The Externally Focused Church, Living a Life on Loan, The Externally Focused Life, and The Externally Focused Quest. With my long-time friend, Sam Williams, I also co-authored To Transform a City: Whole Church, Whole Gospel, Whole City. I've been married to Liz for over 35 years, have three married children, five grandchildren and resides outside of Boulder Colorado. You can contact me at www.ericjswanson.com
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By Ray Williams
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
As the Community Ministries Pastor at Fellowship Bible Church in Little Rock and member of the leadership team of the Nehemiah Network, a relational network of pastors seeking the unite the church in our community to live and serve as the Body of Christ, I can say from personal experience, this book is must read for anyone (experienced or new to city reaching) desiring to reach their city. I ordered 25 copies of the book on pre-order to give to two different leadership teams and I am confident I will need more. I believe many will find the first chapter on "The Importance of Cities" worth the price of the book and it keeps getting better with each chapter. Order today, but don't just buy one; get enough for your whole team.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By RonJon
Format:Kindle Edition
I just finished Eric and Sam's book "To Transform a City." I have been a pastor for the last 20 years in both downtown San Francisco and Denver. I read every resource I can find on changing urban culture. This is by far the best book I have found on this topic. Eric and Sam do a superb job at synthesizing theology, sociology and missiology. They create the kind of runway so many of us need for our vision to take off to a new level. I highly recommend it.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By dachkl
Format:Hardcover
Eric Swanson and Sam Williams, both ministry practitioners with global experience, are the co-authors of To Transform a City: Whole Church, Whole Gospel, Whole City (Zondervan, 2010). In it, they offer six reasons why "we need to engage with the city" (30):
Cities have a transforming effect on people.
Cities form a creative center.
Cities create fertile ground for thinking and receptivity.
Cities can help people live more efficiently and productively.
Cities are valued by God.
The early Christian movement was primarily urban.
With these reasons providing the impetus for city engagement, Swanson and Williams offer practical advice, strategies, and reflections on leaders desiring to be involved in the transformation of their city. Transformation, the book argues, not only involves change in outward appearance but also the birth of something new - communally, spiritually, societally, and individually.
The book is immensely practical - with charts, lists, and narrative examples - while also providing a huge array of references to further encourage sociological and theological exploration of the city. For anyone desiring to better connect to their city, this is a book worth engaging.
Note: As part of Zondervan's blog tour, I received a copy of this book for review from the publisher.
Cities have a transforming effect on people.
Cities form a creative center.
Cities create fertile ground for thinking and receptivity.
Cities can help people live more efficiently and productively.
Cities are valued by God.
The early Christian movement was primarily urban.
With these reasons providing the impetus for city engagement, Swanson and Williams offer practical advice, strategies, and reflections on leaders desiring to be involved in the transformation of their city. Transformation, the book argues, not only involves change in outward appearance but also the birth of something new - communally, spiritually, societally, and individually.
The book is immensely practical - with charts, lists, and narrative examples - while also providing a huge array of references to further encourage sociological and theological exploration of the city. For anyone desiring to better connect to their city, this is a book worth engaging.
Note: As part of Zondervan's blog tour, I received a copy of this book for review from the publisher.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Love Completes the Gospel
Many times the gospel we preach lacks power. Yes, it is true, but incomplete. Swanson and Williams tell us in this book that practical acts of love toward a city make Jesus real... Read more
Published 16 days ago by Luke Haverkamp
5.0 out of 5 stars
A new measure of church health: the community
Since 2007, more people live in cities around the world than in rural areas for the first time in history. This trend is unlikely to change. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Tim Lubinus
5.0 out of 5 stars
quality as expected!
Sam and Eric have once again outdone themselves with this book. Stop trying the latest gimmicks of sharing Jesus' love with others and simply be Jesus to your community! Read more
Published 14 months ago by Lisa R. Travis
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good
Informative, interesting and a book you will share with others. You will find yourself quoting this book over and over.
Published 16 months ago by V. Eichhorn
5.0 out of 5 stars
Inspiring book on Transformation
The book is worth the price even if all you read was the forward by Reggie McNeil. I think I have read the forward at least five times and quoted it more times than I can count. Read more
Published 17 months ago by Roy Smith
4.0 out of 5 stars
Don't overlook this book
Seriously don't miss out on this hidden gem. This book really is a necessary bridge for the next generation of the Church. Read more
Published on May 4, 2011 by M. Homola
4.0 out of 5 stars
Whole Church, Whole Gospel, Whole City
In 1998, a successful local entrepreneur in Boulder, Colorado invited a few friends to his home to fast and pray about creative ways to bless their community for the sake of the... Read more
Published on February 18, 2011 by Greg A. Wilson
5.0 out of 5 stars
To Transform a City
To say the least, this book is transformational and it will take a second careful reading before I am able to give a detailed review. Read more
Published on February 14, 2011 by gchriscarr
4.0 out of 5 stars
Get's the ball rolling!
I was recently given Eric Swanson and Sam Williams' new book To Transform A City by Zondervan to review and I was very pleased. Read more
Published on January 23, 2011 by Paul D. Stohler
5.0 out of 5 stars
I wish I had this book 5 years ago...
"The storyline of the Bible may begin in a garden, but it ends in a city."
One of my favorite gifts was a year-long subscription to Time Out New York - It comes to my... Read more
One of my favorite gifts was a year-long subscription to Time Out New York - It comes to my... Read more
Published on January 20, 2011 by Samuel D. Sutter
