Constitution of the Upside-Down Kingdom

Keith Dow, husband to Darcie Dow who is the good friend of my sister-in-law Heidi (got that?) wrote the following Constitution of the Kingdom of Jesus.  I hope it stirs you:

Constitution of the Upside-Down Kingdom


We the people of the upside-down Kingdom proclaim a revolution of repentance. We will no longer be conformed to the counterfeit-power of politics but will stand transformed in the resurrection-power of the Prince of Peace. We bear witness to His strength made perfect in weakness and the joy that is perfected in suffering. His Kingdom dwells among the dead and the dying, the wounded and the helpless; for it is not the healthy that need a doctor and not it is not the living that need new life.

We refuse to legislate life and death but instead join in the death-to-life renewal that begins with poverty of spirit and ends in richness of faith. It is not we who decide where the sun shines or the rain falls, nor do we bless or curse. The gavel of judgment is too heavy for our feeble human hands to hold.

We renounce the world as it has been told to us, the world of kings and princes, and look instead to the world of slaves and paupers, of widows and orphans. Here the least are the greatest and these are our masters, our monarchs. From the eyes of the one without a home a palace is commissioned. From the whisper of a muted voice, a herald is ordained. As I look into the soul of my neighbour-other, my response signs my soul. It is at this moment that I proclaim or betray my allegiance to the Kingdom of repentance.

We reclaim the back alleys, the crack houses, and the minefields as holy ground. We sanctify the shelters, the ghettos, and the street-corner grates. Our war is not with flesh-and-blood, but within each kingdom-citizen. We obliterate indifference and apathy. We attack hatred, spite, and judgement. Even the will to justice succumbs to its fulfillment in mercy, and other-love submerges a legion of sins.

We mourn together the loss of the garden, the birth of god-lust, and the claiming of the power of good and evil. It is only the fruit of life that fills famished souls, not knowledge-power wielded over one another. As Adams and as Eves together we stumble back to the gardens of humankind, tending to the withering and dying and tearing out the weed of desire to be divine found festering in each soul.

We demand no earthly King and call for no holy war. We ourselves are the infidels and the pagans, who know not what we do. Were we even to recognize an enemy, we seek not victory but the martyrs death: To be witness, to proclaim the King's death, to hear "Well done." This is our battle cry.

We dictate no foreign policy or trade embargo; The choices we make are of conscience not control. We refuse to condone the violence of economic oppression or knowingly enslave our global neighbours for the sake of passing popularity or the latest lust. In each transaction we relate not to an 'it' but to a 'you,' not to a brand but to a brother, and each dollar is either a helping hand to bring one to their feet or another drop in an ocean of indifferent economic subjugation.

We believe that giving our children good gifts means not comfort but creative compassion, not fortification but the strength to forgive. It is not weakness that prevents our hands from lifting the sword to protect those we love or ourselves, but the assurance that the victory lies in having fought the good fight and finished the race. Defeat lies not in death but in words betrayed by actions, for each enemy we encounter is both a stranger and a friend, a foe and a brother to whom we are bound. Uncompromising love is what we have witnessed and unrelenting mercy is our prototype. To abandon our Saviour-King at the call of His cross is to be found unworthy of His Name.

We are the few and the foolish. We will never be the majority, the crowd, or the many. Narrow is the path we walk, a path not of practicality but of passion, not of wisdom but of weakness. It is the foolishness of the cross to which we cling; the madness that to suffer is better than to sin; the absurdity of relinquishing rights rather than resisting. To watching eyes we bewilder and confuse, but we are a sight that will not be quickly forgotten. Our dying prayer is that every adversary's eyes will eventually rest upon the crucified Christ.

We the people of the upside-down kingdom work expectantly through the night, confident that the dawn of a new day will soon be upon us.
Reposted with permission.

Jesus is Lord and King

My friend Tim has become a broken record.  On his twitter feed he keeps writing things like "The Lord Reigns," or  "The King is on the throne."  Then we have a prayer meeting and the first prayer out of his mouth is the acknowledgement of Jesus as king.  Then we partake of communion and he wants to propose a toast: "To the King." 

