Thy Kingdom Come: A Call To True Discipleship Pt2

Greeting! Happy new month to you! I am excited because God’s plan is to give us a bright future of good that no evil can overthrow.
We will continue on the subject of discipleship as the entry level to our walk with God. Our aim is encourage you to go beyond the surface and to seek a deeper relationship with God and His Word.

We discussed in Part 1 of this blog that establishing more churches in a locality does not necessarily result in the transformation of the community to be more aligned with the word of God. We cannot give what we do not have. If we have not experienced or understood the life of the Kingdom, we will be unable to impart it to our environment.

Transformation Not Conformation

Many churches have special worship services termed ‘Seeker Service’, where we adapt our worship events to attract those who are new to the faith or want to learn about our faith. We use simpler language, easy-to-follow worship routines and songs to be more inclusive and sometimes just entertaining. I believe this is good if used in proper context because Jesus also used parables and miracles to preach and attract people to hear the message of the Kingdom of God. However, He always spent more time teaching his disciples when this was over. Even so, we must be careful not to allow our drive for inclusiveness to become our excuse for being worldly-minded or changing our core values to fit into the prevailing worldly culture around us. We are the salt of the earth. If we lose our savor, the kingdom loses its influence. We should develop strong discipleship programs to ensure those we attract are appropriately onboarded to know how to experience and express their new life. This is why we are relaunching our KLCC App 2.0 to help meet your need for spiritual growth and education.

Discipleship Not Optional

The term “disciple” is often perceived as a religious term by some. However, it actually originates from the Latin word “discipulus,” which means student, learner, or follower. Similarly, the word “discipline” – which is often used in professional contexts such as medical, legal, or any other field – also shares the same root word as “disciple.” In this context, the term “discipline” refers to someone who has been or is being taught and assessed by the standards or code of behavior of that particular profession.

In religious contexts, the word “Christian” is generally understood to mean a follower of Christ. This implies that every true Christian is (or at least should be) a disciple of Christ – someone who is taught and assessed by the standards and code of behavior of Christ. This means discipleship is not optional. It is not meant just for those who aspire to a leadership position or to join a particular unit in their local assembly. It is for everyone who is called Christian. According to the renowned bible scholar Gordon Fee, “In the long run, only disciples are converts.”

A Call To Deeper Understanding

While preparing to apply for British naturalisation, I had to study and pass a test called, Life in UK to understand British history and culture so I could better adapt to the system. As a church and citizens of God’s Kingdom, we must also be well aware of the principles of our Kingdom as contained in the Bible and revealed to us by the Holy Spirit. While I do not count myself to know so much of the bible, I am amazed at how many Christians do not know the basics of the bible. For instance, many Christians assume the Old Testament began in Genesis and the New Testament began in Matthew when Jesus was born because the Bible is divided this way. This is not true. If you were thinking so, you are not alone. But it shows how much we have not been properly taught the bible. Many are taught mostly the doctrines of our local Church.

Living As Kingdom Citizens

We may be on earth, but our citizenship is in heaven. We can only express and build according to the heavenly pattern we have known and experienced. We must be ready to make true disciples through continued search and study of the scriptures. Through exercising ourselves to stay longer and more fervent in prayers. We can no longer rush through the process of teaching people how to commune and develop a deep personal devotion to God. We need to weave discipleship into our daily lives. Heaven’s culture and consciousness should guide our daily decisions and conduct.

If we are from above, let us live by the principles and standards of our Kingdom. This does not refer to looking sanctimonious, talking with a quiet voice or lacking a robust social life. On the contrary, it means being able to express your righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost in your social lives in a way that attracts others to you and influences them rightly. It means we are spontaneous in loving and teaching others about our new life in Christ. This is how we become the answer to the Lord’s Prayer “Thy Kingdom Come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven”.