Kingdom Focus, Church Outcome
One of the most quoted scriptures is Matthew 16:18-19. In this passage, which is the first mention of the word Church in the New Testament, we see Jesus speaking of the establishment of the church. For those of us involved in church planting movement strategy, it is a foundational scripture. Take a look at it:
18And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.
19I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will beg loosed in heaven.”
I am not going to do a standard exegesis of this passage. Aspects of this word from Jesus have been analyzed and debated for centuries. Instead, I want to highlight an aspect of this word that is less obvious.
Look at the object of each verse. In verse 18, the object is the Church. Jesus says to Peter that on this rock (the confession that Jesus is Messiah, the Son of God), that He, Jesus, will build his Church. Then in verse 19, the focus changes from Church to the Kingdom of God. He says he will give us the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven and therefore whatever WE bind and loose will be bound and loosed.
Here is my point: Verse 18: Jesus is the Builder, the Church is the thing built.
Verse 19: We are given the Keys, We do the binding and loosing. The Kingdom is the focus...they are not the keys of the "church", but rather the keys of the Kingdom.
So lets put it this way: As we focus on the Kingdom of God, Jesus Builds His Church.
In practical terms, this might be revolutionary for us. As a person who has worked in "Church Work" for many years, I think I am somewhat typical of many "Church Workers". I spent many years working as hard as I could to "Build the Church". Most of my waking hours were spent in focus on how to advance the Church. Even our missions focus was on the Mission of the Church. Without nitpicking this terminology (all of it is appropriate language in the various contexts of our mission) I am just highlighting a prevalent mindset. Even in the Church Planting Movement strategy, we are Planting Churches. But recently some of us have begun to call this strategy "Disciple Making Movements" to highlight that what we are really doing is making Disciples (as commanded in the Great Commission, Matthew 28:18-20). As we Make Disciples to Jesus (and thus see the Kingdom advance), church multiplication is the by product.....or rather, we make Disciples using the Keys of the Kingdom.....and Jesus builds His Church.
So this blog is a challenge to us all to focus on the Advance of the Kingdom of God, not merely the increase of our own ministry, or even Church Growth. We have been given Keys, Spiritual Authority to disciple people, set them free from bondage, and lead them to follow Christ. As that occurs, Jesus will build, increase and multiply His Church. Disciple Making Movements become Church Planting Movements.
18And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.
19I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will beg loosed in heaven.”
I am not going to do a standard exegesis of this passage. Aspects of this word from Jesus have been analyzed and debated for centuries. Instead, I want to highlight an aspect of this word that is less obvious.
Look at the object of each verse. In verse 18, the object is the Church. Jesus says to Peter that on this rock (the confession that Jesus is Messiah, the Son of God), that He, Jesus, will build his Church. Then in verse 19, the focus changes from Church to the Kingdom of God. He says he will give us the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven and therefore whatever WE bind and loose will be bound and loosed.
Here is my point: Verse 18: Jesus is the Builder, the Church is the thing built.
Verse 19: We are given the Keys, We do the binding and loosing. The Kingdom is the focus...they are not the keys of the "church", but rather the keys of the Kingdom.
So lets put it this way: As we focus on the Kingdom of God, Jesus Builds His Church.
In practical terms, this might be revolutionary for us. As a person who has worked in "Church Work" for many years, I think I am somewhat typical of many "Church Workers". I spent many years working as hard as I could to "Build the Church". Most of my waking hours were spent in focus on how to advance the Church. Even our missions focus was on the Mission of the Church. Without nitpicking this terminology (all of it is appropriate language in the various contexts of our mission) I am just highlighting a prevalent mindset. Even in the Church Planting Movement strategy, we are Planting Churches. But recently some of us have begun to call this strategy "Disciple Making Movements" to highlight that what we are really doing is making Disciples (as commanded in the Great Commission, Matthew 28:18-20). As we Make Disciples to Jesus (and thus see the Kingdom advance), church multiplication is the by product.....or rather, we make Disciples using the Keys of the Kingdom.....and Jesus builds His Church.
So this blog is a challenge to us all to focus on the Advance of the Kingdom of God, not merely the increase of our own ministry, or even Church Growth. We have been given Keys, Spiritual Authority to disciple people, set them free from bondage, and lead them to follow Christ. As that occurs, Jesus will build, increase and multiply His Church. Disciple Making Movements become Church Planting Movements.
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