Who’s kingdom are you growing?

In one way or another we’re all in the business of kingdom building. CEO’s focus on the growth of their company, coaches focus on the performance of their team, people in ministry are focused on the growth of their ministry.

The desire to see a company or ministry expand in reach and influence is absolutely natural, we as people desire to succeed and as a result we have an inclination to see the thing that we spend our time working on succeed as well. We look at things like market penetration, number of people served, and name recognition. Trucks are purchased and buildings are built with corporate or ministry names emblazoned on them as evidence of the success of the organization.

Don’t misunderstand me, there is nothing wrong with a ministry growing, or identifying the vehicles or buildings it uses for ministry.

In 1 Corinthians Paul shows an example of kingdom building:

“For you are yet carnal. For in that there is among you envyings and strife and divisions, are you not carnal, and do you not walk according to men? For while one says, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are you not carnal? Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom you believed, even as the Lord gave to each? I have planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither is he who plants anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. So he planting, and he watering, are one, and each one shall receive his own reward according to his own labor. For of God we are fellow-workers, a field of God, and you are a building of God. According to the grace of God which is given to me, as a wise master builder, I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let every man be careful how he builds on it. For any other foundation can no one lay than the one being laid, who is Jesus Christ. And if anyone builds on this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble, each one's work shall be revealed. For the Day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try each one's work as to what kind it is. If anyone's work which he built remains, he shall receive a reward. If anyone's work shall be burned up, he shall suffer loss. But he shall be saved, yet so as by fire.”
1 Corinthians 3:3-15

The work we do, no matter who’s name is attached to it must have God’s name attached to it. It must be focused on building God’s Kingdom and not mans, without jealousy or envy.

I have a dear friend who is a pastor of a church that rents a small building for Sunday and midweek services. When he drives past a large church in the area with a beautiful building and a large youth center, he might be inclined to be look upon the work their doing and say “Lord, why don’t I have a building like that? Haven’t I been faithful to what You called me to?” But he doesn’t, I know for a fact that this pastor actually prays for this church’s continued growth and effectiveness in their ministry.

That Old House

About two weeks ago I was in my old neighborhood visiting with some friends and neighbors and got to see my old house. 

My kids wanted to go and play in the yard, but I had to explain to them that it wasn’t their house anymore and that it belonged to someone else. 

At the same time I started to notice things that were different – the Christmas decorations on the outside of the house were similar to the way we used to hang them, but different enough that it didn’t seem completely right.  Some of the landscaping that I personally had worked on had changed too.  Somehow all of us longed for this house to be the way it was when we were there.

But this was not our house anymore, God had called us to serve Him elsewhere.

I was reminded of the Israelites when they had just been taken out of Egypt - Exodus 14:12  “Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.”

The people of Israel looked back at their old house and not at the place they were going, and though it wasn’t their home anymore.

There is something about the place we used to be and the things we used to do that pull at us…sometimes these things can be positive. All too often they are the bad habits or sins from years past that pull on us to walk past the old house and glance at what looks like a comfortable place to be and ignore the fact that God has taken you away from that place for a reason, and this is to live a life that would be able to glorify Him.

“And such were some of you. But you are washed, but you are sanctified, but you are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.”
1 Corinthians 6:11

Christmas parties

Over the past few weeks, and through the end of this week childen that are served in the projects we work with around the world have been able to celebrate something many orphaned and neglected children in the developing world aren't able to, Christmas. 

Though there is special food and gifts for the children at these parties, that is not what makes the event special.  The customs associated with Christmas are a little different in each country, but one thing is consitent for every child that is at one of these parties - each child hears the story of the incarnation of God the Son - the story of when Jesus was born.  The heart and true meaning of Christmas.

I ask you take 5 minutes this week and pray for the Chilren around the world who attend these simple Christmas parties to continue to grow to know the love of God and to develop into mature Christians who can impact their own culture.