Proposing a toast over the Lord's supper?  How ... appropriate!

I was on the bus this morning thinking about the fact that Jesus is Lord and King.  It excited me, because I know that as I frame my life around this reality (which, by the way, Jesus did the initial framing for me), I will experience such freedom and joy.  Sharing that reality with others is becoming increasingly easier, more natural, and just-plain-gets-me-riled-up in a good way as I experience that freedom and joy. 

Of course it's a process, but as I'm increasingly sensing the freedom that comes from living under the reign of Jesus, I long to share that joy with others.  That's what the Gospel does.  It helps us live in freedom and joy under the reign of Jesus.

I've often defaulted to thinking about the Gospel as "the-thing-I-share-with-other-people-so-that-they-can-get-saved-and-get-on-with-life."  Deep down, I've known it's more than this, but I have functionally lived my life with a Gospel that is less than the Gospel of the King and his kingdom.  I have lived with a Gospel that is less than all-encompassing.  I've lived with a Gospel that is less than Gospel, really.  It's less than Gospel if it doesn't start with Jesus as Lord and King of everything. 

Am I right?  Am I stating the obvious here?  Maybe so, but I'll take that kind of obvious for the sake of experiencing the freedom and joy that King Jesus paid with his life for me to experience.

Mere Churchianity

The late Michael Spencer finished his first and only book.  Here's an excerpt.  Having been an avid Internet Monk fan (the website of Michael Spencer), I am looking forward to reading this book.  Pre-order it if you're interested.  If you read it, I guarantee that you'll be glad and irritated that you did.

The Holy What?

Jonathan Dodson clearly explains the need for a reliance on the Holy Spirit in church planting. Call me crazy, but I do believe this applies to all of life. I resonate deeply with what he says here. As someone who has been trained to think strategically, professionally and academically regarding church planting and ministry in general, this transition in my own thinking has not only been deeply helpful, but deeply freeing. 

Slow Church

Here's the deal.  You may just want to de-subscribe from my blog and just regularly visit Tim Chester's, including this latest post.  I think that's becoming abundantly clear to me. 

Chester on Shared Life

I feel a little silly sometimes posting things like this that make me feel a bit dense (is that the right word?) after I read them, but it's just so good and refreshing and helpful.

Proactive and Reactive Gospel Intentionality

Tim Chester has a helpful post on proactive and reactive Gospel intentionality.  I recommend making his blog a part of your regular reading diet so that I don't have to link to everything good he writes.

Screwtape's Church Planting Advice to Church Planter "Wormwood"

David Garrison wrote this.  More than just "church planters" or "pastors" should read it.  Included is a very good description of the "Great Commision" and its parts.

HT: Jonathan Dodson

Who's Goin' to This?

Can't promise I will be, but I wanna go to this conference.  Maybe if 10 or 15 of us rent a 10 or 15 passenger van and all share a room at a Motel 6.

Meet Bill Kinnon

I never have met him, but I'd like to.  He's got the same writing "vibe" as the late Michael Spencer (the "Internet Monk") whose blog I loved to read.  I'm guessing he would not feel that he should be counted worthy to be in the same category as the Internet Monk.  But, whatever.  Check out Bill Kinnon's latest honest, thoughtful, prophetic, scathing, etc. (you figure out the best adjective) thoughts on discipleship, leadership and "being the church" (among other things) here.  Let me know what you think.

If I make it up to Toronto sometime, I might try to get coffee and/or the world's best hot dog with him here.

#1, #3, #7, #8

Those are the numbered "quotes" I especially liked at David Fitch's post here.  The "quotes" is in quotation marks on purpose, as not all are truly quotes.

A Pastor is a Disciple

Reminders like this one are so refreshing, challenging and motivating.

How's about Calling it Biblical Community?

Tim Chester has another excellent post re: community where he beats the dead horse that won't die.  He talks about the fact that we as Christians need to live in community for the reasons given in his post.  That used to be plain-ol'-Christianity, now it's called missional community so that it will get a hearing.  I commend Tim Chester for doing so.  I hope he keeps beating that dead horse 'til it really dies and biblical community comes to life in the lives of Jesus' people.