How some church leaders consider the Kingdom of God? By Pr. Jeremie Manirakiza

How some church leaders consider the Kingdom of God?
By Pr. Jeremie Manirakiza

Some church leaders consider the four walls of the church as the Kingdom of God, when in truth, the so called "temple" is one small element of the Kingdom of God. 

They put all their efforts in organizing the Sunday service and the believers in the church have the impression that they are serving the Kingdom of God only during the Sunday service and other services in the designated “church area”. For them, any place outside the church, God simply doesn’t reign. For many wrongly think that Satan rules the world. All areas of society are ruled by our enemy. What misconception is this? The One who rules the whole universe is Jesus. "The Lord Reigns" is the message of the Gospel. This is the Gospel.  “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!”” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭52:7‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.” Colossians‬ ‭1:15-16‬ ‭NIV‬‬

In addition to that, they focus merely on rapture, the last days and trying to escape the Earth instead of engaging in it. They postpone the reality of this world until they reach heaven. Though there is plenty of rebellion on Earth the Lord reigns and our prayer is and always should be “your Kingdom come, your will be done on Earth as it is in heaven.” We are ambassadors of King Jesus and work in all areas of society (the world) until “the seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: “The kingdom of the world has become the Kingdom of our Lord and of His Messiah, and He will reign for ever and ever.” Revelation‬ ‭11:15‬ ‭NIV‬‬

John Mattera states in his book “The Divided Gospel” that when we take away the call of the believer to steward the Earth, we hinder our ability to make disciples who will be the salt of the earth and the light of the world.  We also weaken the church’s call to be an equipping center to fill the Earth with believers in every facet of society to His glory.

John Mattera continues to say that without the reign of God on Earth as our focus, we are left with little more than merely experiencing God during Sunday church services, thus limiting the Kingdom of God to operating only within four walls of the church building for two hours every Sunday.

#ASONE