In this sermon, part three of our ROOTED series, Pastor David Mathis gives us a clear vision for our calling to serve the Twin Cities. He exhorts our congregation to not fear the Cities, but instead be committed to loving the Cities. He preaches from Jeremiah 29:4–14 and highlights several lessons we can learn from the Jewish people being dragged off to Babylon as exiles more than 2,600 years ago. If God’s people could build there, in Babylon–if they could put down roots there–then why could we not we do so today?

Pastor David exhorts us to remember afresh our calling as a city church, and now to put down our roots as a church. In a rootless time, in a restless city, we’re putting down roots. Our call is to be a gospel presence in these Cities. Let’s multiply, not decrease. Let's not wait and see. Let’s put down roots now, together, as a church. Let’s be the best citizens of the Twin Cities, who love this place, and its people, all the more, when it’s hard. Being Rooted in the Cities is a significant part of our transition from having been a church planted to becoming a church rooted.