The historian, H.G. Wells who, when searching through history for some meaning to life, came across the Kingdom of God. He wrote, “Why, here is the most radical proposal ever presented to the mind of man, the proposal to replace the present world order with God’s order, the Kingdom of God.” Jesus came to do that very thing. The fact that the Church has gotten it all wrong and never embraced the Jesus “proposal” is more of an indictment of church leadership and theologians than the proposal itself.
It could be argued that Jesus never taught on anything but the Kingdom of God. He never taught on being “born again.” That was a private conversation in answering a question. He never taught on the Cross. He never taught on the Resurrection. He never taught on healing. He never taught on casting out demons. But, in every large crowd setting, Jesus taught on some aspect of the Kingdom of God.
I grew up religious. My dad was a pastor. I’ve attended over six thousand church services. I have theological degrees. I have organized and led a Bible institute. I have started two churches and helped organize and consult for three dozen other church plants. I’ve read books on the Kingdom but, other than one Vineyard conference twenty-five years ago, I’ve never heard any teaching on the Kingdom of God!
I’m longing for what’s been lost.
In the midst of old and new ideologies of our day—Communism, Fascism, Socialism and Democracy—humankind needs nothing so much as something to bring all of life together into total meaning and total purpose. The kingdoms of this earth never fully satisfy the deepest needs of people. Jesus came proclaiming a new way of life: the Kingdom of God. It still stands as the total answer to man’s total need.
Proclaiming the Kingdom,
Steve
Steve Holt M.A., D.D.
My newest book, Worshipper Warrior, can be found at www.steveholtonline.org
and www.amazon.com
