First thing to note down is that “kingdom impact” is an expression often used among Christians to hint at the power of God to effect (spectacular, impressive) changes on earth. Sadly, many have become obsessed with the pursuit of supernatural power on that account. In most cases, however, power is evident to all but the impact in terms of changes for the better is often evident only in the lives of the human vessels containing it, that is, the “powerful men or women of God” and their entourage, whilst the congregations become dependent on them –this is the story of the church in Africa….
I don’t know about you but I struggle to make sense of the foregoing from a biblical perspective especially with reference to the Christian faith (Christianity) and power. Power in Christianity is given for the sole purpose of service. It is not intended to convey special privileges or status.
Remember the song titled “The Servant King”? Following is the chorus:
This is our God
The Servant King
He calls us now to follow Him
To live our lives as a daily offering
Of worship to the Servant King.
Let me tell you, the song reminds us that God’s way of effecting changes on earth is through the King becoming a servant and inviting his followers (Christians) to follow in his footsteps. It is as servant that King Jesus changed and continues changing lives on earth through his followers embracing servanthood (men and women of God being servants). The Lord Jesus himself demonstrated the nature of the change God’s power brings on earth when he washed his disciples feet (John 13:1-17). Note verse15, “I have set an example that you should do as I have done for you.” This is what the apostolic church was all about.
Theologians describe God’s way or method as “incarnational” from the incarnation or the “Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (John 1:14).
No wonder Jesus said, Matthew 13:33, “….The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough.” Talking about Kingdom Impact… Accordingly, God’s way of impacting the world with positive changes is by making human beings instruments of change by truly following his Son Jesus Christ. This is what the Lord Jesus means when he calls his disciples “light of the world and salt of the earth” (Matthew 5:13-16), and, when he says to them “apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). Here is the essence of real “Kingdom impact”.
I submit that Christianity would have real impact in Africa, let alone the world, only if all “Christians” in the continent become true followers of Jesus Christ.
We all need to be branches of Jesus the vine (Cf. John 15:5), as it were.
Late Mahatma Gandhi is reported of saying “I like your Christ; I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”
Let’s hope that he was wrong as what he said about Christian should not be the case. Remember, Jesus was criticised for associating with the marginalised (rejected and powerless)….
Finally, let’s consider Philippians 2:5, “Your attitude should be the same as that of Jesus.” The next two verses state: “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God [divine power & privileges] something to be grasped [pursued], but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.” Someone rightly said, Christ Jesus came to show us how to be humans again and the real purpose of power, that is, not to be served but to serve and thereby be agents of positive changes in the world.
May God help us all!
