Recently, I had the opportunity to share about the King’s Collective Network at my home church in Williamsburg, VA.  You can check out the interview here.  In the interview, I was asked about what I believe are the biggest hindrances that cause believers from advancing the Kingdom of God in the marketplace.   That question has been catalytic in the founding of the King’s Collective Network.  So, here are the hindrances I believe you should be aware of.

The False Dichotomy of “Sacred” versus “Secular”

Your worldview matters.  In fact, your worldview shapes how you see things in the world and how you understand your purpose in the world.  Most believers in Christ when asked if Christ is ruling and reigning now, would theoretically answer yes! However, from a practical perspective, they believe that the world is controlled by the devil and that nothing can be done to make a positive and lasting difference.  In other words, “why iron brass on a sinking ship?”  The truth is that the devil has no domain that we have not allowed him to have (For a good article on this topic, click here).   

Psalm 24: 1 declares, “The earth is the LORD’S, and all it contains, The world, and those who live in it” (NASB).  God has given us authority to rule and reign the earth (Genesis 1:26-28; Psalm 8; 115:16). Christ has reclaimed the authority that was lost through Adam and Eve’s disobedience and has empowered us with the ‘Divine Go’ to impact the world. Just as God gave Joshua power and authority to expand Israel’s dominion (Joshua 1:3); likewise, Jesus the Greater Joshua has empowered us (Matthew 28:18-20). Don’t let the false dichotomy of ‘sacred’ versus ‘secular’ hinder you from operating in your calling to impact the marketplace.

We Have Taught People to be mostly Priests instead of being Kings and Priests

In the book entitled, The Kingdom of God in Working Clothes: The Marketplace and the Reign of God by R. Paul Stevens, the author talks about the “Sunday-Monday” Gap which is a direct result of the sacred versus secular dichotomy.  What this has caused is that church leaders have inadvertently equipped individuals to do “church ministry” such as teaching in Sunday school, being involved in small groups, fellowshipping, prayer, worship, etc. There is nothing wrong with doing these activities; however, if there is no intentionality in equipping believers to be both kings and priests then, things become unbalanced. 

John Garfield and Harold Eberle, authors of the book entitled, Releasing Kings for Ministry in the Marketplace state, “Only two percent of the equipped saints can work on staff positions within the Church. The vast majority, 98%, must be sent out to expand the Kingdom of God throughout the world” (p. 33). [1]

In addition, “Priests (pastors, teachers, and other church leaders) play an important role in the Temple (Church), but it’s a role that has a maintenance implication. They keep their families Word. They counsel, bury. They shepherd, feed, and equip God’s people. Pastors naturally gravitate to a peaceful, healthy atmosphere and have a godly motivation to keep their congregations happy and maturing. In contrast, Kings go to war. They establish their authority. They move people into new territories – stretching people out their comfort zones to expand the Kingdom of God on this Earth.” [2] The truth is that when people are equipped to be Kings, they will fully embrace their calling in the marketplace.  We must equip people to be Kings and Priests so that they can reign on the earth (Revelation 5:10).

We have not equipped believers to engage the full-orbed mission of Christ

So, what does living out the ‘King-Priest’ dimension yield?  Well, Jesus modeled it. When Kings reign, things begin to flourish.   Kings bring the influence, values, and prosperity of their Kingdom into new territories.  Kings expand the Shalom of their Kingdom. We are regents of our King, and we are ambassadors of his Kingdom.  We extend the culture of the Kingdom with the Power and the Authority of the King.  So, what does our King do that we must also re-present?

Stevens unpacks Isaiah 61:1-7 to show that not only that Jesus fulfilled His mission considering the passage, but Jesus’s mission as the ‘King-Priest’ becomes our mission as king-priests. When we extend the culture of the Kingdom with the Power and the Authority of Christ, there can be economic, emotional, personal, mental, spiritual, and ministerial flourishing. [3]

Now that you are aware of the biggest hindrances that cause believers from impacting the marketplace with the Gospel of the Kingdom, what are you going to do about it? Which one of these hindrances have impacted you the most? Go find your purpose and ‘kingdomize’ it!

[1] Eberle, H. R., & Garfield, J. S. (2004, June 1). Releasing Kings for Ministry in the Marketplace (1st ed.). Worldcast Publishing.

[2] (Eberle & Garfield, 2004, p.13)

[3] Stevens, P. R., & Nelson, T. (2022, August 5). The Kingdom of God in Working Clothes: The Marketplace and the Reign of God. Cascade Books.