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Releasing Kings
Stop Driving the Church Bus
Note:
Our next Releasing Kings US conference is in Springfield, Missouri.
Here is more
about what
to
expect and details to
register. You’re invited!
In the course
of encouraging Kings to be entrepreneurial and take their Kingdom land,
I run
into people new to these truths who are frustrated with their local
church. The
idea of giving your heart permission to go out and create wealth, have
fun ,
love people, and convert money into ministry is a new sound. The Kings
that God
is calling in this hour are first-fruits. They have lots of initiative,
creativity, ideas and enthusiasm by nature. After God stirs them, they
can no
longer “sit.” Their first instinct is to try to shift the compulsion
the Holy
Spirit is putting on them over to the church or their pastor. Kings are
very
prone to offer to drive the bus – whether it’s their bus or not!
My own compelling - I started
getting the marketplace
ministry message a little over ten years ago and had the same natural
instinct
as my friends above. The only difference was that I was a pastor and
had no one
but myself to blame for the condition of the church – I was already
driving the
bus. Not being short of initiative or enthusiasm for this new found
truth, I
set about to change the world starting with the people in my own
church. I
preached for a year, inspired dreams, helped write business plans,
people
started businesses or got better jobs, and after a year here’s what
happened:
1.
The
church did not split, but it divided between those who were ready to be
Kingly
and those who weren’t. The Kings, who sat on the left side of the
aisle, loved
it; the saints who sat on the other side wondered when we would ever
move on to
another emphasis. Both sides still loved me. It was just a question of
direction.
2.
I
realized that I couldn’t move on to another emphasis and that I wasn’t
a
pastor… or at least that my heart was choosing to be a King in the
marketplace
over a priestly pastor in a local church. All my friends accuse me of
being a
pastor because I still love people… but I feel a level of freedom and
joy that
rivals a jailbreak with a homecoming party. I am finally myself.
Roots in Theology – For several
years my theological
heritage looked like a global warming video as large chunks of my ice
age
belief system cracked off and fell into the bay. I wrote Releasing
Kings to capture that process in detail. My first change
was to see the difference between the church and Kingdom of heaven or
Kingdom
of God. I always thought of “Kingdom” as either heaven or some far-off
millennial state. I now understood that the Kingdom is God’s influence
on the
planet right now and that it’s our responsibility to expand His Kingdom
into
all the earth. The Kingdom on earth began with Jesus like a tiny
mustard seed;
we continue to receive and grow it in the marketplace; we eventually
fill the
earth with His Glory and disciple nations (our great commission). Mt
28:19 and
Gen 12:2-3
But
if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom
of God has come
upon you. Matt 12:28 NIV
Therefore,
since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be
shaken, let us be thankful,
and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, 29 for our "God
is a
consuming fire." Heb 12:28-29 NIV
Praise
be to his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be
filled with his
glory. Amen
and Amen. Ps 72:19 NIV
What’s the church? – The local
church is simply the
place where the saints are equipped in Biblical foundations of knowing
Jesus.
The application of that foundation is ministry in the marketplace.
Although we
need to plant churches, to encourage those who have a priestly call to
be
pastors, and to support the church financially… the local church is not
the
goal or the end; it’s just a means to an end. The greek word for church
(ekklesia translated as church or assembly) generally refers to the
local
church and it means “called out ones.” We generally assume being called
out of
a corrupt society into the save haven of a local congregation. I think
that’s
true when we first get saved. But, ultimately we are called out for the
great
commission to disciple nations (Mt 28:16), and to bless nations (Gen
12:2-3)
and to play a role in the Kingdom to impact the seven mountains of our
culture.
Being mature and fully equipped doesn’t mean we leave the local church,
but it
does mean we function in the Kingdom blessing cities and nations and
people.
Your pastor will not be disappointed if you come back to church every
Sunday
with stories of Kingdom impact. The bottleneck is not pastors and
churches
laying foundations, it’s you and I using that foundation in the
marketplace.
Many are being “called out” to “go and do.”
Note to file,
“Please don’t underestimate the significance of this debate by
challenging your
pastor.” That would be driving the bus again. What should you do? If
you have
been “equipped” then simply find your land and possess it! FYI – you
can read
more about the difference between the gospel of salvation and the
Gospel of the
Kingdom in two prior newsletters; Thy
Kingdom Come
and Have
Fun, Make
Money and Love People.
One of the
theology-based attitudes we are changing in ourselves is that all
ministry
comes through the church or is at least under the covering / control of
a
priestly hierarchy. People feel naked when they start out in the
marketplace
because of it. You will need a marketplace mentor to be successful; it
just
won’t be a pastor or come to you through the ministry of the local
church.
