The Church must shift from being so organization centric into a Kingdom mindset of regional occupation and transformation.

November 1st, 2022

By: David Hoskins

Yes we can and should get more Kingdom in our churches but more importantly, we need to get our churches and ministries in the Kingdom.

The Kingdom is placing pressure on the saints to learn what it means to align regionally and occupy the land. The early church understood unity in the spirit but modern Christianity has more of a divide and conquer mindset.

In the body of Christ we have learned to develop structures and organizations as our primary building strategy. If we are not careful it is these very structures and organizations that will inhibit and in some cases keep us from becoming a city on a hill that cannot be hidden.

Structure either facilitates current revelation or it maintains historic revelation. Our structures must become way more flexible in order to accommodate the magnitude of changes which are coming to the Body of Christ in this season of reform. If we dig our feet in as leaders it will not go well for us.

Biblical elders have an assignment in the land and Biblical apostles and prophets are called to lay foundations for those assignments to connect, link, align, merge, meld and so forth.

Apostles and prophets help regional models of ministry to emerge and become healthy. Ministries and organizations can come together and work in harmony but only if we allow our mindset as leaders to be conditioned to engage the necessary shifts that make our systems compatible.

A new administration of the Kingdom is taking place as we are learning to become one in Christ. We truly do belong to one another. It is “time” we discover it.

It is easy to recognize that not every administration of the Kingdom looks the same. Style and diversity of apostolic structures vary greatly as they are largely influenced by the gift mix of the key leaders developing them.

You would think that God’s manual would be so precise and his style so turnkey that we could all just repeat what He says and does and conformity would nurture unity to the extent that we could finally discover our oneness in Him.

Fortunately He did not chose to foster conformity but instead He chose to nurture unity coming from a convergence of our unique strengths together with the diversity of flavors and styles we have in the body of Christ. Diversity in our approach is a strength in itself however we must build with corporate connectivity and regional alignment in our building plans.

Leaders are not just elders in their respective organizations but they are also called to be elders in and of the city/region. When we build with geography in mind and city transformation as the end game then it it easy to see how desperately we need one another.

The Body of Christ at large is in the early stages of learning how to function regionally in a more orchestrated way. Unity is not about watering down our distinctions so we that can tolerate one another. Unity in the Spirit is about celebrating and valuing each one. Israel did not have to let go of its tribal identities to come together as a nation.

The Father thinks much differently about unity than we do. Kingdom unity does not come from conformity or us all being and doing things the same way. Unity in the spirit does not come from control or a hyper structured approach to ministry. It comes from us learning as leaders to align accurately with one another in Christ. Sounds easy but it is a journey.

Jesus chose to divide Himself into five leadership expressions and tell us to be one. He chose for us at this time to be 195 literal nations within the earth which must discover our identity as a nation of kings and priests unto our God. He has spoken that out of purposed diversity we must learn to work together, align strength to strength and see His Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.

John 17:21-23 (KJV)

That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

We must learn to align and flow with Him. 1st apostles 2nd prophets and 3rd teachers. This is the alignment of the Kingdom. It is not a hierarchy it is instead an order of chronology and operation.

1 Corinthians 12:28 (KJV)

And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.

Priority one is for apostolicly driven leaders to learn how to love one another and appreciate the strengths of one another. Leaders must learn to yield and defer to the anointing and grace in one another. We do not need a Pope or some megastructure. We need to learn how to flow as one with our head even Christ himself our King.

Ephesians 4:15-16 (KJV)

…even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

Hierarchical thinking is much different than learning to yield to the graces among us. We are so organizationally minded that when God attempts to organize us we fail to flow with him because He often ignores the pecking order of our man made poorly designed structures.

The fact is that each apostolic and prophetic leader has a different gift mix, a different grace about them, different cultural qualities. So many things play into the diversity of our style and our ability to get the job done. And yet, God intends for us to be one body in Him who is the head.

In my attempts to work with leaders I am often met with the idea that if they see things differently than I then we must not be meant to work together. And it is true that in many ways it is easier to divide and conquer but was it Jesus who said a house divided against itself will not stand. I personally believe It is because of our diversity of style and approach that we truly do need one another if we are to see the greater works done in the earth.

Regional Convergence seems to be the next frontier but it by no means is an easy journey.

I would like to say we have seen great success but in truth we have only seen good success. Most of the success I have seen has been as a result of working with regions in other nations where trust has been forged over time and there is a liberty between leaders to say the hard and challenging things which need to be said in order to see alignment and arrangement and an administration come forth.

As I see it, one of the key elements which is needed in this concept of regional convergence and which is often overlooked by those who attempt it is the importance of having a translocal apostolic, prophetic team speaking into and helping with the development of convergence.

We see this pattern over and over in scripture. The example and concept of apostolic teams working with regional leaders to see an administration of the kingdom come forth. Paul moved in a company of leaders and Peter did the same. They worked with regions to see Kingdom potential spring forth.

The present season which we find ourselves seems to be one where there is grace for city leaders to come together and do a citywide event or even have a citywide focus but there has not been much grace to see a city come together for more.

It seems we struggle to tolerate one another for more than an event because we realize that if we are going to work together for more than an event and enjoy it then we will likely need to be more transparent and honest about what is broken, messed up and out of order. Oops did I say that?

If we are to become the city on a hill that Jesus speaks about then we must learn to connect and or blend the many administrations of the kingdom together in a fashion which releases the synergy of the Kingdom. If all the nations are going to come to the mountain of the Lord to learn of the ways of our God then we truly must start learning our identity on the mountain and not just as a house.

We are learning to become the mountain of the house of the Lord.

Micah 4:1-2 (NASB)

And it will come about in the last days That the mountain of the house of the Lord Will be established as the chief of the mountains. It will be raised above the hills, And the peoples will stream to it. Many nations will come and say, “Come and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord And to the house of the God of Jacob, That He may teach us about His ways

And that we may walk in His paths…

The mountain is expanding as the kingdom is unlocked before our eyes. I personally believe the administration of the kingdom will come as we invite one another to the table and stay until.

Ephesians 4:13-16 (KJV)

Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

Folks we have to love one another more than our style or our latest revelation. We need to love one another more than our need to be right, be heard or be in charge. We need to love one another until we gain a full appreciation for the deep deposit found in the one next to us.

We must learn to appreciate the journey and the plight of the one next to us. To mourn with those who mourn and celebrate with those who celebrate.

If the Kingdom stops being about us or our need to be validated then we have a chance. I am exited about the bright future ahead.

This is a day of discovery. May we find one another in a new way and may His Kingdom rise in the midst of us.