Thursday, 05 November 2009

• Expanding the Kingdom of God

  This morning in the shower I was talking to God, and God brought to my mind how missionaries go to countries, bring the gospel to people, how some are touched by God and get saved. Usually it all starts small. A small group of one or two believers. They grow, and usually it is that minister that starts a church as it grows.

  Being the pastor, doing nearly all by himself and with his family, often they go through hard and barren times. There are no second opinions. The congregation often is in danger to end up as a religious group, and the people that get added often get added because of the physical benefits the church offers. As soon as the first generation makes it through church, and the second generation enters (often the children of those people, born and raised in the church), they take on their responsibilities (or bore their socks off,and leave), but if they do understand the importance of their eternal salvation, I noticed often they will bring their talents into the church.

  The church grows from an Evangelist with a home group, to the evangelist becoming a pastor, and a small church being supported by that pastor (and his family), to becoming a church that has people of the congregation bringing and building the kingdom together.

  In Europe we've had too long a 'pastoral' church season. (It lasted from about as far as the Catholic church made itself manifest somewhere in the dark ages, all the way to around 1980, when I was born). Seasons where the pastor or priest did everything in the service; a one man show.

  But that is changing.

  One of the phases the Belgian church has to go through, (as well as many beginning churches that are founded in deserted area's or missionary fields) is the phase of corporate anointing. A place where God's kingdom is no longer only manifest through the pastor, but people of the congregation.

  The kingdom of God desires to grow, and will continually grow.

  We all know what the kingdom of God is, and how it manifests, but in terms of growth it copies itself from one person to another.

  In full glory, the kingdom of God can be seen in the full congregation, out into the world. God's love, healing, deliverance, freedom, expression, talents, etc start combining in one large majestic web of people who are ALL manifesting in these gifts. There is no such thing as a 'healer', 'teacher' or a 'prophet' in the kingdom of God! We should have only one healer, and one prophet and one teacher. And if we follow in His footsteps, we will do the things He does; because everything, every healing, every prophecy, every teaching comes from God, who can bring the revelation to anyone who is willing to listen!

  The kingdom of God does not fully come until all (or lots of) members of the congregation start to have a living relationship with the Lord in their daily lives; and until we see all manifestations on earth as they are in heaven, and as they manifested on earth in the time Jesus walked the earth!

  John wrote:
  "And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written."

  From that relationship, each in their own field, will start to develop skills and talents.
  So far the only talents acknowledged in the church is a preaching, teaching, praying, worshiping ministry.
  People can understand that some people are there to bring a message of God
  Others teach from the word of God,
  Others use their skills as musical vessels, by playing the instruments, or singing,
  Others are skilled in handling kids,
  Then there are others who are very good with budgets, and numbers!

  In it's fullest glory, each person will receive their rightful place; and the church moves from a pastoral anointing place, to a corporate anointing place.

  The church can be well compared to a company. A good company will benefit from working together in unity! It will grow faster, and bear more fruit. But if you take the central focal point away (which is God, and doing all for the Glory of God), the structure won't hold, and the company collapses.

  On earth we have money to represent blessing. The more you work, the more you earn. The more you do work no one else does, the more you'll earn! In the spiritual realm the same is true as well. The more you do a task which no one else does, and the better you invest your time and energy in the task you do for the Lord (with a right and correct heart), the higher you will experience your blessing...

  A couple of years ago, I wondered what the most important thing for me to do was and a friend answered "To love God, and to love each other". So I answered, "Yes, but what is love? You can have a positive feeling about all people, and that won't change anything!" Love needs to be expressed in works, much like faith without works is dead too. It needs to be expressed differently in each individual.

  We need to discover how we can express that love. In the past there have been many forms and expressions of that love. Seasons where men of God, preachers and pastors, felt led by God to clean the toilets and scrub the floors. Others went to study music, and invested their time learning an instrument. Again others started bible school, so they could meet the answers they get bombarded with in their bible study groups! Others just where 'send ones', send to corners of the earth to tell about the goodness and importance of Jesus to those who never heard these messages before!

  But there is more!

  One of the latest talents, laid aside not for everyone, is painting, dancing, and other forms of art. There are even churches where DJ's share the worship service. Lightmasters, composers of musical pieces or drama's, actors, camera men, sculpture artists, flag and dress/costume makers, marketing analysts in charge of the electronic equipment purchases of the church, building architects and building masters, mechanical engineers, language translators, video editors, web masters, etc. Again it's not for everyone. But there's so much more. Things that we right now couldn't even imagine may become standard in a church 5 years from now!

  Church life is not a life of musicians and preachers only!

  The challenge is how to express God's love through the talents you've gotten, how to truly glorify Him with these talents; AND work together in unity---creating a community that starts producing fruit!

  The bible writes about how Jesus will come back when the bride is ready, Perhaps this is what He was talking about, when man has realized and performed all he could do.

  We are entering an age where men and woman of all kinds are forced and forged together again.The time where people stayed behind their TV's and away from society. Other people may pass. The economy of the 1970's where each man worked hard, to earn money is passing. A new time is coming with hardships that where not there in a good economy! A time is coming where people will start sharing and interacting again. What this society has created is individuals that are so unique, but could not work together. Many of them focused their lives on work. work, and work only! Now that they lose this assurance or certainty, they will have no other choice. A lot of the darkness that was bred in the darkness, can not manifest or remain unexposed in congregations, and in unity...

  Think about these things!

  In what ways could you see yourself helping to expand the kingdom?

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