How To "Seek First the Kingdom of God" as a Church

Anything that can or should be done individually can be done corporately. The key is getting everyone "on board". For the individual to "seek first the kingdom of God" one must establish kingdom pursuit as the priority ("a" priority becomes one of many, or no priority at all) For the church to do it, the pastoral leadership must consider seeking the kingdom as their reason for being.
Perhaps delving into what it means to "seek first the kingdom of God" will help with focus.
  • The realization that God's Word is to be obeyed and lived, not just learned.
  • The recongnition that God's kingdom is under His rule, and not open to a democratic process.
  • Realizing that the Holy Spirit can and will bring consensus to a church body as they seek the kingdom.
  • Understanding that delayed obedience is disobedience.
  • Grasping the importance of "nevertheless, Your will be done".

Kingdom growth does not come via the latest church growth secret. It comes when all energies and resources are focused on "Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven". It comes when churches realize that they are all part of the same body, and therefore have a responsibility to and for each other. That means that if my church has resources that your church needs, we share them. It (kingdom growth) comes when the focus is on Christ, THE supreme leader of the church. It comes when the church recognizes that all the necessary tools are readily available to even the smallest the lot. Those tools are the Word of God, the Holy Spirit and prayer.

As with any human attempt to explain spiritual reality, this post falls short. Hopefully it will spark some thought and prayer which will lead to individuals, and the churches they comprise, to become more kingdom focused.

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