We believe the primary, overarching purpose of the Church is to demonstrate and advance the Kingdom of God.  

The Kingdom of God was Jesus’ primary message. We believe it should be ours.

Genesis 1:26–28 (NASB) 

Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

Two Key Words: 

“rule over” = radah (Hebrew): take dominion, or exercise authority over, everything (that you can see) that willingly submits itself to you. 

“subdue” = kabash (Hebrew): take dominion, or exercise authority—by force, if necessary—over everything that does not willingly submit itself to you. 

At the time God said this to Adam, there was nothing to “subdue.”  Sin had not yet entered mankind. There was nothing Adam could see that opposed or undermined him and his God-given authority.

God’s use of “subdue” indicated that there would, in the future, be something that would oppose and seek to undermine Adam’s God-given authority. God was giving Adam a “heads-up” about what was to come... 

• Satan wanted to be like God. As a way of opposing and rising up against God Himself, Satan sought to steal the authority God had given Man. 

• God’s covenant with Adam, the federal head of the human race 

• Satan’s deceptive temptation 

• The Fall 

• When Man fell, two things were lost: 

  • Mankind—Man came under the authority and influence of Satan.  

  • Planet Earth  

Did Satan’s plan work? In a sense, yes…

Genesis 3:15 (NIV) 

And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.

Daniel 2:44 (NASB) 

In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever. 

The Big Questions on Satan’s mind through Old Testament times: 

• How was God going to crush him and the kingdom of darkness? 

• How was He going to establish His Kingdom on Earth? 

•  His birth: fully God, fully man (yet, sinless). 

• Came to destroy the works of the enemy. 

• Defeated (crushed) Satan at the cross.  

• Provided a way of freedom and salvation for those held captive by Darkness. 

• Planted and established the Kingdom.

Jesus' Primary Message: The Kingdom of God

Matthew 4:17 (ESV) 

From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” 

Matthew 11:12 (NIV 84) 

From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it.  

Matthew 16:17–19 (NASB) 

And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.” 

Jesus will Build a Church that Advances against and Overcomes the Gates of Hades (kingdom of darkness). 

• In what respects is this view of “church” different from ideas you may have previously encountered? 

• How has this teaching on the fundamental nature and purpose of the Church challenged, impacted, or inspired you?