I was able to catch part of the Super Bowl in Austin, TX. The leadership team and my crew went out to eat and then headed back to Pastor Ben’s place to catch the 2nd half of the Super Bowl game.
We were all trying to be polite to one another as we were rooting for our team. By default, I was rooting for the Steelers, since the Packers defeated my beloved Bears. Then something happened in the 3rd quarter, which had nothing to do with the game.
As we were watching the commercials ($3 million for a 30 second spot), we were shocked to see the one by Chrysler, which highlighted Detroit. For the whole 2 minutes (the whole commercial intermission), there was a sense of nostalgia, awe, pride and hope that filled the room. As I looked around, I realized that 90% of the people in the room had some connection with Michigan – whether they went to school there, lived there or is living there now.
The conclusion was unanimous. The commercial was pretty incredible.
For me, I couldn’t help but to think about some of the things that God has been speaking to me about regarding the city of Detroit. The timing of everything is pretty humbling and awe-inspiring. God is somehow orchestrating things, even through the secular media to put Detroit on the map. There seems to be a resurgence of energy for the things that are happening in the Big-D, as well as an awakening of hope for greater things to come.
What an awesome testimony it would be if God, in His Sovereignty would take a city that is on the bottom of the list in the United States and then turn it around for His glory, especially as the Church of Jesus is praying and wanting to become a “city on a hill”?
I don’t know if I can shake off this feeling that God is doing something (way bigger than us) and that He might be opening up a door for our church to do something in the future.
No matter where I go or where I turn to, I am constantly confronted with this strange conviction that Detroit will be the next city where God wants to do some great things. As we were flying back from Austin to Detroit, I picked up the Sky Delta Magazine. There is a whole section on Detroit titled, “Motor City Momentum.” There is definitely momentum that is building. Now, the Church needs to be discerning and respond in faith.
“This is the Motor City and this is what we do” [Eminem]