Is the Lord calling you to Kansas City, Missouri?
IHOPU students do not pick Kansas City (KC) for the amazing BBQ, sporting events, live jazz, tech startups or great coffee. They come for oil (Matthew 25:1–13). When many come to Kansas City, they say it’s because they were called. They were sent. They said, “Lord, I’ll go anywhere, send me.” and He sent them here. Many were “dying” to come to Kansas City, and they found life worth living, gathering oil.
Still, Kansas City is listed as one of the best places to live.
The “City of Fountains” has a fascinating history with eclectic and lively districts, great music, and sports teams. We have award winning food; it’s NYC gourmet on a midwest budget. Restaurants in KC are equal in quality to what you can find on the coasts. It’s a major metropolitan area with a college town feel.
What’s KC known for?
- 300+ bbq places
- Downtown urban living
- Championship teams in football, baseball, and soccer
- Farmers market & shopping
- James Beard Awarded restaurants
- Tech startups in this “silicon prairie”
Check out these links to learn more about KC.
Spiritual History of Kansas City
In the “heart of America,” Kansas City holds a rich legacy of spiritual vitality, as well as the stains of spiritual darkness.
During the American Civil War (1861-1865), young Kansas City became known as the “Gettysburg of the West” because it was a battleground over the issue of slavery. This battle has continued to rage throughout the decades, with disagreements surrounding segregation in schools, initiations of home-owner associations to keep out blacks and Jews and racial disparity/tension. In the prohibition era, Kansas City became known as the “Paris of the Plains” due to the abundance of brothels, gambling halls, and sin. It was said, “If you want to see some sin, forget Paris. Go to Kansas City!”
And yet today, the Kansas City metro area hosts over 600 Church congregations! These congregations came about because God intervened and the Church engaged His promises. It was initially missionaries who came and preached the gospel to the Native Americans living in the area. Later, it was Christian businessmen like Robert Long, and Joyce Hall, who believed in seeing the souls of people cared for in the midst of doing business. In 1923, 52,000+ Christian businessmen gathered at the Bartle Hall grounds and proclaimed, “Peace can not come until the world commits itself to Jesus, the Son of God, the Son of Man!”
Near IHOPU is USA President Harry Truman’s property. Truman was brought up serving a Jewish family and built a close friendship with a Jew. Truman became a “political intercessor” for Israel in 1948. His land was given to IHOPKC because of our calling as spiritual intercessors for Israel.
Learn more about the spiritual history of Kansas in this highly recommended book entitled, The Spiritual Roots of Kansas City: Discovering the Past to Shape Our Future.