Earlier today, I posted (at my blog) my full response to Tim Keller’s recent post, “What is God’s Urban Mission?”.  If you have not read his paper, you need to read it.  Check it out HERE.   

Keller has done a great job producing this advance paper for Cape Town 2010.  I do believe it will lead to some excellent discussion.  There is little in his document that I would disagree with.   

I have been very thankful for Keller and his commitment to solid biblical teaching, urban environments, and church planting. I heard him speak in Atlanta a few years ago to a group of missionaries; and he did a wonderful job challenging us in our endeavors.

While there is much that I could point out in his paper, I’ll share a few of my initial observations:

I think he does well at wedding both Jeremiah’s words and Peter’s words (1 Peter), attempting to offer a model for the urban Church today.  His juxtaposition of both OT and NT passages strengthens the case, as opposed to just resting on Jeremiah’s words to the Exiles.

In his general fashion, he does the excellent work reminding the Church of the strategic significance of the urban contexts, the need to train people for missions in the urban market place, and the receptivity that sometimes comes as people migrate to the cities. 

Thank you, Tim, for your heart for the cities of this world!  Keep up the great work beating the urban drum!

Now, make sure you read the paper.  Then, what are your thoughts about it?

If you are interested in my full commentary, you can find it HERE.