Here is an excerpt from Kingdom Grace. Grace makes an interesting point about the church.
“What is the church?” is a prevalent question.
Within that phrase are the questions of what is the church supposed to be? what is the ideal model or structure? what is the best way to function as a church? These questions have been and will likely continue to be enthusiastically debated and discussed.
There is, however, a deeper underlying question…
“As the people of God, who are we?”
Herein lies the importance of rediscovering a theology of the kingdom of God, of awakening to an understanding of who we are as God’s people.
Regrettably, it is common for church people to view the kingdom as a vague unknowable mystery or as something relegated to the future. The present reality and nature of the kingdom of God has mostly not been understood.
However, if the very gospel that Jesus gave us is the gospel of the kingdom of God, and the church has not understood the kingdom, then what the heck have we been doing for all these years?!
Instead our identity has been shaped by organizations and denominations, and we have become much more comfortable with the question, “what church do you go to?” than the question, “what is the kingdom of God?”
Well put Grace. Thank you
Monday, 21. January 2008
Instead our identity has been shaped by organizations and denominations, and we have become much more comfortable with the question, “what church do you go to?”
This is profound, I see it in our own church. Dear God open our eyes to see the real you.
Monday, 21. January 2008
Great thought! Now if we could get just get the leadership of my church to think this way. It must come from the leadership to be effective.
Sunday, 27. January 2008
You know it would be nice for the leadership of churches to think this way, but it doesnt have to come from there to be effective. All it takes is one person to speak up and help the others to open their eyes. A pool of rippels is started in one spot and gets bigger as it goes along. It’s the same with the word of God. As one person opens up and speaks the true Word others will follow and soon it will be too big for the leaders in the church not to pay attention. So rise up and take the lead in your group and see what happens.