If we hope to make an impact upon our city we need to get to know our city at every conceivable level.

Some reading this piece have been stuck at a level of awareness yet not knowing our city – i.e., the people of your city.

Suffice it to say, it is impossible to effectively love your city into relationship with Jesus until you have first gotten to a point of understanding them.

Some have taken this idea to a spiritual extreme by doing homework into the spiritual background of their city, the origins of the city, etc. There is perhaps some virtue in some of that, but there is scant biblical encouragement to that end.

HINT: It will take you at least five years of diligent connecting with the people of your city in order to get to know what makes your city “tick.”

However, many reading this piece are in the category of “Been here for years, but have no clue as to what makes this city tick.” You wonder why your church is not making progress. This is not a difficult question to answer.