Through the liberty won for all peoples through the death and resurrection of Christ, vital church planting movements among the poor must affirm the freedom of cultural neutrality. One need not change cultures in order to become a follower of Jesus Christ! All people groups (and the churches planted within them) are free in Christ to embody the faith within their own ethnicity and culture, expressing allegiance to him in light of their own unique cultural experience, under the lordship of Christ.

Ministry among the urban poor must be grounded in a vision and understanding of the liberty we have in Christ to conceive of coherent, integrated movements of followers of Jesus who because of shared experience, proximity, culture, and history. This shared life, culture, and spirituality, rooted in faith in Jesus Christ, allows a number of congregations within a people group to reflect their unique faith and practice in a way consistent with the historic faith but distinct to their own life and times, in the midst of their own culture and ethnicity.
This freedom we have in Christ for peoples of all cultures to believe in Christ and form traditions rooted in the historic faith, is critical for dynamic outreach among America’s inner city poor. Those who are furthest from the Gospel, however poor or isolated, who trust in Jesus Christ are made one with the one true church. They are free in Christ to embody different forms and usages of worship in the body of Christ without any offense whatsoever, as long as we are faithful to the historic orthodox beliefs of the Church as taught to us by the prophets and apostles of our Lord. TUMI is dedicated to helping urban congregations defend the historic orthodox faith of the Church while, at the same time, grow as God’s unique movement of urban churches devoted to winning and transforming America’s inner cities.

An urban church planting movement must be rooted in people group’s own shared spirituality, rooted in their own theology that, liturgy, and praxis that empowers its members to practice a common spiritual discipline, to submit to a shared governance and order, to recognize and affirm its unique theological and spiritual distinctives, to incorporate and confirm its members and leaders according to a common protocol, and to integrate the efforts of its congregations together into a coherent, unified movement.

We affirm our freedom in Christ to embody the faith within ethnicity and culture. This conditions how that identity is understood and practiced (where and with whom).

One of the central concepts in effective urban ministry is expressing the freedom of Christ within culture. To contextualize the ancient faith is the express goal of all urban mission–to make the faith come aline in the language and lives of the people to which the Gospel has come. To contextualize the ancient faith is the express goal of all urban mission–to make the faith come aline in the language and lives of the people to which the Gospel has come. These resources emphasize the importance of cultural sensitivity and contextualization as we evangelize, disciple, and plant churches among the urban poor.

The Difference that Difference Makes: Culture, Religion, and Diversity in Post-Modern Society
Outline of lecture for doctoral ministry students on the importance of the concept of difference in society today, with an emphasis on culture, religion, and ethnicity.

Our Declaration of Dependence: Freedom in Christ
A short theological summary of the concept of Christian freedom as it applies to cultural diversity and Christian ethical practice, with a view to challenge urban disciples to flesh out their freedom under the lordship of Christ.

The following is a bibliography of some excellent texts that speak to culture and contextualization in urban ministry.

Allen, Roland. Missionary Methods: St. Paul’s or Ours? Grand Rapids: WM. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2001.

Arn, Win & Arn, Charles. The Master’s Plan for Making Disciples, second edition. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1998/1999.

Conn, Harvey. Planting and Growing Urban Churches. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1999.

ETA (Evangelical Training Association). Perspectives from Church History. Wheaton, IL: Evangelical Training Association, 1996.

Garrison, David. Church Planting Movements. Midlothian, VA: WIGTake Resources, 2004.

Gonzales, Justo L. Church History: An Essential Guide. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1996.

Hesselgrave, David J. Planting Churches Cross-Culturally. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2000.

Hiebert, Paul G. Anthropological Insights for Missionaries. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1985.

Knoll, Mark A. Turning Points: Decisive Moments in the History of Christianity. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic (Baker Book House), 1997, 2000.

Kreider, Larry. House Church Networks. Ephrata, PA: House to House Publications, 2001.

Ladd, G. E. Gospel of the Kingdom. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1959.

Mull, Marlin. A Biblical Church Planting Manual from the Book of Acts. Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2003.

Miley, George. Loving the Church, Blessing the Nations: Pursuing The Role of Local Churches in Global Mission. Waynesboro, GA: Gabriel Publishing, 2003.

Niebuhr, H. Richard. Christ and Culture. New York, NY: Harper & Row, 1951.

Phillips, Keith. Out of Ashes. Los Angeles, CA: World Impact Press, 1996.

Snyder, Howard A. A Kingdom Manifesto. Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock, 1997.