Kingdom Prayer

Dear GCI Family and Friends,

In the most basic terms, prayer is the communication link between followers of Christ and the triune God. From the instruction of Jesus in Matthew 6, we talk to our heavenly Father, and we do this through the name and authority of Jesus. The apostle Paul in his letter to the church in Rome explains that the Spirit assists with our communication effectiveness, providing clarity of meaning and earnestness of intent (Romans 8:26-27).

Returning to the words of Jesus, he says that our Father knows our needs even before we utter the words. So, if this is the case, why pray? The analogy that works for me involves the relationship I share with my wife, Susan. On Sunday May 13, 1984, I told her I loved her and made a binding covenant of marriage in front of the preacher and gathered crowd. My stated love for her and desire to share life together has not changed in 41 years, however, to express my love and to share my love means that she and I actively interact and communicate. Hearing, “I love you” daily does not get old. This is what prayer is — active participation with the God we love and rely on.

I do not know about you, but I am one who utilizes my prayer time talking to God about my biological family and their needs. I want them to be healthy and to find fulfillment in this life. And now that I have grandkids, my list of desires grows even longer. To avoid getting into a one-track mindset of seeking God as a protector and provider for the welfare of my family, I find the first three petitions of the Lord’s Prayer to bring me around to a more God-centered robust prayer life. “Hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, and thy will be done.”

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be thy name.”

This opening statement deserves a pregnant pause. Proclaiming our heavenly Father’s name to be sacred and revered is a decisive choice to worship and bow down to him. Who is it with which we are talking? The eternal Father who lovingly sent his only, unique Son for our salvation, AND so that we have meaningful, vibrant relationship with the triune God. Therefore, to the all-knowing, perfect, eternal God of the universe – Hallowed be your name. (A good practice is to consider ways that you have experienced God and his goodness, then simply offer a prayer telling your Father what you admire and appreciate about him).

“Thy kingdom come.”

May the kingdom power and presence come into me, to my family, my church, my neighborhood, my country and to the entire world. We pray for the kingdom now as we live out our lives as kingdom citizens and representatives, and we yearn and groan for the fullness of the kingdom in Christ’s promised return.

“Thy will be done.”

It is embarrassing to consider how much of my prayer time is dedicated to express my thoughts, voice my desires, and seek my will. (Prayer easily becomes me-centric.) God patiently listens and allows me to go on explaining, negotiating, and pleading until I get to the end of myself. Prayer often feels like reasoning with God, and as you surrender to him in the worship experience of prayer you come to understand how he has been faithful to you, you then feel a sense of surrendering your best interest into his capable care. God is for you and coming to the realization that his will is perfect, whereas human will is limited and shortsighted. This is the relationship the Father desires with all his children.

In these three opening petitions of the Lord’s prayer, you notice the flow from who God is, to what God is doing in bringing his kingdom into place, and how he is intricately guiding the lives of you and me, the kingdom citizens. I find it incredibly inspiring to know that our heavenly Father, our big brother, Jesus, and the ever-present Spirit are attending and guiding this universal movement toward the culmination of Christ’s return and the establishment of the eternal kingdom of God. Praying the Lord’s Prayer is a kingdom Prayer, and it keeps you and me vigilant to who God is and what he is up to.

Come Lord Jesus,
Greg Williams

Devotional—Kingdom Culture First

The kingdom of God is the only reality out of which the Blessed Trinity has summoned us to live. Jesus has called us to join him in experiencing his life of love with the Father and the Spirit. He has redeemed humanity specifically for his kingdom life.

As we learn the rhythms of his kingdom, our lives naturally begin to take on its flavor, aroma, and culture. In what we might call “Kingdom Culture,” the foundation is always love. Love toward neighbor, brother, and sister is the guiding principle.

[Jesus] answered, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” Luke 10:27 NRSVUE

Admittedly it is sometimes easy to become distracted by all the stuff we need or want. The busyness of life may tempt us to lay aside the ways of the kingdom for the sake of expedience. At times, we lose our patience with others when we’re in a hurry. We may argue with a friend over politics. We may hold back our generosity to buy something we want or ignore Kingdom Culture in other ways.

However, we need not worry about those things. Jesus said, in Matthew 6:33, that his desire for us was to seek the kingdom (with all its right-relationships), and then all that other stuff would be added to us.

