Center for Church and City Engagement

Training, experiences and resources

The Center for Church and City Engagement exists to provide training, experiences and resources to equip both students and church leaders to engage the city for the mission of God.

The Center for Church and City Engagement is located at the Holmes Road Church of Christ in Memphis, Tennessee. It is a historic, multicultural church located in a predominantly Black neighborhood.

The Center for Church and City Engagement launched in Aug. 2024 as a new initiative of Harding University, in keeping with its historic legacy in Memphis through Harding School of Theology. The center seeks to prepare students for an urbanized world and to serve and partner with churches in metropolitan areas.

The Center for Church and City Engagement, based at the Holmes Road Church of Christ in Memphis, equips students and church leaders to engage urban communities for God’s mission. Launched in August 2024 as part of Harding University, the center continues the university’s legacy in Memphis through Harding School of Theology, focusing on preparing students for urban ministry and partnering with metropolitan churches.

Learn more about our vision

Pray for Memphis

Pray for Memphis is an inspiring demonstration of unity and faith. It highlights the power of prayer in Memphis. This gathering brings diverse individuals together from all parts of the city in prayer. We have had people from Germantown to Downtown, Frayser to Whitehaven, all gathering with the common cause of joining God’s work in the city. 

Equip for Mission Workshop

On Saturday, October 25th, around 100 Christians from multiple churches across the Memphis area convened for the first Equip for Mission Workshop. The Center for Church and City Engagement, in collaboration with Millington Church of Christ, worked to create this special day of worship, growth and fellowship. The event aimed to equip individuals for mission and unite the community through shared faith and strengthened bonds.

A key focus of the gathering was fostering a stronger sense of community among Memphis-area Christians. Attendees engaged in activities designed to encourage connection, collaboration, and mutual support. In breakout groups, we discussed discipleship, shepherding, homelessness, neighborhood schools, addiction recovery ministries, and more. We saw a renewed focus on personal spiritual growth and disciple-making. We spent time praying together, asking God to send out more workers for His mission in this city.

We would like to say thank you to Millington Church of Christ and other volunteers who made this day possible, and we are looking forward to more in the future. We hope this gathering can be a foundation for further efforts in collaboration among churches and an inspiration to join God’s mission in the city.

This event will be held on Nov. 14, 2026, at Oliver Creek Church of Christ (8313 US-70, Arlington, TN 38002) from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

National Urban Ministry Conference 2027

Deep & Wide: Deeper in Faith, Wider in Reach

CCE is grateful for the opportunity to be part of the NUMC. This year, the conference took place in Little Rock, AR, at Levy Church of Christ, Feb. 19-21. The theme… Deeper Faith, Wider Reach, and we dove deep into both. We kicked off the first day with a pre-conference workshop on Ministry Partnership in the City, led by Alan Howell and Ian Nickerson, MRN. This was followed by three full days of spirit-led, scripture-fed, and worship-based prayer, study, and learning from fellow ministers serving in cities across the states. We shared stories about how ministries have impacted communities, the ways God is working in our cities, and struggles we have as we move forward in serving God’s people. Topics discussed included discussions on bilingual churches, domestic violence, sharing the good news and so much more. We are so thankful for all the work that River City Ministry put into making this event possible.

Register today!

Save the date: NUMC 2027! Feb. 18-20 at South Walker Church of Christ in Oklahoma City! Visit Urban Ministry Support | National Urban Ministry Association to learn more!

Interviews from the National Urban Ministry Conference:

• "An interview with Walter Pierce from the 'tip of the spear' in Chicago"
• "How bilingual churches show us the kingdom of God"

“Ministry in the City” Listening Tour

From October 2024 to April 2025, Harding University's Center for Church and City Engagement (CCE) conducted a series of listening sessions in collaboration with the In Trust Center for Theological Schools. These sessions aimed to gain insights into the urban ministry landscape and inform the CCE's support for urban churches.

The listening sessions involved a total of 134 leaders from 65 churches and four non-profit organizations. These leaders represented diverse urban contexts across six major metropolitan areas:

• Memphis, Tenn.
• Little Rock, Ark.
• Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas
• Houston, Texas
• Atlanta, Ga.
• Chicago, Ill.

The CCE conducted a first round of six stops and six cities and compiled the data into key themes. The CCE then conducted a second round of three stops in three cities to gain deeper insight into the previous data and to fill in the gaps of the first round. These three stops were Washington, D.C., Montgomery, Alabama, and New York, New York.

The goal of these listening sessions was to engage in thoughtful dialogue to glean insights that would inform and strengthen the CCE's support for urban churches and communities. Through these listening sessions, we were able to learn the unique challenges and opportunities facing urban churches.

 The CCE is now in the process of analyzing the collected data to identify common themes and critical needs. This analysis will inform the development of resources tailored to effectively support urban churches.

The CCE plans to share the results of the listening sessions and the developed resources in the coming year. This will provide valuable insights and practical tools for churches and organizations engaged in urban ministry.

Want to know what it is like to spend a day on the Listening Tour? Watch our 2025 Listening Tour Washington DC Recap.

Church and City: A new Substack for city ministers

We’re excited to announce the launch of our new Substack publication, "Church and City", a source of information and inspiration for city ministers, by city ministers. This free resource comes alongside ministers whose congregations stand at the intersection of cultures, economies, languages and nationalities in some of the world’s most populated neighborhoods. We invite you to join the Church and City community and receive weekly inspiration and practical resources for your ministry. Connect with other city ministers, share your own experiences and discover new ways to serve your community.

Subscribe Today!

City Internships and Apprenticeships

We will offer apprenticeships and internships in partnership with city churches and other ministries.

We are currently partnering with Christ Community Health Services to provide chaplaincy internships for our students. The internship focuses on pastoral care, multicultural ministry, engaging in intentional spiritual conversations, and grant writing. CCHS serves 60,000 people each year in underserved communities in Memphis, and the internship is made possible by a grant from the Butterfield Memorial Foundation.

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Ministry in the City, May 2026

The Center for Church and City Engagement is excited to offer a new undergrad course within the College of Bible and Ministry: BMIN 3025, "Ministry in the City." This course is a 10-day immersive travel course led by Dr. Steve Cloer, taking place in Memphis during the Intersession semester in May. Students will stay in midtown Memphis and explore urban challenges including race, poverty, immigration, food insecurity, education inequity and homelessness. Additionally, they will have the opportunity to visit churches and ministries working in these spaces.