KINGDOM WORK AFFECTS YOUR LIFE

By Kurt Johnston

Remember the Grinch (You know, the green guy that stole
Christmas)? After “stealing Christmas,” the Grinch has a change
of heart and decides to be helpful instead of selfish and works
to help make Christmas better than ever. Toward the end of the
movie the narrator says this famous line: “Well, in Whoville they
say that the Grinch’s small heart grew three sizes that day.”

Being a Kingdom worker helps your heart grow! It’s impossible to
look out for the needs of the world around you without your
compassion, care and concern for people to grow.

Philippians 4:2 encourages us, “Don’t look out only for your own
interests, but take an interest in others, too.”

While there are many verses and examples in scripture about the
importance and power of Kingdom work, this simple little reminder
may be one of the most powerful of them all. God is imploring us
to be on the lookout for the needs of others – the people we see
everyday all around us. And it makes sense because that’s the way
Jesus lived his life! Jesus had his own concerns (just like we
do), but he was more concerned about the people he came across as
he was doing his thing. Here’s an interesting way to think about
it: While Jesus was doing his thing, he’d see the needs of others
and their thing suddenly became his thing! Jesus’ main thing was
other people.

Here’s the deal: It’s impossible to be selfish and be an
effective Kingdom worker. And breaking the power of selfishness
starts by being willing to take an active interest in the lives
of other people instead of being focused only on yourself.

Looking out for the needs of others accomplishes two important things. First, it obviously helps the people you’re helping. That’s a no-brainer, right? When you take the time to help somebody with their homework, you’re helping them get better grades. When you notice your elderly neighbor struggling to mow his lawn and lend a hand, you’re helping him to avoid a heart attack! But it also helps you. When you decide to be a Kingdom worker – to pay attention to the concerns of others – you grow. You grow in your relationship with Jesus. You grow in your concern and compassion for others. And maybe, like the Grinch, your heart will grow three times.

Kurt Johnston is the student ministries pastor at Saddleback Church. He tweets at @kurtjohnston.

KINGDOM WORKER CHALLENGE:

kw7-challenge-life

KINGDOM WORKER WORSHIP:

kw7-worship-life

KINGDOM WORKER AUDIO DEVOTIONAL:

 

KINGDOM WORKER CONVERSATION:

KINGDOM WORK AFFECTS YOUR HEART

By Anne Wilson

Several years ago our family moved next door to a man named
James. James started every morning on his front porch, eyeing us
with disdain as we hurried into our cars to start the day. He
frequently reported us to the Home Owners Association (the police
of neighborhood yards) when our weeds were too high, and frowned
at us when we waved to him. He was a nuisance.

But he wasn’t just grumpy – he was lonely. Instead of seeing a
man suffering from loneliness, we saw a threat to our cozy little
lives. Our rushed and chaotic lives blinded us to his need – a
lonely, widowed, elderly man living next to us who needed
kindness. All we saw was a grumpy man waiting to turn us into the
HOA, not a man who needed the love of God.

When my husband and I committed our lives to Kingdom work, we
didn’t expect Him to break our hearts for our neighbor. But
that’s what Kingdom work does. When we ask God to break our
hearts, He does. And He often wakes us up to see the people who
are already in our lives. Kingdom work forces us to be honest
about our junk. We were living at such an intense pace that we
had slowly drifted away from Jesus’ second greatest commandment:
love your neighbor as yourself.

By the way, we did start loving and serving James. We send
cookies on holidays, mow his lawn when he’s out of town, stop to
talk during evening walks and pray for him as a family. We also
just got another notice from the HOA (from him). God doesn’t
promise that the people you serve will love you back. The reward
is a new heart. And that’s enough.

Anne Wilson is the content director at Traders Point Christian
Church. She blogs regularly at annemwilson.com

KINGDOM WORKER CHALLENGE:

kw7-challenge-heart

KINGDOM WORKER WORSHIP:

kw7-worship-heart

KINGDOM WORKER AUDIO DEVOTIONAL:

 

KINGDOM WORKER CONVERSATION:

KINGDOM WORK AFFECTS YOUR HOME

By Aanna Greer

Being a kingdom worker is about loving the King and living out
the reality of the gospel in your every day life. Here are five
ways you can do that at home:

Love God

“And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all
your soul, and all your strength.” —Deuteronomy 6:5 NLT

To love God well, you must love God in private as well as in
public and this starts in your home. Find times (first thing in
the morning or right before bed are great options) to read the
Bible and to pray heartfelt prayers to God. These two small
actions, if done consistently, will help you to love and know God
better.

Be a blessing

“…I will bless you…and you will be a blessing to others.”

—Genesis 12:2 NLT

The gospel is all about God blessing us and making the wrong
things in our life right again. We can live out the gospel by
finding the “wrong” things in our homes and making them right
again. Whether it’s cleaning a dirty bathroom or being a shoulder
to cry on for a younger sibling, you can be a blessing to your
family, just as God has been a blessing to you.