Instead of
driving the bus – Find out where
the desire of your
own heart overlaps with God’s heart in the marketplace and make it
happen.
We’ve articulated a great
coaching process to help you through this transition into
your dream.
Instead of trying to change your church or pastor, simply ask him,
“What’s the
desire of your heart?” Accept that he has a different vision and
direction as a
priest, give him what help you can, and get busy on what God has called
you to
do. Realize that all your friends may not switch from “church” to
“Kingdom” on
your schedule, and love them anyway. Be the example of wealth creation,
joy,
and ministry fruit rooted in love. You are not the rebel gathering
other bad
attitudes; you are the light and the glory – the one in touch with your
own
heart. We have a whole world to change that is outside the church. If
you catch
a little religious flak, send me an email and I will calm your ruffled
feathers.
Just repeat these words, “I will no longer drive the church bus or try
to
wrestle away the steering wheel from my pastor. God has given me the
keys to my
own bus in the Kingdom.”
One additional
thought – you could get
frustrated and move
your family to another church. That’s not the brightest move in the
world
because the grass isn’t greener anyplace else. However, if you get your
eyes
off the church and find the desire of your heart in the Kingdom, you
will find
revival right now.
“…the
kingdom of God is within you." Luke 17:21 NIV
Once your
heart has permission to dream and to connect with God’s heart, you will
start
running into all kinds of people on the same page. I love the viral
contagion
of revival in the marketplace. When God speaks, we all hear it at the
same
time. When we say these things at conferences, it is obvious that we
are just
repeating things that the Lord has been saying to His people. Very fun!
PS:
the video version of
this newsletter is also available.
We’re
Dancing
John
and Sue
Desire
to Destiny
is available now at our store
along with reviews.
Not
sure what your dream is? This book will help you pull the curtain back
on your
future.
Newsletter
–
If your newsletter comes incomplete
(filtered), you can always catch the latest version in our archive along with 200 others.
1800+ people from around
the world get Kingly encouragement from our weekly newsletter. Invite a
friend
to subscribe – they will be blessed.
How
to Start a Small Group
– Kings are increasingly getting
involved in Bible study or mentoring groups to facilitate their
“Release.” Here
are some helpful suggestions www.Releasing-Kings.com/Starting-a-Group.html.
We’ve also updated our Vision
Brochure with graphics to show how to become a King and how
you can help
Release Kings. Lastly we’ve created a guideline to help you take your
dream to
the next level by considering the elements of a business plan. See Write
Your
Business Plan and a Free
Management
Library for many other helpful resources.
French
Translation
– Releasing Kings is now available in French
thanks to the efforts of Cees Bakker and Support Ministries
in the
Netherlands. In France, copies can be obtained from Editions Menor
or Librairie
Chretienne CLC. The Title in
French is “Libération des Rois pour le ministère dans le monde du
travail”.
Cees is also the guy who made the Dutch translation possible –
available
through his website. He can be contacted for Releasing Kings
conferences in
France and throughout Europe.
Other
language websites –
Ukraine
http://releasingkingsua.com/
Poland
http://www.releasingkingspl.com/
Face
Book
–
I’m posting more information on Face book
at http://www.facebook.com/john.garfield1
PS:
I want to recommend
some follow-up reading.
Who
is God
by Harold Eberle
provides the best explanation of a more relational view of God. It’s
must
reading that connects our perception of God with everyday life.
Releasing
Kings for Ministry in the Marketplace
takes that
foundation into marketplace ministry and the entrepreneurial nature of
Kings.
Fruit in the marketplace naturally springs out of sound doctrine.
Desire
to
Destiny
– Takes the foundation and marketplace ministry and puts them in the
context of
seven practical keys or stages of growth you can apply in your own life.
You’re
invited into the vision
to release Kings; communicate the message, make the money,
and do the
mission.
- The Message – Our first goal
is to get the Releasing Kings message into the hands of the messengers
that will carry it… do it, preach it, teach it, example it.
- The Money – The second
goal is to help Kings break out of poverty by networking them with
practical opportunities to prosper. We want to introduce them to the
right people, the right opportunity, and the right financial approach.
- The Mission – Network Kings
with opportunities to mix business and missions. Accomplish the great
commission through the marketplace and occupy the Seven mountains of: business,
media, arts & entertainment, education, family and government
in addition to the church. See
video #1 and video #2
____________________________________________________________________
You can get your
copy of Releasing
Kings for Ministry in the Marketplace or Desire to Destiny at
1-800-308-5837
(or)
www.releasing-kings.com
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