Meet the
F
or the past few years, the Seventh-day Adventist Church has focused attention on Mission to the Cities which calls on members to get involved in sharing Christ’s love with people in the largest cities of the world. Let’s take a look at some of the challenging areas that have been selected for wholistic outreach.*
Lagos
Prague
Kinshasa
The capital of the Czech Republic is also its largest city. Founded in the ninth century, Prague is a mix of contemporary and historical architecture. Although it has more than 1.4 million inhabitants, you’ll find fewer than 10 Adventist churches here and only about 700 members. That’s a fraction of 1 percent of the population.
The city of Kinshasa is the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Here Adventists are using unique methods, such as street music, to reach people in their community. Kinshasa’s population is approaching 10 million people. It has nearly 70 churches and about 8,000 Adventists—less than 0.1 percent of the population.
Mexico City
Moscow
Built on the ruins of Tenochtitlan, on what was once an island, Mexico City is the most populous metropolitan area in the Western Hemisphere with 23.6 million people. There are more than 200 churches and nearly 54,000 Seventh-day Adventists here. That’s less than a quarter of 1 percent of the population.
Moscow, the capital of Russia, is a showcase for Russian art and culture. One of the most recognizable buildings in the world, Saint Basil’s Cathedral dominates the view over Red Square, which is itself a world heritage site. Moscow has a population of some 11 million people. Fewer than 3,000 Adventists worship in 15 churches.
Kiev
Not far from Moscow is Kiev, the capital of Ukraine. A bustling city, Kiev is home to world-class art and architecture and is one of the oldest cities in eastern Europe. Recent events there introduced new challenges, but perhaps
TR IVIA
A port city, Lagos is located on the southern coast of Nigeria. It has an estimated population of 21 million people, and its economic success is attracting more people all the time. Yet here, in one of the largest cities of the world, there are only about 100 Adventist churches and 12,000 Adventist believers.
Cities
14
What city do many authorities consider to be the world’s oldest, continually inhabited city?
See page 31
