STREET FAITH

In our recent Prayer and Perspectives series, dealing with covid19 and the multiple challenges surrounding it, we’ve talked a lot about the need for truth and wisdom. We’ve discussed the fact that God doesn’t give us a spirit of fear but of Power and Love and a clear sound mind. We’ve talked about the need for an ongoing intimate relationship with Him…and the need to listen and hear. But the truth of the matter is, many people, including many Christians, do not sense the presence and power of God in their lives right now. And many have no clear sense of God’s direction for their lives in this moment. As we approach Pentecost (May 31 this year), it’s possibly more important than at any time in most of our lives to look and remember the pouring out of the Holy Spirit on the Pentecost immediately following Jesus’ resurrection. As promised, the Holy Spirit, the very Presence of God, came to empower and guide those first Jesus followers. And that same Holy Spirit is available now to fill and guide and empower us. To speak to us and through us. To give us power and wisdom here and now, in this moment. If we’re willing to receive and welcome that! With so many conflicting voices competing right now for our attention and allegiance, and so many questions unanswered by those we expect to have answers, maybe we have a real practical need to take a hard look again at what it means to welcome the wisdom and power and Presence of God into our lives.

The church hasn't been shut down by COVID 19 restrictions. The church has been deployed. Forced to become creative and engaged in new ways, outside the walls of its buildings and programs. What can we in the so-called Christian west learn in this moment from our brothers and sisters who've been operating this way for years? For decades or more?

“I know that all things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purposes…” Nice sentiment. Right? But what about a global pandemic. Can God turn that to good? Really? Yes! How? Through us. And in us. Right where we are. Trusting Him. And doing what we’ve been prepared to do and being who we’ve been prepared to be all along. For today. For this moment. It’s time.

Health care workers are overloaded. Help lines and websites are jammed. Major nodes of the US internet system have seen so much traffic that they’ve locked up or crashed, multiple times in the last couple weeks. The twelfth chapter of Romans describes the gifts that the Spirit of God pours out to believers, equipping them for life and service in the real world. “The stuff” of New Testament Spirit empowered faith in the streets. Practical gifts. Like giving. And leadership. And various kinds of healings. That’s what is says. Gifts of Healings. Plural and plural! And the world around us right now, right where we are, is in desperate need of all kinds of healings. If we have the Spirit of God, we can call on those gifts and get really busy right now. Being healers. And Raising Up Healers, prepared for such a time as this.

Terrifying predictions. Panic inducing potential scenarios. Questions about what lies ahead for our future and that of our children. The factors combine to create a culture of fear. A paralyzing fear and a grief over things that haven’t even happened yet…and may never happen. Sort of a grief-by-faith dynamic. Grieving ahead of time and creating a feedback loop in anticipation of disaster that hasn’t occurred. But we can turn faith in another direction. Faith in a certainty! The certainty of God and His Word. And in that way, we can shift the atmosphere away from bondage and toward a real Freedom from fear and grief by faith.

The God of the bible is the God of our here and now! He is not an idea, or an opinion, or the product of weak wishful thinking in times of crisis. He is the God Who Is There! The God Who sees and hears and answers and promises…and acts! He is not a man, that He should lie. We can trust what He says, and as a result we can move beyond fear to hope and praying Outrageous Prayers of Expectation and Faith!

How do we see the world? What do we do with “the facts”? How do we set priorities? And policy? Especially now! How do our leaders do so? What is the guiding grid for it all? The only truly reliable view of the world is the one that flows from God’s heart and His Word. And far from being wishful thinking or banal platitudes, it gives an incredibly detailed, robust and practical guide for life in the here and now…and for hope and a future.

Regardless of what the headlines say or what's going on in our lives and communities right now, we can all still care and reach out in some way. And we can all have a part in creating an Atmosphere of Kindness.

What is God doing right now? What is He calling us to do in this moment? And how has He prepared and equipped us to engage for the Kingdom today? To deal with some of the real threats behind COVID 19. We have masks and gloves and lysol wipes and such for a trip to grocery store or the gas station. But some of those items are even in short supply at times. Right? Well God has a class of supernatural personal protective equipment available freely to all of us. And…there’s no shortage. No wait. No shipping and handling charge. We can suit up and go…in the Spirit. And love and serve and engage from right where we are. So buckle up. Right now, this is what STREET FAITH is really about!

