Citizens of God’s kingdom understand that obedience is rooted in God’s goodness and love. Obedience reflects our trust in God. It’s our faithful response to God’s love, expressed by our trust and participation in God’s mission.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not rely on your own insight.
In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.
Proverbs 3:5–6 NRSVUE
Learn more about obedience in this Healthy Church Buzz.
In September, we held our youth camp with 90 campers and 17 staff members from our congregations. Our theme was “Trust Him and Follow His Way,” based on Proverbs 3:5–6. Together, we explored the important question, “Who is our God?”
The campers joined in worship, group discussions, and small group fellowship. They also enjoyed games, sports, Biblical drama, and group presentations. Each camper had an opportunity to share an individual testimony and what God was teaching them.
It was a joyful and meaningful time of learning, fellowship, worship, and growing in faith. We pray that these young people will continue to trust God and obey him, following his way in their daily lives.
By Amiyo Bacher, Facilitator
Satkhira, Khulna, Bangladesh
So Paul stood up and with a gesture began to speak:
“Fellow Israelites and others who fear God, listen. The God of this people Israel chose our ancestors and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with uplifted arm he led them out of it. For about forty years he put up with them in the wilderness.” Acts 13:16–18 NRSVUE
For as long as I can remember, I read and heard this passage as describing God enduring the wailing and lamenting Israelites as if they were a great burden for him.
In Luther’s German Bible translation (2017), it says: “And for forty years he bore them in the wilderness.” The MacDonald commentary explains: “he took care of their needs.” Of course, I knew that God wouldn’t let them starve — they had food, water, and shoes that didn’t wear out.
But after reading Deuteronomy 1:31, a light bulb went on for me. “Then you saw that the Lord your God bore you as a man carries his son, all over the path that you have walked until you came to this place.” I never realized how close and intimately he was connected to Isreal’s life.
It is so encouraging to read that God carried his people as a father carries his son. I can’t remember ever reading it that way!
Prayer
Loving Father, thank you for seeing us as your beloved children, never as a burden. Spirit, fill us with your compassionate love so that, through Christ, we may care for others with kindness and grace. Give us strength to bear with those who are weary, remembering that you faithfully carry us all in your loving arms. Amen.
Tammy Tkach, Assistant Pastor
River Road, Oregon, US
Adapted from an article, He Took Care of Them, on the GCI Germany blog.
Citizens of God’s kingdom extend a generous welcome to others. Our welcome bears witness to the reality of their membership and inclusion in God’s family. We are not the gatekeepers of Jesus’ kingdom. Inclusion doesn’t equal assimilation, total agreement, nor uniformity. Communicating welcome and inclusion affirms to each person: you are loved, you are worthy of belonging, you are an image-bearer of God.
Check out this Church Hack for practical and applicable ways to foster welcome.
Kingdom Culture congregations create spaces for genuine welcome. We begin with fun activities, like you will see below. But it doesn’t stop there. With intentionality and discernment, we hope to shepherd our neighbors from fun, hangout spaces toward belonging and discipliship.
Check out these examples of welcoming spaces:
Jesus said to [the disciples], “Come and have breakfast.” John 21:12 NIVUK
After seeing the resurrected Jesus, several disciples returned to fishing. They worked all night on the Sea of Tiberias and caught nothing. Their empty nets remind us that effort alone cannot guarantee fruitfulness; sometimes God brings us to the end of ourselves so we can recognise his provision.
At daybreak, Jesus stood on the shore. He came after their long struggle, when their strength was spent. God’s timing often differs from ours, but his provision arrives when it is needed.
Jesus told them, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some” (verse 6). They obeyed, and the result was an overflowing catch. The miracle came not through greater skill, but through trusting Jesus’s word.
When they reached shore, Jesus already had fish and bread prepared. He did not need their catch yet invited them to bring some of it. This is grace: Jesus provides what we need and still invites us to share in his work.
Then Jesus said, “Come and have breakfast” (verse 12). The risen Lord served his friends. The greatest provision was not the fish, but Jesus himself — his presence, fellowship, and care.
