Kingdom Living Means Pointing to Jesus

Dear GCI Family and Friends,

In his book Calling Christian Leaders, John Stott speaks to a unique characteristic of the Church.

Fundamental to New Testament Christianity is the ambiguity of the church. We are living in between times, between the first and second comings of Christ, between what he did when he came and what he will do when he comes again, between kingdom come and kingdom coming, between the “now already” of kingdom inaugurated and the “not yet” of kingdom consummated.

Consider that your church community (insert you congregation’s name) is the Church of God. Like Israel of the Old Testament, you are God’s holy people. We, the “Big-C” Church, have been set apart (sanctified) and belong to God. The irony is that much unholiness remains in the people of God. (We see this documented in the New Testament letters sent to the various churches.) Behaviors such as gossiping, quarrelling, immorality, complacency, jealousy, pride, etc. exist among God’s people.

This forgiven, redeemed, and holy organization called the Church is a mixed-up community. Unfortunately, too often it is the shortcomings that the world sees and not the perfect God, Jesus Christ, the head of the Church.

Kingdom Living is about growing in relationship with Christ. At the end of his second letter, the apostle Peter says we are to grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior (2 Peter 3:18). This growth is about cultivating an intimate, personal relationship with Jesus. More than accumulating head knowledge about Jesus, we are experiencing Jesus and becoming more like him.