Kingdom Ain’t Cookie-Cutter
by Tyler Zach
Have we fallen into a monkey-see monkey-do kind of church?
In other words, have we become cookie-cutter Christians?
When we become Christians, servants of the King, I think is easy to underestimate our roles and responsibilities here on earth. In my last article, Risky Business, I describe that one of our primary roles is to be peace ambassadors. This, in a sense, is to further the Kingdom of God by making an appeal for others to join in and participate in the Kingdom above all other kingdoms.
But, our work isn’t limited to this and only this. This work is what I would call our direct ministry. This is easy to see and doesn’t take long to imitate.
But, I believe that we are also called to have an in-direct ministry. This is harder to comprehend at first and is often a confusing part of the Christian life.
If we limit God’s Kingdom to recruiting people to the right team, then God’s glory will not be revealed to the fullest. This is where we come in. Since we were made “in the image of God” we all have the potential to display a degree of God’s glory to the world… in a way that no one could ever copy since the beginning of time!
We are highly valuable to God because we are the carriers of His image here. And He won’t allow a “cookie-cutter” Kingdom to reign here. He won't allow us to pump out coverts who fit nicely into a one-size-fits-all kind of mold.
Michelangelo in-directly affected millions of people by his artwork, which displayed a beautiful artistic side of the glory of God. Teachers in-directly affect parents by bringing order and stability and character to kids in chaos. Lawyers in-directly affect many lives by having the ability to bring justice to the places of in-justice. Blue-collar workers are to be highly honored for in-directly affecting millions by their service – building roads for us to drive on, building skyscrapers for us to marvel at, bringing order to our homes when walls need beautifying or our plumbing goes out.
All of these things are examples of the Kingdom coming to earth. When the Kingdom comes, things get straightened out. Things are as they are supposed to be. The glory of God rushes in as the Kingdom spreads throughout the earth.
We are all called to have a direct and in-direct ministry here on earth. If we don’t, God's image will be hollowed or tarnished. Our attempt at making disciples will be in-effective because people won't want to follow the God that we reflect - because we will make Him out to be something less than He is.
This messes with our head. No longer is spirituality black and white. This means church and quiet times and bible studies are no longer the only spiritual things in our lives – but our jobs, our hobbies, our free time, and everything else is spiritual. We have the ability to glorify God during every minute of our life.
If we limit ourselves to doing only what we see our mentors or role models doing, then we will not be working within the realms of our gifts and passions – given to us to radiate the beauty of God in a way that no one has been able to do since the beginning of time.
Everyone is in full-time ministry. Everyone has a unique job to do. What is yours? Ask for it. Go after it. Let the Kingdom come… through you.
Have we fallen into a monkey-see monkey-do kind of church?
In other words, have we become cookie-cutter Christians?
When we become Christians, servants of the King, I think is easy to underestimate our roles and responsibilities here on earth. In my last article, Risky Business, I describe that one of our primary roles is to be peace ambassadors. This, in a sense, is to further the Kingdom of God by making an appeal for others to join in and participate in the Kingdom above all other kingdoms.
But, our work isn’t limited to this and only this. This work is what I would call our direct ministry. This is easy to see and doesn’t take long to imitate.But, I believe that we are also called to have an in-direct ministry. This is harder to comprehend at first and is often a confusing part of the Christian life.
If we limit God’s Kingdom to recruiting people to the right team, then God’s glory will not be revealed to the fullest. This is where we come in. Since we were made “in the image of God” we all have the potential to display a degree of God’s glory to the world… in a way that no one could ever copy since the beginning of time!
We are highly valuable to God because we are the carriers of His image here. And He won’t allow a “cookie-cutter” Kingdom to reign here. He won't allow us to pump out coverts who fit nicely into a one-size-fits-all kind of mold.
Michelangelo in-directly affected millions of people by his artwork, which displayed a beautiful artistic side of the glory of God. Teachers in-directly affect parents by bringing order and stability and character to kids in chaos. Lawyers in-directly affect many lives by having the ability to bring justice to the places of in-justice. Blue-collar workers are to be highly honored for in-directly affecting millions by their service – building roads for us to drive on, building skyscrapers for us to marvel at, bringing order to our homes when walls need beautifying or our plumbing goes out.
All of these things are examples of the Kingdom coming to earth. When the Kingdom comes, things get straightened out. Things are as they are supposed to be. The glory of God rushes in as the Kingdom spreads throughout the earth.
We are all called to have a direct and in-direct ministry here on earth. If we don’t, God's image will be hollowed or tarnished. Our attempt at making disciples will be in-effective because people won't want to follow the God that we reflect - because we will make Him out to be something less than He is.
This messes with our head. No longer is spirituality black and white. This means church and quiet times and bible studies are no longer the only spiritual things in our lives – but our jobs, our hobbies, our free time, and everything else is spiritual. We have the ability to glorify God during every minute of our life.
If we limit ourselves to doing only what we see our mentors or role models doing, then we will not be working within the realms of our gifts and passions – given to us to radiate the beauty of God in a way that no one has been able to do since the beginning of time.
Everyone is in full-time ministry. Everyone has a unique job to do. What is yours? Ask for it. Go after it. Let the Kingdom come… through you.
posted by Tyler Zach at 11:43 AM
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