The Kingdom and the Church

By Robert Holmes, Australia

[Note: This is a good word. I have posted stuff from Robert Holmes in the past. He is solid. I wholeheartedly agree: we are to preach the kingdom and let God build His church.]

The instruction of Christ to us was to, "Proclaim the gospel of the kingdom until the end comes." (Matt. 24:14). That was the job He delegated to us, within the overall mission He had Himself - to seek and save the lost. Then He made it clear, "I will build my church." (Matt. 16:18). We preach Kingdom, He builds Church. It is pretty simple, yes?

One question which immediately comes to mind is, "Why do we spend so much of our time and effort "building church" when that is HIS job? And, "Why do we spend so little time preaching kingdom?" Why are there even "church growth" subjects at Bible college? Why do we do thesis work on "church building strategy" when that is NOT our work?

The Kingdom of God is an irrepressible force, an immovable object, an intrinsic dynamic on earth. The priorities of the Kingdom will generally bless you and build the Church. But it will not, if what you and I are doing, does not line up with HIS agenda. "Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters." (Luke 11:23).

Are we gathering, or scattering, with all our effort on "evangelism strategies" and church growth. OK I accept that our car-park needs to be adequate, and that our door people need to be friendly. I accept that we need inspiring sermons, leaders with integrity, heavenly worship and all that jazz. I also accept that this will generate growing "churches" as we presently conceive of them. But it is actually what Christ told us to do? Do any of these efforts amount to "preaching the kingdom"? I think not!

Refining coming

If our agenda, our ideas, our building program goes against what He is doing, we will definitely suffer loss. If we are building the Church, and not preaching the Kingdom. if we are doing the opposite of what we were told. If we have become keepers of fish tanks not fishers of men. then we will suffer loss in the days to come.

I think of the words of John the Baptist, introducing Christ as a refiner, with a winnowing fork in His hand, and a fire burning to devour the chaff. We have nothing to fear from this Christ, if we are wheat. We have everything to fear if we are chaff.

God has an agenda and He is working on His mission. Everything else will fall away. He will build His Church, and the good news is that He told us how He will do it! Christ lays Himself down as the cornerstone, and He uses master builders, apostles and prophets to lay the sure foundation (Eph. 2:20).

Apostolic restructure


As we speak of apostolic and prophetic restoration in the Church, we must understand that they will not re-order, or shuffle the deck chairs. Often the ministry of true apostles and prophets will result in deconstruction, and reconstruction. You will be blessed, to the extent that what you are doing what "gathers" and "is for" what He is doing. You are preaching the kingdom right? You will suffer loss to the extent that you are not.

Christ is ministering a new covenant, not an old one. He is in a new tabernacle, not an old one. He has a new priesthood not an old one. He is building kingdom culture not church culture. (I encourage every reader to go back and read Hebrews chapter 8).

The Kingdom will come into conflict with anything not of it's own kind. It is like a fire, burning, like a force, pushing, like violence. It may initially appear destructive if the environment is traditional, established, embedded, cultural.

The Jerusalem council confronted sect of the circumcision and prepared the restoration of the breaches of the tabernacle (Acts 15:16ff). John the Baptist confronted the established system of worship by declaring that Christ was coming with a winnowing fork in His hand. (Matt. 3:12).

By the way I am not here making way for stern or angry apostles, controlling leaders or crocked finger pointing prophets. Not at all. The fire is in Christ's hand, not ours! The winnowing fork is His, the process is His. We simply, very simply preach Christ! (1 Cor. 2:2).

Have a wonderful day!

-Pastor Randy