Foundations for Christian Mission, Student Workbook, SW04

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F O U N D A T I O N S F O R C H R I S T I A N M I S S I O N

5. The urban poor are found in the callampas (mushroom cities) of Chile, the bustees of India, the gourbevilles of Tunisia, the secekindu (built after dusk and before dawn) of Turkey, the ghettos of the U.S.A., and the slums of Australia.

C. The harvest of souls in our world cities is staggering, nearly mind-boggling.

1. Recall what God said to reluctant Jonah about the bloody city of Nineveh, which he spared because of his great compassion, Jon. 4.11.

2. By analogy, if God spared Nineveh because of its 120 thousand, just think of the burden of the Lord for the great cities of the world!

3. A snapshot of the world today paints a remarkable portrait of the urban centers of this time.

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a. 3 billion are under the age of 25

b. 960 million illiterate adults (two thirds of which are female)

c. 767 million people live in Africa

d. 190 million have mobile phones

e. 66 million are over the age of 80

f. 33.4 million are infected with AIDS/HIV. – Timothy Monsma. “The Urbanization of our World” in Cities: Missions’ New Frontier .