We have spent several weeks talking about being Kingdom-minded at Christ The King Presbyterian, PCA. Indeed, being kingdom-minded is part of our core vision as a church. It has also come up on a thread here on the Dawn Treader.
But what does it mean?
Dr. O. Palmer Robertson has written two helpful and pithy articles on the subject of the kingdom and the church. His articles are entitled Toward A Reformational View Of Total Christian Involvement. is here. is here.
The church has historically misunderstood the relationship between the church and the kingdom in two directions. The conservative interpretation has gone too far in the direction of the kingdom of God as only that which takes place within the walls of the church. The kingdom of God becomes a holy huddle. The liberal interpretation goes too far in the other direction and the church gets lost in the culture. It loses its saltiness completely. There is no unique kingdom proclamation.
Both extremes are wrong.
The reformational approach recognizes the role of the church as equipping followers of Christ to be agents of redemptive change. The church does what it is uniquely called to do -- proclaiming the gospel among the church and to the world, ministering through the sacraments, and declaring the whole counsel of God contained in the Scripture, providing all principles necessary for faith in life.
The members of the church live out kingdom ethics in the world and do the work of the kingdom to the glory of the King. We fulfill the work of the first Great Commission ... and the work of the second Great Commission.
Read Robertson's two articles. If you still have questions, I'll do my best to address them in the comment thread.
Oh, sure! Make me read pithy articles. ;-)
Ok, I'll print them out and read then in the bathroom, as I always do. (Hey...I am a guy, ain't I?)
Posted by: Danny Kaye | October 30, 2006 at 08:09
Sounds like a plan, Stan. Bathroom reading is the key ... especially with a household full of kids.
Posted by: Mr. Dawntreader | October 30, 2006 at 09:28
Been busy on some other things and I am not even halfway through the articles. Be patient. I'll be here for this one.
Posted by: Danny Kaye | November 01, 2006 at 08:52
OK...I apologize, Mr. D.
I have attempted to read these articles a many times. And for some reason (probably a lack of mental discipline on my part) I can't get through them. Either he loses me with his style of writing, or I fall asleep. Either way, after 7 tries, I'm giving up.
I'm sure they are fantastic articles, though!
Whether I agree or not is not important. From what I did read, I understand a couple of things he was saying. I see that he makes a distinction between the Church and the Kingdom of God. (I do not.) And I kept reading that the Christians are to take over the world in all arenas. Well, I just can't buy into that.
1.) It is not the example I see in the book of Acts. 2.) Jesus never said to do that. 3.) It has been tried before and hasn't worked. It only makes for really bad bed-fellows.
I will gladly continue the conversation with you. But I'll give ya' $5 if you don't ask me to read those articles again. ;-)
Posted by: Danny Kaye | November 02, 2006 at 16:07
You fell asleep?! I thought you were reading these in the bathroom! ;-)
No worries that you could not finish them. Thanks for trying.
Let's just say that the reformational view emphasizes the church doing what the church is supposed to do ... and the state doing what the state is supposed to do. Separate institutions ... different roles.
I disagree that the reformational view is trying to blend the two.
I believe you and I are on the same page about the blending of the two being a bad idea.
Posted by: Mr. Dawntreader | November 02, 2006 at 22:18