Forbes Magazine has recently conducted a survey of the top ten most sinful cities in America. They are ranked according to how great they have "fallen from grace" in each of the seven deadly sins: lust, gluttony, avarice (for those who live in Ballard that's extreme greed for wealth), sloth, wrath, envy and pride.

The results are really surprising. Seattle, "the least church city in America", is not even mentioned 58% of the time (four out of the seven sins they didn't even place in the top ten) and it never occupied the top spot in the three categories it is mentioned. I guess it isn't such bad of a place to live in after all.

As believers in Christ, we all know that sin is not a matter of geographic location; it is one of nature for all are "conceived in sin" and "by nature children of wrath" (Psalm 51:5; Roms. 3:10-18; Eph. 2:1-3). But, it seems according to this survey that if you want to launch a ministry in a relatively "safe environment," Seattle might just be the place for you! It's no Mars Hill mind you (Acts 17) like the Apostle Paul had to face, but a really beautiful place to live and raise a family.

However, here is a surprise, all of you who live in the midwest or the south, you have your work cut out for you. It seems the Bible belt is no insulator against iniquity. If you want to be involved in tough ministry, come to some of the most churched cities in the country. And if you really want to flex your spiritual muscles, go to the Northeast. Now that is really tough slugging for the Lord. It is not for the timid, spiritually soft, or half-hearted in their commitment to the gospel (i.e. the emerging church, pragmatists, or the seeker-sensitive movement). The nor-easterners are too smart for that kind of plastic faith. This is "rubber meets the road Christianity" at its finest. IOW, you can't pretend there; it is real or it is not. And they can spot a phony a mile away.

Lesson learned? There is much work to be done all around the country for the gospel isn't there? The fields are white with harvest, but the workers are few. Let's get to work for the days are short.

From the hardest place to minister anywhere in the world (Nashville, TN).
Campius Stephanus
2 Cor. 4:5