Here’s an exercise for our daily devotions as we seek first the kingdom. In your prayer journal, prayerfully make a list of all the things that you think do have a place in the kingdom of God. Then make a list of all the things that you think don’t have a place in the kingdom of God. Once you have made the two lists, ask God to enliven you to focus on the first one.

Prayer:
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, please show me someone to love today. Amen.

By Bill Winn, Pastor
Mechanicsville, VA, US

Kingdom Living—Blessing Young People

The Sun Valley congregation, in California, US, held a special service to honor their children when they graduated. They were blessed and celebrated by the entire congregation. It was a wonderful way to show the children that they are valued and held as a high priority in the church family.

Now it’s back-to-school season for our congregations in the Northern Hemisphere. So, these rising first graders, rising sixth graders (middle school), and rising freshman (high school) in Sun Valley are headed back into the classroom, with all its joys and challenges.

See the portraits of the graduates below. Thank you, Brenda Benitez, for your devoted service to the Kids Ministry and for sharing this story so our Update readers can celebrate with Sun Valley.

Join us in praying for the children in Sun Valley and for all the children in our lives, as they go back to school. Do you have an intentional prayer practice for the children in your life? How will you demonstrate your love for them as they return to school?

(In Southern Hemisphere countries, the school year typically runs from February or March to November or December.)

Leya
Kindergarten Graduation

Mia
Kindergarten Graduation

Ariana
Primary School Graduation

Ashlin
Primary School Graduation

Jimena
Primary School Graduation

Matteo
Primary School Graduation

Grayvin
Middle School Graduation

Sergio
Middle School Graduation

Kingdom Citizens’ Toolbox—Prioritize Young People

Citizens of God’s kingdom take very seriously their call to disciple and share their lives with children. It’s a high priority for us as parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, coaches, mentors, and friends.

Below we share a book review and recommendation. It’s a book for adults hoping to develop intentional rhythms of discipling young people.

(Please note that this is not an endorsement from GCI of the book or the author’s views.)

Recently, I attended a gathering with a group of church leaders. One person described her experience growing up in the Church. Her parents had a strong impact on her life because they regularly talked to her about Jesus, church life, and their relationship with God.

It reminded me of how important parenting is in the disciple making life of a Christian. I recently read a book by David Sunde, Homegrown Disciple: Parenting Rhythms for Drawing Your Kids into Life with God, which I found instructive on this aspect.

These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on you children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Deuteronomy 6:6-7

At the conclusion of each chapter, the author gives very practical ideas on how a parent can enact the principles found in the above passage. These times are “teachable moments — or windows of time — woven into each day: dinnertime, travel time, bedtime, and morning time” (p. 9).

The author points to the relational way Jesus discipled a few to reach the many. “Most of Jesus’ recorded ministry was not in a classroom or even indoors. It was outside and part of daily life” (p. 11).

Sunde compares disciple making with sharing:

If you’ve been in a Christian context for a while, you likely already know that disciplemaking involves learning to share what you already have with the people around you. It’s learning to talk about the difference Christ is making in you, animating the life of Christ. To animate is to incarnate. Just as God took on flesh and blood to live among us in sending His Son, we also can become the tangible presence of Christ in how we influence others. We tend to think about disciplemaking as helping other adult believers grow in their faith, which is one accurate definition of the term. But we can also apply the disciplemaking paradigm to the role of a parent or guardian. In fact, parenting is the quintessential relationship for spiritually reproducing a living faith. (p. 2)

As parents and grandparents, we are to be living and sharing the gospel of Jesus. We can have such a positive influence on those closest to us. The author discusses the rhythms of disciple making with one chapter on each of the following rhythms: apprenticing, renewal, hospitality, community, compassion, generosity, and gratitude.

The book highlights various aspects of our Christian life and how we can live and share this life in a positive way — not only with family members, but within our communities. There are lots of practical ideas that can stimulate our thinking of how we can apply those principles in our unique situations. Perhaps you too will find it helpful and inspiring as you disciple the young people in your life.

Bob Regazzoli
Brisbane, Australia

GCI Testify

Discover the transformative power of Christ’s love in our new series, GCI Testify. Join us as members from our global fellowship share testimonies of their experiences with Jesus through GCI congregations and ministries. Don’t miss the opportunity to witness firsthand the impact of the Spirit in and through GCI.

Watch the entire series here.

