For the City

I was recently challenged with the question, “Does the city exist for your church or does your church exist for the city?”

I think this is a great question. Ultimately it’s asking whether the church will try to use the city for its own benefit or bless the city for the good of everyone in the whole city. Our ambition is that Second Mile Church would be for the city, greater Phoenix as a whole and Gilbert, Queen Creek, Mesa, and Chandler in particular.

This means that in addition to solid Bible-teaching and loving those within our church, we work to make everyone’s lives a little bit richer and better — whether they agree with us or not. We have an attitude that seeks to give rather than receive and serve rather than take. This really is what Jesus was talking about in his Sermon on the Mount:

Let your light shine before men so that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven. (Matt 5:16)

I’m praying that God would use us to demonstrate to the southeast valley what his kingdom is like.