If you’ve known me for a while, you’re probably aware that I have a history of inconsistency when it comes to maintaining my own blog. There have been periods where I’ve written regularly, but there have also been long stretches of time where I haven’t written anything at all. Unfortunately, in recent years, I’ve spent more time in the latter category than in the former.

After experiencing some significant changes in my life, I have decided to revive my blog. I have numerous ideas for it, but I am particularly thrilled to start a fresh blog named “Speaking of the Kingdom.” Growing up in the church, attending Sunday School and Vacation Bible School, I was taken aback when I, as a teen, finally read the Gospel accounts in the New Testament and realized that Jesus barely talked about going to heaven. Instead, almost everything he taught and every story he told was about the Kingdom of God.

That realization began a decades-long journey of curiosity regarding the Kingdom of God. After earning an undergraduate degree in Religious Studies, a Master’s Degree in Religion, pastoring in part-time and full time settings, studying, reading, and listening to scholars on podcasts I’ve come to this absurdly obvious conclusion: The Kingdom of God is a Kingdom.

Of course the Kingdom of God is radically different than all other kingdoms; the values are completely different. The king is different. Judgement and justice are understood differently. The Kingdom of God is unlike any earthly kingdom. But it is still a kingdom.

Maybe because I’m an American living in the 21st century and have little reference to kingdoms, kings, and how they function, I have missed the “kingdomness” of the kingdom of God. It has recently dawned on me that I have mistakenly attributed certain aspects of scripture to religion, when in fact they are deeply connected to the concept of a kingdom. I have often accepted unfamiliar or peculiar elements as spiritual characteristics of Christianity, without realizing that they are actually common features associated with life in a kingdom.

Throughout the Gospels, Jesus frequently references the Kingdom of God, which is also a prominent theme throughout the entirety of the Scriptures. It would not be an exaggeration to say that the Kingdom of God serves as the central theme of the Bible, providing a mission and calling for God’s people. As I gained a deeper understanding of the Scriptures within the context of a kingdom, the message became increasingly clear and powerful.

And that’s why I’m starting this new blog series called Speaking of the Kingdom. It’s not just about sharing what I’ve learned with others because it’s been exciting and has made me love the scriptures even more. I also need to process these ideas and get my thoughts organized on “paper”. This blog will be the first part of a three-part series on understanding the Bible in the context of the kingdom. It’s going to be a lot of work, but I’m really excited about this project and grateful that I have the time and energy to dedicate to it.

Get ready to explore the kingdom language that shaped the gospel! In our upcoming blog posts, we’ll dive deep into the words and phrases that have become religious language to us, but actually have a much deeper meaning in the context of a kingdom. We’ll uncover the fascinating kingdom context behind these words, and discover how this knowledge can transform our understanding of scripture and strengthen our faith in God.

And if you are still unsure if this blog is for you or even what its about, as a teaser I will tell you that the first real post will discuss the idea that we can be near the Kingdom of God, we can be under the Kingdom of God, but the Kingdom of God is not a place to which we can go. The Kingdom of God can even be in us, and amongst us, but we’ll never be able to look at a map or a GPS and say, “there it is!”

If this sounds interesting or if you’ve ever wondered, like I did, why Jesus spoke so frequently about the Kingdom of God, I am inviting you to join me on this journey. Make sure to subscribe on the blog or follow me on Facebook (both options available at the bottom of the page).

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