Today, in “Young People and Covid 19 Anxiety,” we will be praying and talking through talking and sowing peace and hope and healing right where we are with our kids. And our teens. And our young adults. And their friends and our young friends. They need our attention right now. We need to redeem this time because they need our time. Now. They need peace…and hope…and real answers. Not a shallow form of impotent so-called godliness. But something different and real. With power. And we’d better be there for them. Because when…not if but when…they get that peace and hope and those answers and catch fire…they’ll light up the world like this planet has never seen before. Remember? No fear! Only Power and Love and a Sound Mind! So let’s be there…for the kids…and anyone else God puts in our path. And let’s SHINE. It’s time!

Has your identity changed with advent of the COVID 19 Crisis? Has your perspective changed? Who do you think you are? How do you see yourself “fitting in” today…in your family? Your circle of friends? Your job? Are you able to make a real difference in anyone’s life? Or are you just one more voice among many…trying to be heard…above all the headlines and opinions and other voices and influences…and distractions? How do you see your world here and now? The people around you? Do you really believe that you could be the most important person in somebody’s life today? Do you know that you’re dangerous…to the devil…and all the destructive things that He wants to do to your family and friends and the people around you? Do you really believe that? God does! And He wants to open your eyes to the way things really are! We recorded this audio podcast about four weeks ago. We’re releasing it now because the discussion is probably more relevant now than ever. For all of us. We need to understand the big picture. The times…and what to do! So buckle up! This is “The Way Things Really Are.” And this is what STREET FAITH is really about!

Just take a break from all the crazy and watch...and listen. And share if you want. Peace!

In John 14, Jesus promised to give us peace unlike anything the world or its systems can offer. Because He overcame the world and its systems and threats. All of them. And according to Paul, He’s been seated in heaven above all the now defeated would be rulers and powers and every name that can ever be named. All of them. Now! God is real and He's vastly more powerful that any crisis we face. That's why we're doing these special videos and podcasts. That's why we're offering Prayer and Perspective. That's why we're calling and video chatting with family and friends…around the world. That's why we're inviting people to finally connect with real peace...in God...and to set aside their fear and any past "we/they" divisions and come together in practical acts of love right now...right where they are. Pray and take a stand for sanity and healing and wholeness instead of panic, division and chaos. Peace instead of fear. Love and compassion and justice instead of "me first" or "us first". A people can only be truly great if they live lives of practical wisdom and love. And that we can do that! Right where we are! Maybe this is what the Kingdom of God looks like breaking into our world here and now. We could be on the brink of the greatest move of God yet in the history of the planet. It’s time for the people of God to shine. You and me. And Us. Together. United. It’s Time. Because…when love and Jesus and the Presence and Kingdom of God show up on the scene…stuff happens! So join us “Confronting a Spirit of Fear” regarding COVID 19. Buckle up. This is what STREET FAITH really looks like!

Jesus said, "I give you peace, and it's something entirely different from what the world and the world system offers." The peace that Jesus gives is something entirely different. The world’s peace depends on…the world’s limited, bent and broken wisdom. The peace of God is a fruit of the Spirit. It’s a fruit of the Presence of God. When the Fire and Cloud of God’s Presence was in the midst of the camp…the people knew where to go and what to do. The Presence of God was their power and protection and guide. That same Presence, the Holy Spirit, is ours to do the same for us! We have a chance Now to show what it looks like to be creative Spirit filled pockets of peace and healing and sanctuary where the Kingdom and Presence of God comes in for a landing right where we in the real world. The Presence of God. The peace of God. The wisdom of God. The love of God. His power to redeem and transform and heal. The Kingdom of God breaking into our world. That’s you. That’s me. That’s us! There is no Plan B! So let’s pray…and love. Love directs and covers a lot of stuff! And let’s get a bit more perspective. Join us. Watch and share this video. “COVID 19 Perspectives: Prayer and Peace and the Presence of God.” And buckle up. This is what STREET FAITH is really about.

