Robert D. Lupton, Renewing the City: Reflections on Community Development and Urban Renewal. IVP Books, 2008.
Referenced in: Urban Ministry
LifeandLeadership.com Summary
This is an inspiring story on urban renewal taken from the Old Testament narrative of Nehemiah.
From the Publisher
When an expatriate bureaucrat toured a devastated city, he saw more than ashes and ruins. He envisioned a thriving metropolis where God’s people could find safety and community. Likewise, when we consider today’s urban challenges, we can be daunted by corruption and despair, or we can see opportunities for rejuvenation, restoration and rebirth.
Community developer and urban activist Robert D. Lupton looks to the Old Testament example of Nehemiah as a role model for community transformation and renewal. Lupton sees the book of Nehemiah as the memoirs of an urban developer who transformed a decaying city into a place of security and vitality. Placing Nehemiah’s story in juxtaposition with contemporary realities offers encouragement and concrete models for how our own metropolitan environments can be revitalized. Nehemiah’s example—and Lupton’s—offer guidance and hope for all who would seek the welfare of their cities.
About the Author
Robert D. Lupton (Ph.D., University of Georgia) is founder and president of FCS Urban Ministries based in Atlanta, Georgia. He has been active in urban ministry in inner-city Atlanta for more than thirty years. His other books include Theirs Is the Kingdom: Celebrating the Gospel in Urban America and Return Flight: Community Development Through Reneighboring Our Cities.