Spreading Contagious Hope in a Despairing Culture

As I was in the process of waking up today, Holy Spirit spoke a statement to me. I heard it plain as day. He said: “With everything either right or wrong in a room, there’s a lot we have to learn about the actual four walls of change.”

There’s a lot we have to learn.

At first this statement seemed a little odd, and I wasn’t sure if it made sense or not. But I’m learning to lean in more and more to His voice and allow Jesus to define and redefine what He is saying to me.

We are dealing with very strong personal preferences that actually define the kingdom more than they should.

It seems that many times, inside the four walls of church, we are dealing with very strong personal preferences that actually define the kingdom more than they should. To understand this, we have to understand that as disciples, we are culture-makers by our very nature, and that sometimes this can work against us if our preferences and our priorities outweigh the presence of God.

We are charged to strengthen the life and faith of the community.

If we are ambassadors of heaven, we are also charged with setting up a culture-changing kingdom that operates under the rule and dominion of the king, on earth as it is in heaven. In all that we do in our gatherings, we are charged to strengthen the life and faith of the community in such a way that our four walls are not placed there to keep the world out, but are more like riverbanks that God uses to release a torrent of living water into our cities.

Infectious hope can consume a city when God is found in the midst of His people.

I feel so challenged by this statement that we have a lot to learn about the actual four walls of change. But I am also very excited about the possibility of partnering with God in a way that brings a radical transformation to the face of the earth. I am excited that the potential for change that can come out of a community of believers has barely been tapped. I’m excited to see the infectious hope that can consume a city when God is found in the midst of His people.

What He is building is going to change everything.

In a day when debates of right and wrong rage daily over the internet, we are still charged as sons of God with bringing heaven to earth. No matter how “right” we are, if what we are building doesn’t radically transform the world around us, I question what we are building. Let’s let the presence of God be our priority. Let’s learn to host His presence with no competing agenda. Let’s lean on Him and learn of Him. He is the master builder, and what He is building is going to change everything. {eoa}

Clint Kahler is the director of Nextgen Worship, the voice of a movement whose purpose is to empower generations to carry heaven and shift culture. He believes that heaven on earth should be a continual experience and that everyone should benefit from this normal Christian lifestyle. The impossible is his target and the presence is his passion. Clint is also a mix engineer, producer, and co-leads worship with his wife, Hayley.