I first wrote a blog in 2014 called the shift from church age to kingdom age which is still the highest read blog monthly since I posted it. I wanted to touch on this again and may write a series of blogs on it. We indeed are shifting and seeing this shift underway. So, I hope this gives us some insight into what is going on.

The first and primary shift is a theological shift. This has to occur before any other shifts occur. We are seeing not a shift away from theology but more so an in-depth dive into true theology. We are seeing many searching out the deep things of God and the hidden mysteries. We are not looking through denomination eyes but through kingdom perspectives. We are re-evaluating what we felt was primary truth and concluding it was support truth. The primary at this time is the kingdom of God.

One of the theological shifts is actually understanding this truth of the kingdom not just through intellectual understanding of principles and promise we operate or believe. But it is also spiritual understanding of those same principles and promise with one more added dimension, protocols. We are becoming more aware of our spiritual reality that it is more than an add-on to our humanity, but our humanity is only the container for our spirit man. This means we are seeing how the kingdom and spiritual spheres operate (protocols). We are seeing things through eternal eyes and also kingdom language more than Greek or Hebrew.

As kingdom theology has come so has spiritual principles and protocols of how to function and function effectively. We have seen training and equipping not so much in proper exegesis and language understanding but in revelation and application. The Body of Christ has moved from being consumers to investors. Some have taken ownership of vision and mission. Others support it because of kingdom purposes. These are all parts of shifting from church age to kingdom age. We are more concerned about others than ourselves. We see services as times to equip more so than meet my need. Overall, this makes the Body healthy and to have a healthy perspective. We are actually bringing life back into daily areas once reserved for what revivals would do.

A kingdom of God perspective or focus brings greater clarity to the interpretation of the scriptures and a wider scope of understanding. We are not taking scripture out of context which happens many times in a church setting by taking the pastoral part and leaving the apostolic or kingdom part as not important. We are maturing into wanting the full counsel of God and the full application of the context of scripture. This means every scripture is a gateway to a vast mystery of God that has been hide but now is being revealed. We are actually beginning to re-find what the ancient fathers knew.

This theological shift is causing us to look again at eschatology and ecclesiology. These both have shifted in the last ten years to a kingdom theology redefining both. We are not looking at escaping but looking at overcoming. We also don’t see the church as a club or religious expression but as an army that is alive and trained to govern. These two things have shifted the function of the Body of Christ into activation and participation instead of being spectators. This is the second shift which has a function.

This has also brought forth identity and purpose in many. Many are seeing how they are designed and what they are designed for. Finding their place, we see a lot of new ministries formed that are non-traditional. Creatives are finding their place of expression as well. People are becoming content with who and how God made them to be. Yes there is still striving and comparing, because of human nature and unredeemed areas, but I see a unique church arising that is creating a non- traditional expression.

Kingdom theology has also opened up the area of creativity in books and publishing. We have moved from self-help guides to eternal perspectives bringing a seriousness of purpose upon the body of Christ. Since the kingdom is so vast the need to understand it so great, there is much being produced to bring clarity in the area of published writing, blogs, podcast and a host of other avenues to reach a larger audience.

Kingdom theology also has begun to connect us as a singular Body of Christ verses a disjointed body. Kingdom principles have shifted our values and focuses. We are beginning to cross pollinate better, yet we still lack allowing the five-fold graces to cross pollinate, specifically apostles and prophets. We see there is more than a promise to stand on for what we need. We see kingdom principles of how to work those promises with faith to see outcome. This is not just affecting our personal lives but is starting to shift cities, states and even nations. 

These are all some insights into things to shift into, if you haven’t already. If you have shifted into these things then you need to steward to see fullness come. There is an ever-expanding understanding of this kingdom without end. It is now coming upon us and will continue to expand around and within us. Now is the time to either embark on a new journey of the kingdom or to enlarge what you have already experienced.