Say good things about Jesus

“I will praise you, LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all
the marvelous things you have done.” —Psalms 9:1-2

Kingdom workers make Jesus famous. Talk about the things you like
about Jesus and the good things he’s doing in your life. Talk
about Jesus to your Christian family members and it will
encourage their own faith. Talk about Jesus to your unbelieving
or struggling family members and you can be a witness to how
amazing God is.

Don’t give up

“So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we
will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.” —Galatians 6:9

Being a kingdom worker is hard work and you’ll make lots of
mistakes. But don’t give up on the awesome task of loving God and
living his way on earth. He didn’t give up on us, even when we
were lost and far away, so let’s not give up doing the good work
of loving God and blessing others. Remember, because of what
Jesus did to rescue us, we no longer need to be perfect—just
faithful.

Aanna Greer lives in Joplin, MO with her husband, Logan, and
daughter, Valentine. She loves reading, writing, being with
friends, middle school youth ministry, and British television.
She blogs regularly at aannagreer.com

KINGDOM WORKER CHALLENGE: HOME

kw7-challenge-home

KINGDOM WORKER WORSHIP: HOME

kw7-worship-home

KINGDOM WORKER AUDIO DEVOTIONAL: HOME

 

KINGDDOM WORKER CONVERSATION: HOME

KINGDOM WORK AFFECTS YOUR COUNTRY

By Michael Wear

“Men did not love Rome because she was great. She was great because they had loved her.”
– G.K. Chesterton

This insight from the early 20th Century author and philosopher G.K. Chesterton helps us to understand how we as Christians can reconcile our service to God with our service to country. It is exemplified in our greatest commandment: to love our God and to love our neighbor.

How can our love for and confidence in Christ motivate our love of neighbor and service to our country, particularly in a political context? Here are some ideas:

1. Reach Across Divides

Our nation is divided along all kinds of issues, identities and backgrounds; but it is the person of Jesus who transcends them all. You can reject the idea that who you are requires you to consider others as your enemy. Our country needs this.

2. Volunteer

Our country depends on the contributions of those who serve not for acclaim, but out of love and sacrifice of time, money and other resources. Out of your love for God, advocate for a cause (and not just on social media, but in real life, too!), serve with a local ministry or nonprofit, or mentor someone younger than yourself.

3. Live Out Your Faith

Increasingly, Americans do not understand what it means to be religious. Think about how the public life you lead displays what Christ is doing in your life, and let his love shine through in the ways you act and treat others.

4. Vote

You may not be old enough yet, but we need a new generation of Christians who believe a vote can be motivated by love, not just self-interest. Imagine what this understanding would do for our politics and our nation.

5. Pray

Prayer is powerful, and it’s not just for our personal lives but also the life of our nation. Pray for its leaders, pray that God might intervene in the injustices and evils that you see, and always have your eyes open with expectation that you will see God move.

Michael Wear is the author of the forthcoming book, “Reclaiming Hope:
Lessons Learned in the Obama White House About the Future of Faith in
America.” He tweets about political issues at @MichaelRWear.

KINGDOM WORKER CHALLENGE: COUNTRY

kw7-challenge-country

KINGDOM WORKER WORSHIP: COUNTRY

kw7-worship-country

KINGDOM WORKER AUDIO DEVOTIONAL:

KINGDOM WORKER CONVERSATION: COUNTRY

Saturday, November 19th, 2016 we’re thinking about how being a Kingdom Worker affects our city. The resources for today’s challenge are all here for you to engage in the place of our city that God has you:

KINGDOM WORK AFFECTS YOUR CITY

By Rachel Grindle

“If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.”

– Isaiah 58: 9b-12 (NIV)

Kingdom workers can affect their cities by refreshing them. To refresh something is to give it new strength or energy, and our cities need this right now. People are tired and weary and worn out. They are filled with fear and anxiety. They need a new strength that comes from Kingdom workers who embrace peace and love, joy and hope. Your city needs you to be like a spring whose waters never fail.

Beyond refreshing, cities are in need of repair. Things have been broken – some long before you were even born. There are systems and structures in place that breed poverty and injustice, and Kingdom workers are needed to fight against these things. To actively engage in repairing what has been torn down and broken is a significant way in which Kingdom workers can affect their cities.

Kingdom workers can also affect their cities by restoring them. People need to have their purpose and their dreams restored to them. The city needs to be seen as a place where people can flourish again, and that happens when Kingdom workers speak truth and love while living out their dreams and passions.

Where you live – the city you have been placed in – is where you can bring about the most change and transformation. Do not take your city, or your calling to be there, for granted. Recognize that God has you in your city for a purpose – to refresh, repair and restore.

