Overview of 'This is the Kingdom'
'This is the Kingdom' is focussed around five main 'signposts' of revelation upgrade, and personal and community renewal, which are key for making decisions about old and new ways. We want to invite you into a conversation that will fire you with a renewed love for Jesus, a fresh empowerment of the Holy Spirit and vision for this new era.
KINGDOM
'We've been called to the Kingdom for such a time as this'. (Esther 4v14).
This ancient Biblical quote was written in a time of crisis for the people of God and their nation and is stunningly apt for today. The clash between the Kingdom Jesus is establishing, and the Kingdom of Satan, is going to intensify. The battle has always been about the ownership of planet earth, and there is coming a greater rage as the enemy knows his time is short. This will parallel with a greater glory for the Ekklesia as we contend in unprecedented ways against darkness and for the light.
Ekklesia
The church has been turned upside down in order to be turned the right way up – the old wineskin has burst beyond recovery. The new wineskin is initially about discovering new mindsets, values and a new discipleship process rather than just new structures, and for a time, the way ahead will be very messy as the old fights the new.
Jesus said He would build His church and the gates of hades wouldn’t win over it – except that isn’t what He actually said!! Adjusting to the expression and meaning of ekklesia may take time but the following quote is key:
‘If you want a transformational Gospel movement—really want it—then you are going to have to unlearn some very ancient churchly habits and be willing to relearn some new—and yet paradoxically more ancient—more authentically biblical ones.’ (Alan Hirsch)
Pioneering
Is everyone a pioneer? We believe that the answer is 'yes' for the times in which we live. We are embarking on a fresh apostolic and prophetic movement that involves all of us. We need to be equipped for this new movement - a spear needs both the arrowhead and the shaft! We are now in a new cultural and spiritual landscape that needs everyone to grow into the pioneering spirit of fearless courage and unmovable conviction and a new kind of community.
MISSION
Jesus said that He had come break chains that bind and set free what is captive. Whatever darkness we may face we will still see many lives and places transformed. However, there is a revelation road we need to travel if that is to happen. Many churches have tended to focus largely either on evangelism, social justice, or the transformation of society. That has meant in the last era, new missional movements such as the marketplace (workplace) movement, have struggled to gain traction as the old wineskin culture often ‘ate strategy for breakfast’. But Dutch Sheets, speaking at a 2023 prophetic conference announced something key which should finally destroy the old culture:
“I am announcing to you where this whole kingdom agenda is going”. “The next campaign on God’s agenda is an outpouring and movement of the Holy Spirit”, that will in unprecedented ways, marry the ‘oikos’ ( family of God) and the ekklesia (God’s spiritual government on earth), with a greater integration of the five fold ministries, the two Genesis mandates, and the Commissions to reach nations.”
NETWORKED CLUSTERS
‘The new wine is found in the cluster’. (Isaiah 65 v 8)
It is our immediate goal to plant online and in person community clusters so that nations can be discipled! If you look closely at this picture you will see that it is a map of the UK and Europe covered in the lights of networked clusters!!
When we suggest that we change from ‘church’ to ‘ekklesia’ language, we are not doing away with gathering - we’re asking that we return to what Jesus meant when He said He would build His ekklesia – we need a mega shift in the reason for gathering!! It’s a call to equip new kinds of networking community clusters of contending prayer and prophetic revelation, who are outwardly mission focussed as carriers of kingdom culture into an increasingly complex and challenging culture. The ultimate aim is that Jesus will be glorified in our spheres of influence – our frontlines. We pray to see people and places transformed as ‘His kingdom comes, and His will is done on earth as it is in heaven.’
