The SIAFU Guidebook

Preface

We dedicated this work to our dear friend and brother, Fred Stoesz, who went to be with the Lord in March 2013. Fred gave the last forty years of his life to a single idea, to an overwhelming passion and dream – to advance the Kingdom of God among the poorest of the poor in the cities of America and the world. An urban missionary, a prayer warrior, a great preacher, and a feisty church planter, Fred’s whole life was anchored in a set of convictions which all revolved around his commit- ment to the poor. Fred’s characteristic conviction was simple and absolutely powerful: God can do anything he wants, through anyone he chooses to accomplish it, and he usually chooses those least likely to be selected by others to do it! We were reminded of Fred’s insight and burden for city folk when we were drafting these documents, a passion which over many years was demonstrated through his own evangelism, preaching, discipling, and church planting. The Urban Ministry Institute , which this year recognizes its eighteenth year of existence, mirrors Fred’s passion and vision. We believe that revival for the world will come from those given the least chance to do it. It will not be from the ranks of the educated, the wealthy, the sophisticated, and the well known that God will accomplish his greatest feats and works in the cities of the world. Rather, God has chosen the poor to be rich in faith, to be the very heirs of the Kingdom who will bring great glory and honor to his name (James 2.5)! This work is a tribute to men like Fred, who, though from a suburban neighborhood in Canada that looked nothing like the tough streets he would raise his family in, still believed in the power of the Holy Spirit to transform the city from the bottom up, from the poor upwards. Like water, the grace of God always trickles to the lowest point, and there, begins to rise. Truly, as our Lord declared, it will be the meek who inherit the earth (Ps. 37.11; Matt. 5.5). Our God is the God who does not see as people see, who look on the appearance. Rather, our God looks on the heart (1 Sam. 16.9).

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