Conclusions about God's Kingdom

Wednesdays are for bits and pieces.

2/1/17

What conclusions can McKnight make as a result of his analysis? What is the kingdom actually like? Does the Church have a radical mission? Can we agree on what it is?

McKnight, Scot. Kingdom Conspiracy: Returning to the Radical Mission of the Local Church. Grand Rapids: Baker Publishing Brazos Press, 2014. Kindle Electronic Edition.
Chapter 12, “Kingdom Theses.” pp. 205-208

In this last chapter prior to his appendices, McKnight restates some conclusions from his earlier work, in the form of a list.

1. Kingdom fits the idea of nation better than salvation (McKnight 2014, 205).
   
2. Kingdom is regularly a complex of people, as is church (McKnight 2014).
   
3. Kingdom refers to present and future, as does church (McKnight 2014).
4. We should not compare future kingdom and present church, expecting them to be the same (McKnight 2014).
   
5. The church goes astray when it tries to be aligned with the state (Constantinian Temptation) (McKnight 2014, 206).
   
6. Much activism today is based on a social gospel or liberation theology (McKnight 2014).
   
7. Christ’s work is to build his own kingdom (McKnight 2014, 207).
   
8. The kingdom is defined by the king’s character (McKnight 2014).
   
9. Citizens of the kingdom are only those redeemed by Jesus (McKnight 2014).
   
10. Kingdom / church needs a biblical view of “world” (McKnight 2014).
    
11. Kingdom citizens look forward eagerly to the end (McKnight 2014).
    
12. Kingdom citizens are a moral fellowship (McKnight 2014, 208).
    
13. Defining kingdom and church together adds focus (McKnight 2014).
    
14. Kingdom and local church mission are the same (McKnight 2014).​
    
15. Kingdom work is done only through the local church (McKnight 2014).