The disciples began with empty nets but ended with abundance and renewed recognition of Jesus. The same Lord still provides today. He calls us to trust his timing, obey his voice, and receive the fellowship he offers.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank you for seeing our empty nets and for providing exactly what we need. Help us trust your timing, to obey your voice, and value your presence above every blessing. Teach us to depend on you in every season of life. Amen.
By Barry Robinson, Deputy National Leader, UK & Ireland
Citizens of God’s kingdom understand the relationship between Jesus and the Church, his Body, as one of groom with bride. And we eagerly look forward to this glorious wedding supper.
Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Revelation 19:7
Learn more about this relationship below. Read an excerpt from “Images of the Church” by Gary Deddo. The full article is here.
One important image that supplements our understanding of the relationship between Jesus and the Church, his Body, is one of groom with bride. This image points out a very personal, deep, life-long, intimate, and fruitful relationship. Here are a few key scriptures that use this image:
The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. (John 3:29)
The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life. (Rev. 22:17)
After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church—for we are members of his body. “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. (Eph. 5:29-32)
This image indicates a very close, even intimate and personal relationship of Jesus with his church. It also conveys a dynamic, interactive, interpersonal element of relationship. Given other such relational imagery throughout the New Testament, it conveys the idea of a history of relationship that develops and grows, especially from being unmarried, to being betrothed to having the marriage consummated. In the Old Testament there is preparation for this dimension of understanding with God’s relationship with Israel being compared to the relationship of a husband and wife. This is poignantly portrayed in Hosea where Israel’s unbelief and betrayal are compared to adultery. There are also several references in Isaiah and Jeremiah to the people of God as God’s bride.
Again, this image should not be taken alone. It helps us fill out a portrait when put together with the other images. This image, along with the others, is all together illustrative of a deep and complex reality that can’t be reduced to any one word or image. The images synthesize other more literal teaching about God’s relating to his people and what we are told about the history of that relationship culminating in the metaphorical image of the marriage feast of the Lamb depicted in Revelation 19:7-9.
This summer I led GC Steele Creek and GC Durham in a Kingdom Culture Experience workshop. It was encouraging to see the participants commit their time to gather on a Saturday and spend a full day discussing kingdom-mindedness, kingdom imagination (“The kingdom is like…”), and kingdom relationships. The interaction and inspiration were palpable. Using our sacred imagination, we closed the experience with a rehearsal dinner for the Wedding Feast of the Lamb.
As the facilitator, I was inspired and pray even more earnestly, Come Lord Jesus!
Greg Williams
The Jesus revealed in the Gospels is not a mythical, domesticated, or culturally convenient version. He is the real, living Christ who reveals the heart of God.
From the very beginning, people have struggled to recognise Jesus for who he truly is. The apostle Paul reminds us that there are three broad ways people respond to Jesus and his kingdom. He writes:
Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 1 Corinthians 1:22-24 NIV
The first group are those who seek signs and wonders from Jesus. Some Christians today run around chasing prophets and apostles who promise them miracles and wonders. Yet, Jesus said, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign!” (Matthew 12:39a). The sign is the Son of Man three days and three nights in the grave!
The second group want a philosophical and scientific Jesus who makes logical sense. They like debating the gospel and the kingdom of God. Their faith is not practiced; it’s something to debate and argue. Jesus is the crucified Christ, not some religious guru.
The third group are those who have come to know the crucified Jesus. They know that kingdom living is about taking up their cross and following him. That kind of life is a stumbling block to those who want signs and miracles, and foolishness to those that want a philosophy.
Christ does not merely show us a crucified life to imitate. As the crucified One, he gives us his life.
Prayer
Holy Spirit, grow us in the knowledge of the crucified Christ. May our whole lives preach Christ crucified. Amen.
Takalani Musekwa, Superintendent of Africa
Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa
Participants of the 2026 Denominational Celebration received a program showing our global impact. We wanted to share a portion of it with all our readers. It includes maps of our six global regions and a message from each of our six superintendents.
The above map displays our six regions and lists the countries within that region where we have existing congregations. Click here to see the regional maps.
