A Tool for Urban Evangelism: How the People Map Can Transform Your Approach
Practical Urban Mission - Part 3
By S. Crawley
Photo by Samantha Gades on Unsplash
Our current series, Practical Urban Mission, introduced three essential elements for successful urban mission.
Drawing on experience and observation across several teams, cities and countries, I’m aiming to give practical and concrete tips for urban mission that are:
grounded in Scripture, the character of God and the story of God,
universal enough to be useful and relevant anywhere, AND
flexible enough to allow for God's creativity in diverse and complex urban environments with varied teams and harvest workers!
Today, we continue to look at the second essential element - discerning how God is already working so we can respond in prayer and action. Practising curiosity and attentiveness can help us “listen” to God.
The People Map is a visual tool that helps us listen.
Why a People Map?
Acts 17:26-28 tells us that God has appointed the times and places that everyone should live so that they might reach out for Him.
What does that mean?
It means that we have been specifically placed where we are by God, so that we might reach out for Him. It also means that everybody around us has specifically been placed there by God so they might reach out for Him. This underscores the fact that God is already working all around us.
If that's true, then we need to ask Him what He is doing and work with that. A people map can help us do that in three steps.
The People Map
Do you have pen and paper?
Draw
Who has God sovereignly placed in your world?
Draw a mind map with your name at the centre. What are the different social contexts you know people? Draw a branch from your name to each context. "Work". "Neighbourhood". "Family".
Now draw another set of branches to specific names. Who are the people you interact with in each of those social contexts? You can also include people you recognise but have never spoken to. You can also include Christians - God has put them there, too!
Sometimes when we do this we might find that the majority of the names are Christians we know because these are the folk we see more frequently. To get the most out of this process, try writing at least one to two additional names for every Christian you include in your map.
Listen
As you prayerfully look at the people God has put around you, ask God, "What are you doing, Father?"
Where is He at work? What needs, pain, or opportunities does He want to draw your attention to?
If a name or situation catches your attention, sit with it before Him in prayer. Take note of the thoughts or feelings that arise.
Respond
This bit is easy and fun - take action!
Action might be continued intercession. It might be an intentional conversation about spiritual things. It might be an intentional word of encouragement. It might be an invitation to eat together. The possibilities are limitless.
We may not be completely certain we have "discerned" correctly, but if we are asking these questions and the action is consistent with His character, we can step forward in faith. The worst case scenario is that we express love to somebody in our lives and we please our Father by our faith.
Repeat
After that first People Map conversation with God, keep it going!
It doesn't stop with one conversation. God is doing things all the time. Seasons shift. New things happen in peoples' lives. Our wisdom and discernment deepen as we grow and mature. There are new possibilities every day!
Over time, as we keep asking Him these questions, we find that our horizontal and vertical awareness increases. We find that we are more aware of certain people in our lives. We sense greater “flow” as we look to join with what our Father is doing around us.
Repeat with Friends!
This process is even more powerful in partnership with others.
More people asking Him together means greater shared awareness. We are bringing a wider range of giftings to the table. With combined energies, perspectives and abilities we have greater capacity for bringing blessing to the people and communities in our lives.
There you have it - a simple but profound way to practice listening to God and discerning what He is doing around us.
Our next post in this series will look at another practical tool that can help us tune into what God is doing and saying even as we talk to people.
For Reflection
1. A Scripture - Romans 12:1-2
- According to this passage what does God want to reveal to us? How can we keep growing in our ability to listen?
2. A thoughtful question
- Think of a time you thought you had discerned God's activity in someone else's life and how you responded. How did you respond? What was the fruit? What did you learn?
3. A possible application
- Consider making the People Map part of your regular prayer rhythms, either individually or with the others who are part of your faith journey.
- Identify opportunities for collaboration with other Kingdom-minded people in the social clusters or affinity groups on your people map.
Discipling the Urban Harvest provides practical insights and encouragement to walk with God in multiplying discipleship in an increasingly urban world - growing as children of the Father, serving the communities He has called us to, and discipling those hungry to know Him.