Our Vision

For many people, the term "city mission" means alcoholics, drug addicts, and desperate efforts to "save" reluctant sinners before serving the soup. But, our vision of the urban mission field doesn’t come from the Great Depression or skid row. Ours is the largely forgotten but uniquely "Adventist" vision of a multi-faceted, inter-related grand plan to reach the millions who live insulated lives in the larger cities of the world.

Start with what Ellen White called a "center of influence." For our flagship project here in Wichita, that’s a health food store, a vegan restaurant, and a bakery. Add Bible workers, health counselors, canvassers, a massage therapist or two, and a simple, practical humanitarian outreach. A small Wellness Center in a natural setting sixty miles out of town is a blessing for those who need lifestyle intervention, and a closer in "but still rural" Outpost Center to provide housing for the workers and a break from the city. Then you put all these forms of outreach to work reinforcing each other’s value. Bible workers serve as waiters and waitresses in the restaurant during the lunch hour rush. (Ever seen a restaurant with so many workers that they have time to strike up a conversation with the customers?) Canvassers hand out coupons for the restaurant and store, and flyers for the Wellness Center. Day-old bread is never thrown away; it’s given to people who actually need it. Health guests at the Wellness Center get to learn some of the joys of agriculture by working with the staff in the greenhouses and shade houses that provide produce for the store and restaurant. The store is decorated with pictures of the Wellness Center, and helps spread the word of the good things happening there.

It’s OK to start small. In fact, small is actually better for reaching people. Want to grow? Good, start another project a few miles away or in the next city over! The gospel is like paint: it does a better job spread out in a thin layer than it does sitting around in one big can.