We need to pray. We need God’s wisdom. All of us. Now. Because even now, in the midst of the current local, national and global crisis, the same old conflicts have found a way of emerging in our public discourse. It may actually be worse now that most of our interactions are taking place online, behind a keyboard, with no face to face nuances. It’s just out there. Often unfiltered. Words on a screen. But it’s there. The same old hair-trigger disagreements, finger pointing and accusation and criticism and vitriolic partisan bickering. And people are bound to be more tense than ever before. Some very important questions arise, even more acutely now, for an authentic Jesus follower. What do I say now? What do I do now? What does God want from me? I pray. I go to church. I talk about Jesus whenever it’s not going cause a disagreement. Sometimes I talk about Jesus…even when I know that it will cause a conflict. And I vote. And I sign petitions. I’ve even attended a rally or two. But what am I supposed to do when it seems like the people around me are always spoiling for a fight? And when they don’t want to listen? What does God have to say about that? Well, you asked. God has two words for us. God says, “It’s Time For Us All to Grow Up!”

Our God is never missing in action. He never takes a break. He’s always there for us. No matter what. And His intention for us is always good. In whatever ways the thief comes against us to kill, steal and destroy, God is there to take our part. To love and heal and restore. And, in Jesus, that thief will be stopped…because He promised the HE came that WE “might have life and have it abundantly.” –John 10:10 Stir up the gift of God that is in you, and pray in this time. We need not be discouraged. We have a wisdom that’s not the same as that which is found in the world-system. When we read or see or hear a report of a crisis-related impact, we simply have one more detail against which to speak God’s truth and pray His power. Jesus is Lord above it all. He has been raised above every would-be authority and pretender to power and every name that can be named, in the heavens, on earth, and anywhere else…including the tiniest microscopic realms! If we can name it, it’s already under His feet! Join us in Prayer and Perspective today, regarding COVID 19 and the Crisis and the God Who Is There! And buckle up! This is STREET FAITH!

Today, the headlines continue to be dominated by stories of panic, fear and frustration in many places. Localities struggle to get adequate medical supplies. Authorities struggle to discern the wisest approach to containing the infection and keeping folks as safe as possible. Many people are suddenly without work or income as businesses shut down. But Jesus told His followers, “You are the Light of the World.” This is our time to shine! We, as God’s people, can make a difference. We cover all this and more on this video episode. Fear is not our master. We have “An Unshakable Kingdom.”

This is our very first STREET FAITH video. And…This is the first in a series of live events, both video and audio, which we’ll be releasing to help our listeners here in the US and around the world understand the times we’re going through and know what to do during the global COVID 19 crisis. We’ll be posting the FB Live videos and short special audio podcasts as fast as we can. And, we’ll be rolling out practical strategies for you to undertake…right where you are! We want to help folks to keep perspective! And to know what to do. We are not slaves to the uncertain times we’re living in right now. We’re not slaves to the fear or panic or economic uncertainty. There are things that we CAN do right now. Prayer has power and small practical acts of love make a difference. We can sow peace and wisdom in the midst of uncertainty and fear. Join us and be a source of peace and wisdom and the power of God, right where you are! In the US. In China. In Italy. Anywhere in the world! If you have specific prayer requests, email us at empowermentfriends@gmail.com. If you have practical needs or just need to talk, contact us. We’ll do our best to connect you with folks in your area.

Unafraid! We recorded this podcast before the coronavirus became the dominant headline in the world, but the message is perhaps more important now than ever. The first century Christians had a word that they used to remind each other of the peace they had in Christ. Always. In the midst of all sorts of trials and persecutions, they would greet one another with “Atraxia”. Roughly translated, it means “unruffled.” The apostle Paul begins his second letter to his young friend Timothy with two very specific pieces of advice. “Stir up the gift of God which is in you…” and remember that “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1: 6-7) Right now, it seems that everybody wants to believe that what they believe is true…is true! And more and more…they don’t appreciate any challenges on it. If you believe what the media tells us, then danger, conflict and hateful division are everywhere. At least that’s the story that keeps people stirred up and makes for good headlines that drive traffic and revenue to news sites. Imminent danger, Fault-finding, Conflict and Fear. Some folks are AFRAID to even try and talk sense in a conversation anymore…with anyone…about anything! Here in the US and out there…all…around the world…Fear controls people. But it doesn’t need to! Here in the US and out there…all around the world…something is else is stirring. Something radically different. The Kingdom of God is breaking in. Now! And HIS Truth can set people FREE from fear. Now! It’s happening…Now! So buckle up…This is STREET FAITH. Unafraid!

