American cities looked like they were headed for the scrap heap in the 1970s and 80s, but some of them, particularly the elite cities of the American coasts (and their peers in other countries) came roaring back. Thanks to globalization, deregulation, and other factors, places like New York and San Francisco now control the commanding heights of the economy. They also control the culture because they are the places where the elite institutions and networks that create culture are concentrated.
The church must be present in these cities lest it abandon the economic and cultural centers of the nation. What's more, the cultural pressures facing the church come first and most intensely in these places, so it is there that the church's response to them can be developed.
The importance of these elite cities means that the church their can fall prey to pride, something that will be explored in the next episode.
Books Referenced:
Saskia Sassen - The Global City
James Davison Hunter - To Change the World