Building the Church or the Kingdom?

Is our calling, as believers and followers of Jesus, to build the Church—or to build the Kingdom? Our privilege and responsibility is to follow Jesus in the things of Heaven—His Kingdom. In this world, the Church is His tool, His vessel, through which that Kingdom is made known. The Ekklesia—the called-out ones—is designed and built by Him to share in the glory and expansion of His Kingdom.

We pray, “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” We belong to His Body, His Ekklesia, learning to participate in His divine rule over all things. Jesus died to bring creation back into alignment with Heaven—to reconcile earth with eternity.

The Kingdom Within

The Kingdom is not found in the external—neither “here” nor “there.” It is found within the child of God, within those who believe and trust in the life-giving authority of His Name.“The Kingdom of God is within you.” It is even in our mouth—the confession of His Name, the Name above all names.

The Kingdom dwells in the secret place of the Most High—the abiding place in the heart. It is there, in that inner sanctuary, that we hear His voice and go where He sends. The Great Commission is lived out through intimacy and obedience. It is not bound to a building, a movement, or a gathering of men; it resides quietly in the heart of every true follower. From within that heart flows the authority and glory of the Kingdom. He is in you. It is the Well—the Fountain of Life—springing up from within.

Jesus Builds His Ekklesia

Jesus is building His Ekklesia, His called-out ones. As disciples, we pray that the Father’s will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Undoubtedly, He will use the body He is building to accomplish that purpose.

It is not the gospel of the Church—it is the Gospel of the Kingdom. This good news includes salvation and discipleship, yet it is far greater still. The Kingdom is the place of willing obedience—not a realm of forced servitude, but the living Spirit of adoption where sons and daughters freely surrender to the loving Father, expanding His expression of love to every corner of creation.

Jesus: The Pattern of the Kingdom

While on earth, Jesus revealed the Kingdom through His life and works. He healed the sick, set captives free, and broke the power of fear. But most importantly, God came to earth – Emanuel. The God of the Universe entered the human experience. Yes, He healed the sick and raised the dead. Then He Himself suffered, died, and through His shed blood removed our sins. By His death, He became our ransom; by His resurrection, He gave us eternal life.

Having ascended to Heaven, He triumphed over sin and death and now reigns from the throne. From that place of authority, He continues—through His grace and through His body—to bring reconciliation, healing, and salvation into the earth. We are His hands and feet, His voice and His heart. We do not merely proclaim the Gospel—we become it, living testimonies of Christ on earth.

The Glory Shared

The good news is this: in Christ we have been given a new model for life. We follow a Leader who pleased the Father perfectly, and who now leads many sons and daughters into that same light. God’s glory—once hidden, once the hope of Israel—is now shared with the nations. The mystery once concealed has been revealed in Jesus Christ. Now His Ekklesia, His body—made up of Jew and Gentile alike—carries the torch of glory, the light of the world, until all creation is reconciled under the reign of the King.