What Is A Kingdom Family?

​What is a Kingdom Family?
by
George Ross

Joy and I have been discussing and praying about how we live intentionally as a kingdom family over the last year. In the New Testament Jesus speaks often about the kingdom of God (Heaven), it would seem that manifesting His kingdom should be a priority for my family. Not only does Jesus devote incredible amounts of teaching to the kingdom of God, the book of Acts opens and closes with teaching about the Kingdom of God. I have alway's said, the Gospels are "who to know" and Acts is about "what to do". 

He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the  kingdom of God.  - Acts 1:3

He lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance. -Acts 28:30-31

In the New Testament the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven are one and the same concept. The two names are used interchangeably by Jesus Christ and the writers of the New Testament. The Lord’s Prayer itself makes this link. “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth, as it is in Heaven.” The Kingdom of God is the progressive implementation of God’s rule “on earth, as it is in heaven,” to be completed when He judges mankind finally into Heaven or Hell. It is the rule of Christ manifested on earth through the Church (believers) among all nations, who bring a portion of heaven (peace and joy) to earth by their rule and example of righteousness (ethics/worldview). The Kingdom of God is the new world-order brought about through the Gospel; Jesus' life, death, resurrection, and ascension. 

“The kingdom means the reign of God in the lives of HIs people, enabling them to serve Him wholeheartedly and to live the kind of life Jesus died to give us. In other words, the kingdom of God, in its simplest form, is the reign of Jesus Christ as Lord and King in our lives. It is His Holy Spirt working in us, through us, and around us in such a way that we actually live and do the will of God.”

The kingdom of God is both not yet and here now . Although it has been inaugurated with the advent of Jesus, it has yet to be consummated with the return of Jesus. We are living in the day of kingdom manifestation. Until the Lord Jesus returns we are living here on earth testifying to the reality of His kingdom in and through our lives.

Several years ago I was in Bethlehem teaching on the Incarnation of Christ. While there I was challenged by what it meant to manifest Christ and His kingdom on earth. As a believer, shouldn't every area of my life manifest Christ and His kingdom?

Absolutely yes! Our life should reflect the transforming work of the Gospel. It is the power of the Gospel through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit that allows us to manifest His kingdom here on earth. With that as a background here is my definition of a kingdom family: 

A Kingdom Family embodies the character of Christ, intentionally lives out the mission of Christ, through the Spirit of Christ, for the glory of Christ; manifesting His kingdom here on earth. What a privilege we have as believers to be ambassador's for God's Kingdom here on earth. As we demonstrate Christ's rule and reign through our families we put the gospel on display for the world to see. 

“Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.”
— 2 Corinthians 5:20