Rachel Grindle is the senior director of CIY Engage. Learn how
you can train for a life of Kingdom work at ciy.com/engage.

KINGDOM WORKER CHALLENGE: kw7-challenge-city

KINGDOM WORKER CONVERSATION:

KINGDOM WORKER WORSHIP: Download the following resource for worship songs related to living out being a Kingdom Worker in your city: kw7-worship-city

KINGDOM WORKER AUDIO DEVOTIONAL: 

 

Friday, November 18th, 2016 we’re thinking about how being a Kingdom Worker affects your world. The resources for today’s challenge are all here for you to engage in the place of the world that God has you:

KINGDOM WORK AFFECTS YOUR WORLD

By Tina Ramirez

As kingdom workers, each day we step into a spiritual
battleground for the souls of man. Injustice, pain, bondage, and
persecution surround us as humanity rejects God’s kingdom and
prevent others from following Jesus. I see this reality every
day in the religious persecution facing three-fourths of the
world’s population. And yet, in the midst of this darkness, God
uses us to bring freedom, hope and justice to people all over the
world through the power of the Holy Spirit at work within us.

We cannot end persecution, but we can pray for those in chains,
we can stand with them, and we can teach others to do the same.
And through these things, we can change the world for many people
who are suffering – even those who do not yet know Christ.

The Bible says every Christian will be persecuted for bearing
Jesus’ name. Some may find this discouraging but just because we
cannot change how the world treats us does not mean we should not
do something about it. When Paul was imprisoned for spreading
the Gospel, he appealed to Caesar as a Roman citizen and he later
told believers to remember those in chains as if you yourself
were imprisoned with them (Hebrews 13:3).

Therefore, since we have such freedom, let us pray for those who
are being persecuted and stand with them. And let’s use our
resources to defend their right to worship God and to live freely
as individuals made in God’s image. And when we do this for
every person – even those who do not yet know Christ – we can
change the world one person at a time.

We have an opportunity to encourage the world that our Savior
understands their suffering and loves them. Our Lord and Savior,
Jesus Christ, has already conquered the world and is changing
lives every day through those who commit themselves to His
kingdom and glory.

Tina Ramirez is the founder of Hardwired. You can help her equip
and serve the persecuted church at http://www.hardwiredglobal.org

KINGDOM WORER CHALLENGE: kw7-challenge-world

KINGDOM WORKER CONVERSATION:

KINGDOM WORKER WORSHIP: Download the following resource for worship songs related to living out being a Kingdom Worker in your world: kw7-worship-world

KINGDOM WORKER AUDIO DEVOTIONAL: 

Thursday, November 17th, 2016 we’re thinking about how being a Kingdom Worker affects your school. The resources for today’s challenge are all here for you to engage in the place God has you:

KINGDOM WORK AFFECTS YOUR SCHOOL

By Taylor Brown

Here are the ABC’s of being a Kingdom worker at school. In
alphabetical order of course.

Ask your principal how you can help your school.
Begin a prayer group and meet once a week to pray for your
school.
Clean up after yourself.
Do 10 random acts of kindness before the week is done.
Eat lunch with someone who looks different than you.
Forgive someone who has hurt you. Pray for them every time you
see them.
Get good grades. Seriously. Work hard.
Hold the door open for everyone who shows up to school and tell
them to have a good day.
Invite a new student to youth group.
Just keep your eyes on Jesus.
Keep your mouth shut when you are tempted to make fun of someone.
Listen to others when they are talking.
Make a gift for someone who seems lonely.
Never forget that there’s more to life than school.
Observe the golden rule.
Pray for your teachers at the beginning of each class
Quietly do what is right. Especially when no one is looking.
Remember to turn in your homework on time.
Sit with someone you don’t know once a day for a week and get to
know them.
Tell 10 people something that you like about them.
Use these years wisely. They will go fast.
Venture into a new subject; try to expand your horizons.
Write an anonymous letter to someone who annoys you. Tell them
God loves them.
X-amine your heart daily.
Yell loud at sporting events.
Zestfully do Kingdom work.

Taylor Brown is the director of MIX, Christ in Youth’s national
middle school summer event. Follow him on Instagram at
@taylorbrown84.

KINGDOM WORKER CHALLENGE: kw7-challenge-school

KINGDOM WORKER CONVERSATION:

KINGDOM WORKER WORSHIP: Download the following resource for worship songs related to living out being a Kingdom Worker in your school: kw7-worship-school

KINGDOM WORKER AUDIO DEVOTIONAL: 

 

 

Join us for Kingdom Worker Week, November 13-19. Chapel Rock students and leaders can head to https://aeffect.ciy.com/new-register/kw-2016 to register for a free account that will provide you with all access to daily devotionals, challenges, blog entries, audio devotionals, games, and videos interviews. We hope you re able to join our group, as we join with thousands of other high school students across the nation who are also participating in Kingdom Worker Week this week.