What do you think?
Rate this book
To Transform a City: Whole Church, Whole Gospel, Whole City
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.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published August 24, 2010
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
January 13, 2011
This is a fanstastic book! Eric Swanson and Sam Williams bring a wealth of practical experience to the issue of city transformation. They argue that seeking the good of our cities is simply an extension of praying what Jesus taught us to pray. Do we really want God's will to be "done on earth as it is in heaven?" Or is this simply some pious phrase we repeat, without thinking through the implications of what it means to seek the kingdom of God. Swanson and Williams takes key passages from Scripture which depict the "kingdom of God," and show how this translates into the key values everyone would like to see embodied in our cities. They argue that churches need to work together, rather than being focused on their own growth and development. Their stress on the Body of Christ (local churches in a city) actually acting like a body was refreshing. I have some questions about some of their models, but that will have to wait until another posting.
July 3, 2023
Big questions this book raises:
- what are the needs of your community?
- how can the church begin to fill that gap so as to be a witness to the community of God’s love and saving power through Jesus?
- what are God’s goals for our communities?
- what would it look like to partner with local “morally positive and spiritually neutral” organizations for the betterment of the city?
Notable Quotes:
“We don’t serve to convert but we serve because we have been converted” (p. 58)
“We would like to suggest that anytime we are involved in making this world more reflective of God’s coming kingdom and are redeeming something that was lost or broken because of the fall, we are involved, to some degree, in kingdom work.” (p. 77)
“God would love to use the church today to heal the hurts of a bruised and battered world… The kingdom of God is larger than the church” (p. 78-79)
“It is through verbal proclamation that people discover that Jesus was sent by God. No one comes to that conclusion through reason or intuition alone… [but] we see that it is through demonstration that people experience the truth that God loves them as much as he loves his own Son. Most people have never experienced the love of God in a tangible way.” (p. 107)
“[people from the church are instructed to say] when they are asked about the intentional acts of kindness they perform: ‘I am a disciple of Jesus. I am serving him by serving you because that is what he came to do.’” (p. 131)
- what are the needs of your community?
- how can the church begin to fill that gap so as to be a witness to the community of God’s love and saving power through Jesus?
- what are God’s goals for our communities?
- what would it look like to partner with local “morally positive and spiritually neutral” organizations for the betterment of the city?
Notable Quotes:
“We don’t serve to convert but we serve because we have been converted” (p. 58)
“We would like to suggest that anytime we are involved in making this world more reflective of God’s coming kingdom and are redeeming something that was lost or broken because of the fall, we are involved, to some degree, in kingdom work.” (p. 77)
“God would love to use the church today to heal the hurts of a bruised and battered world… The kingdom of God is larger than the church” (p. 78-79)
“It is through verbal proclamation that people discover that Jesus was sent by God. No one comes to that conclusion through reason or intuition alone… [but] we see that it is through demonstration that people experience the truth that God loves them as much as he loves his own Son. Most people have never experienced the love of God in a tangible way.” (p. 107)
“[people from the church are instructed to say] when they are asked about the intentional acts of kindness they perform: ‘I am a disciple of Jesus. I am serving him by serving you because that is what he came to do.’” (p. 131)
January 5, 2024
This is a good book. Even though it was written over a decade ago it is still relevant. There were a few things I didn't care for at the beginning, but it got better. I am not very fond of using the term city and would prefer community instead. At first it sounded like the authors were saying cities with high density housing is great, which I don't agree with, but they didn't seem to be saying that later in the book and did acknowledge that there are many challenges with high density. I think these ideas are also relevant to suburbs, too, though the issues are a bit different. The main focus to me was the importance of local outreach through acting like Jesus.
March 20, 2019
Inspiring and practical
I like the biblical storying of Kingdom, the church history piece and the practical examples of real cases and practices that were out there in the real context.
I like the biblical storying of Kingdom, the church history piece and the practical examples of real cases and practices that were out there in the real context.
December 1, 2022
Similar to other works I read. Did not finish
December 7, 2016
To Transform A City is the highly acclaimed book by Eric Swanson and Sam Williams that begins with the premise that as of a few years ago, more people across the world live in urban areas than in rural areas. That significant demographic shift requires the church to consider how we can best minister in urban areas. What does that mean for how we go about serving and doing ministry?
A bit of the answer is found in the subtitle: Whole Church, Whole Gospel, Whole City. We need a holistic approach to ministry in an increasingly urban world.
A bit of the answer is found in the subtitle: Whole Church, Whole Gospel, Whole City. We need a holistic approach to ministry in an increasingly urban world.
November 17, 2020
Great book with some really powerful concepts for impacting and transforming the cities that we live in. Swanson and Williams present a theologically sound community framework that Christians in the cities can take and build God’s Kingdom of transformation. I read this book as I was transitioning between cities and it’s allowed me the ability to see my new context with a positive lens of what could be. Great book for any Christian especially those involved in local outreach (which all of us should be).
September 22, 2014
A decent book on how the church can see its role in its community. Some good theology and plenty of stories. It's written more for pastors and church leaders who may not often see their church in the context of their community or need some convincing that their church's mission goes beyond getting more members/believers. But if community involvement and parterships are your M.O., then you would skim a lot of this book.
August 2, 2011
Seriously don't miss out on this hidden gem. This book really is a necessary bridge for the next generation of the Church. There is a solid experienced foundation to this book with little flare for "one upmanship" It goes to the heart of scriptures call for unity and it gives practical meat. This is a must read for anyone engaged in neighborhood/city transformation!!!!
January 5, 2012
Not good. Barely any exegesis other than a brief and unnuanced view of Isaiah 61. Theology of Kingdom is not well explained or thought out. Church vs. Kingdom, seemingly the central issue in this whole debate, gets 2 paragraphs.
Lots of statements that just assume things. Hovers over Bible and doesn't dig in.
Lots of statements that just assume things. Hovers over Bible and doesn't dig in.
August 11, 2011
This book isn't groundbreaking. Rather the book's value lies in the fact that the authors have done their homework. This is an excellent resource that has gathered all the "city transformation" thinkers and works into one accessible piece.
January 12, 2011
My full review can be found here: http://www.thesquirrelfactor.com/2011...
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews