Don’t Wait for Church, you are the Church! I still hear comments such as “We have invited them to church several times, but they will not come”, or “If we can just get them to church, then the Lord will touch them and they will get saved.” Unfortunately, these comments come from mature believers that know and love Jesus. In my experience, 90% of believers have been taught, or have been led to believe that this is the way. The gathering of the saints should be the gathering of the saints, and yes, we should welcome unbelievers to our gatherings, but better yet, lead them to Jesus first, then bring them to the gathering for equipping.
You are the Temple
Part of the problem is that we do not understand who we are in Him. When we realize that we are the house of God, then God is everywhere we are. He is just as powerful in me, whether I am on a mountain top, by the sea, in a Mosque, or in an organized church meeting. There is no question there is magnified power and presence in Christ when 2, 3, or 30 gather in His name, but His power resides in you through the Holy Spirit, all the time. The Holy Spirit in God’s people often has been dormant outside of Sunday, and outside of church meetings for much of Christian history. The Kingdom of God wants so much to impact every aspect of our lives; every day, every minute, every breath, every step, every territory, every person, and every system we engage with.
We need to have the mind of Christ, living out the life of Christ through us. Wherever Jesus walked, ministry happened. Whatever Jesus did, there was ministry. Whoever Jesus met, there was ministry. Whoever he touched there was ministry. When he walked into the building there was ministry, and when he walked out of the building there was ministry. When He prayed, it was ministry, when he played, it was ministry. When He worshiped, it was ministry, when he loved unconditionally, it was ministry. His life was ministry from the time He woke, until the day was done, and so likewise should our life be.
Transformation rather than Reformation
Most of us are thankful for the reformation. Is reformation the answer? We must take a closer look at reformation, and what was actually reformed. I once heard it said that Luther set me free, and then became my jail warden. We are all thankful for the reformation and many Catholic friends are as well, as it pushed all of us closer to the Kingdom of God. Luther talked about the priesthood of all believers and yet it still was the “men of the cloth” that did the ministry. The ministry was still viewed as happening in the building. Formal schooling and ordination were required to engage in the priesthood ministry. And even today, we hear the priesthood of all believers being preached often, but in practice, we are rarely seeing it.
All of us are thankful and continue to be thankful for all gatherings in the name of Jesus. We all benefit from them and it has brought us to today. In the midst of denominationalism, and many systems of faith and religion, even the very best of them are inadequate at best. They are inadequate because they only are able to communicate the Jesus who is the only one who can transform the hearts of men. When transformed hearts enter their blood purchased Kingdom reality, then we begin to see the nation of kings and priests engage with the world.
Revelation 5:10 Then you made them a Kingdom, Priests for our God, Priest-kings to rule over the earth.
Expect God moments right where you are
A transformed Kingdom personality now is not bound by systems, because they are not of the system. They may be in a system, which takes the form of Church organizations, families, corporations, governments, culture, etc. But they are only in the system, but OF His Kingdom. Life or death, success or failure, take on whole new meanings in those that are consumed with Christ and impassioned, and empowered for His Kingdom glory.
When a business man or woman are “Kingdomized”, they get up each day excited for what the Lord will have for them that day. They begin to walk and flow in His “Now” presence all day long. They begin to hear what the Father hears, they begin to see what the Father sees, regardless of what they hear and see in the natural. When they go into a meeting, they expect His presence to break down walls while bringing divine insight. When they walk into a potential business deal, they expect divine favor. When they encounter hostility, they realize that this person is hurting and needs a word fitly spoken, healing, but mostly needs love.
When they drive through their neighborhood, they pray for their neighbors and ask the Lord for His desire and love to reach them. God begins to open opportunities to touch those around them and because many of them have never seen Jesus released with such love and acceptance, they desire to follow these royal priests. They desire relationship and wanting to know, “What is this love? I have never seen this coming from a Christian. These types usually preach to me, and tell me I am no good, but these guys are different, what is this that I am feeling from them.”
Go therefore and love
Our life is about loving God and loving others in everyday life; in your home, in your business, and in your corporate gatherings. Don’t just wait for the corporate times to impact lives. You are a ready instrument now if the Holy Spirit is within you. He is always ready to impart His love and mercy through you. Be ready, be willing, and be obedient to deliver His love and His touch wherever you go. Do not worry about chapter and verse conversations. And please refrain from using “thee” and “thou” when talking to unbelievers. They already think we’re crazy believing in an invisible God who sent His Son to die. This is strictly my personal opinion, but please don’t give them any more rejection fuel by talking in a 500 year old language! Speak from your heart, live the gospel of love, and be the gospel to the world. It must be authentic and it must be birthed from His love.
The Kingdom of God is relational - supernaturally relational, so watch for the people the Lord joins you with. Most conversions come from relationships. You do not have to invite them to church for ministry, you are the ministry. No need to feel compelled to lead them in some form of prayer, first love them, be real, and watch Love lead them to knowing who you know. Once Jesus has set them free, you can invite them to the gathering, training, and corporate worship centers to grow and relate with others. They will become part of your Kingdom family and now have the opportunity to extend the Kingdom way to their people.
His presence is within you wanting to impact every jurisdiction. Watch the gates of resistance come crashing down as you bring His presence and your faith to combustible kingdom influence. Expect revelation, expect impartation, and expect miracles whenever you show up. Vision and dreams will become regular realities of Kingdom life, and what was once possible now becomes probable, all to the glory of our King.
What a glorious Kingdom, what a glorious God!
Topic: gettting your teenagers to go to church
love ya
Just pray, pray, pray. And trust that God will indeed bring them back one day. 