GCI Buzz—The Purpose and Our Calling as the Church

The Church is not a building — it’s us. A family formed by Jesus, united in the Spirit. This month’s GCI Buzz shares what it means to be the Church and how God invites us into his mission of bringing grace, hope, and transformation to the world.

Click here or the image below to view the entire Buzz.

Check out the printer-friendly PDF.

From Equipper—Parable of the Mustard Seed

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By Cara Garrity, Development Coordinator
Lynn, Massachusetts, US

The kingdom of God is like …

When you consider the kingdom of God, what do you imagine it is like? What images come to mind? What hopes?

In the Gospels, we are gifted with several accounts of Jesus talking about the kingdom of God. In Mark 4, we find one such parable that Jesus shares.

Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.” Mark 4:4:30–31 NIV

The kingdom of God is like … a mustard seed?

Here, Jesus is speaking in a parable. Parables are thought-provoking invitations to new insights. They are a dynamic, transformative, storytelling style of teaching. In more current terms, think less instruction manual and more Aesop’s Fables.

So, what can a mustard seed teach us about the kingdom of God?

What would the original hearers of this parable have known about the mustard seed and plant? Mustard seeds are exceedingly small seeds, yet they grow into very large plants. Mustard plants were considered weeds. They were not seeds that were intentionally planted but would grow wild in the mountainside. They certainly would not be planted in any curated garden. The mustard plant is invasive, uprooting any plants growing around it. The mustard plant grows uncontrollably, taking over the space, from a small seed to a large plant.

How might this image of the kingdom challenge our hopes and expectations for the kingdom? For the original hearers of this parable, the image of the mustard seed likely challenged their hope and expectation for the kingdom of God to bring a militaristic victory for the Jewish people over Rome. Their hopes were for a kingdom that was grand, majestic, powerful, and victorious. And instead, Jesus says the kingdom of God is like a mustard seed — an invasive weed. Powerful and disruptive in its own way, but not in the way the people had expected.

What expectations do you hold about the kingdom of God that are challenged by the image of a kingdom like a mustard seed? Personally, in agricultural terms, I would expect the kingdom of God to be more like a finely curated garden. Perfect. Predictable. Controlled. And yet, we are told the kingdom of God is like a mustard seed. Wild. Unpredictable. Invasive. Persistent. Maybe the kingdom of God is not “perfect” in the ways that I had imagined. Maybe the kingdom of God is not predictable and controllable in human terms. Maybe it is like the mustard seed.

What else does this image offer to us? The kingdom of God is reliable and dependable in its growth. The nature of the kingdom is to grow; it doesn’t need to be begged, coaxed, or convinced. It is not our responsibility to expand the kingdom of God. It is the nature of the kingdom to expand. Like the mustard seed, a “little bit can go a long way.”

The kingdom of God may appear in ways that are unexpected, or even undesired. It may grow in ways that uproot our finely curated plans. It may expand into places we never thought possible. The Kingdom is invasive; it can grow anywhere. We can expect the kingdom to be near in unexpected places.

The kingdom of God is near. It has been unleashed in our midst, and it cannot be tamed. It is tenacious, it is alive, it is self-determined, dynamic, and ever expanding. We can rest assured that the kingdom of God is like a strong plant that cannot be deterred in its growth.

Holy Spirit, draw us into greater awareness of the presence and growth of the kingdom around us. Attune us to the unexpected ways the kingdom shows up. Challenge our own hopes and desires for the kingdom and replace them with your vision. Show us what your kingdom is like. Amen.

The kingdom of God is like … a mustard seed.

2026 Denominational Celebration

The Denominational Celebration
will be held
in Dallas, Texas, U.S.
on July 23-26, 2026.

Kingdom Living is participatory, relational, and missional.

Jesus said, “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” As citizens of the kingdom and co-laborers with Christ, we are sent into the world to reflect his light. Kingdom Living requires awareness of our calling and our context, seeing our neighborhoods, vocations, and even our sufferings as places where Jesus reigns and sends us.

Kingdom Living is not passive. it is a bold proclamation and a tangible demonstration. We not only speak of the reign of God, we show it. Our words align with our works. As image bearers, our relationships become a visible witness to the reality of the kingdom being ushered in.

During this gathering, we’ll explore what it means to live as kingdom people, active participants in God’s mission, deeply rooted in community, and shaped by the presence and authority of Jesus.

Registration information coming soon!