Seek the Flourishing of Los Angeles

How in the world are we supposed to seek the prosperity of Los Angeles? Different prophetic voices around the country might suggest that LA is the “and of fruits and nuts” while others would argue that it is a lost cause. They are wrong. Jeremiah is right.

In Jeremiah 29, God’s commands the Israelites to seek the prosperity of Babylon. While the false Jewish prophets in exile were prophesying that the Israelites should remain separate from the Babylonians, Jeremiah prophesied that God’s people were to remain morally separate but very much connected in other ways. They were to plant vineyards. They were to raise their children in the city. Furthermore, they were called by God to seek the well being and flourishing of the city.

Such a call from God may have seemed crazy to Jeremiah’s listeners because of the pagan rituals and accepted cruelty among the people. Yet it made no difference to God who seemed perfectly content with the Jewish people seeking their own flourishing through the thriving and success of their enemies. God desired his people to integrate faith and work within the Babylonian culture. In fact, faith and cultural engagement were not mutually exclusive.

Jeremiah 29 informs how we are to plant churches in LA and other US cities. God caused flourishing among the Babylonians through the participatory renewal efforts of the exiled Israelites. In faith, we must believe that God wants to cause flourishing in Los Angeles and beyond as we choose to participate in his work.

Our new church plant has a mission to join God and seek the flourishing of our city. Even though some may be falsely prophesying that we need to abandon the city, we should not. Let’s plant vineyards. Raise children. Let’s seek the flourishing of our great cities. Let’s invite the power and presence of Jesus into our lives in the city.