Cities worldwide share the same problems: single generation families; poverty; chemical dependency; mental illness; housing and development issues; gangs, justice and prison systems, prostitution; HIV/AIDS and much more. These swirling, teeming cities are multi-cultural, and each sub-group will need to be approached with the Gospel within their own cultural milieu, in the midst of their own needs. To serve in the city, we need an understanding of what makes up a culture and how to cross cultural boundaries. We need to understand other world religions and where there are access points for the Gospel. We, as the church, have never faced a situation like this. The book needs to be re-written. And our American cities will be reached only in the same way. We need to teach entrepreneurial leaders to build the urban church here and worldwide!

Who Needs to Be Taught?

We aim at four groups:

            1) Suburban volunteers, who wish to be equipped for cross-cultural outreach 

            2) Urban leaders who desire to be more effective in entrepreneuring their ministries

            3) Seminary, college, and Bible school students who wish to serve cross-culturally

            4) Missionaries and candidates for urban ministry worldwide

Minneapolis as an Urban Laboratory

World missions have been the center of St. Paul’s history. For the last 135 years, our congregation has committed itself to evangelical, people-centered mission in the inner city. Our entire program is based on making disciples. We have learned many things; we have much yet to learn. But we are able to share what we do know, so that others may stand on our shoulders. 

Together We Have Many Strengths

Our congregation has had a history of being a catalyst to bring people together in ministry. We bring this, along with our knowledge of the city, our program, an ability to organize and teach, and our facilities. To this we add the partnering of people of many backgrounds who share their gifts. We are pairing city and suburb with the educational resources around us. Like the old children’s story of “The Stone Soup,” if we each bring a bit of what we have, together we can make quite a soup!

The Beginnings of SUM

So it is with the School of Urban Ministry. St. Paul’s provides the laboratory and the organization. We do the publicity, and gather a board. However, many teach the classes on cultural boundaries, social needs, building ministries, and on and on. College professors, medical people, social workers, missionaries, seminary professors, business people and more teach the content. We call it “SUM” because it is made of a sum of many parts. In its fourteenth year, it has been built with a coalition of educational institutions, congregations, organizations and leaders. Over two hundred people have been trained. The curriculum made up of two sixteen-week semesters, meeting three hours every Monday night. The purpose of the School of Urban Ministry is “Teaching Christian Leaders to Build Ministries Cross-Culturally in the City.” Independent study credits can be arranged at area colleges and seminaries, and professionals can use it for cross-cultural CEU’s. People from high school age through senior citizens have attended.