Changing to become Kingdom citizens

What does it look like when a church adopts a Kingdom mindset? Newcastle’s Kingdom Life Church is focused on finding out, says pastor John Bullock.

When the former Newcastle Elim was renamed Kingdom Life Church in 2021 they had no idea the move was part of a bigger journey God was taking them on.

But over the three years since, the church has been discovering what happens when God swaps a church-based mindset for a Kingdom focus.

The main way this has been achieved is through teaching, explaining the difference between the two and emphasising the need to seek first the Kingdom of God, explains church pastor John Bullock.

And making ongoing connections to God the main goal and taking responsibility for growing in righteousness have also been a focus.

“It’s been a big change for us spiritually,” says John. “The difference it has made is that people are becoming Kingdom citizens rather than just church attenders.”

The shift has been important, he explains, because we need to question whether doing ‘church’ sometimes gets in the way of advancing the Kingdom.

“Don’t get me wrong, we’re absolutely lovers of God’s church, but we have to ask where and how it fits into his Kingdom? The way I explain it is that on the basis of the fall, we lost relationship with God.

“A Kingdom emphasis places responsibility on people to focus on that relationship; to grow in God and become more Christlike so they’re not just going to church but living as Kingdom citizens.”

… story continues