A City-wide Vision

Naturally a vision for a great city will combine both local & city-wide aspects. Melbourne is in many ways a large organism. People cross it every day to work, study, play and relax. It has its regions, its local government areas and its neighbourhoods, but it also has an identity as the city of Greater Melbourne. From the CBD to its outer suburbs, there are radial lines of road and rail. Radio and TV stations serve the city.

An urgent task for the Melbourne church is that we work together on a Kingdom of God vision for Melbourne that arises from the compassionate yearning of Jesus for the lost. The word 'together' is crucial, because a fragmented vision and fragmented efforts will continue to lead only to results that are fragmented of God's vision for Melbourne. This is a city with potential to become a centre of God's activity - and with people of so many nations in our midst, it could be a city of global influence for God. A century ago it was called 'Marvellous Melbourne' because of its wealth, culture and architecture, based on the gold-rush. If the church in Melbourne loves it enough to work as one, and if God hears our prayer for Melbourne's transformation, then it may indeed become a city to marvel at, because here we will experience God's shalom and here the yearning of Jesus for His people to enoy freedom and riection under God will be finally satisfied.

May the body of Christ work in one accord, for the transformation of Marvellous Melbourne.