Do we really believe that the Kingdom of God is breaking in…here and now? Then what are we doing about it? If we want to make an actual difference in our world and the lives of the people around us, we need to get serious! About having real conversations with real people outside of our own boxes and echo-chambers. Conversations…not fights…with people who may not agree with us. People who need to hear the truth. True Truth. God’s Truth. About the way things really are. And why. And what can be done. And how. And that may mean that sometimes we need to correct some misconceptions about who we are…and what we believe…about Jesus…and God…and people…and evil…and sin. And about what the bible really says. And why it’s relevant now! Maybe more than ever before! If we take the time to get the basics right, then a lot of the rest might just start to make sense. We want to help you to have those kinds of conversations. This week’s episode looks at one of those hardcore basic questions. “What Do We Really Believe About Sin and Why Does It Matter?”

Since our last podcast, we’ve been to Kenya and we’ve been incredibly encouraged to see how God’s Kingdom is breaking out there…in the streets and in marketplace situations. We’ve been talking with brothers and sisters around the world who are laying their lives down for Jesus in tangible ways, in nations and local communities where being a Christian is dangerous business. We’ve been writing and developing new material to help you pursue the Kingdom in your spheres of influence. Your family. Your friends. Your neighbors. Your colleagues at work. And, we’re working on practical strategies…and talking points…to help you begin to have some of the conversations you’ve told us you want to have with the people around you. The people who desperately need to hear and be touched by God’s Truth and Power in their real world, day to day lives. With all this in mind, we're releasing our very first podcast episode for 2020. “Explicit Truth for Today.” It’s the first in our brand new series of “talking points” and perspectives to help you boldly engage those around you with living Truth…in Love! So buckle up. Marketplace Kingdom is back! We want you to be fully equipped to bring and be the breaking-in radical Kingdom of God…right where you are! This is STREET FAITH.

Stories have power. They take ideas, or truths, and dress them out in real life flesh and circumstance. Jesus spent a lot of his time telling stories. Parables. Chances are that many if not all of them were based on actual events that he seen or heard about, with names eliminated. But he always used them to make a point. To drive home a deeper meaning about the nature of life and the Kingdom of God. The four gospels and the book of Acts provide a powerful account of Jesus’ own life and ministry, and those of some of his disciples. But the accounts in the bible are also more than just stories. They are the Word, and they carry power and truth in them as well…for today. And now, as the Spirit of God moves through the homes and offices and factories and worksites and streets of our world, the story continues. His story. And ours. The story we can point to when we tell people of the need to repent, stop, change direction and be changed because this is happening. Now. The Kingdom of God is at hand. In today’s episode of Marketplace Kingdom we’re going to tell you a couple of stories. Because this is what Jesus is doing today. Because this is what the Kingdom looks like.

We’re not ashamed of the gospel. We’re not ashamed to be crazy in love with Jesus and running hard in pursuit of His Kingdom. And we’re not ashamed to tell people about it. And about what we do. And why. We’re not about building churches or organizations. We’re about building and equipping THE church… and a movement! A people, created and called to walk in truth and the power of God’s Spirit day by day and moment by moment. Seeing what the Father is doing, and then doing it. Today. Hearing what the Father is saying, and saying it. Today. Carrying the redeeming and transforming power of His Presence all the time…everywhere they go. Go into all the world. Proclaim the the gospel’s truth and power to everyone and everything in creation! Change and become new because the Kingdom is breaking in. It isn’t a concept. Or religion. Or a cause. It’s the Kingdom of God. And it’s a FIRE. And it’s spreading…around the world. Right where you are! Today! That’s what our latest episode is about. Get it now. Join us! We’re not ashamed. We’re all in! And we’re upping our game.

In less than three weeks! Back in Kenya. Why? The Presence of God. The Power of God. Exploding in the people of God. TODAY! Breaking out in the streets in a church without walls. In practical action that points to FACTS. Jesus is alive…He brings new life…and transformation…His Kingdom is here…and this is what it looks like. This is not your parents’ mission…This is not your parents’ mission trip.

This week we’re finishing up our conversation with Tim Vink. We hope that you’ve been following along as we’ve talked about the explosive power of God’s Kingdom breaking into and transforming lives, regions and nations around the world. The power released when contagious bearers of the presence of God move out in Jesus name, filled with the Holy Spirit, and engage! We are so excited to bring these conversations to you. Conversations about doing and being “church” in the way that Jesus intended. The way that He paid for, and the way that He empowers! Join us for the conversation and join us in the movement for a church without walls and Taking It to the Streets!

As promised, our friend Tim Vink is back, and he’s sharing more about Jesus’ approach to building a movement for the Kingdom in the streets and a church without walls! Join us.

