The Everlasting Kingdom

I remember the first time I was really challenged with my American-consumeristic idea of what the church was and what it meant to be a follower of Jesus. My pendulum had swung pretty far to the person/building side of things, though I quickly found I would soon swing too far the opposite way towards the organic/unstructured (which I believe throws out the good in fear of the bad)

God’s given me a strange space, which I realize I’ll most likely flesh my way out of, falling back into comfortable, rebellious tendencies. But in this moment, one where God has given me a glimpse back from an all-in on people/buildings or all-in on organic/unstructured (both of which can turn from Jesus to Self quickly), let me just sure a brief insight God has convicted me of as I reflect on nearly a decade of serving in the local church.

It’s easy to fall prey to the lie that our man-made buildings and cherished leaders on the platforms define the Kingdom, but the everlasting Kingdom runs deeper than what can be seen and touched. There is a supernatural definition that lasts when the buildings crumble, the seats seem empty, and the leaders pass due to a life change or death. God’s Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom, enduring from generation to generation.

And while its important to have a physical place to gather and important to submit ourselves to authorities to learn and grow, let us not become so attached we believe the Kingdom is dependent on these temporary things rather than a God who transcends the physical and mortal, the God who is in all and above all things, who has been and will be, the Sustainer and Creator of all things.

No power of hell, no scheme of man can shake the Kingdom of God and the work that He is doing to redeem and restore all things – in your neighborhood, in your local church, in your city, in our world.

He is the God who sustains – not because of what building we gather in.
Not because of what seat we sit in.
Not because of who stands on our platform or what platform we stand on.
Because He is Lord, He is King. His dominion is over all things. His rule. His reign.
For He is good and wants what is best for us – even if it means changing everything, every comfort, every mindset, every situation, every thing.

Let every creature praise His holy name, for ever and ever.