Kingdom Culture

A culture is the system of beliefs, disciplines, practices, and relational boundaries that reveal how life is lived among a particular group of people. Movements of any kind succeed when they have created a culture that can sustain it. Revivals have failed at this point in times past. Instead the great moves of God have been measured by how many meetings we have, and how many people we bring into our buildings. While this is good, it is incomplete. Building a kingdom culture begins with us shifting out mindsets to a kingdom mindset. Mindset is our fixed mental attitude or disposition that predetermines our responses to and interpretations. This will develop into inclinations and habits. That is why I strongly believe it must begin with shifting our mindset.

Having a kingdom mindset each day and in every situation means having God’s heart and mind for His world at all times. No part of our lives can remain untouched and protected from this. Finally, at long last, God’s plan is revealed and unfolded, that through Christ. We will see ourselves a part of that kingdom mission, we begin to interpret each aspect of our lives accordingly. We have been trained to think and live counter-kingdom lives .

Two thousand years later the call to follow Christ has been repackaged to be smooth and trouble-free, filled with opportunity and promise but lacking risk, passion, and sacrifice. Is this really what Jesus died for? If He chose the way of the cross, where would He hesitate leading us?

Jesus never made a pristine call to a proper or safe religion. Jesus beckons His followers to a path that is far from the easy road. It is a path filled with adventure, uncertainty, and unlimited possibilities – the only path that can fulfill the deepest longings and desires of your heart.

This is the barbarian way: to give your heart to the only One who can make you fully alive. To love Him with simplicity and intensity. To be consumed by the presence of a passionate and compassionate God. To go where He sends you no matter the cost."

Too often there is a history of unpleasant experiences with authority:

• some, because the leaders we were under were unnecessarily harsh

• others out of sheer frustration have come to view authority figures as hindrances to

their enjoyment or to what they believe best for themselves

• others in reality have been fine leaders and authorities but have established things that

are contrary to biblical beliefs’

But out of these distasteful experiences we develop a subtle attitude: I just don’t believe in authority, or to put it in other words, I’m just not going to submit to authority unless I agree with it

‘Rediscovering the Kingdom’ by Dr. Myles Munroe:

“Over the centuries we have watched the creation of a variety of governmental systems

including demi-gods, dictatorships, monarchies and tyrannies; as well as the theories and practices of socialism, democracy, communism and imperialism. Each of them has had an opportunity to try to make life better and more ‘humane’ on our great planet. However, wars have increased rather than decreased, weapons of mass destruction are more available than ever before and fear for safety and security is greater than ever before in history. All governments – even the best form we have developed, democracy – have failed to realize the world we keep searching for.

The Idea of the Kingdom of God is one that cannot be improved by seven thousand years of human intelligence; and it is just as relevant today as it was at its birth.”

It is hard to understand Kingdom principles with a democratic mindset. The Kingdom of

God is just that – a Kingdom. It is ruled by a King and there are rank and order and

authority.

Matthew 28:18

“And Jesus came and spoke to them saying, “All authority has been given to Me in Heaven and on Earth.”

He is El-Shaddai, God Almighty, the Ruler who sets all the standards in Heaven and Earth. He lives in and rules the unseen realm and is the Creator and Owner of the seen realm where He also created human beings to rule under His authority as Vice Regents of the Earth. As King of Everything God is the Standard Setter, the Rule Establisher and the Judge of all things. That’s what it means to be King.

The Laws of the Kingdom are not superseded by, or subject to popular opinion, voting or

polls. The Laws are not swayed by what we believe to be good for us.

If we attempt to live as believers with a cultural mind set towards authority we will at best be ineffective and at worst be positioned for danger.

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