In today’s podcast episode, we’re sharing the vision for where this movement is going. And we’re asking you to join us. Partner with us. Get involved and help us. We try to show you real world strategies and examples for taking the Kingdom of God to the streets! Here and now examples of the Holy Spirit moving in power, impacting and transforming lives, families, communities, cities and nations! You’ve caught the vision. Church without walls! Kingdom in the Streets. Now it’s time to take it to the next level! We need your help to take this message viral. On the internet. On the radio. Coaching. Writing. Teaching. Seminars. In places where people need it most. Right where you are. On every continent of the world! But we can’t do it alone. We need you. We need to be on your radar! Your spiritual GPS! So listen to this episode! Listen to the vision. Don’t wait. Please. Then fire up your GPS. Give, Pray, and Serve. It’s time!

The Jesus we follow is alive and active in the world right now. And He’s pouring out His Spirit today bringing good news…the Kingdom of God is at hand…breaking into our world and our reality…touching hearts and minds and transforming lives and regions. The greatest Kingdom harvest in human history is taking place now. Global estimates indicate that there are over 3000 new believers coming to Christ every 20 minutes. One movement alone has seen over 1.6 million new churches planted in the last ten years. That’s three every ten minutes! People are hungry for the gospel and they’re hungry for the results of the Kingdom breaking in! It’s happening all over the world… in small hidden pockets in closed countries…in marketplace encounters…in homes and villages… one on one and life on life! It’s happening because some people are profoundly convinced that the lost really are lost and need to hear. It’s happening because they are passionate about Jesus and His Kingdom…and they’re taking it to the streets! Right where they are. We want to pray for them…and encourage them…and join them. Join us! Don't miss this amazing conversation with our friend Tim Vink!

Listen in as we celebrate our seventy-fifth podcast! Our Diamond episode! And it is a gem! We look back at key themes that have emerged over the past four seasons and we look forward to what's coming next, as God calls us to become even MORE RADICAL about our faith and advancing His Kingdom. Right where WE are...and right where YOU are!

In this episode we continue our conversation with college student Jack Baumert, exploring the challenges of being authentically Christian and navigating Faith and Life on Campus at a secular university.

How does a Christian college student navigate Faith and Life at a secular university? What are the blessings? What are the opportunities? The challenges? What could we be doing better to prepare our kids before sending them off to university? Student Jack Baumert joins us for this fascinating two part conversationabout Faith and Life on Campus!

There are times when we look at the brokenness in the world around us, far away and close to home, and we can't help but weep. Often over the sheer weight of the pain we see in others' lives, and sometimes even more acutely as we share in that pain while sharing life with them. In the here and now, this is an unavoidable part of what it means to know God's heart. Jesus' heart. Jesus walked this earth. He entered entered in and shared life with his friends and others. "He was despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows and aquainted with grief..." He cared. He poured himself out. For us! And yes...He cried!

Sometimes we pray timid prayers. And when we do we end up living timid lives! But God wants more for us. He expects us to come boldly to His throne and receive His mercy. Then He expects us to do what the Lord Jesus told us to do. Go out...Do the same works that He did...and greater works! What would happen if we were to boldly as the Lord, in His mercy, to expand our vision? Raise our expectations? Increase our influence? And then...Increase the Increase?

The tragic events of last weekend’s shootings have occupied the headlines and weighed on our hearts as a nation. We as believers need to step into the gap in prayer and in conversation with those around us. We need to listen honestly and speak compassionately…and be a source of wisdom and hope at such a time as this! For this reason, we’ve prepared a special edition of the Marketplace Kingdom podcast to serve as a starting point for framing a discerning conversation with your friends and loved ones who may be trying to make sense of the “why” and “what can we do” questions. Please listen. And engage! And continue to offer “Thoughts and Prayers…and More!”

