All around in the body of Christ in America, The Lord has been speaking to leaders that it is time for a change in how we do church. I would call this a Kingdom shift. This is a shift from a church mindset to a kingdom mindset. Many of us leaders have tried with good intentions and motivations, to try and make church work as we serve Jesus to the best of our abilities. This is not to criticize the leadership in churches in America without understanding the sacrifices that many have made to be their best for the Lord. Let’s be honest we are losing the cultural war in America, as the Church as we know it has almost lost it’s influence.
Let’s move on to the positive. The Lord is stirring his five-fold leaders to begin to make changes that He has ordained for us to walk in. We must understand the Kingdom is much different than the church. Kingdom mindset has an everywhere, all the time and every part focus. We have been trained to build the church, but Jesus clearly said He will build the church and the gates of Hell will not prevail against it. In Acts 8:4 we see the saints going everywhere preaching the Gospel.
Therefore they that were scattered abroad. went everywhere preaching the word.(Acts 8:4 )
This was the everyday Christians, not the leadership of the Apostles as clearly stated in Acts 8:1 ( except the apostles). In Ephesians 4:32 we see every joint and every part doing it’s part.
From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint suppliers, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part taketh increase of the body edifying of itself in love. ( Ephesians 4:32 )
A Kingdom focus has an everywhere, all time and every part focus 24/7 a day. For we all know the Kingdom of God is within us. That simply means that everywhere we go we represent the Kingdom.The Lord is giving us strategies to begin to shift toward a Kingdom focus as the five-fold leaders train the saints in His church to operate in their sphere of influence in the Kingdom of God. Let us arise and pattern our lives after Jesus, as we conform to His image and become to the World what He is in us and then through us.
Pastor Jack Irvin Sr