Content can be found at: https://theslg.com/content/132-redemptive-gifts-of-cities
Confession:
Without realizing it, I have been tracking with Arthur since 1999. Let me explain.
When I was in college in the late 1990’s, during my Sophomore Year, I connected with someone who was a violinist and a Music Major at the time, and she told me about this church she was attending, where G-d was moving. That was late 1999 or early 2000.
Within the first few weeks of visiting this church, the associate pastor made a statement that was curious to me: “DeLand, Florida is a Teaching City and this church is a Teaching Church.”
He then went on to list characteristics of a Teaching City, including division of the city into two parts and the careful meticulous research thst is done in the city, along with the presence of many educational institutions and churches.
Now, though that was my only exposure to Sapphire/Plumbline teachings for years, before Arthur’s name came to be associated in my brain with the teaching in this series, it had an impact on me 18-19 years ago.
Further, I started making other connections over the years and recognizing the gift of Teaching independently in other entities. And I always kept that bit of paradigm in the back of my mind, because that church was so influential in my life.
And then I found out from a close friend about SLG, and the Redemptive Gifts. He was a Prophet and, in response to my queries about Leviathan, he pointed me to Arthur. And this series fell out into my lap because of my intense draw to working with land.
This series had that impact on my life because of my passion for cities. And I have come to recognize that the vast majority of cities in which I have lived, and the significant turning points in my life, to an item, have all occurred in Teacher Cities.
My hometown is a Teacher City and it is precious. I now recognize that quality of Teacher land for producing revelation in my life.
College, Seminary, my second marriage, my Spirit Baptism. And then there are the cities profiled here.
Boston…Bakersfield…Baltimore…Santa Clarita…San Jose…Washington…and…San Francisco, HOME OF BEAUTY AND EXCELLENCE.
You want to take care of those places where you go, and though I have visited only three of these cities, Bakersfield and San Francisco gripped me the hardest with compassion over their unrecognized influence.
And I know we on the East Coast have jokes about Los Angeles, but G-d help us, we should be moved to tears for being life-giving to that city.
I have prayer-walked cities after dark because of the passion that Arthur sent my way 18 to 19 years ago.
I have a deep and strong heart for the loveliness amidst the brokenness. I have prayerwalked UCLA, and thought deeply about LA since I was there last 17 years ago.
I remember the friendships that were lost after they were gained as a result of visiting that city.
I remember the depth of Boston as I walked the streets to Fanueil Hall woth my wife and kids and the affection of the Father that BROODS over that city. It moves me.
And how in Teacher City after Teacher City, Father has dared to move in revival and power.
And how deeply the families of Bakersfield are loved, and the history of my people, the Blackfoot Indians, and their tender affection for Colonel Baker, in response to his fairy love for them.
This album changed me.
Years before I knew who Arthur was.
Thanks, friend.