More and more, it seems like we seldom hear the name of Jesus spoken in public or in the media unless it’s a subject of ridicule or used as an expletive or a profanity. We’re all familiar with the commandment, “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain”, and yet everywhere it is used loosely, disrespectfully and even blasphemously! But perhaps worse is the fashion in which many who consider themselves to be Christians lay claim to it glibly on Sunday but hide it the rest of the week. Or lay claim to the name while considering it one among many valid religious options. One of many paths to heaven. Nothing exclusive or offensive. Such approaches take the Name in vain as well, “having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof.” We talked a few weeks ago about the increasing levels of persecution that authentic Christians have been experiencing in the Middle East, Africa and Asia. And many of us have encountered situations where speaking out as a Christian in private conversation or in the public square is met by major push back, hostility and ridicule right in our own country. It’s sometimes OK to talk in general terms about God, but invoking the Name of Jesus specifically has come to be viewed as a blatant offense to civil public sensibility. And yet Jesus himself tells us that our willingness to own his name is a key measure of the authenticity of our faith. Our relationship with him simply can not be a strictly private matter. There can be no disconnect! There is coming a day when at the name of Jesus, every knee will bow! So join us for this episode…as we discuss the reasons for the hostility and offense…and the responsibility and power that we have as bearers of The Name of Jesus.

Our Kenyan friends, John and Kennedy, share about the growing impact of the gospel and God’s Kingdom in the own lives and their home region in Kenya. Challenging? Yes. Difficult? At times. But powerful and effective in seeing lives and communities change? Definitely. Listen in on this frank discussion of what it looks like when faith and the presence of God break out at the intersection of church and the marketplace!

Jesus told us to seek God’s Kingdom and His righteousness first, and trust that everything else we need in life would come to us. Now some people quote this blithely, as though it should be the easiest thing in the world. But if we’re honest, we know that it’s not easy. There are times when relationships go sideways, circumstances become difficult, or the demands and priorities of the world around us run counter to the Kingdom life that Jesus taught. Facing these kinds of real world challenges faithfully is the topic for today’s podcast. “God is Bigger!” We hope you’re blessed and encouraged.

We talked on a recent episode about how everybody is an influencer. The question is what kind of influence is exerted at any given time or place. Do we hide our Christianity when we’re with certain groups of people, or in certain social situations? Do we have our lives divided up into neat compartments and behave differently…speak differently…in one place versus another? Are there people in our lives who have no idea that we’re Christian? Why??? What situations don’t need salt or light? What people don’t deserve the truth with which we’ve been entrusted? If our faith isn’t the central thing forming and shaping our speech and our actions…our influence… then what is? Is the content of your faith shaped by the world and people around you or does your faith and its content shape that world?

This episode explores an exciting emerging outreach to a forgotten nation right here in North America. Jason Huele has a vision and a passion to bring the transforming power of the gospel to the indigenous peoples on reservations and in cities across the US and Canada. People struggling and living hidden in plain sight! We hope you’ll be as touched as we are by Jason’s ministry and vision to see the native peoples of North America move from “forgotten nation” to “Native Strong!”

When Jesus confronted the man who was possessed by a “legion” of demons, they recognized his power and authority, but challenged him anyway. They cried out, “Have you come to torment us before the time?” What they failed to understand was that all of history had led to that moment, and the fullness or pregnancy of time that culminated in Jesus’ appearance on the scene. And His response bore that out. He expelled them! He didn’t argue. He acted. And His actions spoke clearly. “It’s time! I’m here!” If we are living and moving in true discernment, in the “on earth as it is in heaven” character of the inbreaking Kingdom and Presence of God, we will be able to see and step into such moments as well, recognizing the NOW moments of Kingdom power and proclaiming by our actions, “It’s Time!”

You are important to God’s Kingdom RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE! Your purposes and best impacts aren’t necessarily out there somewhere in the future, in some other place, with some other people, doing some other thing. You may well have been prepared for such a time as THIS. Doing what you’re doing, where you are, with the people God has placed around you…for the sake of the gospel and His Kingdom!

You have a specific Kingdom purpose and you can maximize your impact and influence if you zero in on the areas for which God has been preparing you all your life. The rich tapestry of life experience, joys and passions, your spiritual and natural “wiring”. Your Destiny, your Nature, and your Authority and Anointing!

The tomb is empty. The veil is torn. Jesus is alive, risen, ascended, and reigning! Yet people in the world around us continue to insist on following versions of Jesus that have been created to serve their own viewpoints...their own agendas. Even Christians at times succumb to the temptation to make a Jesus in their own image rather than allowing themselves to be caught up in the power of His resurrection and be transformed according to His image…His character. So as we celebrate His Resurrection, we wanted to reach out to you with a new podcast and a question. Perhaps the most important question any of us could ask in this season. Who is this Saviour and Lord that we worship and follow? Not who was He, but who is He…NOW? Who is this Risen Jesus?

