Jesus Cropped from the Picture

Jesus Cropped from the Picture

is producing vibrancy among the poor where there is not a cultural orientation around the Self. A Christ-centered, Kingdom-oriented perspective says, “Church services are not for me, they are to honor Christ. The Church exists to fulfill Christ’s purposes, and the task of the individual is to help him carry out those purposes.” When reading the Bible and hearing sermons, the key question is not, “ How does this apply to me? ” but rather, “ Why is this important to God ?” Christians oriented around the Kingdom are joyfully committed to their local church because they see themselves in a larger context, trusting God to lead and feed them through their pastors and teachers, forgiving others when offended, and giving themselves in worship rather than focusing on Self . An orientation to the Kingdom is vital to de-cropping the picture.

But what exactly is “the Kingdom of God?”

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