Transforming Cities and Workplaces for Christ

Mac Pier, Mark Visvasam, and Sona Kazanjian emphasize the critical role of cities and workplaces in spreading the gospel. Drawing on biblical examples of ordinary workers as carriers of God’s message, they share success stories from Chennai, India, and Dubai, UAE. In Chennai, the city movement grew from 2,000 to 6,000 churches, while workplace ministry thrived in Dubai, driven by the Kennedy family’s influence on the healthcare system. They highlight how marketplace leaders and city networks are collaborating to transform entire regions. The speakers encourage using opportunities like Movement Day and the Global Workplace Forum to mobilize believers for evangelism in urban centers.

This panel discussion is moderated by Bob Doll.

Talk Outline

00:00 Introduction
00:30 The Role of Cities in the Gospel Movement
01:25 Modern Gospel Movements and Marketplace Leaders
03:06 Global City Campaigns and Movement Day
03:23 Chennai Transformation Network and City Movements in India
06:03 Movement Day Dubai and the UAE’s Transformation
09:15 Unity and Growth in Global Cities
11:25 Conclusion and Call to Action

This recording is from the Fourth Lausanne Congress, held in Incheon, South Korea in September 2024. This gathering brought together global church leaders to collaborate on mission strategies for advancing the gospel. Through plenary sessions, table group discussions, and collaborative workshops, the Congress focused on addressing critical gaps in global mission today.

Holistic Mission: Creation Care, Justice, and Identity

28:23

Persecution and Resilience

Gideon Para-Mallam & Riyadh

26:28

Empowered for Mission: The Vital Role of the Holy Spirit

Femi Adeleye

Declare and Display: Collaborative Action for Christ’s Mission

Michael Oh

Speakers' Bios

Bob Doll

Chairman, Board of Directors

Bob joined Crossmark in May 2021 as chief investment officer (CIO), bringing over 40 years of industry experience to guide the investment process and serve as portfolio manager for multiple Crossmark large-cap strategies. He also utilizes his investment expertise to provide weekly and quarterly investment commentaries, as well as annual market predictions. Bob is a regular guest and contributor to multiple media outlets such as Bloomberg TV, Fox Business News, CNBC, and Faith & Finance Live Radio. Prior to arriving at Crossmark, he held the roles of senior portfolio manager and chief equity strategist at Nuveen (2012–2021) and Blackrock (2006–2012), president and chief investment officer at Merrill Lynch Investment Managers (1999–2006), and chief investment officer at Oppenheimer Funds, Inc. (1987–1999).

Bob graduated from Lehigh University with a BS in accounting and a BA in economics. He later went on to earn an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He is a certified public accountant (CPA) and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA®) designation, as well as the FINRA Series 7 and 63 securities licenses.

Bob dedicates his time as choir director at his local church and also serves on a number of boards including the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals, Cairn University, Christianity Today, Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary, Kingdom Advisors, the Lausanne Movement, Movement.org, New Canaan Society, and Word of Life Fellowship.

Bob and his wife Leslie currently reside in Princeton, New Jersey, and have three children and one grandchild.

Mac Pier

Catalyst for Cities

Mac Pier is the founder of Movement.org. He helped to birth the Concerts of Prayer Movement in 1988 in New York City. He also co-founded Movement Day in 2010 with Dr Tim Keller. He is the author of nine books including A Disruptive Gospel (Baker Books) and New York Disrupted (Movement Day Publishing). Mac and Marya have been married 40 years and have three children and five grandchildren. Pier has been a Lausanne catalyst since 2013.

Sona Kazanjian

Sona Kazanjian has served the local Dubai church since 2000, working to bring Movement Day to Dubai and the Middle East.