Today we're releasing a special episode of Marketplace Kingdom, dedicated to the 300+ brothers and sisters in Christ who have been killed in the nation of Nigeria in the last month, and the countless others who have been displaced by having their homes and churches burned and other pressures placed on them by persecution at the hands of Boko Haram and Fulani militants. We want to reach out to you now with this information, and we want to reach out to them as they listen to this podcast. Listen...and pray...and join us in reaching out to our persecuted brothers and sisters not only in Nigeria, but in closed countries and hot spots around the world. We want them to know. We see you. We love you. And we're standing with you!

Have you ever been involved in a conversation and realized that the person you were with had no idea what you were talking about? Your viewpoints were so dissimilar that it was like you were speaking a different language? As Christians, we need to engage those around us in ways that they can understand. We can’t expect people outside our faith community to understand “Christianeze”. We may have godly wisdom and insight on what’s going on in the world, but if we want to have actual impact we need to communicate and live in a manner which applies and demonstrates that wisdom in ways that provide real answers and real hope and releases real transformation to those who are watching and hearing…right where we are.

The message of the gospel…the good news for here and now…continues to be the same as it was when Jesus declared it over 2000 years ago. The Kingdom of God is at hand. It’s right here. It’s breaking in on our reality and it’s radically other than anything anyone else in the world has to offer!

It seems like every other story in the news today is written in a way that’s consciously intended to create a sense of urgency. The writers appear to think that if it’s not urgent, it won’t capture your attention. You’ll ignore it. But like the story of the boy who cried “WOLF”, eventually people become immunized to a constant urgency. According to the bible, King David had a group of advisors known as the “sons of Issachar”, who were specifically gifted in “understanding the times and knowing what Israel should do.” They saw what was happening around their communities and nation, and understood what was urgent and what was not. We need this kind of wisdom today. Wisdom that sees clearly and recognizes when it’s time to engage in strategic action. Wisdom that is rooted in intimacy with God, and responds when His Spirit rises up in our spirit and declares “It’s Time!”

Christian thinker Abraham Kuyper wrote “There is not one square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is sovereign over all, does not cry MINE!” If this is our starting point as Christians, the implications are startling. There may be spiritual war in personal lives, the public square, and even world systems. But the world is not evil. The whole of created reality came into being in the beginning, and God said it was GOOD. As we move around in our own little corners of creation, we can be guided by the confidence that, though it may be embattled territory, it’s still God’s! And it’s just waiting for US to do something…in God’s power and authority! Paul writes in Romans, “The whole creation is even now groaning in anticipation of the revealing of God’s children.” Anticipated release and transformation, and restoration of Design and Destiny.

You really are important to God’s Kingdom…right where you are. You may not have an impressive title on a business card, a corner office at work, or a best-selling book. You may not be a community leader or an elder at church. But you have friends. And family. People you interact with at work and at the coffeeshop. You have relationships everywhere. And in those relationships, those moment by moment daily contacts, conversation by conversation…one on one and life on life…you have opportunity to be the Kingdom person you are. You have Influence!

Many Christians are just plain afraid to stand up and speak out about their faith and crucial issues in public. They’re intimidated. They don’t want to get into an argument. They don’t want to “offend” anyone. They don’t want to be ridiculed or mischaracterized by hostile people who hold differing viewpoints. But the bible that we claim to believe insists that speaking and living the truth matters because lives hang in the balance. If we receive and in the true love of God, we can speak and act boldly and not timidly because, as the apostle John writes, “Perfect love casts out fear.” As Christians filled and moving in the love and presence of God, we can and should be Speaking and Standing in Boldness and Truth!

Any of us who discuss faith issues with non-Christians has, with increasing frequency, been confronted with the claim, “Well, that may be your truth, but it’s not mine.” In the public square, in the media, in our day to day interaction with even family, friends and acquaintances, we are often confronted with the claim that there is more than one truth. That all viewpoints are roughly equal in a truly inclusive society, and that no one has the right to impose their truth or morality on anyone else. But if we actually believe Jesus, who stated plainly “I AM the truth”, then we’re confronted with a different reality. A biblical reality that says “Absolute truth exists. There is truth as opposed to deception. There is right as opposed to wrong. God and His word stand as the standard against which everything else must be measured.” For authentic Christians, this biblical reality, rooted in the character and presence of the one Living God, should provide the basis for all of our discussion of Truth and Morality in the Public Square.